Internship abroad: what is it, why should you do it and where is the best place to go?

What is an internship abroad?

An internship abroad means working for a foreign organization for a certain period of time to help and especially to learn from it.
In general, you will not receive any remuneration for your work, for example, in the form of salary, expenses, or board and lodging. Unless you work in a sector where your local background can be of added value and there is sufficient budget at the organization concerned

To gain experience in your own field of work or in the sector you might want to work in later.
To see yourself at work in a different environment.
To be able to work in a different field and see if you like it.
To use as a stepping stone for a local job with a salary.
To help others with your efforts and skills.
To support organizations or causes you find important in your life.

Flexibility: you already need some form of flexibility; the rest you will acquire during your stay abroad.
Communication skills: depending on the type of work, you will need a reasonable to good command of the local language.
Independence and/or self-confidence: you will need some form of independence, and your self-confidence will grow through it.
Environmental awareness: an important element for your stay abroad.
Cooperation skills: also abroad it is important that you learn, or can learn, to collaborate when working with others.
Organizational awareness: to be aware how organizations are structured and work.
Empathy: you are able to understand (the feelings) of others.
More about rated skills to intern, live and study abroad
- Competences and skills for an academic life
- Conditions for personal happiness and contentment

When looking for a social internship: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Nepal, South Africa
When you are looking for a commercial internship: Australia, Curaçao, Spain, United States of America
When you are looking for an internship caring for or protecting animals: Costa Rica, Curaçao, Ecuador, Indonesia, South Africa
When you are under 18 years old: Spanish language courses and internships in Spain (e.g. Salamanca, Barcelona) - Youth internships in Malawi, Uganda or South Africa
When you travel "as a woman alone" for the first time: Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Thailand, Indonesia, Nepal, Ghana
When traveling 'as a woman alone' with experience: Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala, Nicaragua, China, Hong Kong, South Africa, Kenya, Malawi

Several reasons may apply why you need separate insurance when doing an internship abroad, or at least check your insured situation carefully
- Local organizations usually offer no, or very limited, insurance
- The risk of accidents is present because you are doing work with which you have little experience, for example
- During your internship abroad, in most countries the coverage of your own health insurance expires. You will then need special insurance to remain properly insured for illness and accidents.
Read more:
- EN: insuring internships abroad
- NL: stage in het buitenland verzekeren

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