International Relations Internships in China

Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect before going. I'd never been to Asia, and the idea of working in a Chinese company felt intimidating. But from the moment I landed, the GAC team was there — airport pickup, apartment sorted, everything. My placement was with a consulting firm in Shanghai, and within the first week I was already sitting in on client meetings and helping with research. My manager didn't treat me like "the intern" — she actually trusted me with real work. The office culture took some getting used to (meetings can be long!), but my colleagues were patient and always willing to explain things. I also took Mandarin classes twice a week, which helped more than I expected — by month two I could order lunch on my own. Three months flew by. I came home with actual experience on my CV and a lot more confidence.

I joined the program as a recent business graduate from Rotterdam, hoping to gain international exposure before starting my career. GAC placed me with a consulting firm in Shanghai, where I worked on market research and helped prepare client presentations for companies expanding into Asia. My mentor was supportive and always made time to explain how business is done in China — from relationship-building to negotiation styles. The team arranged my visa, accommodation, and even helped me settle into the city during my first week. I came home with practical experience, a wider perspective, and a job offer within two months.

As an economics graduate from Athens, I wanted to gain international experience before starting my career. GAC placed me with a business consultancy in Beijing, where I contributed to live market research projects for European clients looking to expand into Asia. My mentor guided me through every step — from data gathering to presenting findings to senior stakeholders. The GAC team made the entire process smooth: visa support, airport pickup, and a comfortable apartment in a central location. Weekly Mandarin lessons helped me navigate daily life with ease. After three months, I returned to Greece more confident, globally aware, and with a strong addition to my CV. I highly recommend this program to any young professional ready to grow.

Absolute Internship gave me an incredible opportunity this summer. For the first time, I was able to visit China and complete an eight week internship abroad in Shanghai. It was an incredible time where I was able to put past skills to use, all while gaining new ones. Additionally, Absolute had structured a great program with a strong balance of planned activities and free weekends to explore the city on one's own. Absolute hosted several day trips and two weekend trips, all with chaperones and busses that drove us to our locations. They planned activities for us, got our train tickets, and essentially made sure all we had to do was show up. It was amazing not to have to worry about details all while getting to see new places. One thing I absolutely loved was the housing Absolute chose to put my program in - we were in an apartment with our own rooms. Being able to come home to an empty room after a long day at work was incredible. I don't know if I would have been able to finish the program as happy as I did if I had to share a room the entire time, knowing I would've been incredibly burnt-out the entire time. It definitely wasn't the 'best' part of the internship, but it made it much better.

As a management graduate from Poland, I wanted to see how business works in Asia. GAC placed me with a consulting firm in Beijing, where I worked on real market entry strategies for international clients. I was involved in client meetings, data analysis, and presentation preparation. My mentor was incredibly supportive and explained the nuances of Chinese business culture. The team handled my visa, accommodation, and even organized weekend trips to the Great Wall. I returned home with confidence, new skills, and a job offer. Highly recommend!

AIP provided excellent support throughout my internship experience in Hong Kong. From the beginning, the process was organized, clear, and much less stressful because the team was available to answer questions and provide guidance. Moving to another country for an internship can feel overwhelming, especially when you are balancing travel arrangements, housing, workplace expectations, and adapting to a new city, but AIP made the transition much easier. The communication was one of the strongest parts of the experience. I always felt that I had a clear point of contact if I needed help or had a question. The team was responsive, professional, and supportive throughout the program. They helped make sure I understood what to expect before arriving and continued to provide support while I was in Hong Kong. That gave me confidence and allowed me to focus more on learning from the internship itself. The placement gave me a valuable opportunity to experience a professional workplace in an international environment. I was able to develop practical skills, improve my confidence, and gain a better understanding of how professional work is done outside of the classroom. Living and working in Hong Kong was also a meaningful part of the experience. It pushed me to become more independent, adapt to a different environment, and learn how to navigate daily life in a fast-paced global city. I also appreciated that the program was not only about completing an internship. It gave me the chance to grow personally as well as professionally. I learned how to communicate in a workplace, manage responsibilities, work with different people, and become more comfortable in unfamiliar situations. Those are skills that will be useful in future internships, university, and my career. Overall, I am very grateful for the opportunity and for the support AIP provided throughout the process. The experience was well organized, worthwhile, and memorable. I would recommend AIP to students who are looking for an overseas internship and want the support of a team that is helpful, professional, and committed to making the experience run smoothly

My experience in Thailand has been so fun! I got to see a lot of the major temples and sites that are a must visit. I made many friends with the other interns here. The staff were very welcoming and accommodating. They helped me with any questions I had or anything in general. Overall my experience was amazing, 10/10 would recommend to anyone on the fence about it! I would even come back if I could!

As a business student from Amsterdam, I wanted to understand how global companies operate in Asia. GAC placed me with a consulting firm in Beijing, where I worked on real strategy projects for international clients. My mentor gave me hands-on exposure to market entry plans and client presentations. The team handled everything — visa, housing, and even helped me set up a local bank account. Three months later, I returned to the Netherlands with practical skills and a clear career direction. Highly recommend this program.

After studying Mandarin for ten years, moving to Shanghai felt like turning years of learning into real life. Suddenly, the language I had studied in classrooms became the language I used every day: to work, connect with people and truly experience China from within. My internship challenged me professionally, while living on the other side of the world pushed me to become more independent, adaptable and confident. Knowing Mandarin helped me overcome cultural barriers and made every interaction more meaningful, from the workplace to everyday life and travelling across China. I went to Shanghai looking for international experience in one of the countries I love most, but I came back with something much bigger: the feeling that ten years of studying had finally found their purpose. China was no longer something I had learned about—it became a part of my story. Choosing just one photo to represent this experience almost feels impossible—two months in China gave me far too many places, people and memories worth capturing in a single frame.

After studying Mandarin for ten years, moving to Shanghai felt like turning years of learning into real life. Suddenly, the language I had studied in classrooms became the language I used every day: to work, connect with people and truly experience China from within. My internship challenged me professionally, while living on the other side of the world pushed me to become more independent, adaptable and confident. Knowing Mandarin helped me overcome cultural barriers and made every interaction more meaningful, from the workplace to everyday life and travelling across China. I went to Shanghai looking for international experience in one of the countries I love most, but I came back with something much bigger: the feeling that ten years of studying had finally found their purpose. China was no longer something I had learned about—it became a part of my story. Choosing just one photo to represent this experience almost feels impossible—two months in China gave me far too many places, people and memories worth capturing in a single frame.

After studying Mandarin for ten years, moving to Shanghai felt like turning years of learning into real life. Suddenly, the language I had studied in classrooms became the language I used every day: to work, connect with people and truly experience China from within. My internship challenged me professionally, while living on the other side of the world pushed me to become more independent, adaptable and confident. Knowing Mandarin helped me overcome cultural barriers and made every interaction more meaningful, from the workplace to everyday life and travelling across China. I went to Shanghai looking for international experience in one of the countries I love most, but I came back with something much bigger: the feeling that ten years of studying had finally found their purpose. China was no longer something I had learned about—it became a part of my story. Choosing just one photo to represent this experience almost feels impossible—two months in China gave me far too many places, people and memories worth capturing in a single frame.

Before going to Hong Kong, i thought all I was going to experience is the internship itself and nothing else. Until I realized the intern group provided other memorable experiences for us. I met a LOT of new people and got to know more about them and how we all ended up in Hong Kong. What an experience

I graduated in international business from Lyon and wanted real experience in Asia. GAC placed me with a logistics company in Shanghai's Pudong district. I worked on real projects – analyzing supply chains, negotiating with suppliers, and presenting to clients. My mentor taught me how Chinese business culture works – fast, direct, and relationship-driven. The team handled my visa, found me a great apartment, and checked in regularly. Three months later, I returned to France with a job offer. Best decision I ever made.

As a marketing graduate from Berlin, I wanted international experience before starting my career. GAC placed me with a PR agency in Beijing's central business district. From week one, I was working on real campaigns for international brands. My mentor taught me how Chinese social media works – completely different from Europe. The team handled my visa, found me a great apartment, and checked in regularly. Three months later, I landed a job in international marketing back in Germany. My China experience was the main topic in every interview.

I joined GAC's internship program as a marketing graduate from Milan. They placed me with a tech startup in Shenzhen, where I worked on social media campaigns and market research for Southeast Asian markets. My colleagues were incredibly supportive and patient with my limited Mandarin. The weekly language lessons helped me navigate daily life, and the weekend trips to Hong Kong and Guangzhou were unforgettable. The team handled everything from visa to accommodation. I returned to Italy with practical skills and a global network. Worth every penny.

As a business graduate from Paris, I wanted international experience before starting my career. GAC placed me with a consulting firm in Beijing's central business district. From week one, I was helping with market research, client presentations, and strategy meetings. My mentor taught me how Chinese business culture works – fast, direct, and relationship-driven. The team handled my visa, found me a great apartment, and checked in regularly. Three months later, I landed a job in international business back in France. My China experience was the main topic in every interview. Worth every euro.

After graduating in business from Madrid, I wanted international experience before settling into a career. GAC placed me with a logistics company in Shanghai's Pudong district. From week one, I was working on real projects – analyzing supply chains, negotiating with suppliers, and presenting to clients. My mentor taught me how Chinese business culture works – fast, direct, and relationship-driven. The team handled my visa, found me a great apartment, and checked in regularly. Three months later, I returned to Spain with a job offer and a whole new perspective. Best decision I ever made.

As a marketing graduate from Milan, I wanted international experience before starting my career. GAC placed me with a PR agency in Shanghai's Jing'an district. From week one, I was helping manage real campaigns for international brands. My mentor taught me how Chinese social media works – completely different from Europe. The team handled my visa, found me a great apartment, and checked in regularly. Three months later, I landed a job in international marketing back home. My China experience was the main topic in every interview. Worth every euro.

As a business student from Prague, I wanted real international experience before graduation. GAC placed me with a trade company in Shanghai's Jing'an district. From week one, I was helping with market research, client presentations, and supplier negotiations. My mentor taught me how Chinese business culture works – direct, fast-paced, and relationship-driven. The team handled my visa, found me a great apartment, and checked in weekly. Three months later, I returned home with a job offer and a whole new perspective. Worth every koruna.

As a business graduate from Austria, I wanted international experience before starting my career. GAC placed me with a trading company in Shanghai's Pudong district. From day one, I was working on real projects – market research, supplier negotiations, and client presentations. My mentor taught me how Chinese business culture works, which is completely different from Europe. The team handled my visa, found me a great apartment, and checked in weekly. Three months later, I landed a job in international trade back home. My China experience was the main topic in every interview. Worth every euro.