Intern Abroad

"The Intern Abroad program adds depth to your college education. It not only gives you college credit, it gives you added insight into the world. It offers you a unique experience in an amazing place that will leave a lasting impression."
John Bennett, Intern Abroad, Ayacucho - Peru

Our Intern Abroad program gives you the unique opportunity to have an international internship or work experience in the area of health, education, or social services. Based on years of success with students volunteering abroad and receiving academic credit, the Intern Abroad program provides a supportive and academic framework to the volunteer experience to carefully align it with your learning objectives.

If you are a student seeking academic credit, or simply want to add an international internship to your resume, Intern Abroad is a meaningful and exciting option. You'll work side-by-side with local people and experience another culture like never before. You'll have learning opportunities that offer a deeper perspective of the culture, and the global and local issues that impact it.

The Intern Abroad program is an extraordinary way to make yourself more professionally competitive and highly marketable. This exclusive experience simply can't be duplicated by other international internship programs.

It's the experience of a lifetime.

Choose where you volunteer – Intern Abroad is available in 11 program sites in 9 countries: China, Costa Rica, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Peru, Russia, South Africa, and Tanzania. Wherever you choose to volunteer, our in-country staff welcome you to the CCS Home-Base, your home away from home.
Choose when you go – Intern Abroad start dates are year-round.
Choose how long you stay – Intern Abroad is available from 3-12 weeks. Minimum and maximium stays differ by country; view the minimum durations in each program site. If you only have one week, consider Insight Abroad.
Receive a personalized Intern Abroad placement – A CCS Intern Abroad placement is so extraordinary because it actually gives you the opportunity to work at an international level — one of the most sought after positions among interns worldwide. You'll be working side-by-side with local people at a locally-designed and driven community initiative. Upon enrollment you'll choose an area of focus: health, education or social services; you'll also detail what your learning goals are for your program. We ensure that the volunteer work you do in your Intern Abroad placement complements your area of career interest or study and we'll help you meet your learning objectives. Learn more about the volunteer work, or what you can do.
Gain an inside perspective – CCS in-country staff provide cultural and learning activities so you can learn about the local culture and customs, as well as understand community development. These activities contribute to your Learning Goals and integrate your hands-on work with a theoretical understanding of the larger social context. There is also plenty of free time for independent research and planning, as well as travel and personal reflection. Free time is yours to get to know the community and people in your own way and to ensure that your objectives for the program are being met.

How is the Intern Abroad program different from our Volunteer Abroad program?

Individual attention and guidance – You'll be assigned an experienced Intern Supervisor who will meet with you on a weekly basis to offer guidance and help facilitate your learning objectives. The resources and unique perspectives you'll gain from your Intern Supervisor will help you truly make the most of your experience and support your academic learning back home. You'll gain an in-depth understanding of the organization you're working with, the population it serves, how it reflects the heritage and aspirations of the local community, and how it acts as an agent of social change to the community. Your Intern Supervisor will also oversee your Final Report which documents your experience and is submitted at the end of your program.
Focus on your Learning Objectives – The Learning Objectives that each Intern prepares during the pre-departure process are reviewed and developed throughout the Intern Abroad program. Many Interns dedicate extra time for planning activities at their work placement and working on research in order to fulfill their learning objectives.

You will be documenting your activities and insights throughout the program, based on your experiences in your volunteer placement, cultural and learning activities, and your independent work. This attention to your learning goals ensures an experience that is academically enriching, personally fulfilling, and meeting the needs of the local community.
Guaranteed placement in area of focus – Your placement is assigned according to your chosen area of focus, taking into account your skills and interests, the needs of the community, the duration of your program, your specific learning objectives, and the service and support you can provide for our Partner Program. It is designed to provide a meaningful opportunity for you to work at the community level as well as a basis for building knowledge about your area of focus and achieving your learning objectives. View the areas of focus available in each program site.
Official record of service – When you complete the program, we provide a final review along with official documentation of your participation.
Academic credit – Many participants in our Intern Abroad program received academic credit. Click here to learn more.

Read stories and testimonials from past interns.

Click here to see the program fee for Intern Abroad.

Request information today to learn more.