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International Internship Resources
Although the government has a number of programs for international internships, there are other sources for a reliable international internship program. Among these sources are public multinationals or international organizations; private enterprise, non-government organizations educational organizations, and private voluntary organizations.
Public Multinationals
Public Multinationals, also popularly known as international organizations, offer internships. Some of these organizations are the United Nations, the World Bank, and the European Community. Although internship positions with these organizations are generally unpaid, they tend to be highly competitive. Most of the paid positions are reserved for graduate students only. However, if you are an American, the positions they would likely give you would still be in the United States, so they may be less desirable if you really want to do work abroad.
There are some organizations that are selected by the US government as officially recognized international organizations. Getting a work permit for these kinds of organizations is very easy. You can try visiting the U.S. State Department's web site, where you can find links to the sites of a lot of major international organizations that are offering internship programs.
Private Enterprise
You can also get international internships from private companies that do business abroad. Such programs are usually sponsored by large corporations such as Coca-Cola, Proctor & Gamble, and the like. However, positions are usually restricted for students undertaking MBA programs. These restrictions nonwithstanding, a large number of undergraduates have already arranged overseas internship programs with the U.S. or other host-country companies, particularly by using the BUNAC or CIEE programs.
Generally, internships with private enterprises can pay enough in able to cover your basic living expenses. However, they usually don't shoulder the cost of your airfare to the country in which you will be living, so you will need to budget your own resources to get there and back. Also, if you want more than the most spartan of living accommodations, you will want to set money back so that you do not run short every month. You can try searching the web for these kinds of internships by using keywords like company name + internship.
Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)
Organizations under this category are usually nonprofit. Many of them are human-rights or humanitarian watchdogs, such as Amnesty International. Organizations dealing with health care provision like CARE and WHO are also included in this category. There are also research institutes such as the Bermuda Biological Station, and educational exchange organizations like the Institute of International Education that provide internships.
Most of the time, NGOs welcome interns via their U.S.-based offices. However, there are times that you can also directly apply through their overseas offices. Internships with this kind of organizations are usually unpaid, so you will want to make sure that you can cover your travel and living expenses for the duration of the internship. You do not want to have to run out of funds midway through your internship obligation. To know more about the different organizations under this category, you can try searching the Internet to find some NGO listings.
Educational Organizations
If you are looking at a career as an educator, international internships in the field of education are plentiful. There is a worldwide need for teachers in two major categories. First is teaching English as a foreign language to adult learners. To do so you generally need only a bachelor's degree. It does not necessarily need to be in education or English. The second category is teaching K-12 in overseas schools in which the language of instruction is English. In this case you would usually need teaching certification.
In general, teaching positions entail a substantial commitment from you, typically one academic year. If you're hoping to teach at the university level, you would probably need an advanced degree. Generally it is sufficient to have a master's degree, although some programs may require a doctorate or at least some hours of doctoral studies.
Private Voluntary Organizations (PVOs)
You can also get internships from PVOs or Private Voluntary Organizations. They usually offer a large number of overseas placements, which are one of the most typical ways for Americans to work in developing countries. However, most of the positions are usually designated as service or "volunteer" positions, instead of internships.
Organizations vary from secular, such as WorldTeach or Amigos de las Americas, to faith-based organizations representing a wide variety of spiritual traditions. If you are applying for a short-term placement, you will probably be charged fees, but you may be able to get room and board provisions.
