Gain Real-World Job Experience, Explore Your Professional Passions and Earn Credit with USAC’s NEW Summer In-Person Internships

You asked for more internship opportunities, and we listened! USAC’s newest in-person internship opportunities are available in three Specialty Program locations and can be taken alongside regular Summer Session I and II program curriculums. These study abroad internships are available in Alicante, Spain; Khon Kaen, Thailand; and Valencia, Spain. 

Intrigued? The following is a breakdown of these exciting new internship opportunities. 

Alicante, Spain – Summer Hospitality Internship Program  

• Term: Summer Session I & II (8 weeks). Students must complete both summer sessions to participate in the internship. 
• Deadline: April 1, 2021 (late applications may be considered) 
• Program fee: $8,160 (includes housing) 
• Pre-requisites: Four semesters of college-level Spanish 
• Total Credits: 6 credits 
  • Required course(s):  
    • Hospitality Internship (3 credits, 300-level) – Participating students will be placed with a local hotel or tourism agency and can expect to complete 16-20 hours of work per week (135 total hours). 
    • Spanish for Tourism (3 credits; 300-level) 

• Optional Credits & Activities: Students may register for an additional 1-3 credits of USAC courses and take part in optional program activities as their work schedules allow. 

Learn more about the Alicante Summer Hospitality Internship Program.  

 Khon Kaen, Thailand – Summer Health Internship and Research Assistantship Program  

• Term: Summer Session I & II (10 weeks). Students must complete both summer sessions to participate in the internship. 
• Deadline: April 1, 2021 
• Program fee: $5,660 (includes housing) 
• Pre-requisites: Majors/minors in STEM fields, health sciences, human development, pre-med/pre-nursing, etc. or students with significant coursework in these areas as appropriate for each placement site. 
• Total Credits: 4 to 7 credits:
  • Required course(s): 
    • Internship or Research Assistantship (3 or 6 credits, 300/400-level) – Participating students will be expected to work 15 – 25 hours per week (135 or 270 total hours). Interns will be placed with one of the following local healthcare centers or research units at Khon Kaen University:  
      • Faculty of Medicine, Tropical Disease Research Facility 
      • Faculty of Medicine, Research Institute for Human High Performance and Health Promotion 
      • Faculty of Medicine, Integrative Complementary Alternative Medicine Research and Development Group 
      • Faculty of Medicine, Baan Chivasilp Center [Pediatric Cancer Center] 
      • Faculty of Nursing, Child Development Excellence Center 
      • Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Traditional Thai Medicine, Herbal Medicine, and Health Supplement Research Facility 
      • Faculty of Public Health, Community Health Clinic 
    • Introduction to Thai Language I (1 credit, 100-level) 

• Optional Credits & Activities: Students may register for an additional 1-3 credits of USAC courses and take part in optional program activities as their work schedules allow. 

Learn more about the Khon Kaen Summer Health Internship and Research Assistantship Program.  

Valencia, Spain – Summer STEM Research Assistantship Program  

• Term: Summer Session I & II only (8 weeks). Students must complete both sessions to participate in an internship. 
• Deadline: March 15, 2021 (late applications may be considered) 
• Program fee: $8,825 (includes housing) 
• Pre-requisites: Two semesters of college-level Spanish (some research labs may have higher language proficiency requirements), STEM majors and minors, and an additional host university internship application must be completed in English and Spanish. 
• Total Credits: 6 credits 
  • Required course(s):  
    • Research Assistantship (3 credits, 200/300/400-level) – Participating students will be expected to complete 25 hours of work each week (200+ total hours). Students will be assigned projects in the following fields at the Universidad Politècnica de València (UPV): 
      • Agrofood and Biotechnology 
      • Architecture 
      • Sciences: Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Health Technology 
      • Civil Engineering 
      • Industrial Engineering 
      • Information Technology 
    • An additional USAC elective selected from available course offerings (3 credits) 

• Optional Credits & Activities: Students may register for an additional 1-3 credits of USAC courses and take part in optional program activities as their work schedules allow. 

Learn more about the Valencia Summer STEM Research Assistantship Program.  

The Value of an International In-Person Internship 

The benefits of participating in an in-person international internship can be highly impactful to your future career and give you a competitive edge in the job market.  Some of the biggest benefits include: 

1. Networking and creating valuable connections with professionals in your field of choice. 

2. Learning real-world skills to boost your resume and stand out to future employers. 

3. Strengthening your skillset by learning soft skills, such as time management and communication, and industry-related skills. 

4. Focusing on your professional passions by actively working in your industry of choice. 

5. Gaining industry experience can be a confidence booster for future interviews and while on the job. 

Here is what some past USAC internship participants had to say about their experiences: 

“I realized something about myself: as long as I put in effort, I can create a lot of value for a company. Not only that, but I realized digital marketing was my calling. I have never enjoyed a job so much. In a single summer, the opportunity granted to me from USAC allowed me to test out the waters of a digital marketing career and inspired me to dive into the career without hesitation.” – Ty Moye, marketing intern with The Italian Planners in Milan, Italy 

“My favorite part was working with the professor; you can tell that he has a love for the subject and that he has a love for teaching. If I had to give a specific moment though, discovering that we had been using an incorrect constant and finally solving an error that had been in the program from the start was amazing. I remember it well because we solved it on a Zoom call where we had a mini celebration afterwards. I remember saying, “cross your fingers” before we tested it. It was truly an awesome moment.” – Max Hedman, research intern in Lüneburg, Germany 

“This internship definitely added to my study abroad experience in a positive way. It gave me an opportunity to see a different side of Costa Rica that I otherwise would not have come to know. I was also able to meet some amazing women who are working to improve their lives and the lives of other women in their community. This internship allowed me to see that wildlife conservation, agriculture, and community development are connected, and it’s possible to find solutions where both wildlife and people can benefit.” – Kara Berggren, wildlife ecology and conservation intern in Puntarenas, Costa Rica 

How to Get Started 

Apply for the Summer Session I & II session in their internship location of choice: Alicante, Khon Kaen and Valencia. The following steps must be completed to enroll in the summer internship program. 

1. Once you have applied, a welcome email will guide you to complete the remaining application requirements and pay the $100 non-refundable application fee (you will receive access to your account once your application has been submitted). 
2. Complete the internship questionnaire in your student Gateway account. 
3. Once your internship application has been reviewed, you will be contacted by the USAC internship team to begin the placement process. The internship placement process will take place concurrently with the USAC Admission process (Note: during the placement process, students can expect at least two virtual interviews.).  
   1. You will undergo an initial placement screening interview with the USAC Internship Team. 
   2. After agreeing to move forward with the placement process, you must confirm your Pre-Approval status by acknowledging the cancellation fee. 
   3. You will then participate in a formal placement interview with the Resident Director and/or internship site supervisor. 
   4. After your placement interviews, you will sign your placement contract, confirming your placement. 
   5. Once you have been formally placed, you will pay the $500 confirmation deposit. Once officially approved with USAC, you can begin your post-approval documents and processes with your USAC Program Advisor. 

4. Start getting excited for your study abroad experience! 

Want to add an internship to your study abroad? Learn about all of USAC’s internship abroad opportunities on the USAC website.