Internships and Industry Placements in Hospitality Degrees

Practical experience is a central part of many hospitality degrees, and many applicants choose a program because of it. It is also the area where marketing claims run ahead of the facts. This guide helps you separate what a program publishes from what you may be assuming.

What the labels mean here

On each program page we record the internship position as published by the institution:

• Internship or placement required. The official pages say it is compulsory.
• Internship optional.
• No internship required.
• Internship requirement not stated. The pages did not say. This is not "no".

We do not write "guaranteed placement", salary figures, paid-internship claims or named employer lists unless the institution's own page states them, and even then we report them as the institution's statement with the source and date. A placement is a component of study. It is not an offer of employment.

Questions to ask

1. Is it compulsory? If yes, when in the program, and for how long?
2. Who arranges it? The institution may assign you to a partner, offer a list, or expect you to find your own. Ask what happens if you cannot find one.
3. Where can it take place? In the same country, in another country, at a hotel owned by the institution, or at a partner venue?
4. Is it paid? Pay for students on placement varies by country, by employer and by the type of agreement, and is sometimes absent. Ask for the written terms, not for an average.
5. What does it count for? Credits, a graded report, or pass/fail?
6. What happens if the placement is cancelled? For example, if an employer withdraws or travel rules change.
7. What are the extra costs? Relocation, accommodation, uniforms, insurance and visas.

Placements abroad and immigration

If a placement takes place outside the country where you study, or if you study abroad and work during the program, immigration rules about work can apply. For instance, the UK government's student visa page says that people on a student visa may be able to work, with limits that depend on their course and on whether they work during or outside term time, and that some kinds of work are not allowed. Other destinations have their own rules, which change. This directory does not provide immigration advice and no listing implies that a placement is permitted under any visa. Ask the institution what permission a required placement needs, and confirm with the immigration authority of the country concerned. See studying hospitality in different destinations.

Placements in online and hybrid degrees

Online degrees can still require an in-person placement. If you study online from a distance, find out whether the placement must happen at a venue approved by the institution, how it is supervised, and whether you can do it where you live. See online vs on-campus.

Training hotels, restaurants and simulations

Some institutions run their own training hotel, restaurant or lab; others use simulations or partner venues. Do not confuse these with a real placement, and do not assume that an image of a hotel on an institution's website shows its campus facilities. On this site, hotel photographs are never presented as campuses.

Alumni, partners and logos

An institution may name hotel brands as partners. A partnership with a brand does not mean that every student is placed with it. Ask how many students were placed in the last year, in which roles, and under what terms. If an institution cannot give you specifics, treat the claim with caution. We do not publish partner logos or placement statistics that we cannot support.

A realistic way to judge a placement

• Read the module description for what students do, not the headline.
• Ask for the placement handbook or agreement.
• Ask to speak with a current or former student, and weigh their account as one experience.
• Compare the stated placement length with the program length.
• Check whether the placement counts toward degree credits.

Checklist

• [ ] The official page says whether the placement is required.
• [ ] I know who finds it, where it can be, and how long it lasts.
• [ ] I have the written terms on pay and working conditions.
• [ ] I know what immigration permission, if any, it needs.
• [ ] I know the extra costs.
• [ ] I do not treat the placement as a promise of a job.

Next steps

Use Find programs to filter by internship requirement, and compare to review shortlisted programs. Related guides: how to choose a hospitality management degree and understanding hospitality school fees.