GES Sandwich Student Placement 2027-2028

Job summary

Are you an economics undergraduate in your penultimate year? Do you want to see the theory you have learned come to life? Join the UK Government for a paid student placement that connects your skills to meaningful change.

The Government Economic Service (GES) offers the opportunity to spend a year collaborating with experienced economists in a government department before returning to your studies. You'll be doing work that shapes real policies, supporting decisions that will touch millions of lives, and preparing briefings that reach the highest levels of government. Your insights and understanding will genuinely matter.

Job description

On the GES Sandwich Student Placement scheme, you will gain hands-on professional experience working on the economic issues that matter most – climate change, levelling up, healthcare funding, and social mobility. You will see how economic theory can shape practical solutions for society's most pressing issues.

We offer:

• Meaningful work where you can directly improve people's lives, from addressing inequality to building sustainable growth.

• A secure full-time paid placement for up to 12 months.

• An inclusive workplace that celebrates different perspectives and backgrounds, with flexible working arrangements that fit around your life.

Here are the job descriptions from the departments participating in this year’s GES Sandwich Scheme. They give you an insight into the work of the department, and the role of economists within that department.

Interested in finding out more about the scheme?

More details on the scheme, the participating departments and the application process can be found when you click to apply.

You can also attend our Q&A Session:

Date: Tuesday 6 October 2026

Time: 16:30 – 17:30

Place: Virtual, on Microsoft TeamsJoin the meeting here

This will be a chance for you to learn about the Government Economic Service, to hear from those who have recently completed the scheme, to get an overview of the recruitment process, and ask any questions you may have.

Person specification

This scheme is only open to students in their penultimate year of undergraduate study.

You must be on course for a 2:1 or 1st class outcome, as indicated by your results so far.

You must be studying one of the following:

• An undergraduate honours degree in economics

• An undergraduate economics joint honours degree, where economics must comprise at least 50% of the credit value of modules studied and to be studied over the full course of your degree (typically 3 years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 4 years in Scotland).

• An undergraduate Philosophy Politics and Economics (PPE) honours degree where at least 50% of the credit value of modules studied and to be studied over the full course of your degree must be in economics.

You must have studied both macroeconomics and microeconomics to be eligible.

Nationality requirements

Applicants must also:

• Meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules: so be a UK or Irish citizen, a citizen of a Commonwealth country, or a European Union (EU) / European Economic Area (EEA) citizen eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme.

• Have the right to live and work in the UK, without the need for employer sponsorship.

• If a holder of a student visa - be allowed under the conditions of the visa to undertake a full-time paid sandwich placement in the UK without a work permit.

If successful, you may be required to undergo security vetting. You therefore must hold, or be willing to obtain, security clearance to CTC/SC/DV level depending on the department you are allocated to. More information about the vetting process can be found at: United Kingdom Security Vetting - GOV.UK

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Macroeconomics
• Microeconomics
• International Economics: note - only applicable for candidates successful at interview who have selected FCDO as a department preference and may be invited to attend a final interview with that department.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Ability and Technical skills.

The selection process comprises the following stages:

Stage 1: Complete the online application form

Stage 2: Sit an online numerical test. Please note that your application and online test must be completed before applications close at 12pm on Friday 16 October 2026

Stage 3: If you pass the online numerical test your application will be sent for sifting. Assessors will consider your degree eligibility and score the behaviour questions.

Stage 4: If you pass the sift stage you will be invited to an online interview. Further information on what to expect at interview will be sent at a later stage to candidates invited to attend.

Stage 5: Candidates who are successful at interview will be assigned to a government department. While we try to assign candidates to one of their department and location preferences, this is not always possible.

Please note - Before assignments are made, candidates who are successful at interview and have selected FCDO as a preferred department may be invited to attend an additional online interview with FCDO. During this interview, candidates will be assessed on their knowledge of international economics and their motivation for working at FCDO. Based on the outcome of this interview, candidates will be assigned to either FCDO or another department.

Once assigned, candidates are contacted directly by departments and advised of the process to be followed for a formal placement offer to be made. Please note – assignment to a department is not a formal offer as this depends on the availability of suitable positions and the successful completion of all pre-appointment checks, including security vetting.

Recruitment timeline

This timeline is indicative and may be subject to change.

1 October 2026– Applications open with application form and online numerical test to be completed

16 October 2026 at 12pm - Scheme closes (NB: test and application form must be completed by this deadline)

w/c 19 October 2026– the recruitment team will set the pass mark for the online test and successful candidates will be progressed to sift.

w/c 2 November 2026– applications are sifted to decide who will be invited to the interview stage.

30 November– 16 December 2026 – Interviews are held, virtually.

Mid-January 2027– Candidates informed of interview outcome and successful candidates assigned to a government department.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : GESR Recruitment team
• Email : gesrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : GESRRecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, please contact gesrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk in the first instance.