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If you’re looking to gain real-world experience while expanding your global perspective, interning abroad is an excellent way to do both. For many college students, recent graduates, and young professionals, Europe stands out as an ideal destination, offering an attractive mix of cultures, industries, and professional opportunities. With its influential role in the global economy and wide variety of host cities, Europe provides an exciting backdrop for your internship. While it all sounds great, you may be wondering, “Can I intern abroad in Europe?”
Curious about how to make an internship in Europe a reality? Read on to learn how to get started.
Am I Eligible to Intern Abroad in Europe?
If you want to intern abroad in Europe, you must meet a range of eligibility requirements. Some factors that may affect your eligibility to intern abroad include:
- Academic requirements: If you’re currently in college, the right international internship will complement your academic path and help support your eligibility. Many programs are designed to align with degree requirements and offer hands-on, industry-focused experience across a wide array of disciplines.
- University requirements: College students must meet their university’s specific rules and requirements to intern abroad.
- Relevant experience: Certain internship programs, particularly those with competitive placements, may require prior industry experience or academic knowledge. Additionally, host countries may also mandate some level of completed college-level coursework to approve your internship placement.
- College enrollment: While being in college is not a requirement to intern abroad, some host countries, like France, require international internship applicants to be currently enrolled in a university in order to obtain a visa; others, such as England, require applicants to be currently enrolled or a recent college graduate. However, this does not apply to all host countries in Europe.
If you have questions about your eligibility for an international internship in Europe, contact our team!
How to Intern Abroad in Europe
To intern abroad in Europe, college students must first speak with their academic advisor at their home institution. Your academic advisor can help you confirm your eligibility and find a program provider (like AIFS Abroad) that is available to students at your college. Based on your academic track and degree, they can help narrow down the search for eligible international internship programs so you can research and apply to relevant programs.
If you are not in college, no additional steps are required—just make sure you meet the basic eligibility requirements and apply to an international internship right away!
Where to Intern Abroad in Europe
Once you’ve decided to intern abroad in Europe, it’s time to choose which country you’d like to intern in. Fortunately, AIFS Abroad offers internship programs in several European countries, including the following:
Deciding where to intern abroad in Europe may hinge on several factors, including your area of professional interest, city and country-specific industries, and cultural or language preferences. For example, if you want a fashion design internship, you should consider doing your internship in a city that is well-known in the industry, such as Milan. Or, if you’re looking for a business internship in an English-speaking country, you could look at programs in London and Dublin.
If you have questions about your where you can do an international internship in Europe, contact our team!
When to Intern Abroad in Europe
If you’re in college, you can intern abroad in Europe whenever it fits into your academic schedule. Just remember that if you want to do an international internship after graduating from college and are looking to earn credits while doing so, you should arrange it as soon as possible with your university. Additionally, keep in mind that not only can you intern abroad in Europe during a semester or summer, but some college students will be eligible as early as freshman year.
If anything is preventing you from interning in Europe during the school year, don’t worry—a summer internship abroad is always an option!
Don’t forget to speak with your academic advisor to ensure you choose a term that aligns with your academic needs. Also, note that different programs may be offered during different times of the year.
If you’re not in college, you have even more flexibility—many international internship programs (like ours!) accept participants year-round, so you can choose the season that best fits your personal and professional timeline.
Need help deciding when to do an international internship in Europe? Contact our team!
Benefits of Interning Abroad in Europe
Doing an international internship in Europe offers college students and young professionals many advantages, such as:
- Unique professional experiences: An international internship in Europe will expose you to various business practices, methodologies, regional industry trends, and niches that you might not get in the U.S.—boosting your resume and giving you an edge when you apply to jobs in the future.
- Cross-cultural communication: Interning abroad in Europe offers the chance to gain cross-cultural communication skills that will prove invaluable to employers with international clients and colleagues, helping to set you apart in a competitive job market.
- Global networking: When you intern abroad in Europe, you’ll be able to build an international network that can set you up for future professional opportunities.
- Personal benefits: Not only will an international internship in Europe help you develop professionally and land a job after college, but it also offers several benefits to your personal life. While you’re in Europe, you can travel to other neighboring countries during your free time, immerse yourself in the local culture, and grow as a person, becoming more independent with every passing week.
Discover all the benefits of an international internship—explore AIFS Abroad’s incredible programs in Europe!
AIFS Abroad offers many international internship programs throughout Europe that can help you gain valuable professional experience to launch your career. With inclusions such as guaranteed internship placement, housing, events and social excursions, comprehensive insurance, 24/7 emergency support, as well as pre-arrival and on-site support, you’ll enjoy a stress-free international internship experience!