Melbourne, Australia

IFSA Summer Internships in Melbourne

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Program Overview

SIX WEEKS IN ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST LIVEABLE CITIES

Balancing your internship commitments with fun and culture is easy in Melbourne, known for its lively arts, sports, and food scenes (avocado toast, anyone?).  

IFSA will help you find an ideal match for your goals and interests. Opportunities typically include arts, business, marketing, engineering, design, healthcare, and education. You might help test a new tool at a financial consultant. Research competitors at an ecommerce company. Or organize and report on testing data for manufacturing start up.  

Regardless of your placement, you’ll gain global and intercultural work experience and build marketable skills.  

Keep in mind that summertime in the U.S. is wintertime in Australia. Despite this, temps in Melbourne average 44° to 57.5°F—relatively mild for many parts of the U.S. This quieter season is a great time to take advantage of local deals and explore without crowds. And with skiing as close as three hours away, your summer in Australia could even include fun on the snow.  

This is an exclusive IFSA-Designed Program. Learn more about these affordable programs here.

Details at a Glance

Application deadline

Summer: March 15

Minimum GPA

2.00

Credit load

3

Housing

Apartment/Flat, Single Room Option

Instruction language

English

Language prerequisites

None

Visa required?

Yes. Learn more.

Apply Now

Academics

Enhance your learning and develop marketable skills with a six-week summer internship in Melbourne.

International Internship Seminar
All internships include participation in the International Internship Seminar, which covers 15 hours of online asynchronous Canvas modules to provide structured opportunities to reflect on the practical experience of the internship, learn more about your host country’s business culture, and further develop the professional skills needed for a successful transition from undergraduate coursework into a career or graduate school. Plus, you will engage with an online global cohort of IFSA internship participants, gaining exposure to business cultures around the world. Seminar is taught in English. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

“I feel incredibly honored to be working with such a driven team! This opportunity provided me with excellent experience. Thank you for such a wonderful opportunity for me to grow in my field of study.”

– Mary, 2022 Intern

INTERNSHIPS
IFSA internships include real-world work experience, along with developing intercultural skills and experiences that are key to personal, academic, and professional success. Expect to devote a total of 120 hours working with your host organization, with supervision from your seminar instructor, coordinated by on-site IFSA team members. In addition, interns complete the International Internship Seminar for 3 U.S. semester credit hours. Internships are not remunerated.

Students will interned at galleries and museums, business incubators, development agencies, religiously affiliated non-profits, marketing firms, and human rights advocacy groups in Melbourne.

Your goals are carefully considered, tailoring the placement process to ensure the best possible fit. Keep in mind that final placements depend on your skills, prior experience, and availability. Although every effort is made to match your placement with your preferred field or area of business, it can’t be guaranteed.

Application. After you submit your application, resume, and IFSA Internship Interest Form, an IFSA Enrollment Counselor and an on-site IFSA Team member will work with you to identify your professional strengths, review your goals, and refine your internship interests to establish a match. From there, you’ll have an interview with your potential internship host. You will be provided with tips and resources to prepare for your interview.

Sample Placements. Opportunities can vary due to such factors as market and economic trends. Common industry sectors for internships include, but are not limited to:

  • Arts and Culture: design firms, retail, ecommerce, fashion, entertainment, and galleries.
  • Business and Marketing: professional services, financial services, consulting, branding, public relations, advertising, and public relations.
  • Engineering and Design: software design, website maintenance, impact reporting, game development, beta testing, and model modification.
  • Healthcare and Education: public health, research, policy analysis, constituent outreach, and EdTech.

Examples of past internship placements in Melbourne have included:

  • Development Consultancy: creating and testing a tool to evaluate the impact of international microfinance investments.
  • Ecommerce Company: developing social media plans, drafting communications, and researching competitors and clients.
  • Manufacturing Start-up: reviewing specs for porotypes, organizing data from testing, and compiling report and recommendations.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility

  • You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
  • You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university.
  • You must have completed at least one (1) full-time semester of study at your home institution before the beginning of the term.

Recommendation Letter
Not required. An internship site may request a reference letter before placement is finalized.

 

TRANSCRIPT
Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects classes taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.

Excursions

Activities and excursions are designed to pull you into the communities you visit and encourage cultural connections of every kind. There’s no extra fee to participate in these optional outings—everything is included in your program fee.

Below are a selection of activities and excursions from previous terms; options may vary for your program. Due to the seasonal nature of many of program activities, we cannot guarantee a specific activity or excursion will be available in a given term or program.

Activities

  • AFL (Australian Rules Football) Match: Meet as a group and learn some basic AFL rules, then experience the excitement of “Live Aussie Rules Footy” by walking to the stadium alongside the fans.  Sit with locals for a bird’s eye view of the game and indulge in a meat pie with sauce to complete the “like a local” experience.
  • Melbourne City Discovery Tour & Indigenous River Walk: Discover the hidden laneways, jazz and wine bars, graffiti lanes, and more that make Melbourne eclectic and exciting. Orient yourself with visits to architectural landmarks like Town Hall and Parliament House, and the Southbank precinct. Then connect with historic indigenous stories and modern indigenous city connection through a guided river walk and visit to the Koorie Heritage Trust Cultural Centre.
  • Puffing Billy Railway Day Trip: Enjoy an excursion steam train journey with fern gullies brushing past and Mountain Ash trees towering overhead. Leaving from Belgrave and stopping for a picnic lunch at the Emerald Lake precinct, this is a unique way to experience the famous Dandenong mountain range.
  • National Gallery of Victoria Australian & International Galleries: Visit the Federation Square Australian Collection in the modern architecture of this unique building and use the opportunity to link in with local culture through Australian artistic expression. Enjoy the Queens Bridge views of the city and riverbank areas as you walk to the iconic National Gallery of Victoria in Southbank. Lie down and absorb the beauty of the large stain glass roof, venture into the sculpture garden, and relax with a cup of famous Melbourne coffee to finish.

Excursions

  • Phillip Island Penguin, Brighton Beach & Moonlit Sanctuary Excursion: Discover the natural delights of Phillip Island with an eco-tour from Melbourne. See the iconic Brighton Beach bathing boxes, visit the beach, and take some time to admire these historic landmarks. Visit the Moonlit Sanctuary Conservation Park for an up-close encounter with koalas and other Australian wildlife. Finish the day at a local beach where you can watch hundreds of some of the world’s tiniest penguins waddle out of the ocean and across the sand to their burrows.

Housing and Meals

Housing

Apartment/Flat, Single Room Option

Meals

Self-Catering

Details

Students live in individual rooms in an apartment building designed for students in Carlton, a suburb just north of Melbourne’s central business district. Close to both the University of Melbourne and RMIT University, it’s a lively area with a diverse mix of residents, places to eat, and shops. Housing is a two-minute walk from public trams and trains, making it easy to get around the city.   

Sample housing  

Explore Belvedere Apartments to see what your Melbourne home might be like:  

  • Location: Carlton. Walk to bus and light rail in five minutes. Walk to Melbourne’s central business district in 15 to 20 minutes. The coast is about three miles away.  
  • Living space: Furnished single bedrooms with private bathroom. Bed linens provided. IFSA provides basic kitchenware. TV. Air conditioned.  
  • Meals: No meal plan. Students prepare their own meals in shared kitchens, equipped with refrigerators, toasters, microwaves, stove, lockers, and seating. Groceries and cafes nearby. 
  • Other details: Wi-Fi included. On-site laundry facilities. Complex includes small lounge, outdoor seating and barbecue area. 24-hour reception. Hosts activities and events for students.   
  • Nearby: University of Melbourne. Melbourne Museum. Little Italy. Queen Victoria Market. Melbourne Cricket Grounds. Carlton Gardens. Coastline and beaches.   

Dates and Fees

Term
Term begins
Term ends
Program costs
Application deadline
Summer 2025
May 24, 2025
July 5, 2025
$7,995 (estimated)
March 15, 2025

Get Started

Emma Lynch

Emma Lynch

Student Engagement Manager