Internships

There are hundreds of opportunities for internships abroad.  Internships provide a great experience without any commitment beyond the initial agreed-upon time.

• Many are connected directly to study abroad programs which require you to enroll and pay tuition and fees. 
• The work is usually "voluntary" and it is harder to find a paid internship abroad.
• Most fall within the academic calendar: either one or two semesters or a summer.  Evaluate each opportunity carefully.
• You can also try to set up your own internship without using a program.
• Research the organizations and countries in which you’d like to do your internship. 
  • Send a cover letter and resume and explain carefully the type of experience you are seeking.  Your chances will be better if you don’t expect to be paid.

Some quick tips for the internship hunt:

Preparing:

• Research-collect as much info as possible.
• Contact organizations which interest you.
• Send your resume with a short cover letter (email, download, or regular mail).
• Be clear about what you can do.
• Remember that  terms like "internship" may not mean the same in other countries.
• Do you expect pay or not? Very few internships abroad pay.
• Will you need support such as assistance with finding a place to live?
• Get the terms of the internship in writing if possible.

Succeeding at the site:

• Behave! Be courteous and pleasant.
• Listen first before you speak.
• Set up a learning plan.
• Keep a journal.
• Learn the culture & people.
• Keep supervisor informed.
• Be open-minded about duties.
• Ask questions: do not assume you know what you're doing.

Possible internship sources:

• Transitions Abroad
  A bimonthly magazine for those interested in working, studying, and living abroad. Available from fine bookstores and at local libraries, including the CIE Resource Library.
  
• Idealist 
  Provides listing of over 36,000 nonprofit and community organizations in 165 countries.
  
• Intern/Study Abroad 
  Search the country directory for a program that suits your needs.
  Follow links, graphics or e-mail buttons and request more information.
  
• Amerispan
  This link offers volunteer and internship placements, academic study abroad and specialized programs such as SALUD, and AMSA-endorsed medical Spanish program.
  
• Irish Internships 
  The American College Dublin offers internship placements among the more popular fields: banking and finance, criminal justice, international business, journalism, marketing and public relations, politics, psychology and sociology, and social work.
  
• AIESEC 
  AIESEC offers a reciprocal international internship exchange program with paid internships in applied fields.
  
• AIPT 
  An IAESTE internship is a paid internship abroad.  Most placements are for 8-12 weeks during the summer; longer placements of up to 12 months are also available.
  
• CDS 
  This one-year work/study scholarship program is designed to strengthen ties between the younger generations of the United States and Germany. Primarily a cultural exchange, it combines language study, professional schooling and an internship -- providing a first-hand experience of many aspects of German life.
  
• American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
  One of America’s largest "think tanks."  AEI has internship opportunities available to undergraduates in the areas of: economic policy, foreign and defense studies, social and political studies and public relations.  AEI offers a Russian studies internship that focuses on the on trends of transition, and the political and social developments of a post-soviet Russia.
  
• Rising Star Internships
  Rising Star Internships provides a web listing of internships in a variety of fields including international business and international relations.  They also have helpful articles.
  
• US State Department
  Although you would remain in the US, the State Department offers over 1000 internships annually, many of which are internationally focused. 

Content for this page provided by:
Dr. Kate Brooks, Director, Liberal Arts Career Services, University of Texas at Austin