Internships for academic credit
Source your own internship for a semester or over the summer or winter break.
Requirements
To undertake an industry placement (internship) for academic credit, you need to be in the final year of your degree program for RBUS3999, RBUS7999, ECON3380 or ECON7999, or penultimate year for students undertaking RBUS4999 or PPES4999, with space for an elective, and have a minimum overall GPA of 4. Please note, ECON7999 is the exception to this, where a min. GPA of 5.5 is required.
To meet the requirements for a WIL course, your placement must:
- provide experience and practical skills development related to your field of study;
- consists of 120 hours of experience with one organisation; and
- commence within 8 months from the start date of the semester in which you will be enrolled in your course
Domestic placement may be unpaid or paid. Due to insurance requirements, any international placement must be paid.
If you want to use your current place of work for a WIL placement, you are required to complete a minimum of 120 hours at higher-grade duties. This means that the tasks and activities you perform during the placement are different to those you perform in your normal day-to-day work. You need to obtain permission from your supervisor to complete these higher-grade duties, as well as confirmation that you will be appropriately supported for the duration of the 120 placement hours.
You are responsible for sourcing your own industry placement (internship), which will have to be approved by a WIL Advisor before you can enrol in a WIL course.
What our students say
The WIL course marked a defining chapter in my career. From the process of reaching out to companies for a placement opportunity to learning on the job and meeting some brilliant people, the experience has been nothing short of extraordinary. The course gave me the opportunity to apply my conceptual knowledge to the business world in a supportive learning environment. It also gave me the opportunity to network with industry leaders in my field.
I am very happy to have taken this course as it opened doors for me and helped me land a full-time graduate job with one of the top 100 graduate employers.
Ayushi Kapoor
How to apply
Applying to do an industry placement (internship) for academic credit requires a few steps. It is recommended you start the process at least a month before the semester commences.
- Find out if you’re eligible to take a WIL course by completing the WIL Application, to access the form go to the process for the Semester 2, 2025 WIL Applications via this link (Teaching Period 5 WIL Applications via this link).
- You will be advised of your eligibility by email within approximately two weeks after submission of your application (pending release of grades from the past semester). If you’re eligible, you must get your industry host supervisor to complete the Placement Learning Agreement (Paid or Unpaid). As part of the application process you will then need to complete the WIL Internship Information Form, uploading the completed Placement Learning Agreement via this form, with details of your internship. Note that it is your responsibility to source a suitable placement opportunity.
- A WIL Advisor will vet your proposed placement, liaising directly with the organisation and nominated supervisor. The vetting process may take some time, sometimes up to three weeks, depending on the response time from your supervisor. If you have commenced your application process for this course, you will be able to enrol in the course up until the Friday of week 2 of the semester if you meet the eligibility requirements for the course.
- If your internship is approved, we will send you an email providing final confirmation of your approved placement. You’ll then need to enrol in the course. You must enrol in the course prior to the start of the semester.
Please note, due to the lead time required for approvals, late applications will not be accpeted.
Access Exclusive BEL WIL Internships
As a BEL Work-Integrated Learning course applicant, you'll gain exclusive access to WIL opportunities through the UQ StudentHub.
Be sure to apply early to gain access to these exclusive opportunities for BEL WIL students for the upcoming semester.
Current industry partners
The University of Queensland has solid industry partners who have supported students’ professional development for many years through internships. If you are currently seeking such opportunities, contact any of the following organisations to discuss if they have any suitable internships that align with your field of study and learning objectives.
When exploring potential internship opportunities with these partners, please remember that these companies have kindly agreed to be featured on the university’s employability page. While you are welcome to reach out, it is important to approach them with genuine interest. Bulk emailing or sending generic applications may reflect poorly on your professionalism. Instead, take the time to research each company and tailor your communication to express why you are specifically interested in gaining experience with them.
We encourage you to think about how an internship aligns with your field of study and career goals. To help with this process, be sure to follow our guide to finding an internship before making contact. This will give you useful tips on how to approach organisations effectively and maximise your chances of securing a meaningful internship experience.
Enquiries
Still have questions? Attend a consult with a WIL Advisor or email employability@bel.uq.edu.au.
BEL Careers and Employability
careers@bel.uq.edu.au
+61 7 3365 4222
8:30am–4:30pm M-F
Colin Clark Courtyard, Room 107
Connect
Like us for the latest news
Book an online or in-person careers chat