What is IAESTE?
Paid internships abroad! IAESTE's Placement Program matches technical students from U.S. universities with paid internships abroad. Internships are available in private companies, research laboratories, universities, and other academic institutions.
Am I eligible?
Please visit our Applicant Requirements page for complete details on eligibility. As an overview, you must be:
1. A full-time student in a technical field at an accredited four-year university in the United States. U.S. citizenship is not required.
2. At junior-level standing or above by the time you begin your internship.(Sophomores are encouraged to apply).
3. Between the ages of 19-30.
4. Fluent in English
What is a technical field?
Technical fields include, but are not limited to: Engineering, physical sciences, natural sciences, architecture, computer science, and agriculture. If you're not certain whether your major qualifies, please contact us at iaeste@culturalvistas.org.
Where can I go?
IAESTE United States is part of an international network comprised of more than 80 countries. We typically have opportunities in numerous countries around the world every year.
When can I go?
Most of the positions are 8-12 weeks in the summer, but fall and long-term internships are also available.
What is the application deadline?
December 1, 2012
Do I have to speak a foreign language?
No. The vast majority of our internships require only English. However, we do prefer students who have some foreign language experience, as it makes day-to-day life in the host country easier.
How much does it cost?
A $75 non-refundable application fee must accompany the initial online application. If you are matched to a position, there is a $600 program fee (including a $100 deposit that is returned to you upon completion of the internship and submission of evaluation forms) You are also responsible for the cost of transportation to and from your host country, health insurance, visa fees (if applicable), and other incidental expenses.
Where will I live?
In most cases, our counterpart organization in your host country will arrange housing for you. Most interns live in university dormitories or shared apartments with other IAESTE interns, though private apartments and home stays are also possible depending on the country. In some cases, finding your own housing may be required.
When do I get to see the available internships?
The internship list will be posted the third week of January, 2013.
What information will be available about the internships?
The following is a sample listing; actual internships will have information available for all of the categories in the sample listing.
Offer ID: 12345
Employer: University of Some City
Country: Some Country
City: Some City
Language Required: English-G [good]
Major Required: Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering
Specialty within Major: Aircraft Structures
Special Requirements: Should be near end of studies.
Previous Training Required: None.
Work Period: 8-10 weeks
Between: 6/1/13 and 9/30/13
Work Description: Intern will have the opportunity to participate in various lab projects in the Aerospace Engineering department; possible topics include experimental high speed flows, optical measurement techniques, and digital image processing.
Salary: 600 foreign currency per month
Estimated Cost of Living: 500 foreign currency per month
Housing will be located by: IAESTE National Office in the host country
When a internship listing says that previous training is required, are they referring to previous work experience?
Yes.
If a job is posted as 8-12 weeks between June and October, what does that mean?
Such a scenario would indicate that you must work at least 8 weeks and no more than 12 weeks, starting no earlier than June 1 and ending no later than October 31. Employers try to give students a window to help accommodate their schedules.
What do the different study levels mean?
End level should either be someone finishing their senior year or a master's level student. An extremely well qualified junior may be considered for end level positions provided that they have all of the qualifications desired by the employer. Middle level should be juniors or seniors. Beginning level should be sophomores.
Are employers flexible with the dates?
The employer has listed the dates that they would like an intern. Unfortunately it is not possible to ask the employers to change the dates, since the dates are given to match a timeframe that the employer would like a project completed.
I'd like to contact some of the companies listed for more information about their research projects. Can I do that?
Students are not permitted to contact overseas employers or IAESTE counterparts before having been accepted. To do so will jeopardize your chances of placement and damage our relationship with both the employer and the IAESTE counterpart. The IAESTE international system is designed so students only contact the IAESTE counterpart in their country.
One of the internships sounds perfect; however I don’t have all of the requested skills. Is it still ok to apply for this position?
In order to be nominated for a specific position, applicants must be ALL the internship posting requirements. The employer requested this experience for a reason; therefore partially qualified candidates will not be nominated.
How do I get a passport?
U.S. citizens can get information about applying for a passport from the U.S. State Department's Web site. You can normally apply for a passport at a local post office, but you will need your original birth certificate.
I don't have a passport yet. Is it OK not to upload a copy on the placement form?
Yes, but please make sure to apply for a passport now. Do not wait until after you have been nominated. Passports can take 6-8 weeks to be processed, and sometimes longer in the spring, since many travelers are preparing to take summer vacations. If you are nominated, we will need a copy of your passport as soon as possible.
The compensation for these positions seems low. Is that normal?
The IAESTE Placement Program is designed to give you practical work experience internationally, as well as the opportunity to experience a new country and culture. Although the compensation may seem low, participants earn enough abroad to cover basic living expenses. Also keep in mind that the cost of living varies from country to country and may be lower abroad than in the United States.
Can I ask my employer for a raise?
The host employer has generously agreed to provide a foreign student with an internship and in most cases, the funds for the salary have already been allocated. It is not customary to ask for additional compensation for a temporary internship position, and it could also potentially be negatively interpreted by a host employer.
What are my financial responsibilities?
$75 Non-refundable application fee (due with initial application)
$600 Program fee (deposit included)*
* $100 deposit will be returned after the internship has been completed and the final evaluation has been submitted.
You are also responsible for flights to and from your host country, health insurance, visa fees (if applicable), and other incidental expenses.
When will I know if I have been nominated?
Our nomination process begins on February 4th. This usually takes about two weeks. We will contact the students who have been nominated for positions.
How will you contact me if I have been nominated?
Our primary form of communication is e-mail, so please make sure to check your inbox!
I have been nominated for a position, now what do I have to do?
At this point, we will require some documents from you, as well as the program fee and deposit. Each nominee will receive some materials that will need to be returned to our office, as well as detailed information on what is required by the host country. Please read all these materials very carefully.
* For students nominated to a position in certain countries, some original documents are required. You will need to mail these documents to our office - we cannot accept faxes or scanned copies. This will be noted in detail in your nomination materials.
What dates should I put for the "desired period of training" in the Student Nominated Form?
You should list the exact dates for which you would like to begin and end your internship abroad. Please have a calendar handy so that you can commit to these dates. It is important for successful administration of the program that you be able to commit to the specific dates, as in some cases, it may not be possible to change the dates. Things to keep in mind:
• The acceptable range of dates listed by the employer; your requested dates must fall in here
• Your last day of classes for the spring semester
• Your first day of classes for the fall semester: give yourself a few days to get over jetlag!
• Any special events, vacations or other personal events (i.e. weddings, family reunions) to which you've already committed
• Countries which request that you start and end your internship at the beginning and end of calendar months (i.e. June 1-July 31)
• Starting and ending on a Monday and Friday respectively
• Employer vacation dates, during which students normally cannot work
I’m not sure if I want this internship now, since I might be getting another internship in the U.S. Can I wait to accept or reject an internship?
It is important that you commit to the position by the given deadlines. Since the program is run on a very strict calendar there is unfortunately not enough time to wait. If you are not able to commit to the position, please let us know as soon as possible, since this will allow another eligible candidate the opportunity to commit to the position. Instructions on how to reject a position will be included in the materials.
When will I know if I've been accepted?
Most employers make a final decision between early April and late May, depending on when your nomination was sent and your start date. If your start date is in the fall, you will most likely hear in May or June. Our office will email you the news as soon as we know, and we will follow up with a hard copy of the employer's written acceptance and some additional paperwork.
Since I've been nominated, it seems like I've got a really good chance of being accepted. Can I go ahead and reserve my plane tickets now?
No. We highly recommend that you not purchase plane tickets until after you have been formally accepted by the employer and you have any necessary visas/work permits/residence permits in hand. Delays at foreign embassies/consulates are very possible, and we don't want you to lose a nonrefundable plane ticket because of that.
Should I be researching visas and work permits now?
We know what sort of documentation you will need to do to enter your country of training, and will give you information on what to get and how to get it. In most cases, you won't need to do anything until after you've been accepted. However, in some instances, you will need to begin the application process sooner. If so, we will include detailed instructions in your internship materials.
Do I need to do something about health insurance now?
We won't be asking about your health insurance coverage until after you've been accepted by the overseas employer. If you have some free time now, it is not a bad idea to find out if your current health insurance plan is valid overseas. If it's not, please contact IAESTE United States at iaeste@culturalvistas.org.