Map

First, it is so exciting that you’re interested in interning abroad and you should know that you have come to the right place to find help. Here is a list of things that can help you start your journey to interning abroad.

Take Inventory

Start the process of looking for internships abroad by taking inventory of your personal interests, skills, passions, and hopes. Knowing yourself, what you can bring to an internship, and what you hope to get out of it, can help you find a program that is a good fit. Here is a worksheet to help!

Do your preliminary research and choose a focus

Two important things to help focus your search process are location and field of interest. If you have a specific country or city in mind, you can focus your search in that area. If you have a specific industry in mind you can broaden the location of your search, but focus on the industry. If you are open to anything, it may be helpful to make a list of industry interest areas and preferred locations to help narrow your search.

When you are thinking about location, you will consider multiple factors such as cost of living, language spoken, prominence of the industry you are interested in, visa regulations, health and safety advisories, acceptance of diversity, opportunities for travel.

When you are considering your industry of interest, it can be helpful to research industry hubs (ie Paris, Tokyo, and Milan for fashion). This can help narrow your search. Refer to this handout for tips for researching industries abroad.

Do some preliminary research. Working/interning abroad is a big decision, so you want to make sure you are well informed before you commit.

Check out your university guidelines

If you are interested in interning abroad during the school year, make sure to check on your university guidelines to ensure you are still meeting all of the requirements for your degree. You may even be able to get academic credit for your internship.

Start your search

A great place to start is with on-campus resources. The Global Learning Hub has many different internship abroad programs. You can find them here. If you don’t see a program that fits your interests, you can expand your search. See more on searching here.

Remember! You can always meet with an ICC career advisor or peer advisor to discuss any step of this process.