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ICO Sandwich Placement Scheme, in Partnership 2027

NoICO Sandwich Placement Scheme, in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University

No. Information Commissioner's Office does not sponsor its ico sandwich placement scheme, in partnership for international students who need a visa. The ICO's placement year starts in September and runs for 12 months in one of four specialist areas: Legal, split into two six month rotations across litigation and advisory; Digital, Data and Technology, based either in Digital IT or the Data team; Regulatory Policy, inside the Regulatory Policy Projects department; and Regulatory Risk and Innovation, working mainly in the Enterprise department alongside the ICO's AI work.

Sponsors grads?
No
Pay vs threshold
Not published
Opportunity
placement
Pay
Not disclosed on the early careers page
2027 cycle
Applications for the September 2026 intake closed on 15 March 2026, no later intake date published as of 1 October 2026
Confidence
high

Information Commissioner's Office ICO Sandwich Placement Scheme, in partnership: at a glance

The ICO Sandwich Placement Scheme is a 12-month placement offered in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University, giving practical experience in a specialist or technical area of the ICO before students return to complete their degree. Placements are in Legal (two six-month rotations across the Litigation and Advisory teams), Digital, Data and Technology (Digital IT or the Data team), Regulatory Policy, and Regulatory Risk and Innovation. Source

Duration
12 months“our 12-month placement, offered in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University”Source
Who can apply
Undergraduates able to complete a 12-month placement as part of their course, studying a degree relevant to one of the placement areas, with the right to work in the UK without sponsorship“You must be enrolled on an undergraduate degree and able to complete a 12-month placement as part of your course.”Source
Degree requirement
A degree relevant to one of the placement areas (for example Law for the Legal placement; AI and Data Science, Computer Science, Cyber Security, Software Engineering, Digital Business or Mathematics for DDaT)“Your degree must be relevant for working in one of the placement areas.”Source
Recruitment stages
  1. CV and covering letter
  2. Online interview (15 to 20 minutes)
  3. Assessment centre with presentation, group exercise and interview
Source

Every programme and stage at Information Commissioner's Office

“You must have the Right to Work in the UK for the duration of the placement without requiring sponsorship.”
Information Commissioner's Office, from its own careers pages
The catch: Applications go through Manchester Metropolitan University, so students at other universities have no published route in.
Information Commissioner's Office early careersVerify on gov.ukSee the licence record

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What Information Commissioner's Office publishes about this programme

Checked against Information Commissioner's Office's own careers pages on 2026-10-01. Anything not published is worth asking the early careers team before you apply.

  • Visa sponsorship policy: published
  • Application dates: published
  • Programme description: published
  • Duration and start date: published
  • Who can apply: published
  • Pay: published
  • Locations: not published
  • Degree requirement: published
  • Recruitment stages: published

More early careers programmes at Information Commissioner's Office

Sources

Verdict last checked 2026-09-23. Application dates last checked 2026-10-01. How we check programme verdicts

Common questions

Does Information Commissioner's Office sponsor visas for its ico sandwich placement scheme, in partnership?

No. Information Commissioner's Office does not sponsor its ico sandwich placement scheme, in partnership for international students who need a visa. The ICO's placement year starts in September and runs for 12 months in one of four specialist areas: Legal, split into two six month rotations across litigation and advisory; Digital, Data and Technology, based either in Digital IT or the Data team; Regulatory Policy, inside the Regulatory Policy Projects department; and Regulatory Risk and Innovation, working mainly in the Enterprise department alongside the ICO's AI work. Each area names the degree subjects it takes, so a law placement needs an LLB or business with law and the DDaT placement needs a computing, data or cyber course. Applications are made through Manchester Metropolitan University rather than direct to the ICO. Selection is CV and covering letter, a short online interview and an assessment centre.

What is the Information Commissioner's Office ico sandwich placement scheme, in partnership?

The ICO Sandwich Placement Scheme is a 12-month placement offered in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University, giving practical experience in a specialist or technical area of the ICO before students return to complete their degree. Placements are in Legal (two six-month rotations across the Litigation and Advisory teams), Digital, Data and Technology (Digital IT or the Data team), Regulatory Policy, and Regulatory Risk and Innovation.

Does the pay clear the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold?

The pay for this scheme is not published clearly enough to judge against the threshold.

What is the catch international students miss with Information Commissioner's Office?

Applications go through Manchester Metropolitan University, so students at other universities have no published route in.

When do applications open for the Information Commissioner's Office ico sandwich placement scheme, in partnership?

Applications for the September 2026 intake closed on 15 March 2026, no later intake date published as of 1 October 2026. Checked on 2026-10-01 against Information Commissioner's Office's own site.

How long is the Information Commissioner's Office ico sandwich placement scheme, in partnership?

12 months, according to Information Commissioner's Office's own careers information.

Who can apply for the Information Commissioner's Office ico sandwich placement scheme, in partnership?

Undergraduates able to complete a 12-month placement as part of their course, studying a degree relevant to one of the placement areas, with the right to work in the UK without sponsorship, according to Information Commissioner's Office's own careers information.

What degree do you need for the Information Commissioner's Office ico sandwich placement scheme, in partnership?

A degree relevant to one of the placement areas (for example Law for the Legal placement; AI and Data Science, Computer Science, Cyber Security, Software Engineering, Digital Business or Mathematics for DDaT), according to Information Commissioner's Office's own careers information.

What are the recruitment stages for the Information Commissioner's Office ico sandwich placement scheme, in partnership?

CV and covering letter, Online interview (15 to 20 minutes), Assessment centre with presentation, group exercise and interview, according to Information Commissioner's Office's own careers information.

How should I confirm Information Commissioner's Office's sponsorship before applying?

Read the specific vacancy on Information Commissioner's Office's careers site, ask its early-careers team directly, and check the employer on the gov.uk Register of Licensed Sponsors. Policies and thresholds change, so treat this page as a starting point and confirm for the exact role and cycle.

Related guides

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Sponsorship data: Home Office register + job ad wording. Not immigration advice, verify on gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. How we check this data.