For the intern

If you are in possession of an offer from a UK organisation to come to England as an intern then you will require what is called a Certificate of Sponsorship (or CoS). This certificate will enable you to apply for a visa providing the right to work in England for up to 12 months.

Your employer will have started this process by applying to the Tier5intern programme for the permissions needed to grant you entry. If the employer’s application is successful then Tier5Intern will contact you via e-mail with details of your Certificate of Sponsorship and how to apply for your visa.

To be able to qualify to come to England as an intern under this scheme you must:

  • Be engaged in degree-level studies or have a degree that is equivalent to the UK’s qualification framework defined by NARIC
  • Commit to obey the scheme rules and the UK's immigration rules in so far as they relate to migrants, for example you will be responsible for updating your employer of your whereabouts, starting with your entry into the UK for the first time and ending with your departure from the UK at the end of your internship.

Please note that the issuance of a Certificate of Sponsorship does not guarantee that you will be granted permission to stay in the UK.

We wish you success with your application and look forward to welcoming you to the UK.

Download frequently asked questions.