How to apply for a placement
Advice for current students on how to make your application and the support available to you throughout the process.
When to start applying
You are encouraged to begin thinking about your placement from the moment you arrive in your first year. You will be prompted to reflect on the types of placement that will be suitable for you and what you want to achieve from the year. It’s never too early to begin your placement research.
You begin submitting applications in your second year and there is a 12-month window in which to apply for and secure a placement.
Find a placement
We advertise over a thousand placements on our careers portal, Surrey Pathfinder, and it is your choice who you apply to and how many applications you make. There is also the option of sourcing your own placement.
Please be aware there may be travel costs incurred when attending interviews and assessment centres at the placement provider’s premises.
How it works
The Professional Training placement application process is highly competitive, however each year over a thousand students secure a placement.
You are generally not placed by the University, and therefore have the freedom to make your own application choices.
Placement providers use their own recruitment and selection procedures and the majority of students will secure their placement in this way. This approach provides you with invaluable preparation for the challenges of graduate job hunting.
Application support
To support your application, your school or department will provide a Senior Tutor for Professional Training. This is an academic member of staff with responsibility for delivering the Professional Training scheme, and supporting you at all stages of the journey. We also have a central team who work with you from the application process all the way through to the completion of the placement year.
There is also a wealth of online resources available to support you throughout this process, including our interactive Professional Training module.
In addition to this comprehensive support network we have also introduced a Professional Training Coaching Scheme, enabling placement-seeking students to connect with students who have returned from a successful placement year.
Support is also provided to students wishing to source their own placement, subject to university requirements being met.
Top tips
Don't give up! On average a student will apply for 10 placements before they secure a placement so keep going with those applications.
Make sure that you get your CV checked over with one of the Careers Advisers. You can book an appointment and bookings open at 8am every day for sessions on that day.
Consider applying for smaller organisations. Large global companies will have 100s of applications for their positions. Smaller companies will have fewer applicants and are more likely to offer a less restrictive placement experience allowing you to get a wider range of experiences.
Book an appointment to speak to a member of the Placement team in MySurrey Hive. They can give you advice on applying for overseas placements, self-sourcing your own placement, and general enquiries about Professional Training placements.
Make good use of the support and help provided by the University. Use Surrey Pathfinder, the quick query appointments, speak to your personal tutor, book a longer appointment with a careers adviser or you can just drop in and see us!
Try and schedule time each week to work on your applications. Order your applications by closing date to ensure that you don't miss out on an opportunity.
Engage with our Professional Training Pathway.