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Building an International Career

Interested in working abroad? Here are three experiential ways to help you in that pursuit. Before you begin, make sure to focus your search by targeting specific industries, job functions, and countries.

Internships Abroad
UR Internships and Resources

UR offers a number of summer internships abroad through the SPCS. Visit the website for details.  

Funding

Internships abroad are eligible for UR Summer Fellowship (URSF) funding, as well as Weinstein Grant support for travel expenses. To qualify, the internship must be outside of the U.S. and outside of the student’s home country. The Weinstein Grants are intended as an airfare supplement to a URSF, meaning students must complete the Weinstein Grant form in addition to applying for another URSF program. 


International Business
Internship Requirement
Students concentrating in International Business are required to complete an internship, either in the U.S. in an organization’s international section, or with an organizations located outside the U.S. While Career Services is available to assist students with their international internship search, students must have their internship approved by the Associate Dean for International Business Programs. Visit the International Business website for details.

Other Internship Abroad Programs

BUNAC arranges internships in Britain, Australia and other countries. 

globalEDGE Interntaional Internship Directory

Macquarie University in Australia offers a summer internship program. 

Students who have taken part in study abroad at DIS in Denmark are eligible to apply for an internship through that organization. 

Connect-123's scholarship competition (for a free customized internship or volunteer program in one of 5 destinations)

South China Internship Program

Gap Year Experiences
Short-term and Seasonal Work

Many opportunities for short-term work exist either in the US or overseas - working as national parks staff members, summer camp, ranch or resort staff, wait staff, au pairs/nannies, agricultural workers, short-term clerical jobs, just to name a few. In order to work overseas, both BUNAC and CIEE will help you obtain a short term work visa for a fee ($40-$250), put you in touch with options for housing and employment, but it is up to you to find a job.

Seasonal Work Resources

Short-Term Work Resources
  • BUNAC.  Check out Working Adventures Worldwide, also known as BUNAC, which can help you obtain a permit for work in Great Britain.  BUNAC tends to focus on short-term work abroad.
  • CIEE. The same organization that arranges study abroad programs also arranges teach abroad, work abroad, volunteer abroad, and gap year opportunities. 
  • The Mountbatten Institute.  Offers one-year, business-oriented, paid internships in London.  
  • Work Enjoy Australia (WEA).  This organization places people in jobs in Australia, for a fee.  
  • Teaching abroad. There are many opportunities for native speakers of English to teach abroad. Pay and working conditions vary widely.
  •  Japan  The JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Programme arranges for native speakers of English to teach in schools in Japan, all expenses paid.
  • China.  Spend a year teaching English conversation in a public school in Shenzhen, a city adjacent to Hong Kong, while learning Mandarin Chinese.  This well-established, large program is supported by the Shenzhen government and has been running since 1998.  
  • Korea.  “Teach and Learn in Korea" (TaLK) Program
    • A joint effort of the Institute of International Education and the Korean Ministry of Education, Science & Technology
    • Open to both undergraduate students and recent college graduates
    • Program funds 300 TaLK Scholars each semester to teach conversational English in rural Korean elementary schools. The program provides a one-month orientation in addition to round-trip airfare, a settling-in allowance, a monthly living stipend of approximately $1,300, health insurance and organized trips to historical locations in Korea.
    • Applications must be submitted by June for the term beginning in August and by December for the term beginning in February
    • Additional information available via e-mail request to talkkoreapr@gmail.com
  • Asia.  The Center for International Career Development (CICD) at the Northwest Student Exchange (NWSE) in Seattle organizes programs that allow students to teach English in several Asian countries.
  • France.  The Teaching Assistant Program in France, sponsored by the French Ministry of Education and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, offers young Americans the opportunity to live and work in France for 7 months, teaching English to French students of all ages.  The initiative aims to strengthen English-language instruction in French schools through the establishment of a native speaker presence, while also providing Francophiles and future teachers of French in the U.S. with teaching experience and first-hand knowledge of French language and culture.  Nearly 1,500 positions are available each year for U.S. citizens and permanent residents in metropolitan France and in the overseas departments of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and La Réunion.
  • You might also try Dave’s ESL Café, which offers information on teaching overseas, including an international job bulletin.
  • World Teach.  World Teach is a non-profit organization that provides volunteers to teach in developing countries, sometimes in very exotic locations (the Marshall Islands…India…etc).  Subject areas vary from English to environmental education. 
  • International TEFL Academy.  Get certification online to teach English as a foreign language. 
  • UR’s English as a Second Language (ESL) certificate program.  Coming soon!
  • CIEE, the same organization that arranges study abroad programs also arranges teach abroad, work abroad, volunteer abroad, and gap year opportunities.  
National Service (USA) or Volunteer Service Opportunities

National and volunteer service programs address compelling community issues in education, public safety, health and human needs, the environment, and more. Teach for America, AmeriCorps, City Year, and Learn and Serve America, Jesuit and Lutheran Volunteer Corps, and Cross Cultural Solutions (just to name a few) all have a track record of mobilizing community resources, and helping to develop an ethic of service and leadership skills.

National Service/Volunteer Service Resources

Teaching English Abroad

Lots and lots of opportunities exist for teaching English as a second, or foreign, language. However, being a native English speaker is not enough to qualify you. Most opportunities will require a Bachelor’s degree and a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) Certificate. The good news is that TEFL certificates can be acquired in as few as four weeks (100-120 classroom hours).

Teaching English & Other Subjects Abroad

Research and Teaching Fellowships

Opportunities for extended research, teaching, and travel exist through programs like the US State Department’s Fulbright Fellowship. The Fulbright Program creates a context to provide a better understanding of U.S. views and values, promotes more effective bi-national cooperation and nurtures open-minded, thoughtful leaders, both in the U.S. and abroad, who can work together to address common concerns. Check out the UR Fellowships site for more ideas.

International Development Work

The opportunities within international development are extremely varied, and include everything from the Peace Corps to the World Bank and the United Nations to small NGOs working toward poverty relief or economic sustainability.

International Development Resources

Travel

Look outside of your hometown, state, and maybe even country to have a unique experience. Check out GOINGLOBAL and USA Guides from the homepage of your SpiderConnect account.

Volunteering Abroad
Short-term Opportunities
Global Youth Connect

Global Youth Connect, an international organization working to prevent crimes against humanity, accepts interns and volunteers in various countries around the world.

Council on International Educational Exchange

CIEE, the same organization that arranges study abroad programs also arranges teach abroad, work abroad, volunteer abroad, and gap year opportunities. 

Long-Term Opportunities
Peace Corps

The Peace Corps is a U.S. government agency that sends citizens abroad for periods of two years, all expenses paid, to work on development projects.  Visit their website or contact one of many UR staff and faculty who have served as Peace Corps Volunteers. Among them are Chris Klein in the Office of International Education; Matt Barany, head coach for the women's swim team; Professor David Salisbury, assistant professor of geology and the environment; and Ray Hilliard, professor of English.

Please Take Note

Many of the references on interning, volunteering, and working abroad on this page are provided as a resource, but are not affiliated with or endorsed by the University.

Career Services and the Office of International Education recommend vigorous research and evaluation before pursuing any opportunity in another country.