In our crazy, fast-paced world, it’s hard to find time to do anything nowadays. For students and recent graduates looking to gain new experience and boost their resume, it can be difficult to make the time to just do your laundry, let alone snag internship placements abroad (although seriously, you should do your laundry).
With required courses, extracurricular activities, and finances, not everyone can take a year or even a full semester out of their life to complete an internship, which is why short term internships abroad are becoming much more popular.
Here are 7 types of internship placements abroad for when you’re short on time!
1. Arts & Humanities Internships
The arts and humanities field is a large one, ranging from literature to music, and anthropology to art history. With the world’s countries bursting with culture in every corner, it can be difficult to narrow down your search and choose where you’d like to intern abroad.
The job market is also a very competitive one, so even choosing short term internships abroad will not only set you apart from other applicants for future jobs or graduate schools, but will also give you relevant work experience in a somewhat challenging field, preparing you for the future.
Are you passionate about museum studies? Why not find a two month internship in Florence or a three month internship in Shanghai? Both of these cities are home to some of the most spectacular museums in the world. Many organizations, such as CIS Abroad and CAPA: The Global Education Network, offer customizable internship placements abroad to fit any intern’s needs, lasting anywhere between eight weeks to a full semester.
It’s important to remember that if you make the decision to intern abroad, you should intern in a field you are passionate about. Short term work abroad, especially internships, will help launch you into your future career or field of choice, so be sure to do your research and choose internship placements abroad that best fits your interests!
Suit up, even if it’s only for short term internship.
2. Science & Medicine Internships
Short term internship placements abroad in the fields of science and medicine can be difficult to snag, depending what specific subject you are looking to pursue. However, they can also be the most rewarding. Nursing internships in Ghana with Projects Abroad, for example, allow students to gain real-life experience in hospitals abroad; some of which may have very different standards and methods of operation, compared to Western hospitals. Seeing the challenges that other cultures face– both in diseases and infrastructure– can have a profound effect on you as a future nurse or doctor, even if the internship is for a short time.
Similarly, there are internships in more research-based fields, such as sustainable development. For example, Roots Interns' Micro-Internship in Costa Rica brings you to the beaches of Central America and shows you the ropes of project management. Check out opportunities for summer internships abroad and spend your summer soaking in the sun and securing a better future!
These kinds of internship experiences will equip you with the skills and global knowledge that will make you a better doctor, nurse, researcher, or scientist, once you’ve entered the “real world.”
Students – in college and in high school – will be able to easily fit a one to three month internship abroad into their busy schedules.
3. High School Internship Placements Abroad
As a high school student, it can be almost impossible to fit an internship into your busy schedule during the school year, but acquiring work experience abroad is an excellent way to expand your worldview and make your college applications stand out. That’s why short term work abroad that takes place over your winter or spring breaks, or during the summer, is the perfect option!
From cooking lessons and real-life restaurant experience in Spain to language immersion and learning about government leadership in France, there are short term high school internships that can fit every student’s interest.
Many of these types of internship placements abroad also arrange for homestay housing, allowing students to get to know their host country even better through personal interactions with locals, and can last anywhere between two to six weeks, or longer, which is perfect for high school students on a tight summer schedule!
Of course, preparing for your first venture overseas alone can be a bit intimidating, so be sure to talk to your parents, your school counselor, and other program alumni when deciding where to intern abroad, to help make your decision.
Your resume will benefit from any internship abroad, so don’t let timing prevent you from finding short term internship placements abroad.
4. International Affairs & Politics Internships
What better way to see how international government and relations come into play than internship placements abroad in international affairs? And, there are organizations that can tailor an internship that does that exactly. For example, IES Internships offers a short summer internships abroad in London with an emphasis on global leadership skills and preparing students to enter the complex and difficult world of international politics.
It should come as no surprise to hear that much of international relations is about just that– relationships between people. If you decide to intern abroad in a government setting, even if it’s only a three month internship, be sure to use the opportunity to make a lasting impression so that you can network your way into a future career abroad!
5. Destination-Specific Short Term Internships Abroad
So you’ve always had a long-distance love affair with Argentina and you’ve decided that out of all the countries in the world, this is the place for you, specific field be damned! Good news! For those students looking to combine the experience of an international internship with fully immersing themselves in a specific country’s culture, there are thousands of options available for short term internships abroad. Many of country-specific internships incorporate things like homestays and cultural excursions, so that interns can truly connect with their host country.
Even in the arts and humanities, you can find short term internships abroad.
It’s important to remember that even if you have chosen to intern abroad specifically because you’d like to gain experience in a certain country, you should still make the effort to choose an internship that will fit your interests (and not just get you a ticket to Scotland, for example). Be sure to embrace your short term internship abroad beyond the travel aspect, and for what it really is: a once-in-a-lifetime chance to have a real work experience in another country!
6. Language Internships
Does your heart flutter at the idea of literary translation of Spanish documents? Do you love serving as a bridge between cultures through language interpretation? Short term internships abroad that focus on full language immersion or encourage language-learning are an excellent option for students looking to challenge themselves.
The idea of attempting to learn another language in a short amount of time as the focus of your internship might seem daunting. After all, if you’ve been studying French for five years, what could one month internships do for you? Actually, quite a bit! Full immersion in a language – from chatting with your host family to haggling with vendors at the fruit market – will improve your language skills immensely.
Or, if you’re more interested in the study of language itself, you can explore linguistics internship placements abroad, which will offer you a fresh perspective on how we approach language from the point of view of another culture. Regardless of the structure or length of your short term work abroad, always be sure to take full advantage of the country you’re in, and speak in that country’s native language as much as possible. Practice makes perfect!
Students in scientific research and medicine: yes, you can still find short term internships abroad!
7. Business & Marketing
Nowadays, marketing, advertising, and business are all global affairs. Anyone working in the communication field must be able to market their business or themselves to an international audience, as technology and social media has blurred the borders between countries, creating a global community.
That’s why internships abroad are so important for those looking to delve into the fields of business and marketing. Regardless of where you live, you have to be able to appeal to many different types of people, so work experiences, like ISA’s internship in Seoul, South Korea, offer participants the opportunity to engage with completely different markets and business styles for short term or long term internships abroad.
Regardless of what field or country you decide to intern abroad in, or for how long you are abroad, always remember that an internship experience will do far more than prepare you for your future career. Interning abroad will show you a completely different way of living and working, making you a much more globally-minded and well-rounded individual. Whatever you pursue in your following adventures, you will have already made the biggest step of pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone and becoming a global citizen.
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