The King’s Host Agreement (KHA) is a document signed by three parties: the student or graduate, host organisation and King’s College London. The agreement outlines the conditions and expectations of the opportunity being undertaken.
Important to know:
- If your opportunity is credit-bearing, it is mandatory to complete King's Host Agreement (KHA)
- However, if your opportunity is extracurricular, it is not a requirement of King's for you to use this document, but you may use it if your host organisation requests it.
King's is unable to sign documentation provided by the host organisation or external bodies. These documents will be rejected. Unfortunately, if your host organisation requires documentation from King’s – but is unable to sign our King’s Host Agreement, you may be unable to undertake this opportunity.
If your host organisation only needs documentation from King’s to confirm your student status, you can use:
- Confirmation of Study Letter: To confirm your student status, you can download your Confirmation of Study Letter and share this with your host organisation.
- Record of Agreed Results (ROAR): If your host organisation needs confirmation of your current module results prior to the completion of your programme, you can download a Record of Agreed Results (ROAR)
- Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) and Higher Education Degree Datacheck (HEDD): If you have already completed your programme, your host organisation may use your HEAR and Higher Education Datacheck (HEDD) to confirm your qualification at King's online.
What does King’s needs me and my host organisation to know before I request the agreement?
- The King's Host Agreement (KHA) is a very important document that satisfies legal and regulatory requirements. As such, it will be thoroughly reviewed by King’s before signing, and it is important that both you and the Host Organisation provide accurate and complete answers.
- We cannot sign any external host agreements that the host organisation may ask us to sign. We are only able to sign the KHA.
- We can only sign the KHA for currently enrolled students, or for graduates up to 24 months after their end of enrolment date. Your registered student status is related to your course end date, not your graduation, so you’re not able to delay your graduation date to extend your registered student status. You can find your end of course date on your Confirmation of Study Letter.
- King's College London cannot be held responsible for a host organisation not being able to fulfil the expectations and obligations outlined in the KHA and in such cases, we are unable to sign the KHA.
What does King's need from me to sign my agreement?
- You must have formally accepted the opportunity from your host organisation, before starting the King's Host Agreement (KHA).
- Be sure to start the KHA at least 21 days prior to your official start date to allow enough time for both your host organisation and King’s to review and complete the relevant information.
- Be prompt when responding to communications from host organisations and King’s College London staff members to ensure timely processing of the agreement.
- Complete your due diligence when choosing an employer. This includes:
- verifying that the host organisation has Employer's liability insurance in accordance with legal requirements in their location.
- understanding your current student visa status and any restrictions that may apply.
- being aware of relevant legislation regarding minimum wage, working hours, internship timeframes, etc.
Why has my King's Host Agreement (KHA) not been signed?
We are unable to sign your host agreement if:
- You or the Host Organisation use the KHA as a substitute for a contract of employment. You should have a separate contract between yourself and the host organisation.
- The programme you are enrolled in at King’s is less than 6 months in length, you are a prospective offer holder and are not yet enrolled at King’s or if your course end date was over 24 months in the past before you start the KHA. For further information on who is eligible to use our services, please review our Statement of Service & Eligibility Declaration.
- Your host organisation requires us to confirm your internship is an essential part of your course, when your course does not offer any accredited internship/placement options.
How to request a King’s Host Agreement
The information here is for extracurricular opportunities only. If you are undertaking an Accredited Internship module, a Year in Industry Placement, or part of a specific programme like the Civic Leadership Academy or Study Abroad Programme, please contact the specific team for the right link.
All King’s Host Agreements are hosted on DocuSign. Please do not download any PDFs – complete the steps shown on screen once you click the right link.
Current Registered Students
Current registered students, can request for the English version, or for the French version (answers must be submitted in English). You are eligible for these versions only if the entire opportunity is taking place before your course end date. If you are due to finish your studies before or during the opportunity, you will require the links in the bullet point below. You can check your course dates via your Confirmation of Studies letter to ascertain how much of your opportunity extends beyond your course completion date.
Graduates, dormant students and those with interrupted studies
Graduates, dormant students and those with interrupted studies, can request for the English version, or for the French version (answers must be submitted in English). Its important to know that for both versions you will require a King's Careers Connect account if your student one has expired. This is the case for both graduates and dormant students. If you are a graduate, you can access these versions only up to 24 months after your course end date mentioned in the Confirmation of Study Letter.
Important health and liability insurance information:
- You will need to obtain any relevant health and liability insurance prior to the start of your opportunity.
- You will not be insured against the risk of sickness and maternity, disability, and accidents at work by King’s College London
- Check with your Host Organisation if they provide such insurance.
- King’s College London shall not be liable for any accident involving the graduate or costs arising from this or provide any form of insurance
- Both the Host Organisation and the graduate shall obtain liability insurance with an insurance provider of their choice
- King’s College London shall not be liable for any actions, errors, or omissions of the graduate.
What is the process to request my King's Host Agreement?
- You start the KHA via the correct link in the above section
- You must enter your host organisation’s contact details at the beginning, to ensure they receive a link to the form.
- Complete all your sections, sign and click “Finish”. You will not receive a notification at this stage.
- Docusign will automatically forward a link directly to your host organisation, who needs to complete all their sections, sign, and click “Finish”.
It is important to know that DocuSign emails can sometimes be redirected to spam or junk folders in emails. If your host organisation has not received a link, please ask them to check these folders before you contact us.
- Docusign will automatically forward a link directly to the appropriate King’s College London signatory for final review and signature.
- Once it has been signed by all parties, you will receive a link to the full copy. Download it for your records.
Please do not initiate the King’s Host Agreement several times as this will confuse your host organisation. If you have started a King’s Host Agreement but were not able to finish It at the time and need to access it again, please contact Internships@kcl.ac.uk who can re-send the link to you.
It is your responsibility to ensure that the full King’s Host Agreement completed and signed by all parties prior to the commencement of your opportunity. Please start the KHA process at least 21 days before your start date.
Staff guidance
If you are a staff member wanting to know more about the King’s Host Agreement signing procedure, or need to view a blank copy in English to be able to understand what the French version is asking, please check our King’s Host Agreement Staff Guidance for information before contacting Internships@kcl.ac.uk.
I have further questions about my King's Host Agreement?
What are my rights as an intern in the UK?
By law, if you are considered a “worker” or “employee”, you must be paid. The only exception is if you are gaining course credits as a result of undertaking an internship, your Host Organisation is not legally required to offer monetary remuneration. In all cases, King’s College London does not promote unpaid internships.
Can I use the KHA for an unpaid opportunity?
Due to the UK law outlined above, if your opportunity is taking place in the UK, it is not accredited, and it is unpaid, all KHAs with these conditions will be automatically rejected. However, if it is outside of the UK, it will be under your academic department’s discretion whether they will sign it or not.
Can I use the KHA for an opportunity outside of the UK?
Yes, but King’s Host Agreement is the only document we are able to sign, and all answers must be returned in English. You must research employment laws for interns in the country you’ll be working in and confirm your rights. In some countries, like France, a legally binding Convention de Stage (similar to a KHA) is required. Depending on the country, the host organisation may not need to provide insurance. Please check about health insurance for international opportunities to get further support on health insurance.
Who is not able to use the KHA?
Prospective offer holders, those enrolled in a course that is less than 6 months in length, and graduates whose course ended over 24 months ago. For more details, you can visit our Alumni Eligibility Policy and our Statement of Service & Eligibility Declaration.
Who should I speak to if my agreement is taking too long to be approved?
Please contact your Host Organisation to ensure they have followed the process and clicked “Finish” If they have, reach out to your academic department (for the regular KHA) or Internships@kcl.ac.uk (for the graduate KHA) to check whether they have received it. If your department says they have not received anything, contact Internships@kcl.ac.uk so they can track your KHA. You will then have to chase your department yourself.
Why is the Graduate KHA so much shorter than the regular one?
The KHA terminates automatically when you cease to be enrolled as a student at King’s College London, as per paragraph 11.1 of the terms and conditions of the KHA. This means that King’s will not be able to support you in holding your Host Organisation accountable for your health and safety, compliance with policies and regulations, guarantee of minimum wage, support with termination, complaints, misconduct or appeals after your ‘course completion’ date has passed. If you are a graduate, you are not entitled to the terms and conditions of the KHA as your formal relationship with King’s College London has ended. We have a condensed Graduate Host Agreement which may be used by students who completed their course of study within the last 24 months.
I need Visa-related advice.
For further guidance you need on all key issues and details related to your student visa, please visit our Visa, immigration & support category, which has a range of articles for you including links to contact specialist teams if required. King’s is unable to provide support regarding visas in other countries to enable you to work. You will need to seek independent advice from that country’s Embassy or Consulate.
My internship was terminated early/ I want to terminate my internship early:
If you need support navigating an early termination of your opportunity after it has started, please read our article My internship/work opportunity has ended early, what do I need to know?
I still have questions. Who can I speak to?
Email Internships@kcl.ac.uk and they will either respond to your query, or direct you to the most adequate team to help you.