Ultimate Guide For Free Internship Abroad

There are multiple ways in which you can obtain your internship abroad. You could search for one online or via your mutual friends and professional contacts. They sound simple enough, right?

Yes, and while they are an effective way for you to develop technical skills and further your knowledge on what really piques your interest, these internships often come with a price tag. And a rather expensive one too. As one would have guessed, university and college students would not be so happy about that...

But don’t you worry, this guide for internship abroad freely packs all the helpful resources you ever need to get your hands on your free internship abroad! Our guide for internship abroad free-rides you on the different types of internships abroad, how to get an internship abroad, how to intern abroad, and other related information!

Now, we would like to welcome you to the Ultimate Guide For Free Internship Abroad with the nitty gritty bit: the many types of internships abroad!

Types Of Internships Abroad

Searching for the right internships can be challenging and overwhelming if you don’t know what or where to look for said internship… Internships abroad come in all sorts of different shapes and forms. Sure, you will get something out of any type of internship.

But why go for any internship when you can find one that will sail your boat? (This is what this section of our Ultimate Guide For Free Internship Abroad is here for.)

To not waste more of your time, let’s jump right into it, shall we?

Summer Internships

Obviously, this type of internship is not given out by universities and colleges free of charge for no apparent reason. They are designed to help students gain additional professional experience in the fields of their choice with little to no disruption in their academic endeavors.

Most of the time, international summer internships offered by schools come in the form of both paid and unpaid internships. They tend to happen in the summer or during school breaks— that’s anywhere from May to August! You know where to spend your next summer break!

Though, it is important for you to note that since university-offered summer internships are without cost, they are often highly competitive. So, keep an eye out for those summer internship announcements if you want to get your hands on one of these international internships!

Non-profit Internships

Non-profit internships give you the opportunity to work directly in the field of psychology, public health, international politics, law, etc.; and create meaningful and positive social impacts. During this non-profit internship, you will be working as volunteers. Thus, you will most likely not be receiving any monetary compensation.

But don’t let that prevent you from pursuing non-profit internships! With a non-profit internship, you get a chance to build a broader professional network and develop a wide range of skills. As, non-profit intern, you will be working in hospitals, governmental agencies, charitable organizations, and so many more.

If this sounds like something that is right up your alley, we strongly recommend you to start looking into both large and small non-profit organizations.

Service Learning

Service learning is an experimental method of learning that incorporates theoretical knowledge and pragmatic practices to help students earn a deeper understanding of the current social circumstances. You then are more likely to find service learning in the sector of higher education. (If you have been out of school for quite some time, we suggest that you consider our other types of internship abroad.)

Often play a major role in building up student-participants leadership skills and multi-cultural competency, service learning helps prepare them for real-world occurrences in non-traditional school settings. Bear in mind that half of their courses usually take place at international non-profit or public organizations!

What’s more, this particular learning experience encourages students to constantly evaluate and reflect on their training, making service learning a popular choice among passionate university students who love to put their knowledge in their preferred field into practice and test the water.

Job Shadowing

Job shadowing is one form of on-the-job training where paid trainees or interns; or employees take notes on how other more experienced employees carry out their tasks in real-time.

This type of internship however is fairly short-lived. What this means is that the chances of you being able to grasp the full scope of how one particular job is slim. A lot of work then has to be done on your part if you want to optimize your internship experience at a company. So, do your research and prepare your questions!

Think twice before you make a decision on which type of internship you want to pursue! Job shadowing gives you a general idea of what your day would look like as you take on a certain role, but it straps you in the back seat. If you are a more active person, job shadowing may not be your cup of tea!

Field Of Interest

Now that you have a better idea of what each different type of internship abroad is, it is only reasonable for us to provide you with some of the widely popular industries out there!

We hope that you will find this portion of our Ultimate Guide For Free Internships Abroad useful in helping you form a more solid understanding of how each industry operates and what lies ahead for you in the future!

Let’s get started with our first industry!

• Arts & Design

In this creative arts and design field, you will be showcasing your abilities to serve different purposes. Your duties and responsibilities are totally dependent on the direction in which you take and where you intend to intern at.

Interns of this arts and design industry could be producing display works for art galleries or product designs for marketing purposes— creating digital graphic designs, for instance. For those interested, you can also choose to work together with clients to deliver their artistic views and designs.

• Business

Business internships are usually varied in terms of their specialties. As a business intern, you can choose to work in the marketing, operations, sales, finance, or other business departments that are related to your studies, in for profit companies, public or charitable organizations.

Since business internships exist all around, it is often relatively easy for prospective interns to acquire new insights into the ever changing business world where they can put their strong feet forward and contribute positive impacts to the development of their host companies in which they intern at.

• Engineering

Being an intern in the engineering field means that you will highly likely be working at technology-driven private companies or government funded organizations where you can practice your technical knowledge and skills while trying your hands at new and more provocative projects.

Your tasks would often revolve around designing, experimenting, operating, and maintaining a wide selection of products and systems. However, the scope of your task may also involve analyzing budgets and offering project recommendations.

• Hospitality & Tourism

As an intern for the hospitality and tourism industry, you will most likely be performing administrative and clerical tasks, working on the marketing side of the business, or financial analyses. Note: this is highly dependent on your area of interest!

Your workplace will most likely be in globally recognized and highly regarded hotels and restaurants where you will work for a myriad of international tourists. There you will get a chance to improve your crisis management skills, customer service management skills and many other crucial interpersonal ones.

• Law

In this specific line of work, you will be constantly working alongside other professionals on a number of settings. Depending on your area of interest, you could be working in a large corporation, court, or in public agencies and even non-profit organizations.

The legal field gives you the opportunity to get a taste of how legal advice, trial preparation, court proceedings operate, and various others whether your expertise lies in civil; corporate; or environmental law.

• Medicine

An internship in the medical field allows for you to get the feel of how the medical world operates. You will get an opportunity to first and foremost apply your theoretical knowledge into real life situations and practices.

What’s more is that you will be working shoulder to shoulder with experienced professionals who can provide you with valuable insights, tips, and tricks that will help you get through your potential career.

The medical industry trains you to become future surgeons, doctors, and various other medical staff in sectors like pharmaceuticals, health administration, and more.

• NGO

Getting an internship in this highly noble industry opens up new opportunities for you to aid those in need on ground; or working on collaborative and multidimensional projects or in the administrative part behind the scenes.

Often involved in large multinational and regional level organizations, the NGO field most likely consists of an array of international workers who share similar goals in creating a better world.

• Psychology

In the field of psychology, you will be able to work with clients in providing consultancy, guidance, and possible solutions to help resolve any of their issues and concerns, under close supervision. Expect to perform practicum as part of your internship!

Careers in psychology include Clinical Psychologist, School Psychologist, Research Assistant, and many more.

Applying For An Internship Abroad

On top of making up your mind on which country will best suit your purpose, you are responsible for deciding on which type of internship and field is best for you; your visa; and not to mention other essential documents for the internship itself.

Filing in an application for an experience of a lifetime to go on an internship abroad is a big deal. One mistake could blow your chance of getting your hands on the internship of your dream! Fret not, we are here to help..!

In this following part of our Ultimate Guide For Free Internships Abroad, we will be providing you with all the tips and tricks on what to include in your essential documents. In order for you to claim a spot on your internship, we recommend that you avoid following our guide for internship abroad free and easy.

We say it’s time to show them what you are capable of in your resume, cover letter, transcripts, and letters of recommendation! This is how you can put your best foot forward. in an application for an experience of a lifetime to go on an internship abroad is a big deal. One mistake could blow your chance of getting your hands on the internship of your dream! Fret not, we are here to help..!

In this following part of our Ultimate Guide For Free Internships Abroad, we will be providing you with all the tips and tricks on what to include in your essential documents. In order for you to claim a spot on your internship, we recommend that you avoid following our guide for internship abroad free and easy.

We say it’s time to show them what you are capable of in your resume, cover letter, transcripts, and letters of recommendation!

This is how you can put your best foot forward.

Resume Guide

One of the first things your hiring manager will take into consideration is your resume— we strongly recommend you to take time out of your day to polish and update your resume.

Once you have your professional experience tidied up in a nice chronological order, the format and layout of your resume is next on the list of things that you must take care of. With hundreds and thousands of resumes going in each day, getting their attention is your number one priority. Lengthy and long winded explanations of your job descriptions won’t do the trick!

To capture their attention, you must remember to keep your resume short and to the point. Highlight any outstanding accomplishments and pay special attention to the results of your actions. We are talking about numbers and figures here. Build up their confidence in your abilities to contribute positively to their organization.

Back-up your claims with any awards or skills that will make you the candidate they can’t turn their back on. This could be anything from a foreign language skills to technical computer skills.

Cover Letters

Regular cover letters, in most cases, are not a requirement in an internship application process. However, if you are extremely keen on increasing the chances of you getting that internship, you might as well go the extra mile and craft them cover letters!

To impress them with your cover letter, you will need to justify the reasons as to why you think you are the most suitable person for the job. You can either draw out your past experiences in the field, the skills that you currently possess, and future aspirations and goals!

When writing your cover letter, it is important that you address someone personally and directly, avoid making anything vague! It is recommended that you be wary of the style and tone of your written communication; and ensure that they convey your enthusiasm and meanings well.

Before you go ahead and close off your cover letter with your utmost gratitude, support your cover letter with strong and in-depth facts about the company or the organization that you are applying to. Let them know that you are driven and committed!

Transcripts

It is worth noting that transcripts come in two variations: official and unofficial transcripts. Official transcript is essentially a university-issued document. Unofficial transcript is one where you can directly print off from your computer. It is therefore wise to double check what they are asking of you!

Since it will take some time for your university to deliver your transcript at your doorstep, it is highly suggested that you plan ahead and request your transcripts from your university earlier on to avoid any further complications down the line.

Letter Of Recommendations

Letter of recommendations or recommendation letters are what third parties have written about your academic achievements, strengths, and personal qualities. They are a great way for your hiring manager to get a glimpse of your character and personality.

Since a letter of recommendation is supposed to reflect you in a positive light, you should really invest the time and effort in finding the right people to write you your letters. If you have to wait around for a few weeks to get your letter of recommendation written, so be it. (Be sure to schedule an appointment or a private meeting with whom you would like to meet in advance— you would not want to miss the deadline for your internship application!)

For your professors and current employers to correctly portray what you want them to, it is advisable for you to provide them with a couple of things about you and the organization in which you would like to apply to. With your letter of recommendation, attach your resume; transcripts; and/or cover letters!

Paid VS Unpaid Internships Abroad

While you could sign yourself up (and apply) to virtually any internship abroad, regardless of whether or not they are paid or unpaid internships, and still benefit from your new-gain multicultural competency and enriched professional experience… You would not want to miss out on any of the benefits, right?

To keep you informed about the benefits of both paid and unpaid internships, and the differences between the two, our final section of our Ultimate Guide For Free Internships Abroad will be filling you in on all that!

What Paid And Unpaid Internships Are

Between the two, paid internships are a more popular option among internship seekers for obvious reasons: cash is involved! This is not to say that unpaid internships are not appealing because they are...

With that, let’s start with paid internships.

Paid internships are one way in which students can gain relevant professional experience in their preferred field while you are rewarded with monetary rewards. Those monetary benefits that are offered to you during your paid internships that cover everything from commissions to bonuses and paid vacation time (sweet, right?)

This particular type of internship tends to have a more structured timetable. As a paid intern, you are expected to carry out your daily tasks for a certain amount of hours a week. Remember that you are going into this internship with the end goal of collecting as many professional experiences as possible! That can only be achieved when you are placed under the similar conditions as full-time employees.

And in your case, you will be working directly under them— you sure will be learning a lot from your colleagues and supervisors! So, feel free to take mental notes when appropriate...

Unpaid internships, on the other hand, come with different sorts of compensation like cost coverages for food and transportation. Though they pale in comparison to monetary benefits, these rewards are believed to be more effective in keeping the employees' satisfaction level relatively high.

When put side by side, we can see that paid and unpaid internships abroad do have their unique pluses and downsides. Deciding between the two of them requires a decent amount of self-reflection and consideration. For that reason, we would like to kindly advise you to think long and hard about the consequences of each type of internship and whether or not they fulfill the purpose of your internship!

Work Placement Abroad

If paid and unpaid internships are not quite what you are looking for, consider work placement abroad! You could opt to further your theoretical knowledge and polish your practical skills overseas while partake in your university courses.

Since work placements are integrated as a part of your courses, they positively correlate to your overall academic credits! In fact, students who have successfully completed their work placement abroad often do better in their studies than those who do not.

Despite work placement abroad being relatively shorter than your regular internship in terms of duration (they usually last from a couple of weeks till a few months), it still delivers you the right and sufficient professional skills and knowledge you need to build a lifelong career… Not to mention professional networking and other interpersonal skill sets.

Closing Remarks

In our ultimate guide for free internship abroad, we have discussed, in depth, several internship options that are free of charge and accessible to you; how to best prepare for those free internship experiences abroad and what to include in your application for free internships abroad.

We hope that our guide for free internships abroad is able to help you form a clearer understanding of how to get internships abroad, how to intern abroad from, and some vital information on available internships industries.

Ultimately, we wish you are able to apply what we have covered in this Ultimate Guide For Free Internships Abroad and successfully complete your internship abroad. And of course, all of your future pursuits in the professional world!!

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