Applicastion Process, IPP

Application Process, Internship Placement Program

The information which follows applies to the 2010-2011 academic year and is current as of August 15, 2010. All information is subject to change anytime thereafter. IAESTE United States is not responsible for misinformation which may occur as a result of outdated information contained in this document. log in at the Applicant / Alumni login page with your user name and password to update your application.

First Round Overview

  • Register (October 1 - January 10): apply online with basic information about yourself and the type of internship you're looking for.
  • Prepare (October 1 - February 4): gather materials for the February 4 update, including resume, transcript, and list of courses.
  • Review (February 4- February 11): on February 4, a list will be posted with all of the internship opportunities.
  • Submit (February 4- February 11): submit additional information online, including the positions you'd most like to be placed in, by February 11.
  • Wait (February 11 - early April): our office will notify all applicants as to whether they have been nominated to an internship.
  • Finalize (late February - mid May): students who have been nominated into internships will have their credentials sent to their prospective overseas employers, who have the final decision as to whether to accept the student for an internship.
  • Leave (late May onward): once students have been accepted by their employers, visa/work permit arrangements are finalized and students leave the U.S. to begin internships.

Second Round Overview

  • Register (March 1– May 1): apply online with basic information about yourself and the type of internship you're looking for.
  • Prepare (as soon as you complete the online application): gather materials for the update, including resume, transcript, and list of courses.
  • Submit (as soon as you receive an e-mail from IAESTE instructing you to do so): submit additional information online, including the positions you'd most like to be placed in.
  • Wait (early March - early April.): our office will notify all applicants as to whether they have been nominated to an internship.
  • Finalize (early March - late April): students who have been nominated into internships will have their credentials sent to their prospective overseas employers, who have the final decision as to whether to accept the student for an internship.
  • Leave (late May onward): once students have been accepted by their employers, visa/work permit arrangements are finalized and students leave the U.S. to begin internships.

Details

Register:

First-round applicants:
Submit an online application form between October 1 and January 10. Your complete application, along with a $75* non-refundable application fee must be received between October 1 and January 10. We kindly request that you NOT contact our office to ask whether we have received your application, as this slows down our administration considerably.

Second-round applicants:
After reviewing the jobs list, submit an online application form between March 1 and May 1.  The earlier you complete your application and submit your $75* non-refundable application fee, the more likely it is that you will be matched with an internship position.  Please note that second-round applications will only be considered if we are unable to fill an offer with a student who submitted an application during the first-round.  You will receive an e-mail confirmation shortly after your application has been processed. We kindly request that you NOT contact our office to ask whether we have received your application, as this slows down our administration considerably.

Prepare:

In order to prepare for your February 4-11 update, please take the time to gather the following REQUIRED materials:

  • Resume/CV: should include in-depth descriptions of any work experiences, responsibilities or projects relevant to your field.
  • Transcripts: should be a scanned, official copy. An unofficial copy WILL NOT be accepted
  • Proof of enrollment: a statement from your university, usually the registrar's office, verifying the dates for which you have been enrolled as a full-time student.
  • List of courses: should include all relevant courses, course numbers, complete course titles (no abbreviations), and a description of course content. You may wish to consult your school's course catalog for descriptions. A transcript is NOT a substitute for this list. Overseas employers will not understand the course abbreviations usually found on most university transcripts. This list MUST include a description of the courses in order to be considered.
  • Essays: two concise essays which address both of the following questions in 250 words or less per essay
    • Explain your motivations for working abroad and what you hope to gain from this experience.
    • Explain how you are technically qualified for each of the particular positions that you selected and briefly highlight your skills and experience.
  • Copy of passport: be sure that your current passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond your desired period of internship. If you do not already have a passport, you should apply for one at this time and notify us accordingly.

The following materials are optional:

  • Letters of recommendation.
  • Portfolio (architecture students only): preferred but optional at the time of update. However, please be prepared to immediately submit a portfolio if you are nominated to a position.

PLEASE NOTE: All of the above materials must be submitted electronically*. We will not accept paper or e-mailed documentation. All materials must be uploaded online (Applicant / Alumni login page). Documents which are typically paper-only, such as transcripts, must be scanned. We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last minute to prepare your documents in case you experience technical difficulties uploading your requirements. For details regarding technical specifications for the documents to be uploaded, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. Please note that you will not be able to upload any documents until the beginning of the update process on February 4 (first-round) or until you have received an e-mail from IAESTE instructing you to complete the update process (second-round).

Review: 

All applicants will receive an e-mail reminder to access the internship list online (Applicant / Alumni login page)using their user name and password. Please review all of the positions on the list, as many of them are open to multiple majors. 

Submit:

First-round applicants will have between February 4 and February 11 to fill out the internship placement form as well as upload the necessary documents and select their internship choices. Second-round applicants should complete the update process as soon as they are prompted by IAESTE United States to do so.  Log into the Applicant / Alumni login page and indicate the positions on the list in which you are most interested. As detailed above, you will also be required to submit a resume, transcript, certificate of enrollment, list of courses, essays, and passport copy. (Specific details about the update materials will be given to applicants in the confirmation of receipt e-mail.) First-round applicants: Materials must be uploaded by 11:59 PM EST on February 11. Again, we request that you not contact our office to inquire about the status of your application materials. You will be able to view your uploaded documents; as a rule, if you cannot see them, we cannot either. For more information about the update process, we strongly recommend that all applicants visit the Frequently Asked Questions page.

Wait:

At the close of the update process, a selection panel will view all applications and one student will be chosen per placement according to qualifications, previous practical experience, language abilities, level of interests, and general suitability for the position. Inevitably, demand will be greater than the supply of internships. Our office will notify students who have been nominated to a position via e-mail. Please make sure that the e-mail address in your profile is accurate. IAESTE United States will not be held responsible for miscommunication due to inaccurately entered e-mail addresses. 

Finalize:

At the end of the selection process, one applicant will have been chosen for each international internship available. By late-March, provided you have been selected for nomination, the actual position offer form detailing the internship for which you have been chosen will be sent to you. You will be asked to complete a nomination form, which you will return to IAESTE United States with a $100 deposit and a $1300 program fee ($750 for LC students), refundable if you are not accepted or circumstances force the international employer to withdraw from the program. IAESTE United States will then forward your completed application to the IAESTE office in the host country; it will be their responsibility to contact the employer and verify whether you have been accepted.

Because of the stringent selection process and the fact that ultimately only one student may be nominated for an international placement, at least 90 percent of IAESTE nominees are accepted by international employers. If internships are cancelled, it is usually due to economic concerns or unforeseen circumstances within companies. Most applicants will be informed by mid-May whether they have been accepted. 

Leave:

After final acceptance by the overseas employer, IAESTE United States will advise students on visas, work permits, and other relevant documentation. It is the responsibility of participants to actually acquire the necessary visas/permits, as well as make flight arrangements. Most students begin internships in June, though there are some internships available starting in the fall. 

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Fees and Financial Information

Application Fee
The initial application fee is $75.
* Students from universities with Local Committees are eligible for a reduced application fee of $50.

Program Fee
If you are nominated for an international internship, you will pay a program fee of $1300 for at-large members ($750 for students at a universities with Local Committees), along with a $100 deposit. Once you return your program evaluation after completion of your internship, we will refund your deposit to the credit card with which you initially paid.

Airfare
You are responsible for your airfare. Please take this in mind if you are interested in working in a country that is expensive to travel to or far away from your home. Please do not apply for a position if you can not afford the airfare to the country; please keep in mind that airfare is usually significantly higher during the summer months.

Incidentals
You are responsible for any visa, work permit, or other documentation fees. In addition, you are responsible for obtaining health insurance while abroad.

Salary
Your employer will pay you a salary that will cover living expenses during your internship; the amount varies from country to country. This information will be posted for each position.

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