Explore IFSA Experiential Learning Paths
Every IFSA program includes possibilities for engaging experiences that take learning further.
Learning by doing is powerful. Paired with structured reflection, hands-on activities bring classroom lessons and theory to life. They help illuminate connections in lasting ways and give you meaningful ways to connect your study abroad experience to your goals and aspirations.
Go Deeper Through Hands-On Learning
At IFSA, experiential learning is part of how study abroad becomes more than exploring like a tourist. Through hands-on experiences and guided reflection, you’ll have opportunities to engage more deeply with the culture of the country you’re visiting and consider your own views and beliefs as you compare them to what you see, hear, taste, and feel.
Experiential learning takes different forms depending on your program. Every IFSA program includes experiential opportunities in the form of activities and excursions. Some programs also offer internships, directed research, student teaching, and/or volunteering.
How Experiential Learning Impacts Your Career
When you study abroad with IFSA for a semester, quarter, summer, or January term, you gain more than academic experience. Through excursions, internships, research, volunteering, and daily life in a new environment, you’ll develop skills that can have a lasting impact on your career.
Along the way, you may encounter unfamiliar situations that challenge you to listen, adapt, collaborate, and navigate different perspectives. These experiences can provide valuable examples of how you’ve overcome challenges, worked as part of a team, and applied classroom learning in real-world settings.
The impact extends well beyond your time abroad. You can draw on these experiences in resumes, cover letters, interviews, and graduate school applications, using them to highlight the skills and growth you’ve gained.
Want to know more about how to talk about your experience on your resume or in a job interview? Check out our guide, which details tips and suggestions for how to present yourself while talking about your experiences.
Explore additional ways that studying abroad can be an investment in your career.
Explore Your Experiential Learning Pathways
Internships abroad
Participating in an internship is a common path to take throughout your college experience, but have you considered an internship abroad? Completing an internship abroad is a way to gain practical work experience, strengthen your resume, and experience local culture in a professional setting. Depending on the program, internship opportunities may also help you grow your network and enhance your ability to navigate multicultural settings.
Directed research abroad
Directed research gives you the opportunity to gain experience investigating a wide range of topics under the guidance of faculty experts. This is a great way to dig deeper into your field of study while you build skills in project management, critical and creative thinking, and written and oral communication.
Volunteering abroad
Volunteering abroad can be a meaningful way to contribute, get to know people in your host country, and learn more about the issues that challenge local communities. Opportunities vary by location, and IFSA can help guide your search.
IFSA Challenge projects
Semester-long IFSA Career Accelerator® programs include a team challenge project, tackling a real business issue that aligns with your area of study. Whatever your project, you’ll build skills like problem-solving and collaboration that matter to employers, interact with business professionals, and add concrete experience to your resume.
IFSA Extracurricular Sustainability Certificate
In select Ireland programs, you can work towards an IFSA Extracurricular Sustainability Certificate. Explore sustainability, biodiversity, and the social impact of environmental health through hands-on activities. As you go behind the scenes of Dublin-area organizations, you’ll learn about the concepts that guide their work and contribute to key projects.
Community partnership abroad
Engage in community-based learning with local organizations, businesses, cultural institutions, and community groups. Through visits, conversations, interviews, and shared experiences, you may meet community leaders, artists, business owners, and public officials in countries like Chile and New Zealand. Explore intercultural agility through themes like identity, immigration, arts, or politics, while developing communication, active citizenship, and reflection skills.
Student teaching abroad
Student teaching abroad offers classroom experience that helps prepare you to teach diverse student populations. IFSA Enrollment Counselors can help you identify programs that offer student teaching.
How IFSA Assists at Every Step of Your Journey
How to find the best-fit experiential learning opportunity. Availability, eligibility, application requirements, and academic credit may vary from program to program, so it is important to review the individual program pages or reach out to connect with your enrollment counselor to find an experiential learning opportunity that aligns with your academic interests and future goals.
Hands-on learning is the most valuable when you can fully prepare, participate, and reflect on your experience. When you study abroad with IFSA, we help you approach these opportunities intentionally so that you can connect what you learn to your academic interests, personal growth, and your future goals.
Support will vary by your program, and may take the shape of exploring opportunities available to you, preparing for your environment culturally and professionally, and guiding your reflection on the new skills and perspectives you gained during your experience.
Experiential Learning Opportunities by Program
Browse IFSA programs with experiential learning opportunities or connect with your IFSA Enrollment Counselor to explore programs that align with both your academic and professional interests and goals.
IFSA Health Sciences Career Accelerator: Nursing
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA London: Science, Technology, and Society
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Mérida: One Health
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer Tech Career Accelerator
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Prague Quarter Program: Computer Science
Term
Experiential Learning
Public Health in the Yucatán—Summer
Term
Experiential Learning
Dublin City University Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Rome Quarter Program: Business
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Rome Quarter Program: Art and Architecture
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer in Dublin
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Oxford, St Hilda’s College Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer in Edinburgh
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Buenos Aires Quarter Program: Psychology and Neuroscience
Term
Experiential Learning
Adelaide University Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Oxford, Magdalen College Summer
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Buenos Aires: Preveterinary Medicine
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Summer
Term
Experiential Learning
Revelle in Santiago
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA London: Black History and Influence in the UK
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Business Career Accelerator
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Buenos Aires: Health Sciences
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Seville Universities Program: UPO
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Buenos Aires: Business and Economics
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Buenos Aires: Psychology and Neuroscience
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Health Sciences Career Accelerator
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Sussex: Standard Summer Program
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Oxford, Regent’s Park College Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
James Cook University Partnership, Townsville
Term
Experiential Learning
Trinity College Dublin Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University College London Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Auckland Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Oxford, St. Edmund Hall Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Westminster Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of New South Wales Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Galway Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
City St George’s, University of London Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Sussex Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Oxford Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
Revelle in Edinburgh
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Galway Summer: Irish Studies
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Westminster Summer
Term
Experiential Learning
University of the Arts London Summer: London College of Fashion
Term
Experiential Learning
University of the Arts London Summer Program
Term
Experiential Learning
London School of Economics and Political Science Summer
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Cambridge, Pembroke College Summer
Term
Experiential Learning
University College Dublin Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of the Arts London Partnership: London College of Fashion
Term
Experiential Learning
University of the Arts London Partnership: Integrated Program
Term
Experiential Learning
SOAS, University of London Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
Queen Mary University of London Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
London School of Economics and Political Science Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
Cardiff University Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Stirling Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of St Andrews Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Edinburgh Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
Glasgow School of Art Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
Victoria University of Wellington Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
Ulster University Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
Burren College of Art Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Oxford, Worcester College Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of York Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Leeds Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Cambridge, Pembroke College Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Oxford, St. Catherine’s College Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Oxford, St. Anne’s College Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Oxford, Mansfield College Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Oxford, Lady Margaret Hall Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Oxford, Hertford College Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
Universidad de La Habana Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Shanghai: Intensive Chinese Language
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Queensland Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Melbourne Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
Monash University (Melbourne) Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
James Cook University Partnership, Cairns
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Glasgow Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
Stranmillis University College Teacher Education
Term
Experiential Learning
Queen’s University Belfast Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Shanghai: Social Sciences
Term
Experiential Learning
University College Dublin Summer Internships
Term
Experiential Learning
University College Cork Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Wollongong Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Sydney Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Canterbury Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Shanghai: International Business
Term
Experiential Learning
King’s College London Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Otago Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Limerick Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
Macquarie University Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
Griffith University Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Chilean Universities Program, Santiago
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Chilean Universities Program, Valparaíso
Term
Experiential Learning
Universidad Nacional Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Mérida Universities Program
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Argentine Universities Program
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Oxford, St. Anne’s College: Premedical Program
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Oxford, Lady Margaret Hall Summer
Term
Experiential Learning
Contemporary World History in London
Term
Experiential Learning
Genetics, Pandemics, and Society in Edinburgh
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Galway Summer: Ecology
Term
Experiential Learning
King’s College London: Premedical Program
Term
Experiential Learning
Luiss University Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Biosciences Career Accelerator
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Tech Career Accelerator
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Prague
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Sri Lanka
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Seville Universities Program: USevilla
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer in London
Term
Experiential Learning
University of Sussex: Physics Summer Program
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer Internships in Shanghai
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer Internships in Rome
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer Internships in Prague
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer Internships in Mexico
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer Internships in Buenos Aires
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer Internships in Barcelona
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer in Shanghai
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer in Rome
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer in Prague
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer in Barcelona
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer in Mexico
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer in Buenos Aires
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA January in Rome
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA January in Mexico
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA January in Costa Rica
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA January in Barcelona
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer Internships in Sydney
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Summer Internships in Melbourne
Term
Experiential Learning
Bond University Partnership
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Buenos Aires
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Barcelona Universities Program: UAB
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Barcelona Universities Program: UPF
Term
Experiential Learning
IFSA Barcelona
Term
Experiential Learning
