International Internships
Your international opportunity is invaluable experience to prepare you for your career. Be sure to take advantage of the opportunity by fully preparing, pursuing all aspects, and reflecting on your journey!
Prepare
When preparing for an international opportunity, it is important to learn about the country where you will be working, consider what requirements you may need to complete before arriving, and navigate how you will incorporate cultural competency into your work. The below websites are great resources to help when preparing for your international opportunity!
Pursue
One of the greatest advantages of an internship experience is the opportunity to network with individuals within your organization and across the greater UChicago community. Below are ideas for how to engage with your co-workers, supervisor, and alumni to set goals and learn about the industry.
Working Abroad
Whether you’re looking for a brief professional experience abroad or a long-term career, Career Advancement can help you find international opportunities that match your interests.
If you are an international student seeking jobs in the U.S., please visit the Office of International Affairs website for information on necessary visa procedures for employment.
Experience or Career?
Are you seeking a professional experience abroad, or looking for a steppingstone to an international career? Making this distinction will help you focus your search and establish a list of criteria to look for throughout the application process.
Know Yourself
Assess your capacity for flexibility and independence and identify the skills and experiences you bring to the table. For example, do you have:
Foreign language skills
Technical knowledge or skills
Experience in your field of study
Depending on your comfort level abroad, some experiences may be better for you than others. Schedule an appointment with a Career Advancement adviser to help you determine what experience might be best!
Know Your Goals
It is important to determine your goals for your international experience. Begin by thinking through:
Why do you want to go abroad?
How long do you want to work abroad?
What skills do you hope to gain?
Do you have any health issues or mobility barriers that may cause location restrictions?
Do you want to be immersed in the local culture and language?
Do you want to live with a host family, on your own, or with roommates?
Know Your Resources
Whether you want an international career or a short experience abroad, you will need to decide whether you want to use a university program to find opportunities, or arrange an experience on your own.
An independent job, internship, or volunteer search abroad may require significant time, patience, and initiative on your part. Don’t underestimate the time and costs associated with arranging your own opportunity: you should plan to provide for your own insurance, plane tickets, housing etc. It is also smart to create an emergency fund equivalent to a month’s salary or a plane ticket home from your destination.
Programs that arrange employment, and in some cases accommodation and paperwork, can take much of the difficulty out of preparing for an international experience, but in many cases charge fees for their services. You should always carefully vet any program you plan to participate in by doing research using websites such as Transitions Abroad and asking lots of questions of both program employees and former participants. Connect with UChicago alumni who may have worked for the programs, via the Alumni Directory or Handshake!
You may also reference the following resources to identify funding and positions:
UChicago’s Grant and Funding Opportunities is a document outlining the sources available to you.
Handshake includes Metcalf Internship opportunities and employer-generated opportunities
GlobalEdge is a reference guide for students, faculty, staff, and administrators to help match students with international internship opportunities offered by two- and four-year colleges and universities, governmental agencies, non-profit groups, private organizations, and corporations.
Know the Requirements
Before you go anywhere outside of the United States, you should ensure that you are complying with the local regulations regarding international visitors.
Please check requirements for acquiring a passport, visa and needed vaccinations. You can find useful information on individual countries through the U.S. Department of State website, as well as the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention. For free travel vaccination consultations, schedule an appointment with UChicago Student Wellness. Travel consultations are provided on a limited basis and are generally scheduled 4-6 weeks in advance.