Graduate internships

1. For how many internships can institutions apply?

There are 8,500 graduate internships available. Institutions should apply for the level of internships they can deliver. Given the number of internships available, we have enabled institutions to signal in the application where they could potentially deliver more ambitious numbers.

2. How have regional allocations been determined?

We have used a formulaic method to pre-determine a level of resource for each region. This is based on the number of graduates of institutions in the region who have qualified with a first degree, and regional differences in the latest unemployment rates for 18 to 30 year olds with first degrees as their highest qualification, taken from Labour Force Survey data for the third quarter of 2009. We will use the allocations only as a guide to inform discussions at the regional meetings; hence we have not published these.

3. Will you accept collaborative proposals?

Yes, but collaborative proposals must be led by a single, named institution for funding purposes, and should provide an indicative allocation of the graduate internships that each partner institution will deliver.

4. How will proposals be assessed?

HEFCE Regional Consultants will meet with regional development agencies, higher education regional associations and the Federation of Small Businesses to consider applications received, agree individual institutional allocations, and internship targets. The meetings will discuss whether the applications are fundable, based on: eligibility, the extent to which applications for funding address the priority areas detailed in electronic publication inviting applications, and the level of demand for funding. The meetings will consider other factors as necessary, (for example, ability to deliver in priority areas, quality of the information provided, and ability to deliver within the required timescale). The outcomes of these meetings will be recommendations to HEFCE for funding of individual institutions.

We will then analyse cross-regional recommendations against the overall target, identify any gaps in the priority areas, and seek to re-allocate any under-utilised resources across other regions.

This is not a competitive bidding process. If we need to adjust our funding allocations from the total internships higher education institutions are requesting, this will be done on a pro-rata basis across a whole region.

5. Can institutions attend regional meetings?

Individual institutions are not required to attend. The higher education regional association will represent the interests of its respective institutions at each meeting.

6. Are further education colleges (FECs) eligible for the scheme?

No. This initiative is considered to be outside of our funding responsibilities for FECs.

7. How is a small business defined?

For these graduate internships, a small business is defined as having less than 50 employees.

8. Are graduate internships only available to small businesses that are members of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)?

Small businesses do not have to be members of the FSB to participate. However, the FSB has committed to promote the scheme among its members.

9. Do small businesses need to be working in one of the Government’s priority areas?

No. Institutions can work with any small business, providing it meets the definition in question 7.

10. When will funding be announced?

We aim to present the recommendations for funding to HEFCE's Chief Executive's Group in January 2010 for approval. Institutions will be informed accordingly and funding should start later that month.

11. Can funding support undergraduate placements or internships?

No. This funding is for graduate internships only, and should not displace undergraduate placement schemes.

12. How will HEFCE monitor internships?

We will confirm monitoring arrangements for all participating institutions in January, and will seek to ensure these are of minimal burden.

13.Will funding be recovered for non delivery of internships?

Payments for graduate internships will be dependent on satisfactory recruitment. Where targets have not been met, institutions will have the opportunity to renegotiate funding and targets.

14. Do institutions need to have a project funded through the Economic Challenge Investment Fund (ECIF) to be able to apply for these graduate internships?

No, this is not directly connected to ECIF, although we are funding internships through that initiative. All eligible institutions can apply for this scheme.

• More about the ECIF

15. Are there other funding sources for internships?

The Shell Step programme has been extended to support graduates. Some institutions will be supporting graduates within Graduate Shell Step as well as graduate internships supported by HEFCE. Where this is the case, institutions can use HEFCE funding to maximise delivery across all their internship activity.