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Will I be covered by insurance?
UNSW offers insurance for all students completing internships/placements for course credit approved by UNSW. If you're paid, you're considered an employee and would need to be covered by the employer for workers’ compensation and professional liability. Please note that UNSW insurance does not cover you for incidents related to the use of a motor vehicle while undertaking an internship/placement and may not cover you for placements outside of Sydney.
Please refer to “Travel Insurance”, “Professional Indemnity” and “Insurance Liability” under UNSW insurance for details.
When do I undertake an internship/placement?
It depends on the WIL course. There are specific time patterns for placements integrated into Education and Social Work Degrees, please refer to Education and Social Work for details.
For all Arts & Media, Art & Design and Built Environment WIL courses, you would undertake one of the courses alongside your internship. Please refer to the overview UNSW Calendar in conjunction with the offering term(s) for your course.
Where can I get an internship or placement?
Placements integrated into education, social, research and policy and social work degrees are sourced and allocated by the WIL unit in the faculty. Placement allocation is dependent on the offers that are made to the university by host organisations.
For other WIL courses, you're required to source your own internships. The best place to start is to begin by undertaking some research into the particular area of the industry that you'd like to complete your internship.
You may also find some ideas at UNSW Careers and Employment.
Internships are also regularly advertised on Zoom, Seek, CareerOne and other specialist media career websites.
Can I do an internship full-time or part-time?
Placements integrated into education and social work degrees are compulsory and they have strict working patterns. Please refer to Education and Social Work for details.
For other WIL course, you may undertake a full-time or part-time internship as long as the host organisation is agreeable, you do not miss classes and you complete the minimum required hours. You may not undertake a full-time internship if it clashes with any of your timetabled classes in any unit of study. For this reason, full-time placements are usually undertaken during summer or term breaks.
Students who wish to complete their required hours during the summer or term breaks must have it approved prior to starting their hours. Hours will not be counted retrospectively.
Will I be paid for the internship?
Social work field placements as a part of the social work programs and professional experience as a part of pre-service education programs at UNSW are compulsory and unpaid.
For internships in other WIL courses, the host organisation may also offer unpaid or paid internships. We recommend you review Fair Work Australia guidelines to understand your rights.
If I have a job in the relevant industry, can I count this towards my WIL course?
You can't use an existing job. You can't apply/enrol in a WIL course for work experience that has already concluded and you can't receive course credit for it. The opportunity must have a start date and end date.
Who do I contact if I have questions about WIL or internship opportunities?
For general Arts, Design & Architecture internships, please contact the WIL Team to express your interest in undertaking a degree credit WIL course.
For social work placements, please email the Social Work WIL Team.
For education placements, please email the Education WIL Team.
For art & design placements, please email PEP Art & Design Team.
How can I get help with my resume?
You can use the UNSW Resume service via UNSW Resume Checker
Can I self-enrol, or do I need to apply for enrolment into a WIL course?
It depends on the WIL course. If WIL is a program requirement or accredited requirement you can self-enrol. Other WIL courses are by application and students will be enrolled by WIL staff only once a placement or internship has been secured.
If an application is required, how do I apply to be enrolled into a WIL course?
You must have secured your own internship before applying to enrol in a WIL course. You can apply by submitting a self-placement application via our Placement Management System, InPlace. Log in using your zID and zPass.
Note: For WIL courses, please apply at least two weeks before Census date as you need to undergo the application process. If you submit your application too close to the Census date, you might not be able to enrol in the course even if you are eligible. It's recommended that you map out your university journey in advance and look at where you can fit in a WIL course. Every degree is different, and the requirements for the course are different, so it's important you do your research.
Can I do my internship interstate or overseas?
Interstate and international internships are subject to approval by the school. If you're considering an interstate or international internship, please email the WIL unit for advice before approaching a potential host.
I’m a Study Abroad student. Can I take a WIL course while studying at UNSW?
To find out if you're eligible to undertake an internship, please contact the Study Abroad Office at UNSW. Eligible study abroad students are subject to the same rules and requirements as local students. Please see Study Abroad program for more information.
I’m an international student. Does all of the advice about WIL apply to me?
Yes, international students can undertake WIL following the same guidelines. However, it is of utmost importance for international students to seek advice from Student Development International (SDI) to understand any potential impacts to their study visa and be responsible for their own regular progression checks to ensure they stay on track.
Can international students enrol in one WIL course and step off campus for a term to undertake work placement?
Yes, if you adjust study load in other terms to compensate and not delay your progression. You'll need to apply for a reduced study load if you intend to take less than eight courses across the year. If progression is delayed, you'll need to explore visa extensions.
Can international students enrol in one WIL course only and leave Australia for a term to undertake work placement?
Yes, WIL is an academic component of a degree offered by UNSW and is therefore part of a CRICOS registered program and is reflected in the Confirmation of Enrolment. Students may be able to have their student visa granted to cover this part of the program. Where the student holds a valid student visa, they will be able to return to Australia to continue their study of the same program.
Does it matter if this is an online WIL course?
No, international students can take up to 30% of their studies online.
Can international students undertake unpaid work in combination with a WIL course?
If in Australia, they can't exceed hours stipulated in the course/program outline. If outside of Australia, the student will need to check if there are local regulations they need to follow.
I have further questions. Who can help me?
Contact the Faculty WIL team via email.
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What is Work Integrated Learning?
Work Integrated Learning (WIL) at UNSW refers to student work learning experiences that are supported by the university with professional development and reflective practice, to enhance the student experience and employment outcomes.
Our WIL experiences are designed to create distinguished, work-ready graduates.
UNSW attracts more high achieving students than any other university in NSW, and with UNSW3+ you can access them all year round, from a range of different disciplines with different skill sets, to meet the evolving needs of your business.
What we do
- Design authentic work learning experiences, aligned to program learning outcomes in conjunction with partner organisations.
- Prepare students for WIL experiences.
- Ensure that WIL agreements and insurances are in place with all stakeholders.
- Define, document and communicate roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders.
- Manage quality assurance of WIL experiences.
- Support employers as required, for example provide tools, resources, materials, frameworks, recruit and select students.
- Assess student learning outcomes throughout WIL experiences.
What we need from you
- Input into the design of a WIL experience to ensure your needs and requirements are met.
- Sign a WIL agreement outlining agreed expectations, requirements and roles and responsibilities.
- Provide a fit for purpose workplace and a thorough orientation.
- Provide an appropriate level of supervision and support to student(s) throughout the WIL experience. This could range from remote mentoring to full-time management in the workplace.
- Provide end-of-activity feedback on the student’s performance in the workplace.
Benefits for host organisations
- Create a new recruitment pathway and gain earlier access to talent.
- Obtain additional resources when you need them most.
- Acquire fresh ideas and approaches from our motivated and enthusiastic students.
- Deepen university partnerships.
- Contribute to your industry, and the communities you serve.
Why should you partner with us?
- Our WIL programs are designed to prepare students for workplace experiences, providing them with essential professional skills prior to placements, so that they hit the ground running and transition to the work environment more effectively.
- We work with employers to develop WIL experiences tailored to their professional needs and provide tools and resources to optimise the experience and maximise the benefits for all stakeholders.
- We have aligned our WIL experiences with the national standards set out by TEQSA and Fair Work Australia to ensure a greater quality of experience for all involved.
How do I register to become a host organisation?
Please register your information by using out Placement Management System, InPlace - Registration for Organisations.