Interning is an amazing way to gain hands-on experience and add multicolored razzle-dazzle to your resume. Interning abroad takes that one step further by immersing you in a new culture, stretching your flexibility, and potentially adding a new language to your repertoire. This all sounds like perfection until you realize that the internship isn't paid. Not only that, but you may need to find a place to live and buy a transcontinental plane ticket to reach your new workplace. Uh-oh...
But where there's a will, there's a way. Don't discard a great professional and personal growth experience because of the price tag! Instead, read forth and learn how to finance the most transformative trip of your life.
If you are planning to pursue a work experience abroad, especially in a formal internship program, you are often qualified to apply for funding that directly supports these types of learning opportunities. Most of the scholarships for interning abroad are footed by individual organizations and agencies themselves—so while things like your age, your demographics, or your merits might not help or hurt your scholarship chances, your need to be enrolled in one of their programs certainly will.
Truthfully, the trend of interning abroad isn't as popular as merely going to college or studying abroad (but it definitely should be), so there's not a wide variety of scholarships offered specifically for interns. Many internship scholarships will look at the experience from a scholastic angle, so they are only available to current students. This isn't always the case, though; read specifications carefully.
There are some intern abroad scholarships where individuals might uniquely qualify as potential winners. If you specialize in a hyper-niche area of study or are pursuing research internships abroad, there might be additional funding available uniquely for you. Further, if you have particular skills or fall under demographic minority classifications, now is the time to shine.
Internship abroad scholarships are a tricky horse to handle, as they're a rare breed that might take some extra research and creativity. The two most common types of scholarships available for interning abroad are program internships and country internships, but universities and other third-party organizations sometimes offer scholarships too!
- Program Scholarships: Some programs provide full financial aid packages (airfare and accommodation included!), even if they do not offer a salary. Inquire and apply directly with your internship provider.
- Destination Scholarships: Certain awesome countries provide scholarships for international students/volunteers/interns as incentive to spend time there, as the arrangement usually benefits both the program participant and the country.
- University Scholarships: If you are planning an internship while studying abroad, stop by your financial aid office. Some universities consider internships as coursework and know scholarship options to sponsor the educational work experience.
- Local Organizations. Ask about town if there are small businesses that would be willing to fund your experience abroad—especially if that means you can bring your skills back and help them in turn as their new hire.
- Mom and Dad? They might not qualify technically as a scholarship award giver, but it might be more fun for them to swipe it on their credit card if they look at it like a scholarship for their #1 winner!
When looking for any type of scholarships, the "better late than never" ideology won't cut it. The research process takes time, applications always ask for supplementary materials that take unexpected time to process, and the decision-making window seems to take forever. Start the hunt for scholarships at least a scholastic semester before your intended intern abroad term. Researching now lets you dedicate more time later to the actual application content.
- Make a plan. Grab your post-it notes and whip those highlighters out. Clearly mark all deadlines on a calendar, and hang it somewhere you'll see it every day. Set alarms on your phone. Write yourself notifications. Be aware of deadlines!
- Don't procrastinate! Some scholarship applications require additional materials, such as recommendation letters or videos. If you didn't even look at the application requirements until the night before, you'll never have time to get it done by midnight. Play it safe and aim to finish ahead of time!
- Schedule time for proofreading. Bonus points if you get a second or third pair of eyes on your final essay—especially from an adult or friend you trust.
- Apply early to really "Wow" the judges. Nothing says "got my sh#t together" like an early submission. It's a quick and easy way to improve your chances of getting into the finalists pile!
Internships are the highlight of any resume, so it's worth making the investment. Unfortunately, most pay with experience and references, not hard cash. So, if you found a paying scholarship, congratulations!
Even if most internships don't offer a full salary, some internships do offer a symbolic monthly allowance. This stipend is usually enough to cover basic food, transportation, and housing costs, based on the country of work.
Some internships even include accommodation in the internship offer, which usually means a shared apartment with other interns. Depending on the location, this might be worth more than receiving a salary and having to pay for your own housing!
International travel expenses are typically the responsibility of the intern, and transportation will likely prove to be the highest expense of the entire internship experience. If you need additional help to raise the money, consider a crowdfunding initiative, such as FundMyTravel.
Based on all these "usuals", you should apply to every internship scholarship that is relevant to cut down on the costs and maximize your experience. Don't give up after the first rejection, just stick to your financial goal!