Internships
Completing an internship abroad adds professional dimension to your study abroad experience.
Whether you help build financial models in Shanghai, give guided tours at a museum in Rome, or promote special events in Australia, adding an internship to your experience can open new doors and illuminate new paths. Through an internship abroad, you can gain practical work experience, strengthen your resume, and earn academic credit.
Skills you might develop while interning abroad
An internship abroad can help develop or refine skills such as:
- Collaboration
- Professional communication
- Time management
- Adaptability
- Problem-solving
- Cultural awareness
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Navigating workplace expectations
To learn more about the different skills you’re likely to build in an internship abroad, check out our guide, Intern Abroad: Everything You Need to Know About International Internships.
How can an internship change your study abroad experience?
Participating in an internship abroad along with your program can create a more structured and professionally focused experience.
Depending on your internship, you may:
- Follow a more structured weekly schedule
- Wear professional or role-specific attire
- Have less flexibility for travel
- Balance internship responsibilities with classes, assignments and other program commitments
- Engage more deeply with the local community and workplace culture
- Develop professional habits, communication skills, and confidence
Before applying, review the expectations for your specific program and internship opportunity so that you can select an experience that aligns with your academic, professional, and personal goals.
Student experiences
“While I knew my entire internship would be conducted in Spanish, the first few days still rattled me. I was suddenly in an environment of rapid professional Spanish in an Argentine workplace, where colleagues problem-solved quickly around me, used dialect and slang I’d never heard, and communicated with directness that’s normal in Argentina but was jarring at first to me. I had never worked in an office where everyone only spoke Spanish. This challenge became my biggest area of growth. I learned to ask questions without feeling embarrassed, navigate dynamics across language barriers, and pick up context clues and professional norms.”
—Lauren C., IFSA Argentine Universities Program, Argentina
“Building on my internship experience, I based my final Chinese research report on the effects of internal migration on Shanghai and migrant home communities. For the first time in a decade of learning Mandarin, I wrote an academic report entirely in Chinese—conducting interviews and distributing surveys in Mandarin. I’m grateful for the opportunity to challenge myself and take my language learning to a new level.”
—Brooke C., IFSA Shanghai, China
“While classroom settings at the university exposed me to many local Australian students, my deepest, most memorable interactions with Australian people came through my work at my internship, CoDesign. Through conversations I had over lunch or between desks, I learned a lot about daily life in the country, including weekend footy leagues (a distinctly Australian sport) and Melbourne’s vibrant music scene.”
—Aaron S., University of Melbourne Partnership, Australia
Programs with internship opportunities
Frequently asked questions about internships abroad
| Questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Can I complete an internship while I study abroad? | Some IFSA programs offer internship opportunities that allow students to gain practical work experience abroad while building skills in a new cultural and professional setting. |
| What can an internship abroad add to my experience? | An internship abroad can help you strengthen your resume, gain practical work experience, experience local professional culture, grow your network of colleagues, and show your ability to navigate multicultural settings. |
| What kinds of internship experiences are possible? | Internship opportunities may be available across fields such as business, science, social services and the arts, depending on the program and location. |
| Can an internship abroad help me earn academic credit? | All IFSA internships include a companion academic course that awards credit. Your home institution determines whether credit transfers to your degree program. |
| Can I talk with someone to learn more about internship opportunities? | Absolutely! IFSA Enrollment Counselors are happy to answer your questions and help you explore your options. Email admissions@ifsa-butler.org to schedule a conversation |