Our world-class internship programme offers university students in their penultimate year of study commercially valuable, fully remunerated Internship opportunities in Scotland and all over the world.
Our world-class internship programme prepares university students in their penultimate year of study by undertaking commercially valuable projects in Scotland and all over the world.
The experience of being one of our Saltire Scholars will be challenging, exhilarating, rewarding, social and fun, and for many it can be life changing. We are looking for passionate candidates with the capability of being the next generation of leaders and those who can be ambassadors for Saltire programmes and for Scotland.
Our Saltire Scholars are ambitious, creative and seek to challenge themselves. Through our mission to find, fuel and spark the next generation of leaders for Scotland, we are looking for individuals who are eager to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, and are prepared to give back in return for their opportunity.
The Saltire Scholar Programme is open to all students in their penultimate year of study at a Scottish university. It is open to students from all degree backgrounds which means that whether you’re studying to be a social worker, a physicist or an accountant, you could gain an internship through the programme if you prove you have the right attitude and experience.
Applications for the 2022 Saltire Scholars Programme are now Closed.
Follow the journey of #SaltireScholars as they undertake our world-class internship programme.
Saltire Scholars work with some of the world’s most recognised brands and innovative companies. You will undertake a project of commercial significance and deliver tangible results to your host company by applying theoretical learning in a professional environment over an 8-12 week period.
Scholars experience a different perspective by working in-person at an organisation with a global focus whilst immersing themselves in a different culture.
Alternatively, Scholars can undertake a virtual internship, allowing them to work from home.
Our Programme offers a range of Internship experiences, across multiple industries and sectors and all internships are paid.
Virtual Internships provide Scholars with the opportunity to experience working with an International Company from right here in Scotland. If circumstances mean that travelling overseas for a full summer is not possible, a virtual internship can enable you to gain that Global perspective while undertaking a project of commercial significance.
The whole experience really expanded my perspective – I got to witness how things work in a real live business and I began to understand the entrepreneurial mindset required to grow a successful company.
It's taught me so much about how to communicate and collaborate with people, how to get your point out there, make it understandable, that is key really, if they understand it you have done your job.
It has taught me resilience and how to problem solve in a workplace environment. It’s also been motivational for me. The experience has made me realise the importance of the potential career horizon at an early stage.
'This experience is teaching me so much about what’s happening out there in the world, before starting this adventure, I was totally lost. After all these past months of getting through a pandemic, I felt confused about myself. I felt insecure about my abilities, and I was not valuing myself as I used to do before. I knew I needed an important experience like this to discover my potential and understand what I want to do next. Today, I am grateful, happier and way more confident thanks to this rich experience.
For me the most significant professional achievement was being involved in the business trip. I got to interact with some high profile politicians and councilors in addition to developing relationships with my colleagues that I hope will extend beyond the internship. The trip highlighted to me the process some companies go through to make business decisions and I enjoyed being a part of the negotiation process.
I would like to share why I am proud to call myself a Saltire Scholar. The aim of the Saltire Scholar Programme is to find, fuel and spark the next generation of leaders in Scotland. I feel that my experience allowed me to embody these qualities. I was able to take ownership in my assigned tasks by generating new thoughts and ideas and looking at Marketing from unique angles. Having undergone an international internship for a company based in Utah, USA, this allowed me to immerse myself in a different culture and gain a global perspective. Overall, I’m proud of my journey, my accomplishments and the entrepreneurial skills and mind-set I have gained through this one in a lifetime opportunity!
IGS is a fantastic company to work for. They truly care about every single person working for them and for an intern this allows you to be supported yet given freedom to work on projects that push you to develop.
I wouldn’t have the strong entrepreneurial outlook and confidence in a real working environment I have developed by working with a dynamic U.S company.
I would never have had the opportunity to grow so much- both professionally and personally, to work with a company that I strongly believe in and support, or have made connections that are going to be so beneficial in my future career. My Saltire internship enabled me to work with a variety of people in areas that I never imagined I would be able to reach and has given me a summer of experience and opportunity that I would not have got elsewhere. I feel honoured to be apart of such a prestigious group of Saltire alumni and I cannot wait to give back to an organisation that in such a short space of time has given me so much.
My experience as a Saltire scholar has been extremely beneficial and enjoyable. I don't know how else I would have been able to do a paid internship with a company abroad during a pandemic. Additionally, being part of a diverse, like-minded cohort is unique to the Saltire scholar programme, and that is something ongoing that all scholars get to enjoy past their internship.
I am incredibly grateful for the hard work of the Saltire team throughout this whole process! From day 1 you have never failed to inspire, encourage and motivate me to take the next step. Whether it being to persist through the application process, or to be confident during my internship to make proposals and own my own place. Thank you so much for believing in me and helping me taking the first step of my career.
I have dramatically improved my self-starting mindset and felt much more pragmatic and proactive towards the end of my time at the company. I think some of this stemmed from my increase in my confidence and ability to speak with senior professionals.
At each stage, our application process views you holistically and we recruit based on skill, ability and aspiration. The most successful applicants will draw on experiences from their work, university, volunteering and personal life. We urge applicants to think about their transferable skills and how these might be applied within an employment context. Below is an overview of each recruitment stage as well as a video which explains this in further detail. For more information, please follow the links to our FAQs.
The initial online application is a series of competency-based questions. We do not ask for your grades or UCAS points at any stage of the application.
All applications should be completed and submitted through our website. We advise that applicants seek advice from their university careers service to support their application.
Our fast-paced and fun interview process requires you to convey your skills and experience over a short time frame. You will have two 15 minute interviews, hosted virtually; one with a previous Saltire Scholar and one with a member of our Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. For success at this stage, you should be confident in reasons why you are applying to the programme and understand the skills you can bring to an employer.
At this stage you will have the opportunity to view the employers we are partnering with and read about the internship vacancies they are recruiting for.
Opportunities will be released in lists throughout February, March, April and May - you may apply for up to three roles from each list. Write a tailored CV and covering letter for each role you are interested in and the four best-suited candidates will move forward to an interview with their selected host company.
This is still a competitive stage of the process and not every candidate who makes it into the candidate pool will gain an internship position.
Well done – you’ve secured a Saltire Scholar Internship!
Now we will work with you to progress through all of the logistical and on boarding elements that make your internship possible. There’s a lot of information conveyed at this stage, so it’s important you understand what is being asked of you.
We have several expectations of you as a Saltire Scholar. You will be expected to write a blog, keep in touch with us over the summer and complete a case study at the end of your internship. You will also be given the opportunity to become a Brand Ambassador for the programme upon your return to university.
Archie Grant is currently in his fourth year studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde, where he is due to graduate in September 2022.
Georgia Beaton is currently in her fourth year at Aberdeen University studying Joint masters with honours in Anthropology and International Relations.
In her final year and set to graduate in 2021, Riona Hazley is currently studying TV and Radio Broadcast Production at the University of West of Scotland.
Sam Grant was in his third year at the University of Abertay studying a BA (Hons) Game Design & Production when he was successfully selected to undertake a Virtual Internship at Digicast UK.
Timothy Kirya is currently in his penultimate year at Glasgow Caledonian University, studying Visual Design. Timothy applied for the internship in 2020 after his senior lecturer approached him and made him aware of the opportunity
Entrepreneurial Scotland is a community of current and future entrepreneurial leaders in Scotland. We invest a lot into enabling these leaders fulfil their potential which is why ‘giving back’ and contributing to our programme, beyond being a Saltire Scholar intern, is a key ethos of the Saltire Scholar Programme.
The Saltire Scholar Programme is more than just an internship. Beyond gaining a high quality placement, you can expect to benefit from a whole range of opportunities that will ignite your leadership potential and set you on a positive career path upon graduation.
To enable Saltire Scholars get the most out of their Saltire experience, the Saltire Scholar team is on hand every step of the way to remove a lot of the worry and uncertainty that could come otherwise come with relocating for an internship or preparing to undertake real commercial work for the first time.
