Three Things to do Six to Nine Months Before Your Internship

Make a Personal Schedule – Work, academic activities and social obligations have a way of quickly overtaking the best made plans. Therefore, it is a good idea to make a personal schedule or timeline to help you organize your search. Take time to brainstorm all things you will need to do – How many organizations are you going to apply to? Do you need to do fundraising, get a visa or renew your passport? How long will you wait to follow up on each application? Take some time to come up with a list of things you need to accomplish and then pencil in when you want to have each activity completed. Start by giving yourself about a month to compile a list of all the great opportunities that exist, then break the list down to your top ten choices and send off those applications.

Research the Possibilities – There are so many opportunities out there that it can be difficult to know where to begin. The more research you do the more exciting opportunities you will find but just randomly searching websites can be frustrating and unproductive. Narrow down your search by thinking about what is important to you. Are you more interested in going to a particular country or region? Perhaps you are interested in a specific issue? Would you prefer an internship program that includes food, housing and an orientation or would you like something that requires more independence? These are all questions to consider as you begin your search. Some great ways to begin finding out about all the international internship opportunities available is by talking to your international internship advisor at the Career Center (call 885-1804 for a free appointment), or try asking friends, colleagues, family members and professors for ideas, and looking on-line.

Here is how students have found international internships in the past:

• Talk to friends and family - one student found an internship because she had an uncle working for the World Food Organization.
• Talk to Professors -one student was introduced to a local organization by speaking to a Professor who did international development consulting and was plugged into the NGO network in Southern Africa.
• Speak with your fellow students - students retuning from overseas can give you the inside scoop on the organizations they visited.
• Visit your International Student Services Office - one student joined the Middle Eastern Student Organization at her University and connected with a group of people doing Women’s Rights work in the Middle East.
• Attend lectures, conferences, films and seminars on topics of interest - many students have connected with overseas NGO’s by going to events dealing with a particular country and chatting with the other participants.
• Hold informational Interviews with US based organizations specializing in your country of interest - Call an organization like the Guatemalan Human Rights Commission and ask if you could meet with them for 15 minutes to discuss their work in Central America. This may lead to some great contacts

Apply – You are going to have to overcome cultural, logistical and geographic barriers when applying for an overseas internship. It is a time consuming process that requires a lot of patience so make sure to begin applying early. Be absolutely sure to keep detailed copies of all correspondence and documents!

Three Things to do Six to Three Months Before Your Internship

Confirm Your Internship – There is no worse feeling than getting off a plane in a foreign country and finding out no one is expecting you. Therefore, it is vital to make sure you have confirmation of your internship in writing from your internship site well in advance. Have a contact name, specific directions to their offices or better yet arrange for someone to meet you at the airport.

Get Your Ticket – The earlier you book your ticket the better deal you get. Many airlines restrict the number of seats on each flight which can be booked with frequent flyer miles so you may have to book these flights 6-7 months in advance.

Connect with the Culture –AU has the highest percentage of international students out of any university in the country. Take advantage of this by asking the Office of International Student Services (4th Floor Butler Pavilion) about student groups from the country you will be visiting. Also, contact the appropriate embassy and ask about upcoming cultural events. At the very least you should read up on the history of the place you will be visiting.

Three Things to do Three Months Before Your Internship

Schedule a Pre-Departure Orientation with the International Internship Advisor - The Career Center provides a pre-departure orientation for all students participating in an international internship. This orientation covers a variety of safety issues as well as tips for handling culture shock and the often overlooked re-entry shock.

Make a list of Goals for your Trip–If you have done your homework you will probably have a good idea of some of the countries historical sites. Give yourself time to visit these important locations but make sure not to overlook the local cultural events. After all, the U.S. is more than the monuments on the National Mall – it is hotdogs at a baseball game, apple pie at a roadside diner and yard sales on a Sunday afternoon etc. Talk to individuals from the country before you arrive to find out about local cultural events and traditions. Your internship site co-workers can also be great cultural informants.

Take care of all the Loose Ends – Once overseas contact becomes much more difficult and costly. So take care of all necessary obligations well in advance of your departure date. Register the internship for credit, get your vaccines and visa, take care of all financial aid issues, and give your loved ones, including the career center, details of where you will be and for how long.