Government Economic Service Summer Scheme

Are you an economics undergraduate in your penultimate year on track for a 2:1 or above? Do you want to gain practical experience and use your economics skills to make a difference? Join the UK Government for a paid summer placement.  placement.   

Summer placements last 6-12 weeks over the summer period and are paid. The scheme offers a unique opportunity to gain practical experience working in the Civil Service, applying economics to issues that matter. matter.  

Placements take place in a variety of UK Government departments andacross canthe involveUK. You could find yourself analysing data, providing advice on policy options, or preparing briefings for officials and ministers. Many summer placement students have come back to join us for a permanent role after finishing their degree.  degree.  We offer: 

• Meaningful work that benefits society 

• Chance to gain professional economics experience 

• Diverse and inclusive workplace 

• Flexible working 

For further information, please refer to the resources for applicants section.

Salary 

London Minimum: £24,380,£25,600 National National Minimum: £22,440£23,610 Salaries (salaries vary according to department and location)  location.

Location 

Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Newport,Porton Sheffield,Down, TitchfieldSalford, (Fareham),Sheffield, TreforestTreforest, (Pontypridd), Wolverhampton, York (locations vary according to government department.)

About the Government Economic Service (GES) 

We are the professional body for economists in the Civil Service. With over 3,500 members, we are the largest recruiter of economists in the country. We recruit student, graduate, and apprentice economists and support their professional development in more than 50 government departments in locations across the UK.  

The work of GES economists has been integral to understanding and responding to fast-moving events such as Covid-19, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and changes in financial markets. Economic analysis is central to policymaking on long-term challenges such as climate change, education, biodiversity and inequality. 

Join our onlineonline Candidate Q&A Session  Session

Join our our Q&A session session to find out more about the application process and what it is like to be a student economist in government. The online session will take place on: on:  

MondayTuesday 158 JanuaryOctober 2024, 13.00-14.00. 12.30-13.30. Click here to join the meetingmeeting.     

Eligibility Requirements 

YouTo canbe findeligible outapplicants moremust: 

Be abouton thecourse typefor ofa work2:1 availableor to1st studentsclass degree, as indicated by readingfirst theseyear caseexam studiesresults.  byBe formerstudying students. for:

Eligibility Requirements 

ToA bedegree eligiblein applicantseconomics must: 

• beor, if it is an economics undergraduatejoint studentdegree, ineconomics theirmust penultimatecomprise yearat (i.e.least year50% beforeof the finaltotal yearcourse ofstudied study)so whofar are(year on1 courseand for2); or

  A joint honours undergraduate degree at a 2:1Scottish oruniversity, 1stwhere classat degree,least as50% demonstratedof bythe theirmodules firststudied yearor examto results.

• be studyingstudied forduring anthe undergraduatefinal degreetwo years of the course must be in economicseconomics; or

  Philosophy aPolitics jointand Economics (PPE) degree where economics comprises at least 50% of the totalmodules course,studied or to be studied soduring far

• the final two years of the course must be studyingin foreconomics. 

  Please anote: degreeAll whichdegrees includesmust include Macro and Microeconomics.

• have

  All the rightabove toeligibility workmust inbe demonstrated on the UK.

application form and supporting documents where applicable. e.g., If you are studying a joint honours undergraduate degree at a Scottish university or a PPE degree, you must include all modules for the final two years, without this information, your application will be discounted.

Individuals will need to demonstrate that they meet the relevant immigration requirements and their eligibility under the Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNRs). Nationality requirements are explained in more detail on the the Civil Service nationality rules webpage. .  

Please note: We do not offer sponsorships for our schemes. schemes.

How to Apply 

The selectionfull application process willis beoutlined designedin specificallythe GES Summer scheme 2025 - application guidance (MS Word Document, 56.5 KB). You can apply for thethis role. role on Civil Service Jobs.  

During the application process you will be asked to complete an online numeracy test. test. Learn more about the numeracy test in this video.  

Please note: The test deadline is the same as the application deadline. deadline.  

The The GESR Recruitment Recruitment Team work Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Therefore, technical support will not be available outside of these hours. hours.  

Candidates who are unsuccessful at the sift stage will not be given any feedback or comments. If you do not hear from us within 2 months of deadline, please assume your application has been unsuccessful. unsuccessful.  

Please note that some departments require candidates to have a UK footprint for 5 years to get security clearance, including the Home Office, Ministry of Defence and Office for National Statistics. Statistics.

ExampleResources resources for applicants applicants

For further information about the recruitment process, please read our 2024 ApplicationGES GuidanceSummer Notesscheme 2025 - application guidance (ODTMS Word Document, 44.356.5 KB). New guidance will be published in January 2024. 2025. 

Details about the kind of role you could be working in during your summer placement can be found in the attached 2024 GES Summer Scheme 2025 - Job descriptionsDescriptions (ODTMS Word Document, 217458 KB). New job roles will be published in January 2024. 2025. 

Equal opportunities 

At the GES we welcome applications from anyone with the necessary qualifications, regardless of sex, marital status, race, colour, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, or, in Northern Ireland, community background. There are no upper age limits,limits butto departmentsapplying willfor expectany severalGES years’recruitment service before retirement. scheme.

Contact point for applicants 

GESR Recruitment Team: GESRRecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk 

Social media 

Please follow our social media accounts to keep up to date with relevant information. information.  

Twitter

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Complaints procedure 

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment based on fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact GESR by email at: GESRRecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk. 

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment. For further information on the Recruitment Principles, and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk