Students based in
Northern Ireland

Watch a video

How does IAESTE work?

Each member country is committed to raising offers of training nationally for foreign IAESTE students. The majority of these placements are for 8-12 weeks in the summer months. These training offers are exchanged on a reciprocal basis with delegations from other member countries at the IAESTE General Conference in mid-January. The foreign offers received are then matched with student applications; IAESTE regulations require that only one student is nominated for any placement abroad, an indication of how high chances are of being accepted by the foreign employer. Selection of students for placements abroad is the responsibility of your national IAESTE office and procedures will vary from country to country. Please read the following section carefully to understand how to apply to the IAESTE programme if you are at a university in Northern Ireland.

How does IAESTE UK work in Northern Ireland?

Students based in Northern Ireland should register interest in IAESTE during the autumn term by completing the application form at the bottom of this page. Provided you are eligible your name and address will be entered on a mailing list. You must return your application by our 10 December deadline. Am I eligible?

You will be contacted in mid-January to confirm a time and date for an informal interview with the Northern Ireland IAESTE programme officer. The interviews will take place in early February. Prior to this you will have been sent a catalogue of the placements available together with an Offer Preference Form. At interview you will be required to bring with you:

two passport sized photographs
a copy of Record of Achievement (a list of modules taken at university with examination results, where available)
an email address of an academic referee who will be willing to support your application
a curriculum vitae
a completed Offer Preference Form

At the interview you will have the opportunity to discuss your placement choices and the reasons for your preferences. You will not placed unless you have attended the interview.

Inevitably demand will be greater than the supply of training offers. Selection panels will view all applications and one student will be chosen per placement according to qualifications, previous practical experience, language abilities, level of interest and general suitability for the position.

At the end of this selection process, one student will have been chosen for each foreign training offer available. But it will still be necessary for IAESTE UK to nominate the selected student for the placement through liaison with the receiving IAESTE Committee. The international IAESTE deadline for sending nominations abroad is 31 March. Once you have been selected for nomination, the actual offer form detailing the placement you have been chosen for will be sent to you. You will be asked to pay the administrative fee of £100 and to complete a nomination form and write a covering letter to the specific employer (the fee is refundable if you are not accepted or circumstances force the foreign employer to withdraw from the programme). IAESTE UK will then forward your completed application to the IAESTE office in the host country; it will be their responsibility to liaise with the employer and ascertain whether you have been accepted.

Because of the stringent matching process and the fact that ultimately only one student may be nominated for a foreign placement, at least 95% of IAESTE nominees are accepted by foreign employers. If offers are withdrawn this is usually due to economic recession or unforeseen reorganisation within companies. Most applicants will be informed by late April/early May whether they have been accepted, at which point IAESTE will advise them on the need for visas, work permits, and other relevant documentation.

Summary of Important Dates:

1 September to 10 December: Initial registration

Mid January: You will be contacted with a date and time for an informal interview

Early February: Interviews take place

Feb/March: Successful applicants will be contacted to complete the nomination process

31 March: International deadline for sending completed nominations to IAESTE member countries abroad.

April/May: Period in which you will be notified if the foreign employer has accepted you.

Put yourself at the top of the list for a work placement abroad

IAESTE organises trainee exchanges on a reciprocal basis. It follows that the number of British students IAESTE UK can send abroad depends entirely on how many placements we can arrange at home for foreign trainees. We look very favourably on applications from students who make every effort to secure a placement for a foreign trainee in this country. This could be through your department or through friends, family or industry contacts. We would hope that every student applying would at least think about raising a placement. Think about who you know who could benefit from hosting a highly motivated international trainee and could pay them the minimum weekly wage.

If you are able to raise a firm offer of training in a company or within your department IAESTE UK will prioritise your application. If you are studying in Northern Ireland and would like to receive information on raising placements for foreign trainees you should email iaesteni@britishcouncil.org and we will be pleased to help.

What should I do now?

If you wish to register your interest in the IAESTE exchange programme please complete the Initial Application Form below and return it by 10 December. You will receive an email of acknowledgement shortly after. This form should not be used by students based in the rest of the United Kingdom.

Download a Registration Form:
(opens in a new window)