Frequently Asked Questions for Interns

Remember you are applying for a STEM role in a company, and not in a school, so your CV will need to be adjusted. Please follow the guidelines on this page (below the FAQ section) to complete your CV.

You are expected to engage with the DCU STInt Programme Office in advance of, throughout and after your internship. You will participate in networking and specially designed professional development opportunities which will enhance the transferability of your STEM Teacher Internship experience to your classroom practice. You will also be expected to provide feedback and  contribute to ongoing academic research which evaluates the effectiveness and impact of the programme.

You are expected to complete the full internship and be available for work (either remote or on-site) during the expected hours as set out by your line manager of your STInt host organisation. You may be requested to do some hours outside of normal office hours to attend special events and you may be entitled to time off in lieu as a result – this will be upon agreement with your line manager.

You are expected to act in a professional manner, be punctual and represent yourself, your university and the programme well throughout your placement.

Click here to view the 2024 timeline.

There are a variety of companies involved in the STInt Programme, covering a range of areas including consultancy, finance, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, telecommunications, utility services, gaming, software development and engineering. Each company has provided a job description for their 2023 internships, available here. It may also be useful to read the testimonials from previous STEM interns here.

In general, you will be integrated into a team within the company, given training and induction in a specific area of company activity, and asked to contribute towards a team project. No prior knowledge of the company or the sector is required – all training will be provided by your host company. In the application form, you will be able to indicate your preferred companies and location. We will then endeavour to match interns and their preferred companies where possible.

Participation in this programme is on a voluntary basis and does not count towards credits in your university degree programme.

You will not be required to do a formal interview with the host company. However, you WILL be required to interview with the DCU STInt Programme team. If you are successful at the interview stage, you will be matched with a host company. You will then arrange an initial phone or video call with your line manager in advance of starting the internship to discuss your role.

This varies from company to company. Some companies have interns working year round and they will be there when you start. In other cases, companies have a set start date for all summer interns and you start at the same time or you may be the only intern starting at that time. Companies are encouraged to take on more than one STInt intern, and if this is the case you will be introduced to one another in advance of the programme starting. 

 Yes. You can expect to meet other interns on multiple occasions throughout the programme. The STInt Programme team will arrange professional learning and social opportunities for all STInt Interns throughout the summer, and there will be a closing event for the programme at the end of the summer. We have also created an online community of practice which enables STInt Alumni to stay in touch after the programme has ended.

 We hope so! The aim is for teachers to develop a long-term relationship with host companies. Suggestions of follow on activities include inviting representatives of the company to meet your future students and to act as inspiring role models for your students. You may also want to participate with your students in other programmes sponsored by the company.

Yes. Please contact the STEM Teacher Internship Programme office on stint@dcu.ie in advance of the application closing date to discuss your specific details. In the past companies have supported students that had to resit exams in August. This will need to be discussed with your line manager about managing your annual leave and/or your start and end dates.

Yes. Please contact the STEM Teacher Internship Programme office on stint@dcu.ie in advance of the application closing date to discuss your specific case.

Please let us know your preferred location in your application form, and if your application is successful, we will endeavour to match you with a company in your locality.

Yes. You must create a short (maximum 2-minute) video that explains your role in the company, any project that you contributed to and reflects on your experience of a STEM Teacher Internship. You will create this video during your internship with the support of your host organisation, and the deadline for submission will be prior to the end date of your internship. You will need to liaise with your line manager to seek their approval for publicly sharing this video on the STEM Teacher Internship website. See here for examples from previous STInt Interns.

Yes. You will be expected to provide feedback and participate in a focus group interview which will contribute to the evaluation of the STInt Programme.

You apply for the STInt Programme by clicking “Apply Now” (when applications open in January 2024) and remember to submit your full application in advance of the deadline. The STInt Programme team in DCU will process your application. If successful at that stage, you will be contacted for an interview.

Please contact the STInt Programme team at stint@dcu.ie. Contact details for individual team members are listed here.