Law Internships Abroad

I had a good time here. The VAC staff were so welcoming and friendly and definitely one of the best parts. My internship was fulfilling, the doctors were patient and friendly, and I got to do a lot of things as well!! During my internship, I pushed myself to be a bit more confident and not afraid to try new things at the hospital. My advice for future interns is to be open and friendly, learn some isiXhosa, and don’t hold yourself back. I stayed for four weeks and definitely see how staying longer would be even more beneficial educationally. Outside of the internship, there were some fun things to do in Cape Town and lots of places to try. The pre-arrival information had so much detail and made me feel reassured, and the airport pickup was very friendly and reassuring. I also really appreciated the internship placement and the weekly activities.

I chose Cape Town because I wanted to understand how youth programs work here because I’m interested in working for a youth program back in the States. During my internship, I was able to learn more about different political issues here in Cape Town. I also really appreciated the weekly activities, the support and knowing I could call VAC staff if I needed anything. I really love the VAC staff <3

My internship gave me the opportunity to grow both creatively and personally. It was an incredibly open-minded and creative environment, with a strong sense of belonging and community. There were so many opportunities to get involved, build meaningful relationships with the students, and contribute to different creative projects. During my time there, I gained much more confidence in my creative process as an artist and developed a clearer sense of direction about what I want to pursue in the future. I was able to contribute to projects that supported the organization’s mission while also supporting students on their own creative journeys as artists. What stood out to me most was seeing how music and creativity can create opportunities for young people to express themselves, heal, and shape the direction of their lives. Being part of an environment driven by creativity and a genuine sense of community made my internship especially meaningful. I also really appreciated the support I received from VAC. The calls and communication before arriving made me feel much more confident about joining the program, and I especially appreciated how responsive my placement advisor was throughout the process. Once in Cape Town, I enjoyed the weekly check-ins, Friday meetups, and Monday culture series, which gave us opportunities to connect throughout the program. My advice to future interns is to really take advantage of the opportunities around you. Get involved, make connections with the people at your internship, and don’t be afraid to ask if there are projects you can help with. There is an abundance of opportunity if you’re willing to put yourself out there.

My experience in Cape Town was truly amazing. I was able to learn so much about the history of South Africa and the way that apartheid is continuing to affect communities. I have loved the access to nature, with both the oceans and the mountains so close. During my internship, I was able to create a Climate Change manual for migrant women that describes what it is and how it disproportionately affects migrant women. I also went to visit several schools and was able to work with young learners on a walkway games and art project, which was super fun. The organization I worked with is directly involved in community work in many of Cape Town’s townships, contributing to social cohesion and human rights. Once I got adjusted, I loved the ability to go out into communities, work on really cool projects, and work with young people. I will never forget watching the sunrise on top of Lion’s Head and swimming during incredible sunsets at Llandudno. But most of all, I will miss the people that I met along my journey and the friends I made, both from South Africa and from all over the world. The VACtivities and Culture Series were so fun and a great way to experience all the different parts of Cape Town, from the food to music to hiking.

I first became interested in interning in Cape Town because of my desire to apply my studies in countries other than my own. As someone who studies Public Health and Law, I am always interested in how the government works to support its people, and I believe the best way to learn is to speak directly with the community. I quickly realized that Cape Town was a great city for this because of how friendly and willing to chat the locals are. My personal goal was to simply learn more about the legal system in South Africa. I anticipated this to come from my work, but I found that my best learning happened when I was speaking with locals throughout the day. I am particularly interested in social services and how a community is supported by the government and local organizations. Through my internship, I was able to learn directly from community members about how they navigate their legal issues and how South Africa has been supporting them. The organization provides underprivileged community members with access to essential legal services for free. Many clients are unfamiliar with the legal system and need guidance navigating important tasks such as drafting wills, reporting deceased estates and handling disputes. My role primarily consisted of face-to-face contact with clients. I assisted with their applications and helped gather relevant documentation. As I was often the first point of contact, I tried my best to be friendly and kind to ensure community members felt comfortable going through the process of receiving the assistance they needed. My advice for future interns is to keep an open mind and be prepared to speak with a large variety of people from different backgrounds each day. You will speak with people who are experiencing significant hardship, and it is important to stay empathetic. I stayed in Cape Town for four months, and I believe this was the perfect amount of time to fully immerse myself in the area. I was able to visit all the classic tourist spots, but also had enough time to explore on my own and discover my favorite hidden places around the city. The weekly VAC activities also provided me with a great opportunity to explore new places with other interns, and I am grateful to the VAC team for organizing these events and for their support.

My internship in Cape Town gave me the opportunity to learn much more about South Africa’s legal and political systems while gaining practical experience in a community-focused legal environment. I especially enjoyed contributing to projects connected to community participation and paralegal education. One of the most interesting parts of the experience was seeing how legal knowledge can be shared outside traditional legal settings and used to support people who are already active in their communities. I learned about efforts to equip community activists with practical legal knowledge so they can better support the people around them. The internship also taught me the importance of being patient and proactive when entering a new workplace. It took a little time to understand the flow of the organization, but once I settled in, I found the team incredibly welcoming. My advice to future interns would be to ask where you can help rather than waiting for someone to give you something to do. Taking that initiative made it much easier to become involved and learn from the people around me. I also valued the opportunity to network and learn from people working within a legal system different from the one I was familiar with at home. It gave me a broader perspective on the relationship between law, politics and community advocacy. VAC made the overall experience feel very supportive. From the beginning, I knew there were people I could turn to if I needed help, which made settling into life in Cape Town much easier. Overall, the experience gave me greater insight into community-based legal work and helped me understand how legal education can contribute to improving access to justice.

I had a really positive experience with Beyond Academy. I think you get out of the program what you put into it, so having an open mind, being willing to meet different people, and taking initiative makes a real difference. The coordinators were fantastic: approachable, supportive, and genuinely lovely people who made it easy to ask for help and advice whenever needed. I really appreciated how personal and welcoming they made the experience feel. Overall, the program was a great opportunity to gain professional experience abroad, expand my knowledge, and step outside my comfort zone. My biggest advice to anyone considering it would be to stay curious, be proactive, and make the most of the opportunities and connections around you. Your attitude really shapes the experience you have.

Working with AIP was a great experience! AIP helped me locate an internship in Tainan, Taiwan. On the weekdays I received hands-on experience with my company, and on the weekends I adventured. My accommodations were right in the heart of the city, which made sampling Tainan’s cafe and food scene very convenient! I also had the opportunity to partake in mid-autumn festival. Enjoying mooncakes and pomelos under a bright night sky was unforgettable memory. I made so many meaningful experiences and connections from this trip, and I really appreciate AIP’s dedicated team for helping me along the way.

I had just graduated college two years early, and as proud as I was, I was also scared. So much was changing, and I worried about whether I knew enough to go out into the real world. Looking back, the opportunity to intern abroad came at exactly the right time. My time abroad taught me so much. It challenged me to live on my own, work in a new place, and step out of my comfort zone. I was the first in my family to have an opportunity like this, which made it especially meaningful, even when I didn’t know what to expect. The support of the Absolute Program Coordinators gave me peace of mind. I could connect with them about anything, from questions throughout my internship to advice on local coffee spots. Having someone to turn to made a new city feel a little more familiar. I was also grateful to have a very supportive boss on La Guilde’s communications team. He gave me the opportunity to help with big projects and marketing deliverables I didn’t think I would get to work on as an intern. Being trusted with that work helped me build confidence at a time when I was still questioning how ready I was. Beyond my internship, I always looked forward to the day and weekend trips our Program Coordinators put together. They were a chance to get outside the city, explore more of France, and take a break without breaking my budget. I’m grateful for this experience and for the people who helped me feel at ease along the way. I went abroad worried about whether I knew enough for what came next. I came home with more confidence in my ability to figure things out.

I chose Cape Town for my place to intern abroad because I have been interested in South Africa and its history for a very long time. Additionally, because I am African American, I have always wanted to go to Africa and experience the land my ancestors were taken from. I decided to do my internship because I wanted to get real-world experience in my field as well as help people in need. In my internship, I worked in a legal clearing house helping to connect people needing free legal assistance with lawyers able to provide such assistance. In my time there, I became familiar with the legal system of South Africa and significantly bolstered my skills in administrative work and with people in general, making it a great experience overall. My role was to help with administrative work. I helped clients fill out paperwork and worked on their files. One of the personal goals I reached during my internship was becoming more independent and gaining real-world experience. I feel really good now that I have worked a real job in my field. My advice for future interns is to make sure you are good with people and are able to focus for long periods of time. This internship is valuable experience, but it feels like a real job. You are not just shadowing people, and there is a lot of reading and writing. I really appreciated the support and knowing I could call VAC staff if I needed anything, as well as the weekly activities and Culture Series. The orientation activities were the best and definitely gave me some positive memories I will never forget. The Friday meetups and Monday Culture Series were also super fun and enjoyable.

My time with VAC was nothing short of transformative. My home away from home, the people here have become family and Cape Town has become a place that will forever be in my heart. Without a doubt I will be back, to enjoy South Africa as well as see my VAC family again. My personal goal was to learn as much as possible about the South African legal system as well as just be a sponge for any situation. I definitely did this. I learned so much and feel like I’ve become so much more aware of how the law operates in South Africa and all over Africa. My internship organization contributes to long-term community change through free legal help and workshops explaining different parts of the law. My role was helping consultants with intake sheets to ensure a smooth consultation, as well as research and client-facing roles to support the attorneys. My tip for future interns would be to never forget you are truly helping people in a way that is truly special. Legal burdens are debilitating, and helping those who cannot afford it is rewarding in many ways. Work hard and remember you are changing people’s lives! Besides being instantly welcomed, VAC not only placed me in an amazing internship, but between the Culture Series, Friday adventures, and overall being supportive, they helped me understand and experience South Africa in the best way possible. I can’t put into words how grateful I am for my experience here, and I will forever tell everyone about the best two months ever! Thank you VAC! <3 I felt, during my entire time here, supported fully and knew that if I needed something the VAC family would be there. I truly appreciated it and thought the program did a wonderful job of being involved and letting us know they are there for anything.

I chose to come to Cape Town because I had a brief visit last year and fell in love with the city and the people I met. I felt really uncertain about how I wanted to go about it, but I’m so thankful that I had my South Africa experience through VAC. My internship gave me a lot of opportunities for field experience and individual learning, which I really enjoyed. I learned a lot, especially about advocating for myself as well as just how an NGO functions. I planned an event which required a lot of correspondence. I think my communication skills, especially surrounding fundraising and donations, really improved. I also think my general understanding of the functioning of nonprofit organizations improved. The organization focuses a lot on local people and communities and contributes towards long-term change within the city of Cape Town in terms of human rights education and development. The VAC employees are so helpful and kind, and I genuinely looked forward to seeing them every week. The weekly meetups were always so fun and engaging and were a great way to get to know our peers and see the city. VAC also made integration into my internship really easy, which I appreciated. Even though there were some moments that challenged me, I feel like I grew a lot. I always knew I could reach someone at any time of day, and I think the personal WhatsApp communication makes everything super easy. Orientation was SO MUCH FUN! I think orientation week provides the perfect opportunity to make friends and see the city.

My time with VAC allowed me to have an experience that not only immersed me in South African culture, but also taught me to always keep learning, push my comfort zone, and promote positive and meaningful change in communities! I learned all this while creating life-long friendships and enjoying the beauty of Cape Town! During my internship, I loved the research I got to do. I was able to write and complete a 3,000-word research article to be published in the organization’s article review. The organization does incredible research, litigation, and community outreach for Cape Town and South Africa as a whole. I played a small role in bolstering their publications. I also loved the highly personalized VAC experience. Orientation was amazing, and the Culture Series activities were so unique and fun! I appreciated the support and knowing I could call VAC staff if I needed anything. Overall, my time in Cape Town taught me to keep learning, push my comfort zone, and promote positive and meaningful change in communities, all while creating life-long friendships.

I'll be honest — the first week was rough. The language barrier hit me harder than I expected, and I remember standing in a supermarket in Shanghai completely lost, trying to figure out which bottle was shampoo. But that's exactly why I chose this. I wanted to be pushed out of my comfort zone, and GAC made sure I had support while I figured things out. My placement was with a business consulting firm, and my team was surprisingly patient with me. They'd slow down during meetings, write things out for me, and invite me to lunch even when I could barely keep up with the conversation. By week three, something clicked. I started understanding more, contributing more, and actually enjoying the chaos of it all. My manager even let me lead a small client presentation toward the end, which terrified me but ended up being the highlight of my time there. I left China with more than work experience — I left with a completely different mindset about what I'm capable of.

I spent 2 months living in London completing an internship in London for Business/Marketing, and I had the most amazing time! I had never really travelled much before with my family or anything growing up, but in 2025 I went to Europe for 3 weeks fresh out of high school with just my best friend. We started and ended the trip in London, and I knew straight away that London is a definitely a place I want to experience living in one day. I was super lucky I had such an amazing flatmate who I became super close with, and I also made another close friend at a lunch I went to on my 2nd day in London to meet some of the other interns. We all ended up hanging out together in London heaps, I went to Barcelona with one of them which was so much fun! I also got to see some friends from home (Melbourne, Australia) while I was in London which was amazing too. Towards the end of my time there, I even went to Munich, Germany for Oktoberfest with some friends from home which was incredible!! I stayed in Sheffield with my flatmate at her uni for my last weekend before going back to Australia, and got to go to Manchester with her too! Everyone at my internship was always super lovely and helpful throughout my time there, and I really learnt a lot which was amazing. Overall, I had an amazing time, and feel so much more independent and confident having to figure things out and adapt on my own. I'm really glad I did it, I had the best time and it really showed me I'm truly capable of anything I put my mind to!

Beyond Academy responded to this reviewOctober 15, 2026

Thank you for sharing your experience, Jaeda! It’s so lovely to hear how your first visit to London inspired you to come back and experience life in the city with us. From meeting a close friend at your welcome lunch to travelling with your flatmate, it sounds like you’ve left with friendships and memories that will stay with you for years to come. We’re also delighted that your internship team made you feel so welcome and helped you learn along the way. Hearing that you’ve returned home feeling more independent, confident and sure of what you’re capable of is wonderful. Thank you for being part of our London community—we can’t wait to see where you go next! Once a Beyonder, always a Beyonder!

I chose to come to Cape Town because one of my friends who had been here adored it, and I can see why! Between the beautiful landscapes, rich culture, and everybody I met, it’s hard to leave it behind. The weekly opportunities put together by VAC let me connect with people outside of my internship, but still with the shared experience of learning abroad. I really appreciated the internship placement, weekly activities, Culture Series, and knowing that I could call VAC staff if I needed anything. My internship gave me many opportunities to lead in different areas. I got to lead supporting stations like food prep and the cleaning station, while also leading stations working directly with the birds, like the rehabilitation pens. The organization works to rehabilitate marine birds and educate the public about the birds around them and their own impact on the environment. My role was to help provide the necessary care to the birds so that they could eventually be released. For future interns, most of the skills you learn on the job come with practice. Everybody on the team is rooting for you, so don’t be hard on yourself if you can’t get the hang of something the first few times.

I had a great experience with the program. From the beginning, they were always attentive and available whenever I had any questions or problems. My advisor, Nisha, was especially helpful and always made sure I had the information and support I needed throughout the process. Overall, the program was well organized and I felt supported throughout my experience. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an internship abroad.

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 have had such an amazing journey with beyond academy. The staff were wonderful and accommodating, my placement program could not have gone better, and overall I had the best two months of my life. If I had to complain it would be about some aspects of my accomodations, which were not through beyond academy. They helped me find a place and booked it for me, but were not the owners of the building and thus were also confused by some of the occurrences that happened there. Beyond academy helped me to resolve those issues and even brought bedding when the accomodations forgot to provide any. This team is very good at what they do.

Beyond Academy responded to this reviewOctober 14, 2026

Thank you for sharing your experience, Casper! We’re so happy to hear that your two months in London were some of the best of your life. It was lovely having you in our community, and we’re delighted that your placement went so well and that you’ve left with new friendships, valuable experience and plenty of photos to look back on! Your advice about researching the city is a great tip for future Beyonders—London always has something new to discover. We wish you all the best with your next chapter. Once a Beyonder, always a Beyonder! Thank you also for your honest feedback about the accommodation. We know those issues affected your stay, and we’re glad our team could help resolve them and get the missing bedding to you. Although the property is managed by an external provider, supporting you throughout your stay is an important part of our role, and your feedback helps us identify where improvements are needed.

I had a great experience with the AIP Asian Internship Program. The team was very helpful throughout the process, and the internship gave me a great opportunity to gain international work experience and learn about a new culture. I would definitely recommend AIP to anyone looking for an internship abroad.