HLS Internships Abroad

• Undergraduate or graduate student with a major or minor at HLS
• Must have completed at least two years of college before the internship starts
• Minimum GPA 3.0

Individual internships may have additional eligibility criteria

All interns are required to:

• Attend an HLS hosted pre-internship orientation
• Participate in all training provided by the internship partner
• Attend an HLS hosted post-internship re-entry workshop
• Submit written reflections on the internship experience
• Serve as an international internship ambassador for the year following your return

As an HLS intern, you are a representative of our school. We expect that you will:

• Be reliable: Follow through on your commitments and meet deadlines consistently
• Respect others: Show respect for colleagues’ time and opinions, and be courteous in all interactions
• Ask questions: Ask for clarification and guidance on tasks and projects
• Be open to feedback: Accept constructive criticism and use it to improve.
• Embrace a learning mindset: Use the opportunity to learn as much as possible about the organization, your colleagues’ career paths, and different types of jobs, skills, and tasks.
• Participate actively: Engage in meetings and institutional events to gain a deeper understanding of the industry.
• Be punctual: Arrive on time and be consistent with attendance

For the international internships, you will complete the following:

1. Written application, which includes:

• Cover letter
• Resume
• 3 short answer questions

We strongly encourage you to draft these short answers in a separate document and take time to review and revise them.

2. Interview with HLS staff, which takes place in February 

You can find the application below:

Apply here

Internships run for 8 weeks during the summer

Internships must take place between mid-May and mid-August. Interns at each site are required to have the same program dates and will work with the internship partner to identify the exact dates.

All interns will work with HLS and the international internship partner during the spring semester to prepare for the summer internship. Information ranging from cultural norms, housing, safety, emergency contact information, and more will be provided to assist with preparing the student for the cultural context they are entering.

All interns will participate in the HLS international internship group orientation during the spring semester and host organization orientation upon in-country arrival.

Interns will communicate regularly with HLS during the internship, submit reflection prompts and complete a re-entry workshop at the beginning of the fall semester. These avenues provide interns with a space to both reflect on the internship and learn how to effectively market themselves to future employers.

The cost of each internship varies, and information is provided below.

Interns should consider applying for the following funding opportunities: 

HLS scholarship:

• Dean’s Scholarship. Students completing a domestic and/or remote internship can receive up to $1500, and students completing an international internship can receive up to $2500.
• Hutton International Experiences Program Grant
• Internship Grants from the Hutton Honors College
• Internship Scholarships from the Walter Center
• Tobias Center Scholarship for Internships in International Development

Students may enroll in SGIS X373 to receive academic credit for your internship. This credit may apply to your degree requirements.

For more information about the HLS internship course, click here.