12 Reasons to Do an Internship Abroad

For just about every place you’ve dreamed of visiting, there’s an internship program ready to elevate your experience.

Sure, you can zipline through the cloud forests of Monteverde or theater-hop through London, but if you want to really see what it’s like to live somewhere, you’re looking for something a little more immersive.

So why intern abroad? An internship abroad is your ticket to living like a local while making your resume shine. You’ll develop global and professional skills, plus skills you’ll use in and outside the workplace like adaptability, flexibility, and cultural awareness.

Beyond the career-propelling perks and travel opportunities, interning abroad lets you learn about yourself, your strengths, and your goals.

Whether you’re wondering how to get an internship in France, or in Ghana, or in South Korea, or in whatever destination has you daydreaming in class or checking flight prices on your lunch break, you’re making an investment in yourself and your future career.

Why do an internship abroad? 12 top reasons

Learning about the biodiversity and marine life in Australia. Delving into astronomy in Chile. Working at an international organization in Switzerland.

You’ll find yourself with an endless list of reasons to intern abroad when you consider all the ways you can enhance your career prospects while traveling and learning, so dust off your resume and get inspired:

1. You’ll get to travel, but you’ll do it in a meaningful way

Internships are a great way to immerse in authentic life abroad, including how to get to work.

You’re not alone if you consider simply going abroad a good reason to do an internship abroad. But interning abroad lets you understand your destination in ways you can’t with a typical trip.

You’ll spend more time interacting with locals and your environment than you would hopping from bucket-list site to bucket-list site, experiencing what it means to live in a place instead of just visit it.

2. You’ll develop intercultural awareness and competencies

Building positive relationships across cultures, honing skills that let you communicate across borders—intercultural learning is so important.

When you intern abroad, you get the chance to see how people with different perspectives approach work and your area of expertise.

You’ll gain real-world skills for doing your job, but you’ll also develop a cultural awareness that can help you create meaningful relationships in all sorts of settings.

3. You can add to a study abroad experience…

You already know studying abroad comes with a range of benefits, from the opportunity to take interesting classes and see the world to increased employability when you put it on your resume.

Why not enhance those perks by studying AND interning abroad? You’ll show future employers your initiative by navigating a new work culture alongside your classes, all while you build your practical skills.

4. …or make an internship the focus of your time abroad

Spending 3 months to a year interning abroad will do great things for your resume/CV.

If you want to have an authentic, meaningful experience in a place you’ve always imagined exploring, interning abroad is a great move.

Instead of sprinting your way through the iconic museums on a summer trip, get an art history internship in France. See India through the lens of a sustainable development internship, or intern for a startup in South Africa.

You’ll gain insight into the local lifestyle through an internship abroad in ways you simply can’t if you’re visiting a place for a few days on vacation. You’ll also see what work life (and working abroad) is really like.

5. You can earn college credit and get closer to graduation

Your internship abroad may even help you get closer to graduation back home. Depending on the program you choose, you can earn credit toward your degree, so talk to folks at your home university about why interning abroad is a smart decision. You’ll reap the benefits of interning abroad long before your job search.

6. You’ll stand out from the crowd and impress employers

Start updating your resume, because an internship abroad makes you more employable. You’ll show future employers you’ve taken the initiative to engage with your field while challenging yourself to learn in a new environment.

Many employers consider international experience an asset in general, so you can count on your internship to doubly impress. Just one more reason why doing an internship abroad now positions you for success in the future.

7. An internship advances skills related to your academic focus and career goals…

You’ll make your career goals easier to achieve with an internship.

Look no further than the practical, on-the-job skills you’ll build if you’re looking for reasons to do an internship abroad.

Whether you’re interested in studying and ultimately landing a career in environmental management, business, human rights, museums, or anything in between, interning gives you experience that goes beyond what textbooks tell you.

And when you get that experience right on the beaches of Costa Rica or alongside the storied artifacts and art in Italy? You’re giving yourself credentials that can launch your career.

8. …but also fosters soft skills all employers want to see

A few more reasons to do an internship abroad: How about communication skills, resilience, critical thinking, and the ability to work with people from different backgrounds?

Interning abroad, where you’ll learn to adapt and deal with challenging situations while building emotional intelligence and empathy, develops a range of soft skills employers value.

No matter the exact career you want to pursue, these skills will help you succeed.

9. You can’t beat immersion if you want to build language skills

Maybe you have your eye on a job that requires foreign language skills and you’re looking to hone these skills through an internship. Or maybe you want to learn a language that will get you hired for any number of positions.

Either way, you’re doing your future career a serious favor when you make language-learning a priority. You’ll have opportunities for career growth and better pay, and you’ll have a superpower for relationship-building in your back pocket (or briefcase, or portfolio).

Interning abroad allows you to hone skills in a language you’re already studying or pick up skills in a new language in the best possible way—by living life and chatting with locals in your target language. Bonus points for the job-specific vocabulary you’ll master!

10. Experience gives you confidence for job applications

The experience you gain through your internship will make you feel more capable and confident!

When it comes time to apply for jobs, you’ll move through the process with confidence knowing you’ve had practical experience. That goes both for completing tasks in your field and for navigating unfamiliar situations in a new place.

You’ll have real examples of your flexibility, cross-cultural communication skills, and initiative to talk up when you’re interviewing.

11. You’ll build a global network

There’s nothing like actually living and working in a place if you want to make international connections and build a global network. International networking starts with your colleagues and supervisors at your internship, but it doesn’t end there.

Your host family, your fellow program participants, the friends you make while traveling—you never know who might hook you up with your dream job a few years down the road.

12. You’ll start to figure out your future

If you’re still searching for reasons to intern abroad, consider all the ways you’ll see into your future.

We don’t mean that in a crystal-ball way: Studying and learning abroad can really help you figure out what to do with your life by getting you out of your comfort zone and introducing you to new perspectives, languages, hobbies, and ways of living.

At the same time, an internship lets you see if the job and field you think you want to pursue is really right for you.

Whether you return home more certain than ever about your career path or you find yourself on a new path you didn’t expect, your internship lets you experiment with future you, before you make a full-time commitment.

Talk to our Online Advisor and get matched with 5 internships abroad

3 internship opportunities abroad to get you started

Are you ready to take the leap and find your dream internship abroad?

Whatever field you’re interested in exploring, there’s an internship abroad waiting to elevate your resume. Perks like professional development and support (not to mention opportunities to delve into your host country and culture through activities like language classes, scuba diving, surfing lessons, and field trips) make your internship program even more valuable. Here are some of our favorites:

1. Intern Abroad in Latin America | Top-Rated Internships

• Why? An internship in Latin America will take your resume to the next level. Gain firsthand experience in fields like micro-business, medicine, veterinary science, and so much more while you get to know the people and culture in Costa Rica, Guatemala, or Peru. Customized internship placements mean you can expand your knowledge in a Latin American context in just about any subject.
• Where? San Jose or Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica; Antigua, Guatemala; Cusco, Peru
• When? Year-round for 4 or 8 weeks, plus an optional additional week
• Fields? Dentistry, Business, Education, Human Rights, Tourism, and more!
• Read Maximo Nivel reviews

2. IES Internships - Dublin Summer Internship

• Why? You’ll have the ultimate summer break when you spend it polishing your resume in a vibrant hub of literature, politics, and culture. That’s Dublin for you, and with guaranteed internship placements, this program ensures you’ll make the most of your time abroad. You’ll also get to build community and reflect on the work you’re doing through an academic internship seminar during the program.
• Where? Dublin, Ireland
• When? Summer
• Fields? Journalism, Media, Political Science & Politics, Technology, Theater, and more!
• Read IES Abroad reviews

3. CIEE Global Internship in Singapore

• Why? There’s no place like Singapore, at once ultra-modern and culturally diverse, for a unique internship destination. The rapidly growing and globalized economy and multi-ethnic, multilingual society translate to a wide range of internship possibilities. A personalized placement process takes the guesswork out of getting an internship in this dynamic city-state, and you’ll have support tailoring your resume and interview skills to the local business culture.
• Where? Singapore
• When? Semester
• Fields? Accounting, Business, Communications, International Relations, Journalism, and more!
• Read CIEE Study Abroad reviews

Save and compare these programs side-by-side on MyGoAbroad

An internship abroad is one of the best moves you can make for your future career

All those experiences you have moving through a new place, learning the ins and outs of a workspace, and connecting with people from another culture (maybe even in another language) let you grow as a person.

Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone humbles you while building your confidence. It exposes you to new perspectives and challenges what you know while developing your patience and your empathy.

That personal growth will serve you throughout your life, wherever your career takes you.

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