Undergraduate Internship Overseas

The opportunity to complete one or more internships appear enticing to students pursuing their undergraduate studies abroad for more reasons than one. While it helps to pay off some of the debts, it also adds valuable experience to one's kitty. This applies not only to students pursuing technical courses such as Computer Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or management courses but also to those enrolled in non-technical programs as well. In addition to financial leverage, the following are some of the perks of pursuing internships as an undergraduate:

• Exposure to industries

• Development of effective communication skills with working professionals

• The opportunity to ‘shadow’ the life of professionals working in the area of interest

• These can later convert into full-time jobs

• It helps students develop valuable skills such as resume building and effective social network usage

In the sections that follow, we shall discuss some of the current scenarios with regards to student internships in various countries. Students can choose their countries and courses accordingly, keeping in mind the possibilities of gaining hands-on knowledge as per their aspirations and requirements.

Internship opportunities in Singapore:

Singapore is currently going all out to encourage undergraduate students to take up internship opportunities. NTU is making internship compulsory from second-year starting August.

Four more schools will require internships from August 2021: Asian School of the Environment, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, School of Social Sciences, and School of Humanities.

Internships are also a requirement for some National University of Singapore students, including those from engineering and computing.

There are broadly 3 sectors in which internships are available:

• Corporate: You can find internships in communication, designs, finance, IT, shipping, consumers, and more. Startups deserve special mention in this category. The work culture is tailored to students with an energetic and flexible mindset. At the same time, the work environment is less formal. It is true that the internship is not associated with the glamour of high flying corporate structures, but it is suited for those intending to take up entrepreneurial roles in core sectors later on.

• Public Sector: in this context, internships are provided by either government bodies or government agencies and NGOs. Among the Government internships, popular ones are IE Singapore and EDB.

On the other hand, some popular NGOs include World Vision and Bizlink Café. In addition to the work experience, they also provide a chance for the students to give back to society by helping the less fortunate.

• Overseas: this is particularly for Arts students studying in Singaporean Universities. Internship opportunities for such students in Japan and the U.S are common. If, on the other hand, you study Mechanical Engineering, Germany, is a popular destination.

GraduateConnect is a one-stop portal that can serve as an internship hub. You need to fill in your profile and interests and the website will feed you with relevant opportunities from time to time. There are similar portals in Singapore, but subscribing to one website’s newsletter often is good enough.

AIESEC is an agency that recruits students for global internship programs. You don’t have to be an AIESEC member on your university campus to join the program. Work and Travel is another popular option, where students often work in some part-time jobs in countries like the USA and travel over the weekend.

The best way to get an internship though is through networking. Going to career fairs, attending seminars and webinars, and connecting with people having relevant contacts in the industry are the various forms of networking.

Internship opportunities in the USA:

This will be dealt with from an F1 visa perspective of full-time students studying on-campus in US universities). Rules for J1 visa are different. The educational approach of US universities is application-oriented and internships complement such practice-oriented learning. Even though the student needs to take the initiative to look for options and apply, there is a well-structured support system to supplement their search.

Students with an F-1 visa can take part in an unpaid or on-campus internship without additional paperwork -- though there may be limitations on when and how many hours they can work. Typically, allowable limits are up to 20 hours/week, so look for a part-time internship.

Off-campus full-time internships can be taken up after a year of study (including breaks) and in that case, there are two options: Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Pre-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT).

CPT internships (which can be paid) must be related to the student’s degree, and generally speaking, the student must receive some kind of credit for the internship. For CPT, students must apply for authorization on their student visa after their first year of study and receive an updated I-20 form before they can begin.

Pre-completion OPT internships are not necessarily directly related to the student’s degree and can be undertaken while still enrolled in school. The process is a bit more difficult than CPT, as approval for the internship must be gained from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The internship can be up to 12 months, full-time with a maximum of 17 months extension for STEM programs.

A note for students: Most students generally use their CPT internships while in school, keeping OPT options open for after graduation to optimize their stay in the country and look for a job.

The task of finding and successfully attaining an internship option lies with the student. For this purpose, one needs to tailor the resume and acquire interview skills from the very beginning.

But this should not sound too daunting a task since in most cases there are various resources that the student can avail for preparation. The college usually has a career center that helps with resumes and mock interviews. Networking with professors, fellow students, guest lecturers, and speakers in college and during conferences is also helpful. Connecting with them on LinkedIn also helps. On-campus domestic students are also well aware of the process and help their international ‘friends’ in this respect. Students also utilize online job and internship websites to look for openings.

Internship opportunities in Canada:

Canada has a great deal of opportunities to offer to students, inclusive of attractive internships.

In order to take part in an internship in Canada, students need an approved work permit.

Depending on one's nationality, students can be eligible for one or for two permit categories under the International Experience Canada (IEC) scheme.

Working Holiday Permit

This option is more popular. There are only a few European nationals who don’t qualify for this permit.

It is considered to be an open work permit. With this permit, students can work for multiple employers. Keep in mind though that the permit is usually valid for one or two years at the most.

International Co-op Permit

Though this is less popular, this category of the permit has its own advantages. It is intended for coop placements and is employer-specific. This means that it is only valid if the student is working with the employer listed on the permit. Also, this permit is valid for the duration of the internship, not longer. If a student intends to work long term in Canada after finishing their studies, then this is the permit to opt for. That way they can save the working holiday permit for later. Moreover, the competition being lesser, it is much easier and faster to obtain.

One thing to remember is that the Co-op category is only open while one is registered as a post-secondary student. A co-op permits cannot be applied for upon completion of studies.

Co-op education:

Co-operative education, or co-op education, is a program where the student can work in an industry related to their field of study. The program requires a work permit. Besides gaining hands-on experience, it provides an idea of the kind of job you might seek later. Most co-op programs are structured in an alternating pattern, i.e., one semester or term of schooling is alternated with one semester or term of work.

In Canada, almost all post-secondary institutions offer a co-op option with their academic programs. In fact, having a co-op teacher, to facilitate the student’s entry into a workplace, is quite common.

Co-op programs are different from an internship. While co-ops are a joint venture between the university, employer, and student, internships are between a student and their employers. Co-ops are built into a program structure so a student can be a full-time employee for the tenure decision, while in an internship, the student is more or less on his/her own. Most importantly, co-ops are paid, while internships can be unpaid.

Internship opportunities in the UK:

In the UK, international students having tier 4 visas generally find themselves an internship during holiday periods. The degrees in the UK are generally of shorter duration in comparison to the other countries mentioned above and taking on job roles during term time would risk interfering with academics. Most commonly an internship for international students in the UK will take place over the summer holidays lasting between 2-10 weeks.

Most University courses allow for and encourage students to do an internship as part of their studies. However, the placement must be an assessed part of the course and cannot take up more than a third of the course load. Upon meeting these requirements students are permitted to work full time using a Tier 4 visa.

A full-time student studying at University and interested in applying for an internship that isn’t related to their studies can do so. However, during term time only part-time work is allowed (up to 20 hours a week), and full-time hours can be taken up during vacation periods.

Students approach companies for internships directly and this is a very efficient means of securing one. In fact, companies are better impressed with initiatives on the student’s part and this approach is usually very successful.

If the intern has set hours, duties, or responsibilities, he/she is considered to be a ‘worker’ and must be paid the National Minimum Wage’. Some of the exemptions to the above rule are as follows:

• An internship placement that is part of a higher education course;

• volunteering at a registered charity;

• work shadowing

If such internship opportunities as part of your degree programs excite you, choose the courses and countries likewise. For more advice in this area, contact us(Blossom Abroad). We shall provide you expert guidance on shortlisting of universities and courses based on internship opportunities. Call 8013503053 or email education@blossomabroad.com