PhD Internship 2026 - London

The Bank of England PhD Internship Programme offers an invaluable opportunity to experience and contribute to economic analysis, policymaking and research, at a leading central bank based in our Leeds and London Offices.

We are looking for PhD students from a diverse set of backgrounds and with a desire to carry out innovative, policy‐relevant research, contribute to our research agenda and help shape the Bank’s policies in the years ahead. 

Research at the Bank of England covers the full scope of our remit for delivering monetary, macroprudential, and microprudential policy, centred  around the five  themes in the Bank of England’s Agenda for Research (BEAR). Our large research community includes researchers from a range of disciplines, with a common interest in issues relevant to central bank policymaking. Our research economists enjoy a rich and stimulating environment, have close engagement with policymakers, and make a key contribution to policy analysis. As a large central bank, we provide sizable computing resources and have unique, rich and novel datasets. 

As a PhD intern you will be working on a research project of live interest to the Bank, with Bank of England researchers. While your exact research topic will be at the discretion of the Bank, we will seek to align it with your research interests and skills, and give you scope to shape the project. You will also be given an opportunity to present your research, either your own existing projects or your internship project, and engage with researchers and policymakers from around the Bank.

PhD students from any discipline are eligible to apply. Both the length and timing of the internships are flexible, though they are typically for 12 weeks over the summer. 

We offer an annual salary of £27,000 for London based interns and £24,300 for Leeds based interns (pro rata based on Internship duration and working pattern) and pro rata holiday entitlement, based on 26 days per annum. This role is open to flexible working patterns, which can include time working remotely, though you will need to be based in the UK during your internship. International candidates may be offered relocation expenses.

Our Approach to Inclusion

The Bank values diversity, equity and inclusion. We play a key role in maintaining monetary and financial stability, and to do that effectively, we believe we need a workforce that reflects the society we serve. 

At the Bank of England, we want all colleagues to feel valued and respected, so we're working hard to build an inclusive culture which supports people from all backgrounds and communities to be at their best at work. We celebrate all forms of diversity, including (but not limited to) age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. We believe that it’s by drawing on different perspectives and experiences that we’ll continue to make the best decisions for the public.

For most roles where work can be carried out at home, we aim for colleagues to spend half of their time in the office, with a minimum of 40% per month.  Subject to that minimum requirement, individuals and managers should work together to find what works best for them, their team and stakeholders.

We are proud to be a member of the government’s Disability Confident scheme (DCS). We are committed to creating an equitable interview process for disabled candidates through our membership of the DCS and this means we guarantee progression to first stage interview for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. If you wish to apply under this scheme, please select 'Yes' to the DCS question at the end of the application form. We understand, however, that not all applicants with a disability may wish to apply through this scheme, and we fully respect that choice; you will still be fully supported with any support or adjustments you may require.

As we are an equal opportunities employer, we are committed to providing adjustments and support to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. Should you require support with completing your application and require any adjustments for this (even if you do not wish to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme), please contact the recruitment team at PhD-Recruitment@bankofengland.co.uk who will work with you to provide the support you require. Please be aware that we may need to ask for more information about your disability so that we can provide the necessary support.

*Disability includes but is not limited to visual and hearing impairments, mobility impairments, autism, ADHD, diabetes, epilepsy, dyslexia, dyspraxia, mental health conditions, speech impairments and major illnesses such as cancer and MS.

National Security Vetting Process
Employment in this role will be subject to the National Security Vetting clearance process (and typically can take between 6 to 12 weeks post offer) and the passing of additional Bank security checks in accordance with the Bank policy.  Further information regarding the vetting and security clearance requirements for the role will be provided at offer stage for successful candidates. Information about how the Bank processes personal data for these purposes, is set out in the Bank's Privacy Notice

The Application Process
Important: Please ensure that you complete all details in the application form including education, work history and all job specific questions, even if these are covered on your CV. Your application will not be considered if all mandatory questions are not fully completed. Please ensure you upload a CV and Research Paper when prompted.

The assessment process will comprise of 2 stages: online application and a virtual interview