Parliamentary Placements

Students get hands-on experience of political life, assisting political representatives in the House of Commons or the National Assembly for Wales.

Students work in the office of a serving Member of Parliament or Welsh Assembly Member for between 4 and 6 weeks during the summer (after your exams and before their summer break).

The work typically includes writing press releases, research work and dealing with constituency matters, but also includes attending events (sometimes prestigious!) and in the past students have even been on the pre-election campaign trail.

Who can participate?

The scheme is open to second year students only, the placements take place at the end of year two.

There are limited places, so students attend an interview and are selected from this pool.

We select students who have proven that they are enthusiastic and passionate about studying politics or international politics, can work hard and diligently under pressure, who have good interpersonal skills and who are capable of adapting quickly to working in this very different environment.

Student Profiles

The below booklet is a celebration of the Parliamentary Placement Scheme as the students who have participated in the scheme in the last few years share their experiences. These years have seen the political scene dominated by Brexit and, more latterly, COVID-19. These two phenomena have come to dominate discourses in both the House of Commons and in Senedd Cymru. The profiles in this booklet illustrate the enthusiasm of the students towards their placement, the breadth of experiences that were the provided, and how each student has benefitted from their experience on the Parliamentary Placement Scheme.

Parliamentary Placement Handbook 2024-25

How to apply

The Application Form is available here - Parliamentary Placement Form 2025

Information on the application process and the practicalities of going on a placement is available here - Parliamentary Placement Scheme Presentation

This form should be completed and submitted with the rest of the application, together with a CV, a one-page explanation of why you want to go on the scheme by email to Dr R. Gerald Hughes (rbh@aber.ac.uk) and Ceuron Bryn Tecwyn (cet18@aber.ac.uk) by the 20th of February 2025. If selected to go forward for a placement, the CV and personal statement will be sent to potential host MPs/AMs.  This application form is for Departmental purposes only.  All applicants will be notified by email during the week beginning with 3rd of March 2025 to let them know if they have been shortlisted.  Interviews for shortlisted candidates will be late March 2025. Candidates who have been chosen for the scheme will be notified a week later.