Internships

Omprakash Social Impact Internships

IE3 Global Internships

More options!

Since specific internships vary widely, we recommend you do some research to determine what program would be best for you. Below are some things to consider:

• Program length – Internship opportunities can be month-long or quarter-long. 
• Level of Independence – Medium to High
• Location – Internship locations vary by term and year.
• Academic options – Students will earn General Studies credits. There is an option to be pre-approved for specific UW credits from a student’s academic department.   
• Housing options –  Housing is included in your program fee and provided for students throughout the duration of the trip, including field trips. Students are typically housed in student apartments, hotels/hostels, or dorm-style rooms. 
• Program Cost – You pay a program fee instead of UW tuition. Program fees vary depending on the internship location and duration. UW Study Abroad also charges a study abroad fee that will appear on your MyUW statement. Visit the Financial Planning section of our website to learn more. 
• Cost of Living – The cost of living will be dependent on the city in which the program takes place. 
• Health Insurance – All students going abroad through UW Study Abroad are automatically enrolled in Student Abroad Insurance.
• Financial aid eligibility – All internship opportunities are financial aid eligible. 
• Scholarships – There are many scholarships available for study abroad – some are location-based and some are merit-based or need-based
• Co-curricular activities and excursions – Internships typically have activities and excursions built into the program. Some programs include overnight trips as well. 
• Deferrals and Withdrawals – Deferring your program acceptance to another term is not permitted once you’ve contracted. If you aren’t able to participate in the program for the term you are contracted for, you will need to submit a withdrawal request and submit a new application for a future term. Please read the withdrawal information in your contract carefully before signing. 
• COVID requirements – Requirements and masking mandates may vary by country. Please familiarize yourself with the UW Study Abroad COVID resources page and any requirements of the country you hope to study in.

To be eligible for an internship, you must:

• Be in good academic standing
• Meet all program-specific eligibility requirements as described in the program brochure, if any. This may include a minimum class standing and/or a minimum GPA.
• Be cleared for study abroad by UW’s Community Standards and Student Conduct Office.

To apply for an internship, you must complete two applications:

• UW Study Abroad application
  • Electronic signature documents related to UW policies and expectations for study abroad
• Provider application
  • Complete an interest form that may include a statement of purpose and/or cover letter
  • Resume
  • Unofficial University of Washington transcript
  • Interview(s) with provider and/or employer

Internship deadlines vary based on the program term.

• January 31 – Summer
• February 15 – Early Fall & Autumn
• May 15 – Winter
• November 1 – Spring break
• November 15 – Spring

• UW Study Abroad Application – Begin a UW Study Abroad application. 
• Internship Provider Application – Begin the application process with the internship provider.
• Application review – Your application will be reviewed by the internship provider in charge of the program and a decision will be made to accept, waitlist, or decline your application. You’ll be notified by the study abroad system via email on or after the ‘Decision Date’ listed in the Dates/Deadlines table in the program brochure.  
• Program acceptance – After you’ve been accepted to a program, you have 3 weeks to commit to the program and sign your contract. 
• Orientation – UW Study Abroad will require the completion of the online orientation. Students are also expected to complete internship-specific orientations required by the provider and/or employer.
• Program preparation and pre-departure requirements – Take a look at the Get Ready page to see everything you need to do before you leave. You must complete several mandatory pre-departure requirements that are outlined in your study abroad application (submit a copy of your passport, attend orientation, submit payment contract, complete a health survey, etc.) to be concurrently enrolled.
• Passport and visas – A valid passport or travel document is needed for any program. Some programs are short enough to not require a visa, but please look at visa requirements early! Visit our Passports and Visas page for more details. 
• Course enrollment while abroad – All UW students participating in a program for UW credit must be concurrently enrolled with UW Study Abroad. Concurrent enrollment maintains your student affiliation with UW while away, allows resident UW credit for courses taken abroad, and may allow you access to financial aid if the term is eligible. Students are automatically enrolled in a placeholder course called FSTDY 300, after the deadline of the completion of pre-departure requirements. You will be enrolled in the actual number of credits you are expected to earn (ex. 6 or 12 credits).
• Credit conversion – Once your internship has ended and all coursework has been evaluated by your internship superviser, the courses and grades will be reported to UW Study Abroad. Then, we will post these credits onto your UW transcript, usually within a week or two of receipt of the certificate of completion report. Early fall coursework is reported at the end of autumn quarter.

Below are some terms that you may encounter during your application process:

• Commit – this lets us know that you plan to participate in your exchange. There is no financial obligation to commit.
• Contract – once you sign a payment contract, you are financially obligated to the program and will owe the fees specified in your contract. 

• How competitive are internships?
  • Competitiveness might depend on your skills and work experience.
• When do internship applications open?
  • Applications open 3 quarters before departure.
• What if I don’t get placed in my first choice?  
  • You will be asked to provide alternate options.
• Is there a foreign language requirement for internships?
  • Depending on the program, instruction may be in English, the language of the host country, or a combination of the two. If there is a language requirement, it will be listed on the brochure and/or the partner website.
  • That being said, it can be useful to speak at least some of the language of the country where you will be studying since outside of the university, many people won’t speak English.