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The Definitive 2023 Guide to Internships for New Zealand Tertiary Students

Find internship opportunities and learn how to put your best foot forward during the recruitment process with our guide

Updated 6 March 2023
An internship provides a valuable opportunity for any tertiary student to work at an organisation while you study. As an intern, you will develop practical skills, access networking opportunities, and gain insight into what life is like at the place you are interning at. If all goes well, you may also be offered a permanent role after your internship.

Ultimately, an internship is a try before you buy opportunity, allowing you to make an informed decision on whether you would like to work for the same organisation as a full-time employee.

Know This: Finding internships and applying for them can be a daunting process, especially if you have never applied for a "professional" role before. This guide aims to demystify the process and give you practical tips to help you succeed. 

Our guide covers:
Important: This guide is for tertiary students seeking an internship to gain work experience related to their tertiary studies or in a role they are interested in starting full-time work. Students interested in part-time work to earn money while studying should visit our Student Jobs guide.

Why Should You Apply for Internships?

There are many reasons internships offer tremendous value to students, including:
  • If the internship is in a role related to your area of study, you get the opportunity to put your learning into practice
  • You gain valuable work experience and a chance to develop essential skills
  • You gain industry exposure and access to experienced professionals in your field
  • You may be offered a full-time role after your internship   
  • You may be able to earn some money while you are interning​
MoneyHub founder Christopher Walsh shares his experience of an internship:
"I applied for a couple of Big 4 Accounting firm internships and was offered a summer role in Auckland. The firm hired about thirty summer interns that year, with most of them Auckland-based positions. The most valuable part of the summer was experiencing how the firm operates and what the work is, and whether or not you like it.

​An internship gives you the opportunity to learn as much as possible to give you the strongest start if and when you join as a graduate. I wouldn't have been as confident starting a full-time job without having done an internship, and I highly recommend the experience". ​

List of New Zealand Internships Offered in 2023

  • The lists below categorises employers based on the area of study that most of its interns will come from. Some employers offer internships to students from other areas of study too – we have indicated if this is the case.
  • This list does not include organisations offering fewer than 5 internships as part of its internship intake.
  • Most of the positions below are based in Auckland and Wellington. 

​Business Students

These employers offer internships in business-related roles, ranging from finance to marketing and supply chain. Some internships are suitable for non-business students too (e.g. consulting and risk internships).

​Engineering Students

While most of the internship providers listed here seek engineering interns, some employers also offer corporate roles suitable for business students.

Law Students

Law internships are offered only to law students.

​Public Sector Internships for Students from Various Areas of Study

Finding the Right Internships

​A big part of the internship application process is identifying which employers offer internships and whether you are interested in any of these opportunities. This section will outline when and where you should look out for internships.

When should you consider applying for internships?

Most internships are aimed at penultimate year students (students in their second to last year of study), but you should begin thinking about internships well before your final year. To prepare, there are a few steps you can tick off before the internships you are interested in begin accepting applications – we cover these below.

Know This: The timing of internships can vary based on industry, the organisation's size, and whether the internship is to be completed over the summer, the whole year, or a period in between. We have listed the usual peak recruitment periods for a few popular industries in New Zealand: 
  • Business: Late Jan-April and July-September
  • Law: Mid-March to May 
  • Engineering and Science: July-October
  • Public Sector: March-April 

Your university will announce applications openings around this time via the Careers Office and your department or faculty. 

The Best Place to Find Internships Advertised or Promoted

There are many internship opportunities available during these peak recruitment cycles and throughout the year. We have listed ten places you could use as a starting point for your search:
  • Start with your favourite organisations. What is your dream organisation to work for? Go to this organisation's Careers page and see if they offer internships. Stay up to date with any recruitment news by following this organisation on LinkedIn and subscribing to email updates related to employment.
  • Next, apply to the largest organisations in your area of study/interest. The more interns an employer is looking to take, the better your chances will be. 
  • Ask older students or alumni in your field of study or in the area you are seeking an internship in. They may be able to provide you with a list of places they applied for and give you tips for applying to specific organisations. They may even be able to put in a good word for you to the recruitment team at the company you want to intern for.
  • Get in touch with your tertiary institution's careers and employment services. Universities will often have a university-wide employment service (e.g. Career Development and Employability Services at The University of Auckland, Careers and Employment at Victoria University of Wellington) who can help you out. Your institution's careers website should contain many helpful leads.
  • Your university / tertiary institution may also have faculty / subject-specific careers advisors who can provide more tailored internship advice. Visit your tertiary institution's website or speak to your faculty/department to find out who your advisors are. 
  • Attend career expos at your university or tertiary institution. Employers who attend these expos often offer internship roles. You will get the chance to learn more about the internship and the organisation by talking with current employees. Often, a person who is involved with the recruitment process will also be there – this provides you with a great chance to get the inside scoop on the application process.
  • Browse opportunities on internship and graduate employment websites. Platforms you may find useful are: 
    • NxtStep: lists internship, graduate and scholarship opportunities. NxtStep also provides a handy calendar view of upcoming application dates and includes a student-centred advice section. 
    • GradNewZealand: lists internship and graduate opportunities. The website also contains resources for the application process, alongside stories from successful interns and graduates. 
    • SEEK: while SEEK does not focus specifically on internships, some organisations do advertise intern roles on SEEK. 

Other options:
  • You could also search job seeking platforms, such as TradeMe Jobs. These websites are less focused on internships, so you may not find as many intern opportunities. 
  • You may also be interested in internship programmes that focus on certain student segments. These include:
    • Tupu Toa: places Maori and Pacific students in corporate, community and government internships over the summer break.
    • Summer of Tech: offers paid entry-level IT and Design internships, usually over summer.

If you have working rights in another country and are open to completing an internship outside of New Zealand, you could also consider internship and graduate recruitment websites for other countries. 

To maximise your chances of success, we suggest applying to 5-15 different internship opportunities. In theory, you should apply to as many relevant internships as you can find, but juggling too many active applications can be overwhelming. ​

How Should You Prepare Throughout the Internship Application Process?

Internships applications are easier when you have some work or volunteer experience, become familiar with the company you're applying for and understand the job you hope to do. Preparation is essential, as we outline below:

What can you do before internship applications open?

Once applications begin opening for the organisations you are interested in, you may find yourself juggling multiple applications on top of your academic workload and other commitments. To minimise your stress during this time, here are three steps you should take to prepare before applications open: 

1. Add to your experiences.
These can be paid or voluntary. Ideally, these experiences will allow you to demonstrate leadership, interpersonal skills, and skills relevant to the intern role you are applying for. You could pick up a part-time job, join a student organisation at university, get involved in competitions and programmes in your areas of interest, or volunteer for causes you are passionate about. 

Unique experiences in your CV and cover letter are more likely to leave an impression on the person screening applications, increasing your chances of progressing to the next stage of the recruitment process. Being able to draw on a variety of experiences will help you in the interview stage, where employers often ask about how you responded in certain situations in the past.  

2. Learn as much as you can about the organisations you will be applying for.
Look at their website and understand their values, the types of work they do, and what sets them apart from their competitors. Connect with the team responsible for intern and graduate recruitment before applications open, so you have a better chance of getting useful feedback. If you know students who interned at the organisation before (or are working there now), ask if they would be happy to chat with you about their experience. If you are comfortable, you could ask these students to introduce you to someone more senior at the organisation so you can gather another perspective. 

3. Reach out to your tertiary institution's employment services team.
They will be able to help you with your CV and cover letter so you will be ready when applications open. The team will also be able to help you identify organisations to apply to. 

The Internship Application Process - What Can You Expect?

Staying on top of the key stages of the application process will ensure you have time to prepare thoroughly. As the exact application process differs for each employer, make sure you gather as much information as you can about what to expect. Generally, you can expect a large organisation's internship application process to include:

Step 1: An online application usually requiring a CV and cover letter. Some employers may also ask you to write answers to certain questions they provide you. Check out our guide to Writing Cover Letters.
  • What are the chances you will encounter this step? Almost always

Step 2: A psychometric test to screen applicants. Psychometric tests are designed to test any combination of your numerical, logical and literary competency. Some psychometric tests are situational, designed to test how you would react to certain scenarios while on the job.  
  • What are the chances you will encounter this step? High

Step 3: A recorded video or phone interview. Employers use these interviews to gauge your verbal communication skills, background, work experiences, and personality. Video interviews at this stage generally don't involve an interviewer; you will be asked to record your answers to questions the employer has set in advance.
  • What are the chances you will encounter this step? Medium

Step 4: An assessment day, where applicants are evaluated based on several activities set by the employer. Assessors will observe applicants' interpersonal and job-related skills.
  • What are the chances you will encounter this step? Medium-low (typically only at very large employers)

Step 5: Face-to-face interview for interviewers to gain a deeper understanding of applicants' experiences, motivations and fit for an intern role. To boost your confidence going into interviews, visit our guide on preparing for interviews.
  • What are the chances you will encounter this step? Almost always

Know This: The internship application process for smaller organisations is likely to only consist of:
  • A CV and cover letter for initial screening
  • A face-to-face interview

Next Steps - Acceptance or Rejection

Each internship application will either end with a rejection or an offer for you to join the organisation. We have listed a few considerations for you depending on the outcome of your applications:

If you do not progress through to receiving an offer: 
  • Don't be disheartened - internship applications are highly competitive, and luck often plays a part in determining who receives offers. 
  • Assess what you can do better in future applications. Ask for feedback from the recruiter if you did not make it to the interview stage. If you did make it to the interview stage, connect with your interviewer to understand what you could do better next time.
  • Keep applying for other opportunities that are still open, or lookout for opportunities that open up later in the year. 

If you receive an offer from an organisation, you can expect:
  • You will be sent a contract. Review its contents and make sure you are happy with what you are signing up for.  
  • Large organisations may have post-offer functions soon after offers are sent out to convince you to join them for your internship. Use this chance to meet other people in the organisation and other students you may be interning with. 
  • You will receive further information closer to your internship start date about the logistics of the internship. If you do have any questions before then, you should reach out to the person in charge of intern recruitment. 

If you receive offers from more than one organisation:
  • Determine what the deadlines are for accepting or rejecting an offer. This gives you a perspective on how long you have to make your decision. 
  • To help you think about which offer to accept, you could consider:
  1. What are the learning opportunities like? A big part of the internship is learning and professional development. You want to find an employer who supports these objectives.
  2. You may want to evaluate the formal training the organisation offers, how much the work they do aligns with your interests, and what kind of learning/teaching culture the organisation has. Connect with the person in charge of intern recruitment, as well as people you met throughout the application process, to find out this information. 
  3. Throughout the application process, which organisation's people did you like more? Which group of people would you be happiest to spend time outside of work with?
  4. If you wish to secure a graduate role after your internship, which firm has a better track record of converting their interns into graduates?​

Internships - Frequently Asked Questions

Internships aren't usually complicated, but it's perfectly understandable to have some queries. We outline and answer the most common questions below.

Are internships paid?

​While interns are usually paid for their time, some employers may offer unpaid internships. An unpaid internship is essentially volunteering, so you should not be taking on heavy responsibility that is critical to the organisation. As a volunteer, you will not be protected by employment law. When you are applying for internships, make sure to check whether a role is paid or not. 

I am not a penultimate year student. Should I still apply for internships?

​Often, organisations only take penultimate students; students early on in their degree may not have the necessary skills yet to get the most out of an internship. Unless the organisation has explicitly stated that they only take penultimate year students, you should try your luck and apply anyway. Some organisations will offer internships to non-penultimate year students who impressed them. 

I am an international student. How should I approach internship applications?

​Most New Zealand internships require applicants to have working rights in New Zealand. Check your visa or contact your tertiary institution's international student service for support. If you are unable to work in New Zealand, consider applying for internships in your home country or other countries where you have working rights. You could also look for unpaid positions in New Zealand to gain experience. 

I am applying for several internships at the same time. How do I manage all these different applications?

​Create a spreadsheet to track your applications. You should include key dates, important contacts and their details, and the status - e.g. have you sent in your application? Have you been offered an interview? Are you waiting to hear back from the organisation?

How much do employers care about grades?

​This differs based on each employer. Your academic record is often used to screen applicants at the first stage: the employer may have a minimum grade requirement you have to meet to progress to the next stage. Because of this, it is important to not neglect your grades. After this initial screening, grades often form a very small part of the evaluation process. 

Am I guaranteed a graduate role after my internship?

​Usually not. The internship is an opportunity to demonstrate to your employer why they should hire you for a graduate role – treat it like an extended interview.

I want to do well during my internship to convert into a graduate role. What should I do to increase my chances?

​Start by having a chat with your manager about their expectations for interns. If you are comfortable, you can mention that your goal is to receive a graduate offer at the end of the internship. Having this discussion shows you are proactive and willing to learn. 

Further emphasises your willingness to learn throughout your internship. Put your hand up for opportunities and offer your help wherever you can. Take ownership of your work and ask for feedback often. 

Bring a positive attitude. If your co-workers enjoy working with you, you are far more likely to receive a return offer. Make an effort to get to know as many people as you can throughout your internship.
MoneyHub founder Christopher Walsh shares his experience of an intern and graduate recruitment:
"After working for my Big 4 Accounting firm for a year, I was asked to go on a roadshow to a few universities around New Zealand and talk about our firm. The students who got jobs usually had one thing in common - they had a great attitude. As a second year employee, those people who you want to work with are those who go to the top of the pile with hiring managers and HR.

The online applications and testing are all done as a standard process, but attitude stands out. This is why someone who wins all the prizes in Finance won't always be offered internships - attitude is what employers look for. Genuine enthusiasm goes a long way when applying for internships". 
Related Guides​
CV Templates:
​You can also see our Sample CV to check you're on the right track.