Interning abroad is an excellent opportunity for a student to gain valuable career and international experience all in one program. Students are immersed in the host country through a carefully selected internship site and, in many cases via the living arrangements.

International Internships are also a very affordable way to experience a foreign country, which makes it a terrific option for students who have financial restrictions that prevent them from participating in a semester or year abroad at a foreign university.

Many students also have restrictions on when and how long they can participate in international programs due to sports, family obligations, and specific degree schedules. Internships are not restricted to university dates, so they can be arranged at any time of the year and for numerous durations.

Here are just a few of the benefits of participating in an international internship*:

• Gain exposure to real-world problems and issues that perhaps are not found in textbooks.
• Cultivate adaptability and creativity in a dynamic world.
• Increased marketability to employers. On average, only 30% of graduating seniors have job offers before graduation; however, after completing an internship, that figure rises to 58%.
• Ease transition from being a student to entering the workforce.
• Increase self-confidence in the workplace while developing an expanded network of associates and professionals.
• Facilitate a higher starting salary than non-interns. In a recent study, interns received, on average, $2,240 more than non-interns for starting salary.
• Have résumé-building experiences while applying academic concepts and principles.

*Internship Office, Brigham Young University, Benefits of Internships, viewed, August 16, 2007