Scholarships and Funding for International Internships

An international internship can be a transformative experience, offering invaluable opportunities for personal and professional growth. It allows you to build lasting connections and propel your post-graduation job search. While the prospect of interning abroad can be exciting, the financial aspect can often seem daunting. Fortunately, numerous scholarships and funding opportunities are available to help make these life-changing experiences a reality for students, regardless of their background or financial resources.

The Value of International Internships

Interning abroad offers a unique blend of personal and professional development that cannot be replicated by domestic internships. Beyond the inherent growth that comes from travel and immersion in a new environment, international internships provide valuable skills and perspectives:

Improved Communication: Navigating a new cultural and linguistic landscape necessitates enhanced communication skills.
New Language Practice: Immersing yourself in a foreign-speaking environment provides unparalleled opportunities to improve your language proficiency.
Insights into a New Culture: Experiencing a new culture firsthand fosters a deeper understanding of different worldviews, practices, beliefs, and values.

These experiences cultivate cross-cultural communication skills, the ability to navigate uncertainty, and a sense of curiosity - qualities that are highly valued by employers across various industries.

Working in a new cultural context may allow you to develop understanding of different worldviews, practices, beliefs, and values of people across the globe. Culture is robust. It roots the lives of all humans and is enacted in the everyday. Unless you seize the chance to learn how to function another cultural context, you may not appreciate the fact that you do indeed have a cultural worldview that you carry around; while that worldview is continually reinforced in your native surroundings, it is not universal.

In a work setting, in one form or another, you will be asked to accomplish something; how you manage to do this (or not do this) across human difference will yield insights into how culture inflects and continually creates diverse worlds. We hope this will encourage you to display appreciation of alternative ways of being.

Read also: Camp Scholarships Guide

An international internship will give you the chance to develop perspective on your current academic/pre-professional track with reference to the rest of the world. In working alongside colleagues with diverse professional and personal lives, you will be better able to appreciate the many alternative paths to meaningful work that the world has to offer. You might be asked to learn about a topic or field that you had no prior knowledge of and it may open up a whole new future of learning and work. We hope you will take the chance to reflect upon how your colleagues are, like your professors, helping to educate you and that they have invaluable knowledge to share.

A global internship is an unbeatable opportunity to get to know yourself better. In addition to developing skills that can be transferred directly to the workplace, you will most certainly be granted the opportunity to learn about yourself as a fledgling adult during your internship abroad.

Navigating the Financial Landscape

While international internships can be more expensive than domestic ones, numerous funding options can help offset the costs. Here's a comprehensive overview of scholarships and funding opportunities to explore:

University-Specific Funding

Many universities offer scholarships and grants specifically for students participating in international internships. It is important to consult your academic advisor to find departmental, identity-based, and field-specific scholarships unique to your university.

LSA International Internship Scholarship (University of Michigan): This scholarship supports LSA students who participate in a Center for Global and Intercultural Study (CGIS) International Internship program. All of our internship scholarships are donor funded and based on financial need. LSA International Internship Scholarship award amounts vary, depending on the cost of a student's internship experience, and a student's demonstrated level of financial need. Applications will be reviewed once the Office of Financial Aid has packaged students for the Spring Summer 2026 term. Students should apply at the same time that they apply for their CGIS program. If you are unsure which program you will attend, you can apply for multiple eligible programs. The scholarship award will apply to whichever program you enroll in.
UVA Global Internships Scholarship (University of Virginia): These scholarships, established by the Vice-Provost of Global Affairs, support financially needy undergraduate students participating in UVA's Global Internships programs. Students may apply for support to cover program fees, travel, tuition, and living expenses. Grantees may be awarded up to $3,000.
Walker Global Experiences Scholarship (University of Virginia): These scholarships empower UVA undergraduates by providing support to financially needy students participating in a summer education abroad program with a focus on applied learning. Awards may be up to $5,000.
Charles H. Koch Jr. Scholarship (University of Virginia): Provides financial support up to $5,000 to cover the expenses of internships related to foreign affairs to students in the College of Arts & Sciences. The judges of the competition will give priority to funding internships requiring travel abroad.
Larry Simpson Internship Scholarship (University of Virginia): Designed to encourage rising 4th year students in the College of Arts & Sciences to participate in summer internships.
Parents Fund Internship Grants (University of Virginia): $3,000 grants offered each spring to students who have secured unpaid public service internships.
Z Society Gilbert J. Sullivan Award (University of Virginia): Offers a $2,000 scholarship awarded to a returning undergraduate student to provide an opportunity to take a summer internship otherwise unattainable because of financial constraints.
Institute for Practical Ethics scholarships (University of Virginia): Scholarships of $2,000 to students who secure internships which relate to the integration of ethical theory and practice.
Sydney Elizabeth Owens scholarship (University of Virginia): Supports a current first-, second- or third-year student who has designed with faculty approval or input, a transformative experience to take place over the course of a semester or summer.
Hannah Graham Memorial Award (University of Virginia): Offered to support a year-long educational engagement related to a topic or issue relevant to promoting health and development and/or to reducing the incidence and/or severity of violence against women and girls.
Dee Family Global Scholarship (University of Virginia): Created to support UVA student participation in innovative student learning through study or research abroad that demonstrates well-constructed plans, partnership with the local community, and the potential for continued inquiry.
IRC Study Abroad, Travel, & Learn Award Program (University of Virginia): Provides $500-1000 travel expenses for qualified study abroad expenses during the January Term, Spring Break or Summer Session.
Royster-Lawton Fellowship in Social Enterprise (University of Virginia): Provides $3,000 in funding to support summer internships in social enterprise.
Small Research and Travel Grants from the College of Arts & Sciences (University of Virginia): For students conducting research, engaging in artistic activities, or presenting their own research at professional conferences.
Equity and Environment Fund (University of Virginia): Available for students/student groups for community-based initiatives or projects that sit at the intersection of equity, justice, and sustainability.
Marshall Jevons Fund (University of Virginia): Makes awards of up to $1,000 to undergraduate students to support research projects and academic travel in the field of economics.
Raven Society Fellowships (University of Virginia): To encourage undergraduate and graduate student pursuit of scholarly, intellectual, and creative projects.

External Scholarships and Funding Programs

Numerous organizations and government agencies offer scholarships and funding opportunities for international internships. Some notable examples include:

Read also: Benefits of NSHSS Scholarships

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program: Provides scholarships for undergraduate students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, with a focus on students with diverse backgrounds and those underrepresented in study abroad programs.
Fund for Education Abroad (FEA): Offers scholarships to students participating in study abroad programs, including internships.
Diversity Abroad Overseas Ambassador Program: Stipends of $500 are available for those who successfully apply to become a Diversity Abroad Overseas Ambassador. The money is put towards a Spring or Fall semester volunteer, intern, teach, or study abroad program.
Texas Career Engagement Internship Fund: Fund to help reduce the financial barriers to internship participants. Students may be eligible to receive funding based on internship hours completed between the first and last class day of the semester or term up to $4,000.
UGS Summer Exploration Grant: Students enrolled in the School of Undergraduate Studies for the spring semester proposing exploration experiences from May to August up to $2,000.
BDP Connecting Experience Scholarship: Students in the Bridging Disciplines Program, must be used during the Connecting Experience $200 - $2,500.
Helen M. Powell Traveling Fellowship: Support for a junior or senior in the School of Journalism who intends to become a working journalist by providing travel support, either domestic or international, for the purpose of learning about other places and peoples and reporting on, portraying or depicting them through the craft of journalism.
Frenchy Falik Journalism Award: Journalism major, senior, member of The Daily Texan staff, summer journalism opportunity $3,200.
Ted Strauss Internship Award: Undergraduate students, interning in the field of public policy, public service, government, or politics for 10+ weeks over the summer $2,000.
Brandon Schantz Memorial Scholarship: The goal of this scholarship is to provide meaningful work experiences for aspiring broadcast journalists. Recipients will be selected annually to receive a stipend to cover living expenses associated with a 10-week summer internship at a television station or media outlet.
COFA Internship Scholarship: Undergraduate and graduate students in Fine Arts, demonstrated financial need $2,000 - $3,000.
Wofford Denius Music Industry Internship Program: College of Communications students, upper-division standing or graduate students, enrolled in a credit-based summer internship course, no financial bars Up to $5,000.
Dock Williamson Lott and Loise McDonald Lott Scholarship: Undergraduate journalism major, summer journalism internship, demonstrated academic record and financial need.
Bob Brister Memorial Scholarship: Undergraduate junior, seniors and graduate students pursuing a career in outdoor writing with at least a 3.0 GPA. Recipients will be selected annually to receive a stipend to help cover living expenses associated with an unpaid 10-week summer internship at an outdoor magazine or other publication $4,000 +$4,000 fall scholarship.
European Studies' Education Abroad Scholarship: CES offers study abroad scholarships each fall, spring, and summer for European Studies majors who are attending an approved study abroad or internship program in Western or Central Europe.
H. Malcolm MacDonald Education Abroad Scholarship: Government majors in good standing with demonstrated financial need $2,500.
J.R. Roach Education Abroad Scholarship: Government students studying abroad in summer or semesters, studying in South Asia or Southeast Asia Up to $2,500.
Applied Political Strategies Scholarship: Government majors. Provides support to off-set the costs of an internship. Internships must be approved by the Department of Government.
LAC Education Abroad: COLA students, GPA of 2.75+ (Must be studying or conducting research abroad. citizen or permanent resident, completing minimum 6-week internship in East or Southeast Asia $2,000 - $6,000.
CREEES Professional Development Funding: Undergraduate or graduate students, any major, for professional development related to the former Soviet sphere of influence, Central/Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe/former Ottoman Empire, Central Asia, the Caucasus, etc Up to $1,000 for international travel.
Polish Studies Endowment Scholarship: For UT students, any major, to apply toward studying Polish language or culture, or for interning in Poland. Students must not be receiving any other significant scholarships $500 - $1,500.
Swedish Excellence Endowment Scholarship: Aid for UT students who plan to study or conduct research in Sweden. Applicants from all academic disciplines may apply.
Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Fellowship Program: Provides opportunities to doctoral candidates to engage in full-time dissertation research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies. Grants are given in all world areas except Western Europe as the program aims to encourage the study of regions and cultures that are not commonly explored.
Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships: Provide opportunities for outstanding undergraduate and graduate students to engage in area studies and world language training at schools that have established a FLAS fellowship program. FLAS provides allocations of fellowships to institutions of higher education, which then make awards directly to meritorious undergraduate students and graduate students. Students must be enrolled at and apply through a FLAS-recipient institution.
Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program: Provides a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue research careers in these fields.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Student Scholarships: Available to both undergraduate and graduate students.
Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program: Recognizes outstanding scholarship and encourages independent graduate level research -- particularly by female and minority students -- in NOAA mission-related sciences of oceanography, marine biology and maritime archaeology, including all science, engineering and resource management of ocean and coastal areas.
Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) offers scholarships to undergraduate students who are studying oceanic and atmospheric sciences, research, technology, or education.
Cobell Scholarship: Is annual, non-renewable, and available to any full-time and degree-seeking American Indian or Alaska Native post-secondary student attending any nationally, regionally and industry accredited non-profit, public and private, institution while pursuing a vocational certificate or diploma, associateâs, bachelorâs, masterâs, doctoral, professional degree or certificate.
Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Undergraduate Fellowships: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers fellowships for undergraduate students in environmentally related fields of study.
Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation: Awards merit-based scholarships to college students who plan to pursue careers in government or elsewhere in public service.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP): Offers competitive scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related research.
NOAA Educational Partnership Program Undergraduate Scholarship: Provides scholarships for two years of undergraduate study to students at Minority Serving Institutes majoring in STEM fields that directly support NOAA's mission. Participants conduct research at a NOAA facility during two paid summer internships.
Saul T. Wilson Scholarship: Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Students interested in a career in veterinarian services are encouraged to apply.
Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program: Is an opportunity for students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines to receive a full scholarship and be gainfully employed upon degree completion.
Science To Achieve Results (STAR): Supports masters and doctoral candidates in environmental studies. Students can pursue degrees in traditionally recognized environmental disciplines as well as other fields such as social anthropology, urban and regional planning, and decision sciences.
Stokes Scholarship Program: Develops students for future permanent employment while they pursue a degree relevant to NGAâs mission. The intent of the Stokes Scholarship Program is to recruit high-caliber undergraduate students who have demonstrated financial need and provide them with financial assistance to complete their undergraduate degrees.
Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship: Administered by the U.S. Department of State, this fellowship provides funding and support for students pursuing a career in the Foreign Service.
USDA/1994 Tribal Scholars Program: Provides scholarships for applicants attending 1994 Land Grant Tribal Colleges and Universities seeking careers in food, agriculture, and natural resource sciences, and/or other related disciplines.
USDA/1890 National Scholars Program: Designed to increase the number of minorities studying agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, and the related disciplines.
William F. Helmsing Memorial Scholarship: Helps students interested in protecting U.S. agriculture and the environment while facilitating global trade of pest and disease-free agricultural goods.

Program Provider Scholarships

Many program providers that organize international internships also offer scholarships and financial aid to students.

AIFS Abroad: Committed to providing financial assistance to as many students as possible in support of their goal to study or intern abroad.
CET: Offers scholarships and financial assistance for its high school abroad, gap year abroad, and college study abroad programs. Financial assistance and scholarships are need-based and merit-based.
Global Experiences: Offers scholarships for both summer and semester terms in any of the organizationâs 11 global cities. Full scholarships are available for semester-long programs, with special consideration given to those who are underrepresented in study abroad programs.
CEA CAPA: Committed to increasing access to study and interning abroad.
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): Offers the Research Internship in Science and Engineering (RISE), a summer internship program for undergraduate students studying biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, engineering, and computer science. Members of the program work as mentors to doctoral students at top research institutions across Germany.
Cultural Vistas: Provides internship and work abroad programs in countries like Germany, Switzerland, Hong Kong, and more.

Other Funding Strategies

In addition to scholarships and grants, consider these alternative funding strategies:

Intern for University Credit: Many full-time students can earn credit for internships abroad, allowing FAFSA aid to apply.
Need-Based Discounts: If you receive income-based aid, you may qualify for need-based discounts from your program provider.
Country-Specific Scholarships: Many countries offer funding to attract international interns and workers.
Crowdfunding: Platforms like GoFundMe can be used to raise funds for your internship.

Tips for Maximizing Your Chances of Receiving Funding

Apply Early: Scholarship deadlines often fall months before the start of the internship. Start your search and application process early to maximize your chances of success.
Tailor Your Applications: Carefully review the eligibility criteria and application requirements for each scholarship. Tailor your essays and personal statements to highlight your qualifications and demonstrate your passion for the internship and the host country.
Seek Recommendations: Request letters of recommendation from professors, advisors, and mentors who can speak to your academic abilities, work ethic, and character.
Proofread Carefully: Ensure your applications are free of grammatical errors and typos.
Apply to Multiple Opportunities: To increase your chances of success, apply to as many scholarships and funding opportunities as possible.

UVA Global Internship Programs

For students at the University of Virginia, the UVA Global Internships program offers structured opportunities for academic internships in various locations around the world. These programs provide direct UVA credit and feature different internship placements.

Summer 2026 Programs:

UVA in Buenos Aires: Global Internships
UVA in Cape Town: Global Internships
UVA in Dublin: Global Internships
UVA in India: Global Internships at Jindal Global University
UVA in London: Global Internships
UVA in Morocco: Participatory Development in Practice
UVA in Paris: Global Internships
UVA Virtual Global Internships

Students participating in these programs are eligible to apply for a UVA Global Internship Scholarship and, if they receive AccessUVA financial aid, a Walker Global Experiences Scholarship.

Beyond Financial Support: Preparing for Your International Internship

Securing funding is just one piece of the puzzle. Preparing for an international internship also involves:

Read also: Scholarship Guide

Visa Requirements: Research and obtain the necessary visas and permits for your host country.
Accommodation: Arrange accommodation in advance, whether it's through the program provider, a homestay, or independent housing.
Health Insurance: Ensure you have adequate health insurance coverage for the duration of your internship.
Cultural Sensitivity: Learn about the culture and customs of your host country to avoid misunderstandings and promote positive interactions.

Conclusion

An international internship is an investment in your future, offering unparalleled opportunities for personal and professional growth. While the financial aspect may seem daunting, numerous scholarships and funding opportunities are available to help make your dream a reality. By researching your options, applying early, and tailoring your applications, you can increase your chances of securing the funding you need to embark on this transformative experience.

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