A2i Student Widening Participation (WP) Funding
This funding supports underrepresented students who meet the Student WP Criteria, secure a paid internship in the UK, by providing their chosen employer with funding to cover 140 hours worth of pay.
Employer subsidies are available for UK-based employers who are:
- Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) including start-ups
- Registered Charities
- Statutory Organisations such as unitary authorities, schools, colleges, and the University of Exeter.
Funding is limited and issued on a first-come-first-serve basis. The employer can receive up to two funding allocations per academic year which is transfered directly to them. Students must therefore be added to the company's payroll system.
Eligible students are encouraged to approach employers to arrange their own paid internship. If however, you have already appointed an intern, with their permission the team will be able to check if they meet the criteria and potentially award funding.
Contact the team at a2i@exeter.ac.uk to check the timelines for funding and to register your interest.
|
Type of Organisation |
Internship Length (full time or part-time) |
Hourly Rate of Pay |
Funding A2I Provides* (No VAT) |
Funding the Organisation Contributes* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Micro, SME, Not for Profit, registered Charity or Statutory Organisation |
4 weeks or 140 hours overall |
£12.00 per hour |
£1,808 (No VAT) |
£0 |
|
University of Exeter Academic or Department |
4 weeks or 140 hours overall |
£13.45 per hour (£12.00 basic + £1.45 holiday pay) |
£2,047 (No VAT) |
£0 |
*The amount is intended to fully cover your intern's pay plus your employer National Insurance contributions for 4 weeks (140 hours).
National Insurance (NI) contributions will be effective once the intern earns over the NI threshold per month. For the latest information about NI contributions you can visit gov.uk/national-insurance-rates. For general employment information, you can visit gov.uk/employing-staff.
If you offer your intern the opportunity to join a pension scheme, this will not be covered by the subsidy.
If you are a University of Exeter employer, the subsidy will also cover Apprenticeship Levy costs.
The funding can fully cover an interns wage for 4 weeks (140 hours) with a UK: Micro, SME, Not for profit, registered Charity or Statutory Organisation. A2i will provide a £1,808 (no VAT) subsidy to your organisation based on a rate of £12.00 per hour plus any National Insurance contributions that you may have to pay, if the intern is working full-time. Please see the full funding eligibility below.
Employer Eligibility
Employers must:
- Be based in the UK
- Classed as a Micro, SME, Not for profit, registered Charity or Statutory Organisation
- An organisation of good reputation
- A supportive employer
- Able to pay the student through their own payroll system. If an organisation is unable to do this, the university will not be able to provide funding
- Have employers liability insurance
- Provide a contract of employment. You must employ the student, they cannot be self-employed.
- Pay the intern a minimum of £12.00 per hour.
- Pay the agreed wage on a set monthly payday once the internship has commenced. The University payments terms are 30 days from receipt of invoice. Where the organisation has not invoiced for or received the agreed employer subsidy from the University by the intern’s payday, the organisation will need to pay the intern’s salary.
For further information visit gov.uk/employed-or-self-employed and gov.uk/employing-staff.
The Internship
- The minimum duration of the internship must be 140 hours in total. This is 4 weeks full-time (based on a 35 hour week), or can be part-time spread over a longer period.
- The internship should be based in the UK
- The tasks and responsibilities should be in line with an undergraduate or graduate level position to aid the intern’s career development. You can contact the team if you need guidance with this.
- Durng term-time, the intern should not exceed 15 hours of work per week. Full time hours can be offered during the hopliday period.
- If the intern is in ther final year, they must start the internship before the date of their graduation.
Intern Eligibility
- Interns must be a current University of Exeter undergraduate student
- Students must meet the Widening Participation (WP) Criteria.
- Students should have permission to work in the UK for the duration of the internship and have (or be in the process of applying for) a National Insurance Number*
Appointing your Intern and Applying for Funding
Once an Exeter student has confirmed an internship position with you, they will need to complete the WP student application form*. Once received, the A2i team will be in contact via email, to confirm the funding and ask you and your intern to action the following:
- Sign and return an A2i Internship Agreement confirming the terms and conditions.
- Complete an ‘New Supplier External Form’ in preparation for paying your invoice.
- Invoice the University, once you have been provided with a Purchase Order (PO) number to quote on your invoice.
*Please note, all funding is issued on a first-come-first-serve basis and applications will close once all funds are allocated. If you have any questions about the funding, please contact the A2i team (a2i@exeter.ac.uk).
- The funding can fully cover an interns wage for 4 weeks if the internship is full-time (based on 35 hours per week), or 140 hours in total if the internship is part-time.
- For 2023-24, A2i will allocate £2,047 (No VAT) for the internship and provide you with an account code to pay the intern £13.45 per hour (including holiday pay), plus National Insurance contributions and Apprenticeship Levy costs.
The Internship
- The minimum duration of the internship must be for 4 weeks full-time or 140 hours part-time
- The internship must be based in the UK
- The tasks and responsibilities must be in line with an undergraduate level position to aid career development.
- During term-time, the student should not exceed 15 hours of work per week. Full time hours can be worked during the holiday period
- The internship role should not start before the intern has applied and fundng has been confirmed. Hours of work cannot be backdated.
Intern Eligibility
- The student must be a current University of Exeter undergraduate
- The student must meet the Widening Participation (WP) Criteria
- The student must have permission to work in the UK for the duration of the internship and have (or be in the process of applying for) a National Insurance Number.
Appointing your Intern and Applying for Funding
Once you have confirmed the internship opportunity, the student will need to complete the WP student application form*.
Once received, the A2i team will be in contact via email, to confirm the funding and ask you and your intern to action the following:
- Sign and return an A2i Internship Agreement
- Follow 4 steps to set up and pay your intern on eClaims, details of which will be sent to you as soon as possible once your intern has applied for funding - guidance will be provided.
- Use the A2i cost code (which will be shared with you) on the eClaims system when approving your intern's claims.
*Please note, all funding is issued on a first-come-first-serve basis and applications will close once all funds are allocated. If you have any questions about the funding, please contact the A2i team (a2i@exeter.ac.uk).
You should provide your new intern with an induction when they start working for you. You should also set clear objectives for the internship, and plan to review and evaluate the intern's progress at regular intervals. You are welcome to complete your own induction and performance indicators or you are welcome to use the guides below:
If you are hosting a remote internship then you may also find the following resources helpful:
- Guidance for interviews via video call
- Virtual Internships: 10 Top Tips for Remote Working, for your intern.
The intern should meet with their line manager regularly. Daily meetings are recommended in the first week, then once every 2 weeks after this.
You can refer to the Making the Most of Your Intern guide for further advice and guidance.
You can learn about the positive experience other employers have had through internships by taking a look at our case studies.
If you have any queries, you can contact the team at A2i@exeter.ac.uk.
- Employers must allow us to share details of the company, the selected intern and the internship with the funders, Employment Services.
- All parties must agree to the A2I Terms and Conditions as outlined in the A2I Internship Agreement - External.
- Employers can receive more than one subsidy, to a maximum of two subsidies per year across all/any A2I funding sources available.
- Employers cannot combine or apply for more than one A2I subsidy; All Student, Santander or Widening Participation, for the same internship.
- Employers are unable to apply for further funding to either extend an intern's contract or employ the same student or graduate once the internship has completed.
- Employer subsidies will be paid upon the successful placement of an Exeter intern into the approved internship and once an A2I Internship Agreement has been signed and returned.
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