Intern Abroad

We follow the NACE definition of “an internship as a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional workplace setting (across in-person, remote, or hybrid modalities). Internships provide students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience, develop social capital, explore career fields, and make connections in professional fields.”

An internship must have direct supervision from a relevant professional at the organization, in addition to specific learning goals and a defined position description of the tasks to be carried out. If your internship abroad has at least 100 hours of work over a minimum of four weeks, you can apply to receive credit through the UW Undergraduate Internship Credit Program. 

In general, you should consider how well you meet overall requirements rather than each specific item. The competitiveness of internships varies greatly so you may still be a good candidate even if you don’t fulfill everything listed.

Some qualifications may be “preferred” rather than “required” in which case they are not necessary. Use your application materials to state why you’re a good candidate and which areas you are working to develop. Keep in mind that you may better meet the requirements in the months between the application deadline and internship start date (e.g. your academic standing may change or you may complete a relevant course). Intern Abroad advisors can answer questions about eligibility and advise on how to make a strong application.

Of course! Many host organizations are actively seeking international students who offer local knowledge and language skills along with their UW-Madison education. Exploring an internship in a third country is also a great option to continue expanding your international experience. Depending on your citizenship and the host country there may be different visa considerations for your internship. Additionally, your status as an international student may impact eligibility for certain campus scholarships and the reimbursement process for campus grants.

CPT/OPT does not apply to internships outside the US. If you are looking at US-based internships through the Wisconsin in Washington program, be sure to keep in mind CPT or other visa considerations for doing an internship in the US. 

Compensation for international internships varies depending on a number of factors, including: type of organization, location, program structure, and visa requirements.

Some organizations may be able to offer a stipend, housing, meals, or other non-monetary compensation to support interns. Many are unpaid. Countries may also have laws about the level of compensation that can or cannot be offered to foreign interns.  

Regardless of the compensation offered by the internship, if you intern abroad through our office you are eligible to apply for scholarships to help fund your experience.

In many cases you are eligible to apply for both internship and study abroad scholarships. Be sure to apply by scholarship deadlines, which often fall before you have finalized the details of your internship.

Note: If you are finding your own international internship, please be aware that many scholarships require enrollment in credit. Talk to an Intern Abroad Advisor to learn how you can earn credit while abroad.

This depends on your financial aid eligibility, types of grants, duration of the internship, and number of credits received. It is best to talk to the Office of Student Financial Aid to review your options and confirm eligibility based on your specific situation. For more information and resources, please see our Financial Aid webpage.

In many cases, yes! Talk to your academic advisor to find out the exact requirements BEFORE applying to internships and going abroad. All majors and certificates vary in the requirements for the number of hours and nature of the internship or field experience.

The UW Undergraduate Internship Credit Program requires internships that are at a minimum of four weeks and 100 hours, but you may need more to meet your major/certificate requirements. Our 3-credit virtual internship course – IS-523: Culture and the Global Workplace – includes internship reflection and academic consideration of the cross-cultural aspects of your professional experience abroad. You can request another course equivalency through your department, or your advisor can make a DARS exception, so it is essential to gain pre-approval from your academic advisor.

Additional fieldwork and research experiences that may fulfill degree requirements can be found through the study abroad program search. The academics for these opportunities are listed on their respective program pages.

For study abroad programs, including internship-focused programs and part-time internships, you can apply for only one program per duration. We aim to accept as many qualified applicants to a program as possible.  A qualified applicant is someone who, through their application, demonstrates that they meet all eligibility requirements for the program. 

If a program has a note indicating that it is limited-capacity, we encourage you to have a second choice or alternative program in mind when applying. If you have questions about the competitiveness of a program, contact the Enrollment Manager.  Find their name and email address in the “Contacts” tab of the program webpage. 

Unlike most study abroad programs, you can apply to up to three UW Signature internships per duration. In many cases, internship hosts may only be able to accept 1-2 students. For this reason, we can help you develop a strategy in case you don’t receive an offer from your top-choice organization. Please reach out to an Intern Abroad Advisor if you have any questions about applying for UW Signature internships. 

Learn more about the application process on the How to Apply page.

We try to keep applicants as updated as possible. If it is several weeks after the application deadline and you are waiting for news about your program, please feel free to contact us for an update.

For many internship-focused programs, you need to submit applications to both IAP and the provider organization. Your program’s enrollment manager (found on the ‘Contacts’ tab of the program page) can answer questions about how to apply to each program and provide updates on your application status. 

For UW Signature internships, each organization has its own review process and timeline. Please note that some host organizations take longer than others to make final decisions, so you may hear back about one opportunity before another. Contact your Intern Abroad Advisor about the application process.

Whether you can do an internship depends on your program. Some study abroad programs offer a part-time internship alongside 6 or more credits of coursework. Talk with your study abroad advisor or program for more information.

If your program offers a part-time internship, you may be able to work with the program directly to secure an internship after you arrive – talk to the international office staff or career services locally. UW-Madison credit may be available in this case, depending on your study abroad program. Contact your study abroad advisor with questions. 

Absolutely. We are happy to advise via e-mail, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom and you can apply for opportunities while abroad. Be sure to research visa and entry requirements before applying and consider how being abroad may impact your ability to obtain a visa, if needed.  You should specify in your cover letter that you are abroad so that organizations can keep in mind the time difference for virtual interviews.

Usually, no. However, sometimes students can participate in an international internship as their final undergraduate experience and graduate abroad, with departmental approval. The 3-credits earned from the IS-523: Culture and the Global Workplace course course will count as in-residence credit for graduation. Some opportunities may require that you be a continuing student (returning to campus) in which case you would not be eligible. 

Many external and fee-based placement programs will  accept recent graduates who apply independently, rather than through their undergraduate institution

UW-Madison requires that students be enrolled in UW-Madison credit for any approval forms or internship/research agreements to be signed by the designated university authority. To start this process, contact us and then begin your application for credit through the UW Undergraduate Internship Credit Program by the appropriate deadline. If you are approved for credit, the intern abroad staff can sign approval forms on your behalf.

If your internship requires a formal agreement signed by UW-Madison, after you are approved for credit through our office, our staff will submit your agreement for the review process by the university’s legal staff. Once the terms of the agreement are finalized, your agreement will be signed by the dean of the International Division. This process can take up to several months. Last-minute requests for signatures for international internship agreements cannot be accommodated.  

If you are not enrolled in credit at UW-Madison for your internship abroad, your experience is considered a non-approved program. In this case, UW-Madison study abroad staff, academic advisors, and faculty will not sign any forms or agreements on your behalf. 

UW-Madison study abroad staff, academic advisors and faculty will not sign any forms or agreements on your behalf.

It depends. There are a small number of UW Signature Internships and internship-focused programs open to graduate students. All opportunities through our office require enrollment in credit, which would typically entail a departmentally directed study or research course supervised by your advisor. 

Professional and graduate students are often better served by leveraging resources in their programs, such as their graduate program manager, faculty, and alumni networks, which can help you find a professional or research experience abroad that matches your particular disciplinary focus and interests. If you arrange a professional experience abroad and want to maintain continuous enrollment at UW-Madison, explore the UW Graduate Research Program.  

Please note that scholarship funding from our office for graduate and professional students is extremely limited. Contact your department before applying about any funding opportunities for professional experiences that may be available to you.