3 Key Benefits of Interning Abroad You Won't Want to Miss!

When you study abroad, learning extends far beyond the classroom—every moment is bursting with possibilities. If you want to experience that cultural immersion without missing out on opportunities to build your dream career, look no further than our internships abroad where the magic of study abroad meets leveling up your résumé. Who says you can’t have the best of both worlds 😉.

We're breaking down the biggest benefits of adding an internship to your study abroad experience, from growing personally and professionally to building a network that lasts long after the program ends.

Cultural Immersion and Language Skills

One of the many perks that comes with study abroad is the ability to live like a local in your host country, and an internship abroad takes this a step further. As an IES intern you’ll be placed in the field of your choice, aligned with your career goals and interests.

We offer a range of internships around the globe, including full-time internships as your semester program. We also offer summer as well as part-time internships that can be added to your study abroad term. Whichever option you choose, our internships are available for college credit, so you can stay on track for graduation.

This means during your time overseas you won’t just sit in the classroom, but you’ll take your learning outside of it and experience the culture through a professional lens that will lead to a global mindset.

Interning abroad forces you outside of your comfort zone and pushes you to build diverse connections—think collaborating with colleagues who have new perspectives and learning to adapt to an international environment. Moments like these help you become a pro at communicating across cultures, propelling you to stand out from the pack when it comes to finding that dream job. This cultural immersion challenges you in the best way, not just developing your professional skillset, but supporting your personal growth too!

In her blog, “Interning in Freiburg, adoring (and adorning) the Lit House”, Carolina W. (IES Abroad Freiburg | Spring 2024) reflects on what made her program unforgettable:

"My time at the Literaturhaus was a dream. I remain in awe of the people who work there, and I feel fortunate to be, to have been and to be forever, a member of their team. As an intern, I worked closely with my supervisor and coworkers to build, open and oversee a multi-sensory exhibit featuring the graphic novel Rude Girl by comic artist Birgit Weyhe. My confidence in German grew as I conversed with visitors and answered questions and went days without speaking English.”

Gaining International Work Experience

Interning abroad serves as a launchpad to the career you’ve been hoping for. After putting in years of work into your academic studies, this opportunity puts your skills to the test in a completely new cultural environment. Sure, you’ll gain the typical benefits of an internship like getting hands-on experience or gaining academic credit, but adding a global location enhances all the above. From improving your problem-solving skills to collaborating across cultures you’re proving to yourself and future employers that you can adapt and thrive on a global scale.

The exposure to something new doesn’t end there! You might get inspired by your colleagues from around the world or discover new interests through projects in your placement. With an opportunity like this, you’ll arrive as a student in your host country but will leave one step closer to being a global professional.

And just like our study abroad programs, there’s support for you along the way! From the moment you apply, you’ll have members of our staff helping you prep your résumé and cover letter, outlining your career goals, and preparing you for interviews with potential employers in your field. This, paired with our seminar course, lets you discuss and learn more about the your host country’s work culture—meaning you’ll be more confident in your placement and get more out of the experience. This is how you really immerse yourself abroad!

Our internship advisors will work with you from identifying a program and location that meets your needs to preparing for your interview. If you still need convincing, we’re passing the mic to some of our previous interns so you can hear all about their IES Internships first-hand:

student in white coat sitting at desk in front of microscope and computer

📖 Dive into an Internship Day in the Life

Just like our students, every internship experience is unique; hear all about Arshiya H.’s journey in I Taught English in Vienna—Here’s How it Went.

Jamie Q. has us ready to plan for a summer abroad; dive into her time at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin in her blog Week Two!

Andrew M. peels back the curtain on his placement as a finance intern for So Fare Films in Lights, Camera, Action! Interning within the Film Industry in Rome.

Curious about professional opportunities down under? Elisabeth G. shares all about her experience as a fundraising intern in Soaking Up Your Internship!

🤳 See It From Their POV

You've read their stories—now get a real time glimpse into how an internship abroad can redefine your world and your network.

Building a Global Professional Network

During your internship abroad, the relationships you make can last far beyond the time spent in your host country.

Fast forward to the end of your term abroad. As you prepare to return home, you can take more than just your memories and souvenirs—you’ll bring back something else invaluable: a global network that can help your career flourish for years to come. So, maybe it’s the supervisor who will later become a mentor to you, the connection you made at a networking event, or a teammate whose career path you’d like to follow. These relationships are more than just faces on your LinkedIn, they carry potential to elevate your next chapter and present opportunities you didn’t know existed! Just like a recent IES Abroad alum who shared an exciting career update on LinkedIn:

“I’m excited to share that after an incredible internship with Krein last fall in Milan, I have accepted a position as a Data Scientist at Nordlys—a spinoff of Krein, now an independent startup incubated at Politecnico di Torino. In this role, I’ll be working remotely each week to help develop the database and machine learning backbone of their supply chain intelligence tool.”

Zachary L. ( IES Abroad Milan | Fall 2024 | Northwestern University)

Our students have said it best: why choose between exploring the world and building your career, when you can experience them at the same time? An internship abroad is more than just another experience listed on your résumé—it gives you a global edge and shows that your semester abroad is about more than just exploring the classroom and making memories. It’s opening the doors to a career beyond borders.

So, why not take the leap? Check out some of our top resources on highlighting your internship and study abroad experience!