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Accounting Internships in New York

Accounting Internships in New York

Financial services is one of the learning industries in New York and the city has been touted as one of the US’s top cities for small businesses. No successful business is complete without excellent accounting; internships within this field provide the professional development opportunities required for career growth.

Internship Highlights:
  • Gain accounting experience in the world’s greatest commercial, financial and cultural center.
  • Learn from CPAa and other professionals, to gain references.
  • Build your resume and character in the US’s most iconic city.
Type of host organizations:
  • CPA firms
  • Financial advisory groups
Fully hosted experience from $6184
Includes accommodation
Start dates every Monday
Minimum duration 4 weeks, up to 18 weeks maximum
Explore the highlights of New York City
Get job-ready with our Experiential Learning Curriculum
Suitable for English language speakers
Eligibility requirements and Associated career paths
Eligibility requirement

At least one year of relevant college/university study in business management, finance, accounting, entrepreneurship, or a related field.

Language requirements

This internship is conducted in English.

Associated career paths

Certified Public Accountant, Accountant, Chief Financial Officer, Financial Planner, Budget Analyst, Business Analysis, Operations Management, Data Analyst, Supply Chain Manager, Auditor

Internship details

Financial services is one of the leading industries in New York and the city has been touted as one of the US’s top cities for small businesses. No successful business is complete without excellent accounting; internships within this field provide the professional development opportunities required for career growth.

This is an in-country internship which includes accommodation. Click here to view remote Accounting & Finance internships that you can undertake from home.

Internship placements are spread around the Boroughs of New York City, such as Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island, including the New Jersey side of the state line (closer to the Statue of Liberty side). Preferences for particular internship locations are always subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. Care will be taken to ensure that you’re accommodated in proximity to your assigned internship placement but in all cases, interns should anticipate using public transportation to commute

Prepare to learn the ins and outs of the city like a local as you explore every iconic corner. Accounting interns gain insight into how CPA firms (and other accounting practices) work to support individuals, businesses, and other organizations, to plan and achieve their financial targets. There is a broad range of internship placements available, within the scope of Accounting internships. Interns may be matched with CPA firms, or similar departments, which work to provide essential support and feedback for management, enabling transparency into business performance against budgets. Clients of such accounting services can include nonprofit, public and private organizations, as well as government agencies.

In all cases, interns should expect that the first week of your experience will focus on settling in and gaining some introductory knowledge, as you will not “hit the ground running”. Rather, you should start with learning about the placement to gain an understanding of what you can build upon, develop, learn, and contribute. Ensure that you ask questions and provide feedback during the introductory period, so that your supervisor understands how you’re progressing. This will help them to better understand important details, such as how quickly you learn, what you find challenging, what you find interesting, etc.

Understand and expect that individual internship experiences vary, as the specific placement that you’re assigned will depend on review of your resume and your current level of studies and experience. Therefore, if you’re at a more introductory level, you should reasonably expect a more introductory internship. Likewise, if you’re interning for a shorter duration, you will have a different experience from someone who is interning for a longer duration. Placement preferences are considered but always subject to availability.

Typical Schedule

  • Approximately 8am-5pm, Monday to Friday

Career Benefits

Accounting interns learn from a qualified and experienced supervisor, and can be involved in:
  • Assist with the provision of basic accounting services, such as general bookkeeping, reconciliations, journal entries, filing and maintaining records for client accounts.

  • Learn about procedures for maintaining and auditing financial statements.

  • Assist with project and reporting upkeep, along with renewals for clients accounts.

Professional development opportunities:
  • Gain insight into advisory services and financial strategies for clients.

  • Learn about how financial audits are professionally conducted.

  • Develop verbal and organizational skills for account management.

  • 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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What recent interns said about their experience

HB
Honour Budiman
July 2023

I would highly recommend doing an accounting internship in New York for anyone who is looking to experience living and working in a fast-paced city. It is a great way to network with like-minded professionals and get a better understanding of the day-to-day life of an accountant, so you can be sure that you are pursuing the right career. It has also allowed me to apply the basic accounting principles I have been taught in University and use them when bookkeeping in QuickBooks for different clients. Overall, it has been an incredible experience that has improved my competency in the accounting field, as well as my independence; the internship has strengthened my CV and will come in handy when applying for a chartership this September.

...

To read all reviews, visit our reviews page.

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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 credit

Program 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 $6,184 Equivalent to $220 /day
5 weeks $6,684 Equivalent to $190 /day
6 weeks $7,234 Equivalent to $172 /day
8 weeks $8,059 Equivalent to $143 /day
10 weeks $9,114 Equivalent to $130 /day
12 weeks $10,114 Equivalent to $120 /day
16 weeks $12,224 Equivalent to $109 /day
  • Airport pick-up
  • NYC Metrocard for your first month
  • 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 meals
  • All in-country transportation
  • 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
  • The maximum duration offered for non-US citizens is 12 weeks. US citizens may intern for up to 18 weeks.
  • 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.

Activities and tourism

Whether it’s your first time in New York or not, there is always something new and interesting to discover - after all, this is known as “The City That Never Sleeps” for a reason. The classic New York experience includes visiting locations such as Central Park, Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and the Rockefeller Center. The activities you can’t miss include taking in a show on Broadway and getting your fill of culture and atmosphere at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, and American Museum of Natural History. (It’s no wonder the minimum duration requirement for internships is 8 weeks, when there is so much to see and do in your free time!) Our local team in New York will be available to provide you with guidance on tours and excursions as well, so we can ensure you make the most of this incredible trip of a lifetime.

Arrival and Orientation

Internships in New York City begin every Monday. Exceptions may be made to this when start dates are shifted to avoid public holiday disruptions or closed when the program has already reached capacity. The minimum duration requirement is 8 weeks. Non US citizens can intern for up to a maximum duration of 12 weeks. US citizens may intern up to a maximum duration of 18 weeks.

Airport pick up and accommodation are included in the Program Fee. The accommodation is covered from the Saturday night before the Monday start date - interns are asked to please arrive on the Saturday morning prior to the start date, as orientations can often be scheduled for the Saturday afternoon.

The typical port of entry is the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) - this is the main international airport serving New York City. Alternatively, interns may fly into the Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) or LaGuardia Airport (LGA). Airport pick up is included from either of these airports.

If you are planning to spend time independently in New York City prior to your internship and will not require an international airport pick up, we can discuss alternative arrival logistics with you.

Upon arrival, interns will be met, greeted, and transferred to the accommodation. The last night of the accommodation is the Friday night of the final week, leaving interns free to depart on Saturday. Extra nights of accommodation can be arranged in advance, if requested, and are subject to availability.

Orientation covers important details for your internship, including introductions, information about culture, customs, rules, expectations, safety, language lessons, cultural excursions, and more. Your specific internship placement orientation will follow the general orientation, as you’ll be shown how to travel to and from your internship and be introduced to the team you’ll be joining.

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

All interns in New York are accommodated in clean and comfortable, fully furnished apartments. These apartments are specifically designed to connect students and young professionals. We collaborate with various accommodation providers for this purpose, so your accommodation may be based in the boroughs of Brooklyn or Manhattan. (Please note that the accommodation pictured in the photo gallery of this webpage provides various examples of this accommodation. However, the exact accommodation and room that you’re assigned may differ from the photos).

Within the accommodation, interns will have a private bedroom. However, you may be sharing the apartment with other program participants. Bedding and furnishings are provided, as well as common areas such as lounge, kitchen and laundry facilities. Standard amenities include whiteware (i.e. washing machine, stovetop, fridge, microwave) and clean linen (i.e. bed sheets, pillows, towels). Accommodation includes unlimited WiFi access.

Care will be taken to ensure that you’re accommodated within the most convenient proximity to your assigned internship placement but in all cases, interns should anticipate using public transportation (such as the subway metro) to get around the city and boroughs. Your internship Program Fee includes an NYC Metrocard for your first month. After this, you’ll need to budget approx. US$130 per month (for a 30 day pass) for unlimited swipes on the subway or local buses.

Normal commute time between accommodation and internship placements can be approximately 30 minutes and may require changes of metro line and platform. (The New York Subway is one of the world’s largest underground lines. It has nearly 500 stations!). New Yorkers have access to free internet service in the subway and there is no fee and no time limit, so you will be able to use this for accessing online maps and directions. Just keep in mind that the WiFi coverage is only available when you’re in the stations themselves, so your signal will fade once your train is on the move.

Meals

It is important to note that internships in New York do not include meals. Your accommodation will include access to a shared kitchen, which you may use (in respect of courtesy rules for shared spaces). Affordable supermarkets, restaurants, cafes and delis are easily accessible and New York prides itself on its absolutely spectacular and diverse range of cuisine. From NYC classics like doughnuts, pizza, cheesecake and bagels, to local favorites like hearty sandwiches and Pastrami on rye, going hungry is not an option! The most expensive restaurants are within Manhattan but you can find thousands of more affordable dining options around the five boroughs. With such a melting pot of different cultures, you’ll be blown away by what you can find. (We’re getting hungry just thinking about it!) A rough budget for food is approximately US$175 per week (up to US$75 on takeaways, US$75 on groceries and US$25 for coffees). Of course, your budget for meals will depend on your personal habits and how much you prefer eating out, as opposed to preparing something for yourself in the kitchen.

Essential country information

Capital Washington, D.C
Population 329.5 million
Languages English
Currency United States Dollar (USD)
Time zone UTC -5:00 / -4:00
Weather and climate:

In New York City, you can expect warm, humid summers, and cold, snowy, windy winters. If you want to visit when the weather is at its best, then you should schedule your internship around May through September. However, the summer months can be wet, so ensure you have a raincoat year-round. The coldest month of the year in New York City is January, with an average low of 29°F and high of 40°F (-2°C and high of 4°C). The snowy period can last from late November through to early April.

Apply to check if you're eligible!