Internships are an integral part of the academic experience. You can never learn enough in the classroom alone. College life is all about building practical skills so you can apply the principles and concepts learnt, on the job. Doing an internship abroad can help you build your skills, gain a wider exposure and create future job opportunities. 

Why should you intern abroad?

Doing an internship in your home country differs from a country abroad. The experience gained gives you scope for learning more than what’s limited to you back home. That said, if you decide to study abroad then you must consider any prior preparations before studying abroad. Being prepared can help you gain the confidence of gaining academic advantage while also getting an internship.

However, if you are second-guessing the perks of interning abroad then you may want to first understand the benefits of seeking advice from our study abroad consultant.

We can also take you through these six reasons that say why you should pursue an internship abroad:

• Building a ton of skills 

Employers no longer hire potential candidates based on degrees. If you don’t have real-world industry skills, you may get a late start to working at your dream company. Doing internships abroad is a good opportunity to experience real time projects in your industry. 

Especially in a foreign country, the career opportunities are vast, and you can do an internship in almost any field specific to your learning requirements. You can even take up flexible Internship roles that require you to build multiple skills. Furthermore, internships abroad focus on building both technical and soft skills. You will develop your critical thinking abilities, communication skills, work ethics, and much more.

• Develop a global network

Travelling to study abroad and then doing an internship will give you tons of exposure to global recruiters. You will be able to grow your network beyond the borders of your country. You will meet working professionals from across the globe. It will help you create massive career opportunities for you in the future. You can showcase your skills and talents through your work to prospective employers. You can also build professional connections that can help you progress in your career.

• You can learn a new language

Living in the city of a foreign country gives you the opportunity to learn a new language, that is if you are new to the native language spoken there. You will have to interact with the locals, and so learn the basics of the language if you aren’t already familiar. A new language on your resume can be a great asset. 

Most foreign cities offer free language courses. You can use your spare time in the evening and weekends to learn the country’s language. It will also help you make friends outside of your place of internship. If you get permanently placed abroad, you can easily make new friends.

• You will learn how to live independently

Living in a new city in your own country and living in a foreign city differs in the experience entirely. You need to adjust to a whole different lifestyle altogether while managing to set up everything else. You will learn a lot starting from finding accomodation for yourself to booking transport in a foreign land. The independence and adaptability skills you catch up on are invaluable. 

• You gain the experience of living abroad 

Once you travel abroad for an internship, you move out of your comfort zone and start living on your terms. You get to meet new people, make new friends, learn about a new culture, and explore different cuisines, which are great learning opportunities. 

Studying abroad is more like an investment in your career. Living abroad also helps you develop a fresh perspective from all the experiences that you get. It will also help you decide whether or not you want to settle abroad permanently.

• You make yourself an attractive candidate for employers in your country

Having done a foreign internship looks promising on your CV, and it automatically makes you a more competent candidate for a job opportunity. Your future employers see you as an asset and are more confident about your potential to add value to their organisation. You gain a massive competitive advantage as a foreign internship presents your skills and talents better.

How to find internships abroad?

Landing your dream internship abroad isn’t an easy task. However, if you know the correct sources and are persistent about it, you are likely to crack it. You can seek assistance from a study abroad consultant. It is one of the easiest but most expensive strategies to land an internship abroad. You can directly reach out to an agency that connects students with international companies for internships. Alternatively, you can choose a study program that offers internship placements once your course is complete. 

What are the different types of internships abroad?

Depending on your area of study or interests, there are different types of internship options abroad. 

Some of them are:

• International internships for credit 

Colleges and universities collaborate to offer students internships for academic credits. The credits fulfil both your academic requirements and give you hands-on experience. So you can achieve both these goals.

Your academic advisor can arrange an internship for you for the last 1-2 semesters. You can maintain a journal, write an essay, or make a presentation about the experience. 

• Summer internships

Summer internships are shorter in duration and can either last a few weeks or an entire summer. You get both academic credits and experience in your field. You can either reach out to your college for this or apply independently. 

There are several types of summer internships like paid summer internship programs, internships based on location, and high school summer internships.

• Non-profit internships

Non-profit organisations like charities, schools, government agencies, religious organisations, or hospitals offer these internships. These internships offer public service, and are unpaid but can be a great asset to your CV.

• Service learning 

These are unique internships provided by organised community organisations like libraries, shelters, community centres, etc. 

Some examples of such internships are reading assistance programs at a library, designing a playground at a community centre, working with veterinarians at an animal shelter, etc. So you can have transferable skills that will benefit society.

The three-step structure of service learning internships is:

• Outline the objectives and goal of the project 
• Perform the service work 
• Present your experience in a paper or presentation.

 

• Job shadowing

Also known as an “externship,” this is similar to an internship but only shorter. It can last anything from a few days to multiple weeks. It provides opportunities for high school or university students to explore different careers and find out what works best for them. 

You can spend time observing and learning from your mentor and gain experience working in a team with other professionals. You can get some valuable insights and decide your career path and direction. You will get the opportunity of transferring your academic knowledge to real life.

Bonus tips to crack internship opportunities abroad

• Have good knowledge of your core fundamental projects.
• Present an updated resume 
• Prepare a good introduction
• Maintain a decent LinkedIn profile
• Have a good command of the English language
• Improve your Logical Reasoning skills
• Polish your quantitative abilities 

A foreign internship is one of the best experiences you can gain as a student. It is one of the best strategies to ensure a great career in the future. If you also want to learn more about studying abroad, reach out to us today.