Are you officially fired up about interning abroad but need some clarification before you get started? You’re in the right place.
There's a lot that goes into an international internship and making sure you have an amazing, successful, life-changing experience. So, before you make a final decision about interning abroad, you need to make sure that you’ve covered all your bases and have carefully considered what it is that you really need.
We've created this guide to help you fully understand our international internship programs - from how our programs work and the actual internship experience itself to a detailed outline of some of our most frequently asked questions.
Before we jump into specifics, let’s cover how our internship programs work and what our programs include.
From the first point of contact with a Global Experiences’ staff member, to the day you return home from your internship, we are all dedicated to fulfilling your goals for your internship and ensuring you have a 10 out of 10 experience.
One question we get asked time and time again is, “what's included in the cost of your internship programs?”
To put it simply, everything is included in our programs except for these three F’s:
But really included is what's stated below and much more:
Once you've determined you're going to intern abroad, it's time to interview, land your dream internship, and book your flights.
Not so fast! We want to ensure you understand costs associated with our internship abroad programs. As with any good thing of value, there is a price tag. So, let me ask you...
An internship abroad is going to be worth every penny you put into it.
Many things go into the cost of our programs including our placement process, pre-departure training and professional development, a certified career coaching call, to a guaranteed internship in your career field. We make getting an internship as easy as possible.
Also included are the on-the-ground program essentials. High quality, central housing is secured for each intern, and if you have shared accommodation, we conduct a roommate survey before departure to set you up with compatible roommates.
We have 24/7 on-site staff in each program location who are residents of the city and know it well. Travel/medical insurance is included, a local travel card to get you started, welcome and exit orientations, events and excursions, and much more!
Internship placement, pre-departure training, career readiness program and one-on-one coaching, academic support, visa assistance, and language courses.
Housing
Location staff, program orientation and social activities
Management and organizational costs
While we can outline the tangible costs, there are so many intangible benefits that students receive during their internships abroad.
In fact, 90% of students felt their internship abroad experience improved their independence, self-confidence, and cultural awareness.
For specific program dates and tuition by location and by season, check out our dates and tuition page.
As no one’s financial situation is the same, we offer different financial options and payment plans so you can find what works for you, your needs, and your budget.
We also try to work with you as best we can and scholarships are available.
Going abroad -- whether that be studying abroad or interning abroad -- is one of the greatest adventures.
You will step out of your comfort zone and have new opportunities, learn about new cultures, see beautiful and iconic landscapes, build lifelong friendships and make memories with people from all over the world. The list really could go on and on!
Yet as we continue to move into an interconnected and globalized world, it raises the question; is study abroad still the best and most critical way for a college student to travel and connect to a worldly experience?
With employers craving real skills and experience, even for entry-level positions, we stand by saying there is no better way to travel internationally and leverage your experience at the same time than with interning abroad.
Did you know: Less than 1% of recent college graduates have international work experience.
Structured in many ways like a study abroad program, students who intern abroad are eligible for credit, live amongst other university students, and will be thrown into a totally new culture for an 8-12 week program.
During an internship abroad you’ll be living like a local, experiencing the daily commute, working with locals, and obtaining insight to local and international work culture.
Interning abroad is designed for you to take your classroom knowledge and apply it to the real world. You’ll be able to take what you’ve learned and work hands-on with real companies, co-workers, and projects.
Here are our top 3 reasons why you should intern abroad:
Just because an internship is paid, doesn’t mean it’s a good one.
Sure, it’s nice to receive compensation for the hard work you've done, but a paid internship can be hard to come by. An international internship, paid or unpaid, gives you necessary professional experience while while allowing you to stand out from your peers.
Throughout our internship program we value your interests and career goals, and our placement team works hard to place you with an employer that's a great fit, promising real work experience. These host employers also value an international intern and keep administrative task to a minimum; at least 85% of your internship will be hands-on work that matters.
Don't limit your options just because an internship is unpaid. Not only are you bridging the gap between the classroom and the real world, but you are developing soft skills that are highly sought out by employers.
You might be thinking, “how can I incorporate an internship with my studies and college degree?”
We have two ways for you to get credit:
We are more than happy to work with you to obtain academic credit through your university.
To do so, you will need to speak with your academic advisor (or the study abroad office) to determine what requirements are needed such as; internship tasks, minimum hour requirement, supervisor requirements, etc.
If you cannot receive credit through your university, Fairfield University is our school of record potentially allowing you to earn 3 or 6 credit hours per "course." Ask your Admissions Counselor for our Fairfield University syllabi.
With Fairfield University credit, some schools will be able to transfer it back as major credit, some will transfer back as general elective credit, and unfortunately, some may not be able to transfer it back at all. Keep in mind that every university is different and transfer credits are always on a case by case basis.
Find out more how you can earn credit interning abroad here.
If an employer were to ask you right now, "what is one of your top strengths?"
You might begin to mention one of the following: I'm motivated. I'm hard working. I'm independent. I'm a good team player.
Won't all 3 to 4 million college graduates say the same? How would you feel going into a job interview feeling confident about articulating your strengths and your skill set in more detail?
Upon enrollment, all interns participate in our award-winning career readiness program. This program helps you dig deeper into your strengths and how they relate to the workplace.
You start by completing the Gallup StrengthsFinders Assessment and speaking to a certified professional development coach to discuss you and your background, each of your strengths, and how to use them. Then you'll work with your dedicated Program Advisor - who have had strengths-based training - to perfect your resume, professional documents, and interview preparation.
We encourage you to use all the resources at your disposal. The more we get to know you, the better we can match you with the perfect internship.
When accepted into our internship program, we are 100% confident in your application and guarantee you an internship placement in your career field and desired location.
Taking everything we know about you into consideration - your internship goals, experiences, personality, strengths, etc - our placement team presents you to our employer connections or contacts new companies to match you with the best fit from the first interview.
You might be thinking, "will I only have one interview and no “choice” in the company I intern with?"
9 out of 10 times students will only interview once and then their internship is confirmed!
If the first interview does not go well, we will continue to present you to employers until we have secured an internship for you. We work tirelessly behind the scenes on your behalf and we will do everything it takes to ensure you are satisfied with your internship placement.
The graphic below gives you a visual of our internship placement process:
Still thinking, "but what if something happens last minute or during my internship?"
Don't you worry, we've got you covered!
If a last minute change needs to happen with your internship placement, we’ve got your back. Our whole team will work to find you another internship as soon as possible.
We set up housing for you in each location and it is included in the program tuition.
Housing varies based on location and will either be a local apartment or a student residence. You will be sharing your accommodations with other interns on the program.
Our housing is always centrally located, in a safe neighborhood, and close to everything you need such as public transport, markets, and tourist attractions.
You will take a roommate survey so we can best understand your lifestyle and living habits which will help us pair you up with the best roommate match. Think of the accommodation as your built in social network where you will be living with like-minded peers who are there to get a similar experience.
Paris is our only location where we offer homestays to live with a Parisian family.
Safety can be a big concern for both interns and parents. Rest assured, we have you in mind and provide our full support every step of the way.
We have established a long list of health and safety protocols, and our on-site staff are trained for any emergency that may arise during your internship. Protocols such as; when you're traveling let us know when and where, emergency contact details, check-point areas, 24/7 emergency line, and much more are in place to ensure your safety.
Also, all interns receive travelers' insurance covering you from the program start date to departure date.
Since sending our first students abroad in 2001, we have had safety instances. But that's what we are here for, and our extensive policies are set up to keep you safe during your time abroad.
Asking your parents might seem daunting, however, we are here to help you have the necessary conversations! A plus about Global Experiences is we are made up of a team who has studied, interned, or lived abroad (even a few of our alumni work here), so we've been in your shoes and understand how important it is to have your parents support.
Here are a few tips:
Your Admissions Counselor is more than happy to speak to your parents directly to answer any questions they may have or alleviate any concerns.
Remind them: those who intern abroad find jobs faster than those who don’t. More importantly, Global Experiences alumni find jobs 3x faster!
By now you're thinking, "Whoa, this is a lot of information. Why is an international internship actually important for my career?"
Interning abroad is the type of experience that will make you stand out to future employers and something you can talk about in interviews for years to come. Employers value international working experience as it shows you can get out of your shell, think outside the box, and successfully survive in a new and challenging environment.
Does it seem too good to be true that while traveling you'll gain valuable work experience? What's the catch? I promise, there isn't one!
We understand that selecting the right program and provider can be tough and that it is a big decision to make. Here are 5 key differences to help you understand why Global Experiences is the best choice for you:
Still trying to weigh the pros and cons?
Before you take the leap, our advice is to do the research.
We’ll of course tell you how great our international internship programs are (because we really believe it!), but why not hear it first hand from students just like you.
We thought, what better way to show you what it’s like interning abroad than seeing it from an intern who’s right there right now.
Our intern’s have “taken over” our Snapchat to show you their day interning abroad with Global Experiences from start to finish.
