GSS Summer Student Placements 2027

Are you studying a numerate degree and looking for a meaningful summer placement?

Interested in using data and statistics to tackle real-world challenges?

Want to gain valuable experience while exploring a career in government analysis?

If so, the Government Statistical Service (GSS) could offer the perfect opportunity.

Join us for a summer placement and spend up to three months working in a government department at the heart of decision-making. You will apply the skills you have developed during your studies to support work that informs policies and services that affect millions of people across the UK.

Depending on your placement, you could be helping to:

• Improve transport networks and infrastructure to keep the country moving
• Protect the environment and support sustainable economic growth
• Inform policies on immigration, crime, public safety, health, education and much more

This is a unique opportunity to see how statistics and data help shape government decisions while gaining practical experience in a professional analytical environment.

As a summer placement student, you will become part of a team delivering high-profile work that supports ministers, senior leaders and policy makers across government.

You will contribute to research and analytical projects, using your statistical knowledge to help answer important questions and provide evidence for decision-making. Along the way, you will gain insight into how government operates and how analysis contributes to solving some of the UK's most complex challenges.

During your placement, you will have the opportunity to:

• Work on real projects with genuine impact
• Collaborate with statisticians, data scientists, economists, social researchers and policy professionals
• Gain exposure to different areas of government, from policy development and frontline service delivery to finance and long-term strategy
• Develop valuable workplace skills, including communication, stakeholder engagement and project management
• Join a network of fellow placement students and early career analysts across the GSS
• Benefit from a supportive and inclusive working environment that promotes learning, development and a healthy work-life balance

Placements are available for a continuous period of up to three months between June and August 2027.

You must be currently studying for a highly numerate degree (e.g. mathematics, engineering, chemistry, physics) and expecting to achieve a 2:2 or above.

Please note this vacancy is open to those returning to their Undergraduate Degree following their placement. Please do not apply if you are in your final year

In the qualifications section, please ensure you include details of;

1. The degree you are studying

2. Your current year of study,

3. Your expect graduation year

4. Predicted grade.

Failure to provide this information may result in your application being sifted out.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

Please make sure that you fully complete the qualifications section in the application form. Applications submitted without details of degree studied, predicted grades and year of graduation will be discounted. Failure to provide this information will result in your application being sifted out of the process

Number of Stages: 2 stage process

Stage 1: Application

Stage 2: Interview

Stage 1 – Application

The assessment process at the application stage will be based on your work history, CV, skills, experience, and personal statement. It is important that your application is tailored to highlight the skills, knowledge, and experience relevant to the role.

A personal statement is required at application stage, the maximum wordcount allowed is 500, which should not be exceeded. You should provide evidence for each essential skill criterion listed in the person specification. As these criteria are scored, it is advisable to give clear examples for each one, including the impact of your actions, ideally utilising the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

Please note that Success Profiles Behaviour examples are not required at this stage of the application process.

In instances where a high number of applications are received, the sift pass mark may be adjusted, and candidates will be invited to interview based on merit order, i.e., those with the highest scores.

Stage 2 – Interview

If invited to interview, you will be assessed using techniques aligned with the Civil Service Success Profiles framework, covering all behaviours listed in the job advert and any required technical skills.

You will be required to provide a 5 minute presentation at interview. The presentation topic will be emailed to candidates who have passed the initial online application stage, 1 week prior to interview. This presentation will assess candidates against the Success Profiles Behaviour Presenting and Disseminating Data.

Interviews will be via Microsoft Teams.

Important Dates:

The Sift will be conducted from W/C 2nd November 2026

Interviews will be conducted from W/C 16th November 2026

Dates are subject to change.

For the full terms and conditions of the post, please see attachment.

Please note that all campaigns may be subject to withdrawal at any stage if the internal resource position changes.

The interview will test candidate's knowledge and experience against two technical competencies as well as two Civil Service Behaviours.

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

A reserve list may be held for period of up to 6 months from which further appointments can be made. Candidates should note this is a multi-location campaign and therefore the reserve list is recorded by location in merit order.

• Please note some government departments entry grade is AA rather than AO as advertised. Each participating department operates its own pay scale. Any applicable salary details will be discussed between the recruiting department and the successful candidate once departmental allocations have been confirmed.
• Please also note that some government departments and locations including London may require additional security clearance in addition to the basic personnel security standard checks.

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