Information For Parents & Guardians About Interning Abroad

Why intern overseas rather than close to home?

Interning abroad is much more than just the projects you put on a resume. By experiencing life immersed in another part of the world, your child will benefit from a much deeper and richer learning experience than they would in their home country. In today’s global economy, employers value international experience and cultural intelligence, so an internship abroad will set them apart in the competitive job market.

By interning overseas, your son/daughter will:

• Become a more confident, independent, and mature adult
• Be exposed to people from a range of cultures, backgrounds, and nationalities
• Have the chance to truly immerse themselves in a different culture
• Strengthen their communication skills, self-awareness, cultural intelligence and global perspective
• Gain a unique insight into how organizations within their field of interest operate in other countries
• Get practical and relevant career experience in a cross-cultural setting
• Have the opportunity to practice a different language

Is interning abroad safe?

Intern Abroad HQ provides comprehensive support from start to finish. That’s why interning overseas on one of our programs is one of the safest ways to travel internationally as a young adult. We have always followed industry-leading procedures and best practices around health and safety. We are proud to say that we have an unmatched record when it comes to keeping our interns safe, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Each of our internship programs has a Risk Management Plan. This identifies potential risks, how to avoid them, and the emergency procedures to follow should an incident occur. We audit every program regularly to ensure compliance, and we have an online incident reporting and escalation tool to ensure we’re informed quickly if something does happen.

All interns receive a detailed in-person orientation from our local coordinator when they arrive in their chosen country. The orientation briefing provides detailed health and safety guidelines that are specific to the particular community and location and covers the program’s emergency contacts and procedures. We also provide advice about local cultural norms and expectations, plus some language basics.

All our local teams are experienced in operating our programs under Covid-19 safety procedures, and we have implemented a number of extra health and safety measures to minimize infection risks.

Will there be supervision or support while overseas?

All interns receive comprehensive support from start to finish and our experienced local teams are available in-country 24/7 to provide support on the ground. Your son/daughter has access to multiple layers of support both before and during their overseas trip:

1. Intern Abroad HQ Program Manager is their primary point of contact prior to commencing the internship and can be contacted at any time for advice or help.
2. Internship Coordinator is based in the country where the host organization is located. They are responsible for managing our partnership with the host organization, and can help with any issues related to the internship placement.
3. Placement Supervisor is a direct representative from their assigned host organization and will be responsible for developing an internship plan with them, providing guidance related to tasks, and helping ensure that they stay on track. They will be able to help with any issues related to the internship work or project.

Why is there a fee to intern abroad?

Free and paid internships are really hard to get: they are highly competitive, each application and interview process takes time, and they usually require existing experience or strong academic credentials.

Paying a small fee to Intern Abroad HQ so we can find, arrange, and facilitate an internship for your son/daughter will give them a far more enriching experience that’s considerate of their specific interests – and save a huge amount of hassle!

1. Save time and effort – We do the work to find the perfect internship placement for your son/daughter, which can be difficult for international placements.

2. You choose your perfect program – With over 280career-focused internship programs, we’ll have one that’s right for them.

3. We’re accountable to you – We track our success by the reviews our interns give us, so we’re motivated to ensure your son/daughter has an unbeatable internship experience.

4. Placements that value your contribution – We work with hundreds of industry leading host organizations who are able to provide a deep and rich learning experience.

5. Flexible and customizable internships – We design your son/daughter’s placement around their objectives, ambitions, and availability.

6. Maximize your learning outcomes – Our Experiential Learning Curriculum helps develop and articulate the job-ready skills that will set your son/daughter apart in job interviews.

7. Fully hosted experiences abroad – We organize everything, including airport pickup, accommodation, 24/7 local support, and meals are included in most programs.

8. Gain academic credit – Save thousands in tuition fees by gaining additional college credits from the internship.

What is the accommodation and food like?

Accommodation is included in all of our internships abroad. This ensures our interns only stay in accommodation that our local coordinators have chosen and checked themselves.

We carefully select accommodation options based on safety, quality, convenience, social immersion, and budget. With accommodation taken care of, we remove the stress, risk, cost, and time investment from having to make these arrangements yourself.

Most of our internship programs offer homestay accommodation with a local host family. This allows your son/daughter to be immersed in the local culture within an intimate setting, and ensures there’s an adult available to provide support. Some internship programs offer shared lodging, which gives interns the opportunity to socialize and benefit from a broader cultural exchange with other residents from around the world.

The majority of our internship abroad programs include meals, which are usually of the typical local cuisine. This makes the trip more economical and gives your son/daughter the opportunity to eat like a local. Our local teams and host families know how to hygienically prepare healthy meals and they can also cater for food allergies or dietary requirements, if necessary.

How will this internship help my son/daughter get a job?

Our interns come away with the many highlights to add to their resumes and future job applications:

• Global career experience in a relevant field
• Evidence of how they’ve personally made an impact on real world projects
• An understanding of how organizations work in an international context
• The ability to articulate internship learnings and achievements, thanks to our Experiential Learning Curriculum
• Option to coordinate course or college credits which meet their academic requirements
• Certificate of completion and an international reference letter from their host organization
• An additional reference from their Internship Manager

When it comes to finding your perfect job, your son/daughter will also benefit from their extended personal and professional network of like-minded people in their industry.

Our dedicated team is 100% committed to ensuring this internship sets your son/daughter up for a successful global career.

What if my son/daughter doesn’t like the internship?

All internship placement arrangements are assigned in advance. This match is based on each intern’s chosen field and availability, in addition to a review of their relevant skills, experience and preferences. If, upon receiving the internship details, reasons are communicated which explain why the placement isn’t suitable, we will work in advance of the start date to provide an alternative solution.

If an intern has concerns about their placement after having begun the internship, there are various layers of support available, which can help to understand the specific nature of the problem and identify suitable solutions.