Internships
Connect your studies and professional practice with a part-time internship at a highly regarded organisation over a semester or Summer or Winter Term.
Guaranteed real industry experience
A Swinburne bachelor degree is more than a piece of paper. Commencing 2021, it's a career-starting résumé with guaranteed Work Integrated Learning.
Benefits of an internship
An internship looks great on your resume. It shows you have real industry experience before you’ve even graduated from your bachelor or master degree.
At Swinburne, internships give you the chance to:
- work on projects with real world impacts in the workplace
- experience day-to-day work in a highly regarded organisation
- learn directly from experienced professionals
- develop your professional and practical skills
- apply your knowledge in a work setting
- build your network of industry contacts
- create an impressive resume.
Grace’s Internship at Richmond Football Club
Grace kick-started her career in human resources with an internship at one of the biggest AFL clubs in Australia.
Can you do an overseas internship?
Internships are available to undergraduate students and are taken as an elective unit. At Swinburne, we also offer overseas internships to give students real industry experience in international organisations.
Internships in bachelor degrees
Internships at the bachelor degree level are a workplace experience in a field relating to your area of study, taken part-time over one semester (1–2 days per week up to approximately 140 hours in total) or taken in intensive mode over the six-week Summer or Winter Term.
You’ll earn credit towards your degree and participate in regular online learning activities as part your Professional Internship unit.
Internship course credit
A Professional Internship is an academic unit worth 12.5 credit points and in an elective option in all degrees.
Throughout your internship, you’ll be assessed on your learning experience. This includes an Internship Plan where you’ll have the opportunity to outline your learning aims and objectives for the unit. Other assessments include check-ins, reflective practice and writing that links academic theory to the world of work.
Local students may select an internship as an extra unit on top of your course if you do not have a free elective.
Semester 2 2022
- Monday 9 May: internship opportunities advertised on InPlace
- Monday 8 August: last day to confirm internship
- Monday 18 July – Monday 15 August: students can commence internship with their host organisation
- Sunday 30 October: last day for students to end internship
Summer Term 2023
- Monday 17 October 2022: internship opportunities advertised on InPlace
- Monday 19 December 2022: last day to confirm internship
- Tuesday 3 January - Monday 9 January 2023: students can commence internship with their host organisation
- Sunday 12 February 2023: last day for student to end internship
Semester 1 2023
- Monday 17 October 2022: internship opportunities advertised on InPlace
- Monday 27 February 2023: last day to confirm internship
- Monday 13 February - Monday 13 March 2023: students can commence internship with their host organisation
- Sunday 28 May 2023: last day for student to end internship
Internship dates change annually. If you miss the application deadline, consider the next intake. Remember you will need at least three units remaining in your degree after completing your placement.
Eligibility
As a Swinburne student, you may be eligible to do an internship as part of your bachelor degree, if:
- you have completed a minimum of 150 credit points in your degree, and you’re in the last semester of your degree and have a minimum of two units to complete.
- you have an elective unit free in your study plan
- you have a weighted course average of 60 percent or higher.
Selection for an internship may include an interview with one of our industry partners.
Note: Local and international students studying through Swinburne Online (SOL) or Open Universities Australia (OUA) are not eligible for an internship.
Payment for internships
Internships are normally unpaid.
Fees
Students will be charged one standard unit tuition fee of between A$850 and A$1,812 for the Professional Internship unit, depending on the unit study area.
Swinburne students enrolled in a Professional Internship unit are covered by Swinburne’s Public Liability insurance policy. All internships will need to comply with the Australian Government’s Fair Work guidelines for unpaid internships.
If you have a disability or ongoing health issue and are undertaking an internship, Swinburne offers a range of disability support services. Contact the AccessAbility team.
How to apply for an internship
You can register for an internship at any time. Securing an internship is a competitive process and will rely on the quality of your resume, cover letter, academic record, interview and sometimes a portfolio.
Each organisation will have a slightly different screening process that may involve interviews, group assessments and other tasks.
We’re here to help though – follow these steps:
- Register your interest in an internship.
- Your eligibility will be confirmed within three days.
- If eligible, you will receive an email with information on how to apply for internships and resources to help create a professional application.
- View and apply for internship opportunities.
Note: You’re able to self-source your own internship, as long as it is relevant to your course of study and the industry partner fits within our guidelines.
Internships for international students
An internship does not increase the length of your course and is covered on your study visa. All you need is one free elective and you can get real Australian work experience while you study, which looks great on your resume!
Just keep in mind, the hours you work as part of your internship will count towards your visa's work hour limits, unless the internship is a mandatory requirement of your degree.
If you need more information, you can check the conditions of your visa or contact us.
Register for an internship
Registrations for internships as part of your bachelor degree are now open.
Internships in master degrees
Available as part of several master programs, the Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Information Systems Analysis and Management Internship runs each semester starting in the first week of the semester.
This internship includes assessments and work placements within approved organisations for 2 days per week over a 12-week semester period.
To apply for internships, you will need to first:
- register your interest in the semester prior to becoming eligible
- make sure you meet the eligibility criteria
- pass a pre-internship interview.
Then, you’ll gain access to available internships released via InPlace.
ICT master degree internship details
Typical projects may include (but are not limited to):
- Business Analysis
- Systems Analysis
- iOS Development
- Android Development
- Web Development
Master degree internships are worth 12.5 credit points. Assessments may include:
To be eligible for the ICT and Information Systems Analysis and Management Internship, you should:
- have completed at least 100 credit points of an approved degree, for example:
- Master of Business Information Systems
- Master of Information Technology
- Master of Information Technology (Professional Computing)
- Master of Technology (course transitioning to Master of Information Technology)
- Master of Science (Network Systems)
- Master of Engineering Science (Network Systems and Telecommunications)
- Master of Cybersecurity
- Master of Data Science
- maintain at least a 60 percent weighted course average
- have failed no more than one unit in the preceding semester
- pass a pre-internship interview
- must have a free elective to enable enrolment in the internship unit.
The availability of internships depend on industry demand and are released in the semester prior to the internship commencing through InPlace access.
Successful applicants are selected by host organisations, usually following an interview.
It’s a competitive process and you’ll be assessed based on prior work experience, academic record, as well as attitude, career objectives and communication styles.
Completion of Career Start and associated workshops is highly recommended to assist students with applications.
Studying a master degree in ICT?
Apply for an internship in your final semester of your master degree.