Background

Over the last few years the Department has worked to offer this opportunity on a regular basis, making it a flagship of our Economics degree.

Since 2025, up to ten students per year have taken part, each working for six weeks with a member of staff on an ongoing research project.

Who should apply?

These research assistant internships are offered to undergraduate students in their third year, who will be entering their Senior Sophister year. The programme is particularly suited to students who:

• are studying Economics, and
• have already taken modules in Economics and/or more advanced Economics topics.

Interns typically work 30 hours per week over a six-week period and receive a paid stipend for their work. 

For many years, the Department of Economics has supported undergraduate students through its Summer Research Internship Programme, a long-running initiative that brings together talented students and active faculty researchers in a shared research environment. What began informally decades ago has evolved into a structured programme that is now a distinctive feature of the Economics degree at Trinity.

Each summer, a cohort of undergraduate students works closely with academic staff on ongoing research projects, contributing to the production of new knowledge while gaining first-hand experience of how economic research is actually done. Interns support work at the research frontier—assembling and analysing data, engaging with the academic literature, and developing the practical skills that underpin high-quality economic analysis. For staff, the programme provides valuable research support; for students, it offers an unusually immersive learning experience.

The impact of the programme is evident in the trajectories of its participants. Many former interns have gone on to successful careers in academia, public policy, and the private sector, often citing their summer research experience as a formative influence. For current students, the programme builds confidence, sharpens analytical skills, and deepens engagement with economics beyond the classroom.

The Summer Research Internship Programme exemplifies the Department’s commitment to research-led teaching and to creating meaningful opportunities for students to participate in the intellectual life of the discipline."

When do applications open?

Applications for the Summer Research Assistant Internship Programme (2025–26) will open during the spring semester. A link to the application form will be posted on this page and circulated to students by email. 

How does the selection process work?

• Expression of interest: All interested students submit an application form, including brief information on their academic background, research interests and skills.

• Shortlisting: The Department carries out an initial shortlisting based on students’ academic record, research interests and the research needs of staff members seeking an RA.

• Take-home assignment: Shortlisted students are invited to complete a take-home assignment focused on data collection, data processing and basic empirical analysis.

• Final matching: Based on performance in the assignment, successful candidates are selected and matched with supervisors. Internships normally run from late May or June.

Intern Testimonials

What did you find most beneficial about the experience?

I think that the most beneficial aspect of the internship was the opportunity to gain more experience in Economics, and especially in research. I had the opportunity to apply a lot of the skills I had developed in both of my course subjects, Economics and Geography, and to work on projects that I found immensely interesting. I learned so much about how research is conducted, about projects the professor I assisted was working on, and also what working in an academic environment would resemble, something I had not been exposed to previously.

Would you recommend the internship to other students? Why?

I would definitely recommend the internship to any students who enjoy Economics and would like to explore the subject in a more applied or research-focused way. In addition to the internship experience itself, and the learning that comes with it, I really enjoyed getting the opportunity to connect with and learn from professors and PhD students; I gained valuable insights, received helpful advice, and learned a lot. This internship also enabled me to make new connections with other Economics students in my course.

Why were you first interested in the Summer Internship programme?

I was interested in the Summer Internship Programme because I wanted to apply the skills and knowledge I had acquired during my degree in economics to genuine research beyond regular coursework. I hoped the programme would both deepen my understanding of economics and help me to discern whether a future career in research was something I would enjoy. Being able to work with members of the Department of Economics on their projects of interest seemed like an invaluable opportunity to me, as it offered the chance to gain first-hand research experience under the guidance of academics on topics which they were passionate about.

What did you find most beneficial about the experience?

The most beneficial aspect of the internship for me was the development of skills relating to research. Working with my academic supervisor in an environment where I was surrounded by experienced researchers made me aware of the standard required for professional research which pushed me to improve significantly. This was most evident with my technical capabilities using statistical software such as Stata; regularly working with these tools at a more advanced level than I had previously encountered during my coursework led to a substantial improvement in my ability.

These skills have been especially useful while I have been undertaking the Economics Capstone Dissertation in my final year. Having worked on various aspects of research such as finding and assembling raw data from multiple sources, categorising relevant literature on a topic, and exporting clean and publishable results tables from analyses, the transition into working on my dissertation was much smoother due to the experience I had gained.

Would you recommend the internship to other students? Why?

I would strongly recommend this internship to other students, especially those in any discipline which involves statistical analysis. It offers a great opportunity to engage with economic research in a way that goes beyond what is typically encountered in coursework and understand more clearly how research is conducted in practice.

The programme is also valuable in that it allows students to work alongside other interns and researchers in a shared workspace. This creates an environment which encourages the regular discussion of economic ideas, and interaction with peers and more experienced researchers, making the process of research more engaging and enjoyable.

I believe the programme would be particularly beneficial for students considering postgraduate study or research-oriented careers, although it is valuable for anyone looking to improve their analytic and technical skills. Overall, the internship was a rewarding and formative experience which I greatly benefitted from and enjoyed.