Internships provide invaluable experience for college students and recent graduates before they head into the workforce, giving them a leg up over their peers. However, finding an internship program locally or even nationally that fits your interests and skills can be difficult, and you’ll more than likely find yourself settling for an internship that doesn’t apply to your major or future. With the doors wide open, interns abroad have a plethora of international internships and cultures to choose from instead of being limited to only national organizations.

Instead of trapping yourself in a cubicle doing mundane tasks, interning abroad opens up more opportunities for you to get hands on experience! Why? While the United States is in an economic slump, many developing countries are expanding rapidly in all areas of business, arts, and commerce and need international interns to come work for them. As an English speaker, interning abroad with a foreign company will help them compete in a global market as they strive to compete with their peers. They want you!

Interns abroad will get hands-on experience that you may not receive if you intern locally or for a large corporate company. Many businesses and organizations abroad are smaller-scaled and look for interns who are multi-faceted and able to handle many aspects of work. You will take on a variety of different tasks instead of working in a specific department or under a specific head, giving you the well-rounded knowledge you need to enter the workforce. These programs won’t reduce your skills to mere paperwork and coffee runs! International internships give you the opportunity to shine and show what you’re worth by giving you more responsibility. With more responsibility you will gain more experience, making you a more desirable candidate in the future for jobs.

In addition to gaining work experience, interning abroad provides an invaluable multi-cultural experience. If you’ve studied a foreign language, an international internship is the perfect opportunity to show off what you’ve learned and to practice and refine your skills. While many businesses and organizations abroad have English-speaking employees, they enjoy working with students and interns who take an active interest in their language and culture. Partaking in a new culture as an intern abroad will widen your perspective in all aspects of life. Simply being in a new environment will expand your ways of thinking and provide opportunities of fun and adventure!

And of course, interning abroad will make you a more desirable candidate for hire to companies back home. Just as businesses in foreign countries are competing internationally, companies in the United States are also working to survive in a world market, especially as more foreign countries are rising to meet the demands of the global consumer such as Japan and China. Nothing is more desirable for a global competitor than an employee who has first-hand experience working internationally. Your understanding and knowledge will make you an attractive applicant and an asset to your place of work.

With all the benefits of an international internship, it’s hard to consider a better option than being an intern abroad. You will get hands-on know-how in a field of study you love and get a new cultural perspective, preparing you to work in a global society. The perfect internship is waiting for you!

While you may accrue additional costs interning abroad, we consider it to be a worthwhile investment of your time and resources.

Below is a list of our top ten reasons of why you should choose to do an internship abroad.

10. Vast Selection

Internships abroad are becoming more common and there are now so many options from which to choose. Think New York City has a large selection of companies for which to intern? Try Madrid, Beijing, Paris, or Berlin. With so many different industries around the world, your internship abroad options will not be limited.

9. Vacation and Learn

By completing an internship abroad, you have the unique opportunity to feel like you’re on vacation as you learn. An internship will not take up all your time – and in the meantime you’ll have an extended period of time to check out new cities, cultures, and customs that you may never otherwise.

8. Create a Better Resume

With your experiences from your internship abroad listed on your resume, you become an even better potential asset to a company. You will show that you know the same skills as someone who interned for a similar position in the United States, but also something more: you will show your independence, your ability to take initiative, and your ability to dive into new situations.

7. Help Your Academics

Many internships abroad can offer transferable academic credit as you work towards your graduation. Others are run through college or university-related programs, which could also help you find other American students interning abroad.

6. Programs to Aid You in Your Search

Although some programs exist in the United States, there are also many agencies that exist specifically to help students land an internship abroad – from aiding you through the beginning search phase to the paperwork, visas, finances, and more. Most people searching in the United States for internship help cannot expect to receive quite the same amount of guidance.

5. Become a Global Citizen

We are all aware that our world is increasingly becoming more and more of a global community. What better way is there to express your participation in our connected world than through an internship abroad? With an internship abroad you can see how industries indeed surpass country boundaries and information and knowledge is spread across seas in addition to the nuts and bolts of your internship’s industry itself.

4. Professional Development

Partaking in an internship abroad allows you to acquire essential skills and experience to prepare you for an eventual career. By interning abroad, you can take professional development skills that you’ve already acquired in the United States and add to those from what you learn abroad. Who knows how other countries can help you find your personal degree of professionalism.

3. Personal Development

The vast majority of people who choose to go abroad end up coming back with a new perspective on life. If you went abroad, then you know how leaving behind everything that is familiar can teach you more about yourself. This same philosophy holds true for those who choose to take an internship abroad. Through internships abroad you are able to develop on a personal and professional level.

2. Networking

Any business professional will be quick to point out that networking is crucial to success and advancement within all industries. Networking enables you to find other people within industries that you are interested in and use your connections to help your career goals and the goals of others. By completing an internship abroad, you can gain some valuable experience networking with people internationally, which may be able to help you with both United States and international-based careers.

1. Experience

The primary reason why anyone does an internship is to gain experience in a specific industry. Whether you intern in the United States or abroad, you are gaining many of the same types of experiences. Why limit yourself to only professional experience, then, when an internship abroad offers so much more?

Those are our thoughts, but don’t just take our word for it. Participate in an internship abroad today and tell us what you think!

I was on my way to meet a friend when I accidentally walked past my campus Study Abroad office. There, I browsed through pictures of UMM alumni zorbing down New Zealand hills, riding gondolas in the Venice canals, walking through ancient temples, and eating at French cafes. I was insanely jealous of these students. I wanted to be in those pictures. I wanted to pack my bags and fly around the world to a place where I didn’t know a single soul, but was still excited about the prospect of meeting new people who would eventually become some of my greatest friends. I wanted what they’d already had, that much was clear. They’ve had these life-changing cultural experiences, so why couldn’t I? Australia popped into my head and suddenly my vision of learning firsthand about Aboriginals and speaking the Aussie lingo didn’t seem so far out of reach. But one question still remained: How can I afford this?

I had a few minutes to spare, so I talked to the Study Abroad Advisor about my financing. The very first question she asked me was if I had completed my FAFSA. Of course! This was my ticket to becoming the next face on those amazing study abroad pictures.

So what is a FAFSA? It is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which can help finance a college education, including time spent studying abroad. This means that you may be able to get assistance in paying for your educational costs, like tuition, room and board, books, student fees, transportation, etc. FAFSA is designed to assess your financial need, which is determined by a simple calculation: The difference of your college cost of attendance and estimated family contribution (EFC) decides the maximum financial aid award. All students are encouraged to apply, but the amount of aid awarded by your school is based on financial need.

Because personal and family finances can drastically fluctuate from one year to the next, the FAFSA must be completed every year. The priority deadline usually falls on March 1^st on a first come, first serve policy. What I found easiest is to do my FAFSA while doing my taxes; the information is easily transferable and you’ll have more time to devote to planning your study abroad experience.

Money surely can’t be free, can it? Well in some cases, yes! Common forms of aid include Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans, and Federal Work-Study. Pell Grants may be granted up to $5,550, which does not need to ever be paid back. Stafford Loans may be subsidized or unsubsidized. Students do not have to pay interest while in school if they have a subsidized loan, but interest will accrue and be added to the loan if unsubsidized. Perkins Loans are similar to Stafford Loans, except they are distributed by the individual schools. Work-Study students may work part-time for their school and the government will reimburse them for 75% of their wages.

Completing the FAFSA is easy; you can apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Make sure you have yours and your parent’(s) tax information readily available for a simple EFC calculation. Once your FAFSA has been successfully completed, it will be sent to your school for awarding, which usually takes place a month before the beginning of the academic year.

Studying abroad is the chance of a lifetime. To experience another culture, another world is no longer an impossible dream with the help of financial aid. FAFSA was designed for people like me who have dreams and may not be able to finance them on their own. Without FAFSA, I would never have been able to fly Down Under and not only get a great educational experience, but also enjoy adventurous trips to sun bake in Surfer’s Paradise, snorkel and scuba in the Great Barrier Reef, climb the Blue Mountains, and still have time to feed some kangaroos. My picture now hangs alongside the others on the Study Abroad office bulletin board, and yours could be, too, with the help of FAFSA.

Well, now, halfway through his second year of school, Charlie realizes it’s probably a good idea to build up his resume—the job market is pretty tough. But how can he do that? Internships can be hard to come by, especially for underclassmen, and he really wants work that will simultaneously make him an appealing candidate, let him build some relevant skills, and allow him to have fun.

Charlie’s roommate’s girlfriend, Emma, gives him the answer he’s been looking for.

“Volunteer abroad, with kids or something” she says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“Brilliant,” he says. He’s never thought to volunteer abroad, but it sounds like fun. So Charlie starts researching what it means to volunteer abroad with children, and he finds that there are innumerable possibilities out there. Of course, if Charlie goes abroad, he gets to travel, if he wants, to a country he’s never been to before. Most experiences are in developing countries, which is great for Charlie because it means a chance to put his open-mindedness to the test and really learn about what life is like for people less fortunate than himself. It also means living in conditions perhaps a little less luxurious than he’s used to—a good way to test his limits and really give him some good, solid perspective on just how much he’s got to be thankful for.

But choosing to volunteer abroad with kids is a good fit for Charlie for other reasons, too. Charlie loves kids, but he doesn’t have many in his life right now. Most volunteer abroad programs involve after school programs, daycares, or orphanages. In his research, Charlie discovers that many want their volunteers to help teach English—Charlie can do that! And being abroad is a fantastic opportunity to work on his own foreign language skills, and Charlie has been struggling for fluency in Spanish, as being bilingual will greatly increase his potential job opportunities.

A volunteer abroad opportunity is also good for Charlie because he knows he has so much to contribute to wherever he ends up volunteering. Knowing he’s doing something good for someone (and not just any someone, but little someones who are less fortunate than him and really need good role models in their lives), Charlie will feel good about what he’s doing. He will wake up every day excited and happy to be where he is. He will get to see how his hard work is positively affecting the children he’s helping. Really, that’s enough motivation for Charlie in and of itself.

There are some considerations that give Charlie pause. He needs to go somewhere safe. He also needs proper vaccines and visas and a program he fits well with. Some programs cost money, as they have to pay their full time staff and for facilities and supplies. But all of these are details Charlie can work out with the help of some research, his academic advisors, the program he chooses, and, of course, his roommate’s girlfriend Emma, who has done this already. Charlie has found the perfect opportunity, and he’s excited to go have an awesome, life-changing experience.

Why not be like Charlie? Don’t wait. Volunteer abroad with children and work with kids who really need your help and guidance. You’ll change your life and theirs.

After they ousted the repressive Franco regime, Spaniards embraced their newfound freedom—and Madrid is the embodiment of that freedom. If you like to have a good time, you’ll never want for something to do. With a vibrant nightlife, it’s not uncommon to see people out until five or six in the morning. And that lifestyle is not just for college students, not in Madrid.

Maybe you’re looking for a little less party and a little more culture. Madrid does that pretty splendidly, too. With world-renowned art galleries, you will be able to sample the works of some of Europe’s greatest painters—Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet, Picasso, and more. If dance is more your thing, no worries: the home of flamenco, many restaurants have amazing, high energy performances, and the city hosts a huge festival annually. Jardin Botanica, Madrid’s botanical gardens, are home to over 30,000 exotic and unusual species of plant life. Feel free to hang out in the shade on a warm day in this beautiful setting. And if you’re going to study abroad in Madrid, make sure you take some time to visit some of the local churches. Legends, statues, and devoted believers shroud the churches, so at the very least it will be an experience just to visit.

Like shopping? Madrid’s a major producer of shoes. Filled with outlet stores that offer factory samples, you’ve never had so much fun shoe shopping in your life. That not your thing? No worries. As much as Madrid loves its fashion, it boasts other unique shopping experiences as well—like handmade instrument shops or delectable food markets.

Of course, everyone knows Madrid loves soccer. With FIFA claiming Madrid has the best soccer team of the 20^th century, you know the games will be good. Lesser known, though, is the fact that Madrid is home to major marathons and cycling. But with such beautiful weather, it’s hard not to want to play outdoors. Especially because Madrid has the most cloudless days in any major city in Europe, and is known internationally for its breath-taking sunsets.

Sound good so far? Not so fast—you need to make sure you’re prepared. Unlike a lot of other large European cities, Madrid colleges don’t offer a lot of classes taught in English. This means that most college programs require at least an intermediate proficiency in Spanish. It also means that you are nigh but guaranteed to expand your Spanish skills, and you’ll likely come home fluent! Couple that with opportunities to take classes on Spanish culture, like history and food, and you will no doubt be an expert by the time you get home.

While you’ve got your nose in your textbooks, though, don’t forget to do some traveling. Spain has a fantastic public transportation system. It won’t be hard for you to get to other major cities in Spain, and on the weekends, take advantage of opportunities to explore neighboring Portugal, France, and other European countries!

A study abroad experience in Madrid, Spain will provide you with exactly what you want out of your international experience—a chance to try new things while having an amazing time and learning loads!

The great thing about volunteering abroad is that you can do just about anything, for any length of time, anywhere in the world, and you’ll still have a life-changing, world-rocking kind of experience. Before you pick up and go, though, let us help you get on the right track regarding all the nit-picky details.

Be prepared—volunteering abroad is not a life of luxury. You probably shouldn’t bank on five star hotels and fine dining. In fact, it’s more likely your circumstances will be pretty much the opposite. If you’re willing to sacrifice your own separate bedroom and hot showers and Monday night football for the length of your stay, though, you’ll be fine.

Now you know that you want to go. The next step is to figure out where. You can really pick any location in the world, but the majority of programs and projects are in developing countries. Volunteering abroad most often concerns community development, education, environmental preservation/restoration, or social welfare, but the possibilities are limitless. Well, what do you want to get out of this experience? Are you looking to learn a language, make friends, try some new foods? Do you want to experience big-city life, or would you rather enjoy the natural splendor of the countryside? Take climate into consideration. And safety is a very important factor to think about. Safety concerns both illness and crime. Are you more concerned about political unrest or malaria? Both? Neither? Research places you can go to best accommodate you. Pick a location that you’re excited about, that offers you opportunities you want.

Okay, you say, I know where I want to go. Well, then how do I pick the right opportunity for abroad volunteering, you ask? Well, there are a lot of options out there. Do you want to go it alone or be a part of a group? Doing it alone means an enormous amount of flexibility—your imagination is the limit. On the other hand, you’re going to have to do a lot more legwork. How will you get there? Where will you stay? Is the project you’re interested in even something the community needs? On the other hand, if you choose to join a group while volunteering abroad, there may be fees associated and limits on what you can do. The benefit is that all those questions you’d have to figure out are taken care of for you. You’ll need to do your research, though. What’s the organization, the project, the impact on the community, the associated costs? Make sure you get references from former volunteers, too. There are an enormous amount of possibilities out there. Pick something you enjoy, perhaps even related to your degree, and you will have a great time!

Well, now you’ve got a lot of the details worked out. But what’s in it for me, you want to know? The experience of a lifetime, of course! Volunteering abroad is a great chance to test your limits. In a new country, working with other volunteers and locals, you will be forced outside of your comfort zone to build new relationships. You will learn to be even more open-minded and culturally sensitive. You may also learn a new language. And regardless of whether or not you’re near a big city, you will have the chance to explore a new country and a new culture. Don’t forget that it’s a fabulous, unique way to build your resume!

Volunteering abroad can be a life-changing experience. You are guaranteed to learn loads about yourself and your host country. You will have the chance to travel and explore. You will gain valuable experience for your resume (employers love it!). And, most importantly, you will have fun. Start planning your volunteer experience today!

“I have never done any volunteer work before I went abroad, not even at my church or school. I was enjoying my spring break with my friend in Ecuador and we met two volunteers from Canada one night when we all were having fun at a local bar in Quito. We had a blast and we decided to meet up next morning to get to know each other a little better. These two volunteers began talking about why they came to Ecuador and me and my friend were simply astonished. We weren’t even aware that programs like that exist and next we know, we enroll in the same program as these two Canadians. Me and my friend volunteered at a local school where we taught English and organized various fun and learning events for children who attended that school. We couldn’t believe how much fun we had. Not only we saw the difference that we were making but I was so impacted by this experience that I switched my major to children psychology when we got back home. Good thing I was only a sophomore so I didn’t lose any time at all and was on track to graduate in time. So if you are thinking to volunteer abroad, I highly recommend to do it as early as possible, it just can flip your life upside down….” – Jonathan, Northwestern University

If you want to experience something what these students experienced, be one step closer by exploring volunteer abroad programs we have on our website!

Due to lack of resources, unfavorable weather conditions and low economic activity, Africa is struggling to develop and provide for its people. Local NGO’s and charitable organizations realized the need for international volunteers and set up volunteer abroad programs for Westerners to participate in and help African communities.

The variety of volunteer programs in Africa range anywhere from Community Development, to Healthcare and Orphanage Assistance. No matter what your major or profession is, Africa has enough work for you. If you are someone who wants to become a teacher, you can teach English at local schools and orphanages. You can also teach other subjects like math, arts and history to gain valuable hands on experience that you wont get anywhere else. If you already teach in your home country, come share your expertise and knowledge with local teachers and help them improve their teaching skills.

If you are a medical student, come volunteer abroad on Healthcare Assistance program and learn about the health problems and issues developing countries face. Teach children basic sanitation and educate communities about AIDS. Educate the youth about AIDS and how to prevent the spread of it. If you are a working Healthcare professional in your home country, then come work at local hospitals, shadow doctors and share your expertise and knowledge. Teach about Healthcare system in your home country and give your advice.

If you are someone who is studying Kinesiology or Sports Medicine or anything else related with Sports, Africa is a perfect spot for you to gain experience in sports training. Every year Africa raises world class athletes especially in sports like soccer and running. Come join local soccer teams and help them train and get better. Work together with local youth through Youth Development volunteer abroad program and help them gain confidence, become strong and gain more skills. Be the one to help these children to fall in love with sports and live healthy lifestyles. Also, come and promote healthy lifestyles to the older members of the community and help them live longer and better lives.

As you can see, there are tons of volunteer abroad opportunities for you to join and there is also a lot of work to be done. Come help make a difference and have one of the best times of your life!

Every student, no matter what major he or she is, wants to gain experience in their field of study. Nevertheless, every student almost needs an internship to get at least some idea about the actual “practical” side of their studies and thus internship is almost a must to have. A lot of students look for basically any kind of internship they can get. Some are so desperate for an internship that they would accept the first offer they get not weighing out the opportunities and other possibilities out there.

Sometimes it is hard to find the exact internship you want and students end up participating in internships unrelated to their studies (and not even to mention that a lot of graduates work in areas that they didn’t even study in college or university). Bad economy? Sure, economy has a lot to do with this since the number of opportunities is smaller and competition is tougher. But other countries, like China for instance, are growing and expanding creating numerous of opportunities not only for the locals but internationals as well.

With international expansion and economic growth, countries like India, China, Brazil, Korea, Russia and others are in need of English speaking workers to grow businesses, organizations, and strengthen international relations with their partners overseas. As a result, a lot of internships abroad are available for students to participate in. There are all kinds of internships that would suit your interests and goals best. Whether you are a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior or a post graduate student in law, business, or social studies, there is an opportunity for you, all you have to do is to find the right agency/organization to work with and set your goals clear.

Feel free to browse a variety of intern abroad programs and let us know if you have any questions so we can help you find the right internship that suits your interests the best.

Find these and more internships by browsing our website:

Healthcare and Medical internship in India with Projects Abroad
India is a country full of vibrant culture, rapid economic growth, and well known social imbalances. Medical internship abroad will familiarize you with medical conditions that are very uncommon in the West and will help you gain valuable hands on experience in your field of study…

Financial Analyst Intern Abroad in China
If are majoring (or just graduated) in Accounting or Finance then this would be a perfect internship opportunity for you! During this internship you will learn about financial analysis to help better various business functions….

And much more! So feel free to contact us with any questions you might have!

China is a fascinating country for any foreigner to visit. It is rich in history and culture, it is vibrant and exciting,  and it’s just fundamentally different from the West which seems to be the reason why it draws so many tourists and visitors from other countries. It’s rapidly growing and fast-paced economy makes China a perfect destination for anyone looking to gain more international experience in their field of interest. There is a variety of internships abroad to choose from. No matter what your field of study is, China can offer some of the best internships you can ask for.

Check out some of the internships abroad in China offered at this time:

Architecture Internship

This internship is becoming very popular among Architecture students because China is developing its infrastructure at a fast rate and outsources a lot of companies from overseas for various construction projects. English speaking interns/workers are needed to effectively help the companies achieve their goals and communicate with foreign professionals. Learn more about Architecture intern abroad program by filling out a “Request More Info” form on a program listing.

Business/Finance Internship

If you are a Business/Finance student, then China is the place to be! Because of increase in international trade, China has a lot of opportunities for English speaking professionals especially in areas such as Sales, Customer Service, Finance and Banking. So come on intern abroad in China and gain hands on experience that you won’t find anywhere else!

English Trainer Internship/Teach English in China

China is in need of English speaking professionals to be able to support its economic growth. China has highly skilled workers, however, their lack of knowledge of English language disables them from working in international environment which requires a lot of interaction with Western countries. English trainers are needed to train Chinese workers and help them learn English. If you are pursuing a career or education as English as Second Language Teacher, than China is the best place for you to intern abroad. You will gain both experience and confidence after you complete your internship.

Solar and Renewable Energy Internship Abroad

With the fear of future supply shortages of crude oils and other non-renewable energy sources, Alternative Green and renewable energy inventions has recently made a lot of buzz in the news and became a hot industry to be in. To reduce their energy costs, CO2 emissions, and dependability on oil, countries began investing more and more in alternatives such as wind mills, solar panels and fuel cells, and China happens to be one the countries investing in the future. Nevertheless, China is also one of the world’s leading manufacturers of such products thus it is a perfect place for any student to participate in a Solar and Renewable Energy Internship Abroad.

There are numerous opportunities for students and working professionals in China, so check out all of them and don’t be afraid to “Request More Info” if you want to learn more about opportunities offered, we are here to help you find a perfect internship abroad that suits your interest and experience best!