Sage Corps: International Internships at Startups

My summer in Spain with SageCorps was truly a dream come true. Getting to live in Europe for a summer (my dream) and gain valuable professional experience with a local travel company, I never imagined it would be possible. I got the opportunity to work for a travel company in their partner experience and brand design department while soaking up summer in Barcelona. Throughout the entire summer, the SageCorps team made sure we felt supported and got the most out of our time abroad. They planned several group activities that allowed our cohort to explore Barcelona and experience all the excitement the city has to offer. My favorite was our day trip to Sitges, a beautiful beach town just outside the city. I will forever be grateful for this experience!

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My Sage Corps experience in Barcelona was one of the most meaningful experiences of my college career. The program gave me the opportunity to live and work abroad while gaining hands-on experience at a startup, where I worked on sales, business development, outreach, research, content creation, and marketing projects. I appreciated that I was given real responsibilities and the opportunity to explore different areas of the company, which helped me better understand my professional strengths and interests. Sage Corps also did a great job creating opportunities for us to experience Barcelona beyond our internships. Our City Managers, Pamela and Mikel, were incredibly kind, welcoming, and helpful throughout the program. They gave us great recommendations, made the scheduled events fun, and most importantly made me feel safe while living abroad. They organized a variety of activities and excursions for our cohort throughout the program, including visits to Mirador Torre Glòries, Park Güell, and a day trip to Sitges, just to name a few. These experiences gave us the chance to explore more of Barcelona, learn about the culture, and make memories together outside of work. Living abroad challenged me to become more independent, adaptable, and confident. I returned home with new professional skills, meaningful friendships, unforgettable memories, and a clearer sense of what I want from my future career. I would absolutely recommend Sage Corps to students who want international work experience while also immersing themselves in a new culture.

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My experience with Sage Corps was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in college. I interned in Madrid, Spain, as a Business Development and Sales Intern, where I worked on customer outreach, sales, market research, social media, and client relationships. One of the biggest things I gained was learning how to adapt to a new culture. At first, I struggled with the different communication styles in Spain, but over time I became more comfortable and learned how important it is to be open-minded and adaptable. I also loved the experiences outside of my internship, especially the Toledo trip, group dinners, and Bernabeu Tour. Getting to explore Spain while meeting other students made the experience even more memorable. I would highly recommend Sage Corps because it gives you the chance to gain real professional experience while immersing yourself in another culture. It pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helped me grow both personally and professionally.

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I am so incredibly grateful for the amazing experience I had abroad last summer in Amsterdam! Through Sage Corps I was able to work as a data analysis intern for a startup in the area, where I not only gained professional experience, but got to work on a project in machine learning for the first time, which was something I was interested in. The highlight of my summer was definitely all of the wonderful friends I made that were in my program. I had so much fun being able to connect with so many great people, and it taught me the value of saying yes to everything. We traveled and explored together, and even though I was working a 40-hour week, I definitely felt like I was able to create those meaningful relationships and try out so many new things. Wouldn't trade the experience for anything. I really had a fantastic time and would definitely encourage anyone on the edge of studying abroad to go for it, even if outside your comfort zone. I loved Amsterdam and the Netherlands because everyone was so kind and the environment was so laid back, but being able to travel to other parts of Europe was thrilling and new for me, and I really enjoyed being able to take in different cultures. Highly recommend!

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I got the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Amsterdam in the summer of 2025, and it was truly a life-changing experience. Sage Corps is such a unique program because it allows you to study abroad while also getting real-world experience by working with businesses in your host country. I was able to fully immerse myself in Amsterdam’s culture, explore the city during my free time, and simultaneously grow my business skills through my internship at a startup. I can’t recommend this program enough for anyone who wants to truly live in another city and experience it on a deeper level. Working and commuting in Amsterdam every day gave me a completely new perspective on the city, and I absolutely loved it. Beyond the professional and personal growth, I also made so many amazing friends—many of whom I still talk to regularly! If you’re even slightly considering this program… DO IT!! You’ll have the summer of your dreams, make unforgettable memories, and leave with a piece of the city in your heart forever.

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Interning with Sage Corps in Lisbon last summer was a wonderful opportunity. From start to finish, everything was organized, supportive, and truly transformative. The team made the entire process seamless, from matching me with a startup that aligned with my interests to helping me adjust to a new city and culture. My internship gave me real, hands-on experience in a fast-paced startup environment. I worked on meaningful business development projects that made an impact and collaborated with founders and teams who trusted me with real responsibility. It was exciting, challenging, and incredibly rewarding. Sage Corps is an amazing program that combines hands-on startup experience with full cultural immersion. Living and working abroad taught me how to adapt quickly, communicate across cultures, and think more creatively. Along the way, I met an inspiring community of international students, mentors, and entrepreneurs who made the experience even more meaningful. I would highly recommend the program.

Sage Corps did an awesome job of supporting my experience throughout the whole process. There were multiple onboarding meetings before the summer started that gave a lot of help in preparing me for my time in Spain. While I was there, the cultural activities that were included in the program were a huge highlight. We had a tour of the Gothic quarter, wine-tasting, paella making, and several traditional Spanish dinners. Additionally, my city managers were so helpful for any questions or recommendations we needed about Barcelona. Sage Corps also provides a lot of support with your internship from the interview process all the way through, making sure you have what you need to succeed!

During my placement in Madrid, I worked on a range of research, data, and design tasks. This allowed me to contribute to the work of a growing company while learning how startups operate in a global context. You will learn to adapt fast and will be immersed in a culture other than your own, where you will grow. Sage Corps is an amazing program that pairs hands-on startup experience with global immersion. You won't be observing other people's work; you will be at the forefront of many of the company's projects from day one. You will learn so much about yourself and about how the world works. You will build a network of international peers and mentors. You will learn to adapt fast and will be immersed in a culture other than your own, where you will grow. I recommend it because experiences abroad will accelerate your personal growth, and an internship with a startup with accelerate your professional growth.

Sage Corps was a great experience all around! The program managers and city managers were incredibly helpful and super easy to reach, and created thoughtful events that helped us connect with the city. The housing was also very clean and safe. In Paris, I was, with the help of Sage Corps, placed at an amazing company and had the opportunity to work in the world’s largest startup hub. This was not only an amazing experience, but it truly prepared me for the next step in my career development. Every intern I knew was gaining true hands-on experience and felt they were making a difference at their company. I would recommend Sage Corps to anyone looking to enhance their career and spend a summer learning about themselves and their industry.

I did the 8-week internship abroad in Berlin, Germany. I was working at The Impact Company, a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consulting firm. I was doing marketing research and B2B marketing, as well as driving social media campaigns on instagram and LinkedIn. It was one of the best experiences of my life, from gaining insight on how a business works from the inside to finding my way in a foreign country. Sage Corps provided me with plenty of activities to do in my free time from boat tours to social nights with my cohort.

Living and working abroad this summer in Sydney was one of the most special and surreal experiences of my life. I worked as a marketing intern for a startup, but what I gained was a lot more than just marketing skills. I learned how to navigate cultural differences, work with people from diverse backgrounds, and see how business strategies can shift depending on the market. I also came away with more confidence in myself and in learning how to adapt, contribute, and grow in a totally new setting.

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I had an amazing couple of weeks abroad, helping out one of the largest companies in their respective industry. This experience allowed me to explore a new country, culture and city, as well as build long lasting connections with other students who also participated in this program. This program also helped me increase my technical skills because we were able to engage with the company, as well as collaborate in a real, impactful well to help the company!

I joined Sage Corps in summer 2025 and interned at Codam College in Amsterdam, working on data analysis and data engineering. What stood out most was the support Sage Corps provided — from resume prep and mock interviews to check-ins during the program. Beyond the work, I explored Dutch culture (a highlight was visiting Zaanse Schans), made great friends, and built connections in the Dutch tech industry. Overall, it was so much more than an internship abroad — it was career growth, cultural exploration, and friendship all in one.

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My time in Berlin was an incredible mix of learning, growth, and exploration. Interning at a startup gave me real-world business experience, while living in such a historic yet modern city broadened my perspective. From navigating cultural differences to building global connections, Berlin pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way. The balance of professional development and cultural immersion made the experience unforgettable and deeply impactful

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Sage Corps was a transformative eight-week program that takes you not only across the globe, but to the next level of your professional career. Even through you will be solo traveling to a new place, you will never be alone. There is a support from Sage Corps, your city managers, and the friends you’ll inevitable make from either people in your cohort to all the locals you meet! You will learn what it means to work in a community that differs from your own and if you love what you do or are unsure of what you want to do, imagine that feeling of exploring your skillset with other CEOs who care so deeply about their products and start-ups! If you’re hesitant, take this as a sign to DO IT!!

The past summer living and working in Madrid, Spain, was transformative, allowing me to grow professionally and personally beyond my expectations. Interning at an early-stage startup exposed me to real-world applications of strategy skills with a supportive team, and Sage Corps was integral to this successful experience! From modules to check-ins and help always a text away, I felt I had all the resources I needed to feel comfortable in this new role. Besides the professional factor, Sage Corps also provided me with a cohort and a new group of friends, whom I saw daily during my time in Madrid. From trips to the coast to dinners together, this cohort really defined my summer as unforgettable. Sage Corp fostered these friendships through cultural outings, picnics, and dinners together. Overall, I could not recommend my experience enough to others and am so grateful to Sage Corps for an amazing summer abroad!

My time abroad with SAGE Corps was both professionally and personally transformative. As a marketing intern at MiAltar, I gained hands-on experience in blogs, email campaigns, and social media outreach, while also leading meetings and contributing ideas in a small team where my work made an impact. Living in Lisbon challenged me to adapt quickly, from navigating public transportation to engaging with locals, which made me more independent and confident. I also built friendships with both peers and locals, giving me a deeper appreciation for Portuguese culture. This experience pushed me to take risks, step outside my comfort zone, and grow in ways a classroom could never replicate.

My internship at Deepfile has been instrumental in shaping my future career goals. Working at the intersection of business strategy and technology gave me firsthand exposure to how startups grow, adapt, and bring innovative products to market. I learned how to analyze industry trends, communicate complex ideas clearly, and think strategically about customer and investor needs, all of which are skills that are directly transferable to careers in business, finance, and technology. Most importantly, the experience showed me the value of working in fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments where I can take on responsibility early and contribute meaningfully to a team’s success. It confirmed my interest in pursuing a career that combines problem-solving, strategy, and innovation, whether in the startup world, consulting, or a larger firm focused on technology and financial services.

My summer abroad with SageCorps was incredible. During my 8 weeks in Lisbon, I gained incredible, hands-on work experience at my start-up, made friends I will know and cherish for life, and created many unforgettable new memories. SageCorps not only provides you with a worthwhile experience that allows for both professional and personal growth, but it also sets you up for success ahead of time. The access to LinkedIn Learning provided ahead of time, their resume workshops, and interview prep meetings helped me get the internship of my dreams, and I couldn't be more grateful.

Incredibly rewarding summer internship experience in Madrid, Spain. I spent my summer 2024 working as a digital marketing specialist interning at a small startup in Madrid, which was amazing. The work was rewarding. The cultural experience was enriching. The food was delicious. The people were incredible. The stay was so nice. I highly recommend this experience.