Milan – Full-Time Semester Internship

Why Milan?

Come to the design and business capital of Italy and explore the wide range of internships opportunities that await. Spend the semester helping run an art gallery or in public relations for an international fashion house, not to mention placements in e-commerce, luxury companies, music, and more.

Our program guarantees* an unpaid, for-credit, semester-length internship of at least 25 hours per week in the field of your choice. Develop your professional skills, gain real-world work experience, and learn to communicate across cultures with a non-credit bearing Survival Italian Language course.

Before you leave for Milan, we work to match you with an internship that fulfills your career goals. We’ve placed students in a wide variety of organizations and businesses. If we don’t currently work with a business or organization in your field of interest, we will search for a placement that’s right for you.

We want you to feel at home in Milan, so we do everything we can to help you integrate into life in the city. From your placement to housing to cultural activities, our job is to make sure you have the best internship experience possible. If your work schedule allows, join IES Abroad-organized cultural events and field trips to experience the Italian culture and learn more about Italy and its people.

When you arrive in Milan, you’ll be welcomed by your staff at the IES Abroad Milan Center. The Milan Center is your place for instruction, support, and meeting other IES interns. You will also enroll in a required 3-credit academic internship seminar, taught at the Center, where you’ll learn about a variety of local business settings and opportunities.

With five major train stations and links to other major cities, you’ll be at the center of everything. For your commute, utilize the Milan Metro, the city tram, or Il Passante, the commuter train. While exploring the city, make sure to tour Milan’s other specialty—food! On your lunch break, enjoy a plate of risotto alla milanese and if it’s around the holidays, follow it with a slice of panettone—mangia!

Your Internship

The benefits of an interning abroad are many. An international internship develops your professional skills, your ability to communicate across cultures, and provides substantive work experience to jump-start your career in today’s competitive job market. You’ll be guaranteed an unpaid, for-credit semester-length internship placement at a local business or organization, where you’ll work for at least 25 hours a week.

Before you leave for Milan, we will work with you to fine-tune your résumé, perfect your cover letter, and hone your communication and interview skills as we prepare you for working in a new cultural environment. We will work with you to help find the closest match between your expressed preferences and professional goals with what’s available via IES Internships connections in Milan.

When you arrive, the staff at our Milan Center will welcome you for orientation. This includes an introduction to the city, housing, commuting, and professional and cultural expectations. The Milan Center is your central place for instruction, support, and meeting other interns. You also will enroll in a required 3-credit academic internship seminar with other IES Internships students, where you’ll learn about a variety of local business settings and opportunities, as well as a non-credit bearing Survival Italian Language course.

With IES Internships’ dedicated staff and international connections, you can be sure that you’ll find a semester internship that meets your goals in Milan. You’ll learn, and learn to stand out!

PLACEMENT EXAMPLES:
Past students have interned in placements* like the examples listed below. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive. We encourage students of all majors to apply.

Marketing combining data analysis, service design, creativity, content, and technology to offer customers marketing and communications solutions
English-language international school for Italian students
Advisory and coaching service helping companies and public sector bodies with digital transformation and entrepreneurial innovation
Modern art gallery
Research institute specializing in studying new economic models with a focus on sustainability
High-fashion clothing and accessory rental service with an online presence and showroom in Milan’s historic center
Contemporary music orchestra with education initiatives
Literary agency representing writers from around the world, which supports them throughout the editorial and publication process
And more! In fact, we guarantee we’ll find you an internship placement in your field. Reach out to your IES Internships Representative to learn about all of our internship offerings.

*Some fields may require a knowledge of the local language. Speak with your IES Internships Advisor to learn more.

Daily Life

With five major train stations and high-speed links to other Italian cities, you feel like you’re at the center of everything. For your daily commute to your internship, utilize the Milan Metro, the city tram, or Il Passante, the underground railway. While exploring the city, make sure to do a tour of Milan’s other specialty – food! On your lunch break, enjoy a plate of risotto alla milanese and if it’s around the winter holidays, follow it with a slice of panettone – mangia!

$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid

We firmly believe that financial limitations should not prevent a qualified student from participating in an IES Abroad Program. This is why we commit more than $6 million to our scholarship and aid programs.

Learn more

Academics

Before you go, we work with you to fine-tune your résumé, perfect your cover letter, and hone your communication and interview skills as we prepare you for working in a new cultural environment. You’ll be guaranteed a placement at a local business or organization that fits your professional interests, based on your experience and current market conditions.

Academic Seminar

While working in Milan, you’ll also enroll in a required 3-credit internship seminar with other IES interns, where you’ll gain context for your internship placement by examining cultural issues in and out of the workplace.

Topics covered include:

Understanding workplace culture
Improving communication
Developing soft skills like flexibility and problem-solving
Navigating issues, challenges, and opportunities so you can succeed on the job in Milan and when you return home

Personalized Placements
Your Internship Coordinator will work with you to find a placement in the field of your choice. We’ve placed past interns at companies and organizations in the following fields:

Accounting
Advertising
Arts
Business
Communications
E-Commerce
Education
Fashion
Finance
Marketing
Non-for-Profit Organizations
Publishing

Don’t see your field listed here? Just talk to your IES Internships Representative—new internships in Milan are always being added!

Survival Italian Language Course
In your first few weeks in Milan, you'll have the opportunity to participate in a Survival Italian Language course in order to learn some basic Italian that will help you navigate the city and your workplace. This 15-hour Survival Italian Language course will be optional and does not carry any credit.

Courses

Internship Seminar
Course Name	Term	Language	Credits
IN 395 - Internship Seminar	Fall, Spring	English	3

Field Trips & Events

Even though your adventure starts in Milan, our field trips take you outside the city to discover the culture and traditions of your host country and beyond. You share a portion of the cost with IES Abroad. Before field trip registration, you can reach out to IES Abroad for more information on field trip costs.

Here are a few possible destinations.

Sicily
3 Days | Fall
Experience the cradle of Western Civilization, the home of Magna Grecia, a unique place full of art, archaeology, myth, history, folklore, and breathtaking scenery. Visit baroque Catania; Etna, Europe’s highest active volcano; and the magical mountaintop town of Taormina.

Tuscany
3 Days | Fall
Tour the Tuscan countryside and visit the medieval towns of Siena, Pisa, and San Gimignano. Defy gravity and climb the leaning tower of Pisa, then savor unique wine and cheese while admiring the Tuscan countryside.

Alps Ski Trip
3 Days | Spring
A charming town in the Alps is your destination for skiing in Europe’s highest mountain range.

Culture & Cuisine of Northern Italy
3 Days | Spring
Dive into the music, culture, and cuisine of Northern Italy with guided tours of the city of Cremona and its violin makers, Parma and its Parmesan cheese factory, Modena and its original balsamic vinegar, and don’t miss out on the tour of the vineyards.

Secrets of Hidden Lombardy
1 Day | Spring
Explore the Romanesque and Gothic heritage of Lombardy by visiting abbeys and castles located in the Lombardy region.

Verona & Venice
3 Days | Spring
Explore some of the most fascinating (and romantic!) sites of Italian cultural heritage, through the cities that inspired Shakespeare and hundreds of artists, writers, and movies.

IES Abroad field trip destinations, activities, and lengths of stay may vary according to term and availability.

Daily Life

Part of making you feel at home in Milan is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that makes you feel prepared, housing that is well located and comfortable, or field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services.

Orientation

The program begins with a pre-departure virtual tour and continues with on-site info sessions to get you familiar with the IES Abroad Milan staff, your fellow students, and the city of Milan.

Also, you will be able to opt into a noncredit-bearing Survival Italian language course so you can explore your new city with confidence!

Housing

We want to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding which landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Milan, it will feel like home.

Homestays – Placements are available in Milanese homes. This is a priceless opportunity to learn about Italian families firsthand and engage directly with Italian culture. You have a private or shared bedroom at your homestay, where you receive breakfast and dinner daily, and you can eat your other meals at the university cafeterias, restaurants, or bars. Commuting time from a typical homestay to the IES Abroad Milan Center can range from 10 to 40 minutes.

Apartments – Share a furnished apartment located in a safe and lively district with three to six IES Abroad students. These apartments are single-sex, and you generally share a bedroom with another student. Single rooms in an apartment carry an additional cost. Apartment life is often enhanced by a live-in Italian roommate called a Community Assistant (CA). These Assistants can help you improve your Italian language skills, get to know the city of Milan, and integrate more fully into the local culture. The Italian CAs also spend time answering questions and working at the IES Abroad Center. Meals are not included, so you normally eat lunch at a local café or a university cafeteria and prepare your own breakfast and dinner at home. Located on main public transportation routes, apartments are within a 40-minute commute to the Center, and each apartment offers fully equipped kitchens, Internet access, a dishwasher, and a washing machine.

Collegio di Milano - Residence Hall – This residence for Italian and international honors students offers single rooms with private bathrooms and balconies. The facilities include a computer room, library, small gym, private park, security system, kitchenette, laundry facilities, a music practice room, a studio room for art projects, student lounges, and an auditorium for special cultural programs. Breakfast and dinner are provided daily, and lunch is available on weekends. Space is limited, and students are chosen by the Collegio based on academic merit. Because of the extra amenities, this option carries an additional cost.

Peek inside Collegio living in this student-created video tour.

Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events

Spend your free time seeing Milan’s treasures first-hand, like Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, the Duomo, and the local boutiques, art galleries, and cafés of the Navigli area.

Get to Know Your New City

Climb the Duomo

After you’ve explored this spectacular Gothic cathedral, make your way to the top of the Dome for the best views of the city.

Meet People & Get Involved

Make friends with Community Assistants, local university students who help you get to know Milan.

Enjoy the Milanese Aperitivo

Happy hour in Milan means, when you buy a drink, you get dinner for free!

Cheer On A.C. Milan

Cheer on A.C. Milan and Inter Milan!

Travel!

Embrace Milan’s central location with weekend trips to nearby destinations.

Program Cost

Consider these prices as a starting point. We encourage you to contact your study abroad office to determine the actual cost to you when factoring in financial aid, scholarships, your home school policies, and other factors.

Term: Spring 2023
Term	Tuition	Housing	Insurance	Total
Spring 2023	$5,807	$4,281	$230	$10,318

Term: Fall 2022
Term	Tuition	Housing	Insurance	Total
Fall 2022	$5,520	$4,077	$230	$9,827

Scholarships & Aid

Use our budget worksheet to calculate your costs

Learn More

$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid

Learn more

Our Center

While in Milan, we want to ensure you have every opportunity to immerse yourself in new experiences. That’s why our IES Abroad Milan Center staff is committed to providing outstanding academic and student support services. We take care of the details, so you can soak up every moment of your Milan experience.

The IES Abroad Milan Center is located in the city’s bustling historic center, within walking distance of the Duomo, DaVinci's "Last Supper" and the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.

Our Center is your connection point for all things IES Abroad.

Take your IES Abroad courses in the Center's multi-media classrooms
Meet with staff in their offices
Study in the library, reading rooms, or computer lab
Take your classes to the next level with music practice rooms, a digital photo facility, and a video editing lab
Meet up with friends or hang out between class in the student lounge

Other features include Wi-Fi, printing facilities, and gender-neutral bathrooms.

Our Staff

Roberto Andreoni, Ph.D.

Center Director

For more than 25 years, Roberto Andreoni has been the Director of the Milan program. Dr. Andreoni holds a doctorate in Music from the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his undergraduate degrees at the Conservatorio G. Verdi in Milan and the Civica Scuola di Musica. He has previously served as the director of the Civica Scuola di Musica in Assago and Milan. Dr. Andreoni is an internationally recognized composer whose works are regularly commissioned, performed, published, and recorded. Dr. Andreoni also serves as the Music Coordinator for IES Abroad Milan and is a professor of Composition at the Conservatorio di Musica G. Rossini in Parma. During Fall 2010, he was the Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence for Music and Italian Studies at Scripps College.

IES Abroad Milan Staff

Amanda Swain
Assistant Director, Coordinator of Academic Affairs

Laura Carrera
Internship Coordinator

Luca Blumer
Student Affairs Manager

Giulia Glouchtchenko
Student Affairs Assistant

Manuela Nigrelli
Housing Coordinator

Teresa Keller
Housing Assistant

Anna Salandini
Accounting and Budget Manager

Alessia Palmieri
Events Coordinator

Dominika Kolpak
Academic Advisor

Giorgia Cima

Sara Nunziato

Health & Safety

With 70 years of experience, we are proud to set the standard for health and safety in study abroad. Our Chicago-based and on-site staff are all highly trained and experienced in the matters of health, safety, and crisis management. We are here for you from predeparture to your return, and are ready to support you—no matter what time zone you’re in.

In response to COVID-19, enhanced safety guidelines will be implemented this year—such as social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE) in on-site classes, in-country field trips and travel only, and apartment or residence hall housing (no homestays) that ensures proper space should self-quarantining be necessary.

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student in denim jacket looking over shoulder and smiling

How We Support You

We plan for "what if" so that you don't have to. From international health insurance included in the cost of your program to highly trained local staff who can connect you to English-speaking healthcare providers, we are working around the clock to ensure your health and safety while abroad.

Learn more about the support you can expect to receive on our programs, including:

International health insurance through CISI in the case you need to see a doctor or mental health professional
24/7 emergency support whether you encounter an issue while traveling or in your host city
Location-specific health and safety information presented at orientation by on-site staff
TripTracker system allowing you to share independent travel plans in case you need to be contacted swiftly in a crisis
A mandatory cell phone policy so that you can be contacted locally and receive any emergency updates via call or text
Crisis drills so that you feel prepared to respond to an emergency should one arise
And more!

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