Government Economic Service Summer Placement Scheme 2027

Are you an economics undergraduate in your penultimate year on track for a 2:1 or above? Do you want to gain practical professional experience and use your economics skills to make a difference? Join the UK Government for a paid summer placement.

The Government Economic Service (GES) offers summer placements lasting between 6 and 12 weeks over the 2027 summer period. The scheme offers a unique opportunity to gain practical experience working in the Civil Service, applying economics to issues that matter.

These Summer placements take place in a variety of UK Government departments across the UK. You will dive straight into the work that shapes policy. You'll crunch data that informs government direction, compare policy trade-offs, and brief the people making choices that affect millions.

What's in it for you? Work that actually makes a difference, hands-on economics experience in the real world, a supportive and inclusive team, and the flexibility to balance work with your studies.

Here are the job descriptions from the departments participating in this year’s GES Summer 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 information about the scheme, the participating departments and the recruitment process is available 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 Teams Join 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.

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)

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 review 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 location preferences, this is not always possible.

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

30th November – 16th 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.