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Intern. Explore. Succeed.
In a globalized world, living and interning abroad is a critical career maker. After completing an IES® internship, your professional experience, skills, and confidence will help you and your résumé stand out. IES Internships' full-time summer and semester internships guarantee* you a placement in the field of your choice. You'll gain 25 to 40 hours of hands-on work per week for eight to nine weeks in the summer or 12+ weeks in fall or spring semester.
Alongside your internship, you can enroll in a for-credit seminar to put your internship into professional and cultural contexts and learn from other interns' experiences. During the summer and in select locations, you can even opt into a three-credit foreign language course at no extra cost. You'll intern, explore the culture around you, and succeed in your future career.
Guaranteed* Full-Time Placement
We work with you to determine your career goals and interests and guarantee* that you’ll be matched with an appropriate internship experience in your field of interest in the city and term of your choice. You can expect to intern for eight weeks, on average, over the summer or 12 to 14 weeks during fall or spring semester with hours that are typical of full-time work in your location, so you’ll make the most of the time in your new city.
Career Preparation & Internship Expertise
IES Internships builds on IES Abroad's 70 years of study abroad and 55+ years of internship programming to bring you a high-quality, well-rounded experience from a trusted organization. Before you go, IES Internships Coordinators work with you to perfect your résumé, cover letter, and interview skills to put your best foot forward with potential employers. You’ll also begin the internship seminar (if applicable), which continues in person on site, to gain context and prepare for future professional opportunities.
Orientation, Cultural Events & Field Trips
Our predeparture advising, on-site orientation, internship seminar, language course, and cultural events will prepare you for and introduce you to the city and culture in which you’ll be interning. You’ll not only gain professional skills, but a new perspective, as well. What's more, during your free time, you can opt to attend field trips with IES Abroad students to explore your local area even further (and make friends while you're at it!).
Benefits of an IES Internship Abroad
Learn
- Review the locations and fields we offer to determine where and when you want to go.
- Regardless of which location you choose, your full-time internship placement is guaranteed*.
- If you’re unsure of which location to choose, you can connect with an IES Internships College Relations Manager to help you decide.
Apply
- With your assigned IES Internships Advisor available as a resource, complete the first step of the application process—the online application form.
- Once this form is processed (1-2 days), you’ll be prompted to submit application pieces by the deadline. These may include, but are not limited to, résumé, cover letter, school approval, transcript, and placement interest form.
- Wait one to two weeks for an admissions decision.
- At the same time, you can also apply for scholarships and aid (summer internship programs only).
Confirm
- Once you are admitted, submit the Confirmation Form and $500 non-refundable deposit, which goes towards the Program Cost, or Intent to Enroll Form, depending on which school you attend, to secure your place in the program.
- The IES Internship Coordinator based in your chosen city will then reach out to discuss your career goals and interests.
Interview
- Before interviewing, you will complete online modules of our Internship Seminar, which will help you tailor your materials and interview skills to your chosen location.
- Around this time, your Internship Coordinator will arrange a phone or Skype interview(s) between you and an organization(s) in the field of your choice.
- Though your placement is guaranteed*, you may interview with multiple organizations to ensure fit and your personal placement experience will vary from your peers’ as it’s customized to you!
Accept
- IES Internships consults with you and the potential employer after the interview to confirm that the placement is a match.
- Once you’ve accepted your placement, get ready for the experience of a lifetime!
After you are admitted and have confirmed your spot in the program, the IES Internships team will help you develop important skills and will provide the necessary tools you’ll need to prepare for your internship. We assist with:
- Résumé and cover letter development
- Interview coaching and mock interviews
- Techniques for and opportunities to practice networking
- Visa guidance and packing advice
- Cultural overview and preparation (we recommend checking out our IES internships blogs for this, too!)
After you arrive in your program location, orientation will provide an introduction to the city and program, professional and cultural expectations, and commuting. Field trips, available as your work schedule allows and at an additional cost, are also a great way to get to know your city and surrounding areas.
Each location is staffed by a team of educators and administrators who will provide instruction, support, and lead field trips and events during your program. In addition to your full-time internship, you can enroll in a for-credit academic internship seminar with other IES interns. Here, you and your fellow interns will share on-the-job experiences and learn about:
- Local economic climate
- Cross-cultural communication and understanding
- Work attitude and aptitude
- Conflict resolution and ethics
- Leadership skills and team building
- Highlighting your internship on your résumé and in future interviews
Our internship programs also provide optional, for-credit language courses, where applicable.
Our College Relations Managers and Advisors are there for you every step of the way! From how many credits you can earn on a specific program to if Barcelona has marketing internships (they do), our team can answer these questions and more.
If you want to hear from someone who's done this, check out blog posts from IES Internships Correspondents or ask a past participant—we call them Ambassadors. Whether you have a specific question, aren’t sure which location to choose, or just want to hear about their experience, our past part- and full-time interns have so much wisdom to impart.
IES Internships guarantees you a placement in your field of choice, as indicated on your internship application. If we are unable to offer you an internship placement in the expressed field of choice at least two weeks before the program start date, despite your participation in the process and satisfaction of all program requirements, then you have the option to receive a refund of the full amount that you paid IES Internships or the chance to transfer to an IES Abroad program of comparable length and value in the same location (subject to satisfying applicable visa requirements and IES Internships’ academic program requirements).
"My internship was the most rewarding experience of my life.”
