Marine Biology Internships in Tenerife
The beautiful island of Tenerife, the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands, is renowned for its year round sunshine, quaint coastal villages, and picturesque coastline. For students and young professionals interested in marine conservation, this dedicated Marine Biology internship combines scuba diving training with basic introductions to marine biology and conservation in action.
Internship Highlights:
- Gain your scuba diving certification on-site or come already qualified.
- Gain practical experience related to underwater marine sampling methods and analysis.
- Write a thesis or develop scientific publications related to the marine conservation sector.
Type of host organizations:
- PADI Diving for conservation
Internship details
Marine Biology internships, located in southern Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, are intended to provide students and young professionals with an introduction into underwater research and analysis for conservation. Come with your existing scuba diving license, or simply sign up to gain the required certification prior to commencing the internship.
This is an in-country internship, with accommodation provided. Click here to view remote Environmental & Marine Sciences internships, which you can undertake from home.
Based in southern Tenerife, the largest and most populous of the Canary Islands archipelago, the dive center facilitates diving excursions and underwater samplings at Abades, a protected marine reserve and rich underwater ecosystem. The dive center is equipped with Cressi diving equipment, a “wet zone”, compressor for refilling cylinders, relaxation area, and classroom for theoretical learning and presentations.
For scuba activities, all interns will be asked to complete a general dive medical questionnaire (prior to leaving your country of origin and prior to starting the internship program). In certain or isolated cases, some participants may need to obtain specific clearance by a medical doctor, if any disclosed illness or injury is of a serious nature (which could potentially endanger you while diving). In this case, you’d need to be issued with a medical certificate stating or clearing that you are fit to dive irrespective of the illness or injury. Such information would need to be provided in advance.
Practical experience is provided, as interns are supported to perform in-depth analysis of the local marine ecosystem, including seagrasses and marine life around the rocky seabed. Common local species include marine turtles, marine algae and sponges, mollusks phylum, arthropods and cnidarians, echinoderms, bryozoans, and elasmobranchs.
Come prepared to attend theoretical lessons, in addition to hands-on fieldwork. Theoretical classroom sessions are provided to support the experience, while underwater research techniques include execution of vertical and horizontal transects and photographic analysis. Topics can include marine sampling methods, data collection and reporting instruction, and the biology of marine invertebrates, sea turtles, fish residing in the Atlantic Ocean, and more. All tasks related to data collection and data analysis in the field require follow up work on a computer and interns are required to bring their own laptop (with Microsoft Excel and Word programs installed). For students wishing to develop a thesis or other research projects, manuscript writing and data analysis activities are supported.
Typical Schedule
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The minimum duration requirement is 4 weeks, which is anticipated to cover up to 16 certified scuba dives (subject to weather conditions), in addition to several theoretical lessons in marine biology. Activities are held Monday through Friday and weekends are free time. The first week aims to cover one buoyancy dive check, two shore dives, and one dive against debris. Class topics may cover biological characteristics and sampling methods, an introduction to scientific report writing, and an introduction to data analysis using Excel. The second week aims to cover 2-4 shore dives, with class topics related to rocky bottom communities, resident species on Tenerife, and scientific report drafting. The third week aims to cover one boat dive, 2-4 shore dives, and 1 night dive. Class topics may cover land excursions and night dive presentations. The fourth week aims to cover 2 shore dives and class questions/clarifications. All activities are subject to availability, as the program may be adapted at any time of the year, according to weather and sea conditions.
Career Benefits
Marine Biology interns learn from a qualified and experienced supervisor, and can be involved in:
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Collecting data in the field using different underwater equipment and methods for hard bottom community and seagrass sampling.
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Graphically and statistically analyzing data required during scuba diving.
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Sampling hard-bottom communities and seagrass.
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Plancton collection and analysis.
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Assisting with Dive Against Debris conservation action.
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Drafting personal scientific reports.
Professional development opportunities:
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Deepen underwater analysis and sampling skills.
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Gain mentorship and guidance to understand a range of conservation strategies.
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Develop skills and knowledge in a range of marine sub-topics.
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Gain practical skills and boost your employability, with guidance from Intern Abroad HQ’s Experiential Learning Curriculum to support your learning and cultural intelligence.
Are you eligible for this internship?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
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Academic credit available for all internships
Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing an internship abroad or remote internship program with Intern Abroad HQ.
Learn about course creditProgram fees
It’s free to apply for this internship. Once we have reviewed your suitability and accepted you onto this program, you’ll need to pay a deposit of US$499 to confirm your place. The remaining balance of your Program Fee (less your initial US$499 deposit payment) will be due no less than 60 days before your internship start date.
Duration |
Program Fee (USD) |
|---|---|
| 4 weeks | $2,967 Equivalent to $105 /day |
| 8 weeks | $5,085 Equivalent to $90 /day |
| 12 weeks | $7,204 Equivalent to $85 /day |
| 16 weeks | $9,287 Equivalent to $82 /day |
- Airport pick-up
- Accommodation
- 24/7 in-country support
- Program orientation
- Dedicated support before, during, and after your internship
- In-country guidance for social and tourist activities
- Sourcing and securing your internship placement
- Personalization of your internship plan
- Coaching from your supervisor
- Documented portfolio of your experiential learnings
- Academic credit facilitation
- International reference letter
- Certificate of Internship Completion
- All in-country transportation
- Meals
- Visa (if required), flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check
- Transfer back to the airport at the end of your internship program
- Personal spending money for snacks, drinks, public transport, laundry, and leisure activities during your free time.
- A deposit of $499 (approximately 499) is required to secure your internship
- Marine Biology internships in Tenerife, Spain, include diving activities. Participants who are not already certified with a scuba diving license are welcome to sign up for the required training and complete this on-site. (At least one week’s additional time is required for this). A medical statement related to diving activities is required.
- Balance of your Program Fee is due 70 days before your internship start date. The Program Fee payment can also be completed in installments through our Zero-Fee Payment Plan. Learn more.
- All payments attract a 5% transaction fee to cover international banking fees and currency charges.
- Terms and Conditions apply.
Weekends and travel
Outside of internship placement hours, interns have free time to experience sight-seeing and tourism activities in Tenerife. The internship program itself is based at Los Cristianos, near to the beaches Playa las Vistas and Playa de Los Cristianos. The town is centered around Los Cristianos bay but modern development also expands further inland.
Excursions such as dolphin and whale watching are available from the ferry port and watersport activities are popular in the area, such as snorkeling, surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, and kayak tours.
Traveling to visit other islands is possible - La Gomera, El Hierro, and La Palma, are islands situated near to Tenerife, with ferry travel time ranging from 30 minutes to 3 hours. Within Tenerife, it’s possible to discover UNESCO villages, hiking excursions, and more.
Arrival and Orientation
Internships in Tenerife are available from March through November. Start dates are available on the first Monday of the month. Advance reservation is strongly recommended, as spots are limited. Interns may choose to spend a minimum of 4 weeks, up to a maximum of 12 weeks (or 16 weeks, for people who are eligible to spend more than 90 days in Spain). Advance arrival is required for anyone with no prior dive experience, who is planning to take all prerequisite dive courses on-site (at an additional cost), prior to the internship start date.
The accommodation is covered from the Sunday night before the Monday start date - interns are required to arrive no later than the Sunday before their Monday start date, as all orientations are held on Mondays.
The typical port of entry is Tenerife’s South Airport, also known as the Reina Sofía Airport (TFS). This is the Island’s most modern international airport and it is also one of Spain’s busiest airports. Airport pick-up is included in the Program Fee. Upon arrival, interns will be met, greeted, and transferred to the accommodation.
The last night of the accommodation is the Saturday night of the final week, leaving interns free to depart on Sunday. Return transportation to the airport is not included in the internship program fee but local staff can assist you to make arrangements. Extra nights of accommodation can be arranged in advance, if requested, and are subject to availability.
If you are planning to spend time independently in Tenerife prior to your internship and will not require an airport pick up, we can discuss alternative arrival logistics with you.
Orientation covers important details for your internship, including introductions, information about culture, customs, rules, expectations, safety, language lessons, cultural excursions, and more.
Please note that all participants are advised not to book flights until they have first registered to confirm their internship placement.
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Accommodation and WiFi
Interns in Tenerife are accommodated in a beachfront hostel near Los Cristianos Beach. This is situated approximately 15 minutes walking distance from the diving activity center. Other nearby sites include restaurants, cafes, and convenient access to public transportation and the port.
Bedrooms and bathrooms are shared and all rooms are fitted with bed linen and towels. Lockers are available for storing personal belongings.
In most cases, up to six guests can be accommodated per room, so participants should be prepared to share living arrangements. Female only dormitories are available for request (men may be accommodated in male only or mixed dormitories). For people who wish to secure a twin-share room (instead of the larger dorm) these can be booked at an extra cost.
Common areas such as kitchen, laundry, terrace, and solarium are shared. Standard amenities include WiFi, non-smoking rooms and 24/7 reception.
Meals
Internships on this program do not include meals, as affordable dining options are easily accessible. Los Cristianos has a wide range of restaurants, varying from “tapas” bars to high quality local and international cuisine.
Eating out is inexpensive but markets are also accessible. The accommodation also provides shared kitchen facilities for guests to access. Local tap water can be consumed but it’s recommended to purchase bottled water for drinking.
A weekly budget of approximately US$250 is considered to be sufficient for meals. However, bear in mind that your weekly spending budget will be determined by your own personal spending habits and lifestyle choices, so please take this into consideration and plan accordingly.
Essential country information
| Capital | Madrid |
| Population | 46.5 million |
| Languages | Spanish (official), Catalan, Galician, Basque, Occitan (co-official languages) |
| Currency | Euro (€ - EUR) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 |
Weather and climate:
Tenerife’s climate is generally dry and warm. The coastal areas have average temperatures of around 64 - 68 °F in the winter (18 - 23 °C) and around 75 - 79 °F in the summer (24 - 27 °C). Extreme temperatures are rare, as the moderate climate is largely controlled by trade winds. Cold sea currents of the Canary Islands also have a cooling effect on the coasts and beaches.
