✅ Updated for April 2026 — already bought? Update free

Internship Agreement Template

(England & Wales)

Create your internship agreement with learning objectives, supervision arrangements, confidentiality provisions, IP rights, and placement terms.

Professionally drafted — structured following UK employment law for England and Wales.

Download a professionally drafted internship agreement template for UK employers and organisations. This internship agreement covers placement terms, learning objectives, supervision arrangements, confidentiality, intellectual property assignment, paid and unpaid placement options, and termination provisions. Structured following UK employment law including the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 and Employment Rights Act 1996 for England and Wales. Includes health and safety obligations, data protection acknowledgment, reference arrangements, and proper signature sections. Updated for ERA 2025 changes effective April 2026.

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Who Is This Internship Agreement For?

One flexible framework that adapts to your industry — whether you're hosting placement students, graduates, or career changers.

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Tech & Startups
Software devs, bootcamp grads, IT placements
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Marketing & Creative
PR agencies, design studios, content teams
⚖️
Legal Services
Small law firms, chambers, paralegal placements
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Finance & Accounting
Accountancy practices, bookkeepers, auditors
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Architecture & Engineering
Year-out students, RIBA placements, design practices
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Media & Publishing
Editorial, broadcast, production companies
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Charity & Non-profit
Third sector, fundraising, community projects
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Retail & Hospitality
Work experience, summer schemes, customer service
Placement Protection

Why You Need an Internship Agreement

Protect your business, clarify expectations, and stay on the right side of employment law

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IP Protection

Without a written agreement, designs, code, writing and inventions created by interns belong to them — not your organisation.

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Legal Clarity

Clearly documents whether the placement is paid or unpaid and on what legal basis — protecting you from backdated wage claims.

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Clear Expectations

Sets out learning objectives, supervision, confidentiality and termination terms so both parties know exactly where they stand.

An internship agreement is a written contract between an organisation and an intern that defines the placement terms, learning objectives, supervision arrangements, and whether the internship is paid or unpaid — a distinction with significant legal implications under UK employment law.▼ Tap below to read more

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What Is an Internship Agreement and When Do You Need One?

An Internship Agreement is a contract that sets out the terms of a work placement between an organisation and an intern. While not always legally required, having a written agreement protects both parties and clarifies expectations.

When You Need an Internship Agreement:

  • Student placements — University sandwich years, work experience modules, or professional training requirements
  • Graduate schemes — Structured training programmes for recent graduates
  • Work experience — Short-term placements for school leavers or career changers
  • Voluntary internships — Where someone wants to gain experience in your industry
  • Paid internships — Any placement where you're paying the intern

Why You Need a Written Agreement:

A written agreement clarifies whether the placement is paid or unpaid (and the legal basis for unpaid arrangements), protects your confidential information, assigns intellectual property rights, sets clear learning objectives, and defines supervision arrangements.

Our template covers all these requirements in a professional format.

Without a written internship agreement, organisations risk an intern being classified as a worker entitled to National Minimum Wage, holiday pay, and employment rights — HMRC actively investigates unpaid internships that resemble employment arrangements.▼ Tap below to read more

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Paid vs Unpaid Internships — UK Law

When Unpaid Internships Are Legal:

  • Student work placements: Students on mandatory placements as part of UK higher/further education courses
  • Work shadowing: Observing work without contributing productive labour
  • Volunteers for charities: Genuine volunteers helping registered charities (not commercial businesses)

When You Must Pay Minimum Wage:

  • The intern does productive work that benefits your business
  • The intern is not on a mandatory academic placement
  • The intern has set hours or required attendance
  • The intern replaces work that would otherwise be done by paid staff

⚠️ The Risk of Getting It Wrong:

HMRC can pursue backdated minimum wage payments plus penalties of up to 200%. "Calling it an internship" doesn't change the legal position — if the arrangement looks like employment, minimum wage applies.

Our template helps you document the genuine educational purpose of unpaid placements.

This internship agreement template covers placement duration, learning objectives, supervision and mentoring arrangements, working hours, expenses, confidentiality, intellectual property rights, health and safety, data protection, and termination provisions.▼ Tap below to read more

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What's Included in Our Internship Agreement

Comprehensive Internship Coverage:

  • ✓ Complete organisation and intern details
  • ✓ Internship duration and working hours
  • ✓ Payment terms (or unpaid placement basis)
  • ✓ Learning objectives and skills development
  • ✓ Supervision and mentoring arrangements
  • ✓ Place of work and remote working terms
  • ✓ Confidentiality and data protection
  • ✓ Intellectual property assignment
  • ✓ Health and safety acknowledgment
  • ✓ Professional conduct expectations
  • ✓ Termination and notice provisions
  • ✓ Reference and feedback arrangements
  • ✓ Insurance and liability clarification
  • ✓ Proper signature sections

Professionally structured and ready for signing.

Related documents: Internship Agreements are often used alongside an Employment Contract, Non-Disclosure Agreement, and Employee Handbook.

Common mistakes include failing to distinguish between a genuine internship and employment, not documenting learning objectives, omitting confidentiality and IP provisions, and using the agreement to avoid paying National Minimum Wage for what is effectively a worker role.▼ Tap below to read more

Common Internship Agreement Mistakes to Avoid

Don't Make These Critical Errors:

  • Unclear educational purpose: If the agreement doesn't clearly show the internship's primary purpose is learning (not work), HMRC may treat the intern as a worker entitled to minimum wage.
  • No learning objectives: Without documented learning objectives and supervision arrangements, the placement looks like unpaid work, not education.
  • No supervision structure: Genuine internships require structured learning and supervision. If there's no mentor or learning plan, it looks like employment.
  • No confidentiality clause: Without written confidentiality terms, interns can freely share your trade secrets, client lists, and business strategies.
  • Missing intellectual property assignment: Creative work, software code, designs, or written content produced by interns belongs to them unless you have a written IP assignment clause.
  • No termination provisions: Without clear termination terms, you may struggle to end an internship early if it's not working.
  • Ignoring health and safety: Employers have the same health and safety duties toward interns as employees.
  • Promising future employment: Vague promises of "possible job opportunities" without clear terms create expectations that may lead to disputes.

Our template helps you avoid these mistakes with clear structure and guidance.

⚠️ After you download — IMPORTANT:

Both parties must sign before the internship starts. Print two copies — one for your records and one for the intern. Keep the signed copy safely filed with your HR records. For unpaid placements, ensure you can demonstrate the genuine educational purpose if ever challenged.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Internship Agreement?

An Internship Agreement is a contract between an organisation and an intern that sets out the terms of the placement.

It covers the internship duration, learning objectives, supervision arrangements, confidentiality, intellectual property rights, and whether the placement is paid or unpaid (and under what legal basis).

Can I have unpaid interns, or must I pay minimum wage?

It depends on the arrangement. Unpaid internships are legal only for: (1) students on mandatory work placements as part of UK higher education, (2) work shadowing (observing, not doing work), or (3) genuine volunteers for charities.

All other interns doing actual work must be paid at least National Minimum Wage. Misclassifying paid work as unpaid internship can trigger backdated wage bills plus penalties.

What makes an internship genuinely educational vs. unpaid work?

A genuine educational internship has: (1) clear learning objectives, (2) structured supervision and mentoring, (3) focus on skill development rather than productive work, (4) connection to academic study, and (5) benefits the intern more than the employer.

If the intern does regular work that benefits the business, adds value, or replaces a paid worker, they must be paid regardless of the "learning opportunity."

What happens to work created by the intern during their placement?

Unless your agreement includes intellectual property assignment, work created by interns (designs, writing, code, inventions) belongs to them, not your organisation.

Our contract includes proper IP assignment clauses ensuring your organisation owns work created during the internship, protecting your business interests while being fair to the intern.

How long should an internship last?

Most internships last between 1 week and 12 months, depending on the purpose.

Short placements (1–4 weeks) suit work experience and shadowing.

Longer placements (3–12 months) are typical for graduate schemes and professional training.

Our template accommodates any duration you need.

What if UK law changes after I purchase?

You receive free lifetime updates — no subscription required, no monthly fees, ever.

We monitor UK law changes and update templates accordingly. When we release an updated version, it appears free in your My Templates page. No extra charges. No recurring fees.

Is this really £20 one-time, or will I be charged monthly?

£20 one-time. That's it. No subscriptions, no recurring fees, no "free trial" traps.

Here's what we don't do: Other sites advertise "free templates" — you spend 15 minutes filling one in, then they demand your card for a "free trial" that charges £35–£42/month when you forget to cancel. Worse, many are US-based and won't hold up under UK law. (Read about the scam)

We're different: £20 upfront for the document you actually need. Build it, preview it, pay only when you're happy. Own it forever with free lifetime updates. Based on UK law. No subscription fatigue.

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