Need to know / Worldwide
10 brilliant benefits of doing an internship abroad
Sam Hopkins
Aug 28 2024
Torn between going travelling and working on your resume? Read on.
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Intern USA
Professional internships in America
Sponsorship, visa support + medical cover included
Need academic credit as part of your degree or want to spend the summer getting ahead? Stand out from the crowd with a 1-12 month USA internship – with 30 days either side to travel.
Put your degree to work
Why do a professional internship in America?
In a competitive job market, having an American internship on your CV can help to launch your career. You’ll get world-class training in your academic field, build a network of valuable contacts, and show future employers that you have the... Read more
It would say on the tin...
What is Intern USA?
Intern USA is designed for current students or recent grads to get ahead with a 1-12 month paid or unpaid gap year internship in their academic field. Applying for a J-1 visa to intern in the USA can be complex. We cut through the... Read more
Is it for me?
From USD $2,279
18+ and most nationalities
Student or recent grad
1-14 months total duration
Depart any time of year
Great for uni placements
Intern Hub resources
Reasons to do an internship in America
Professional experience
Getting hands-on work experience can be essential to nailing that... Read more
Cultural exposure
In an increasingly interconnected world, having a global POV is... Read more
Explore America
Representing every industry and sector, America is the leading place... Read more
Bring your away game
American internship culture
Coffees and making copies, this is not! The USA has an established internship culture, with most businesses hosting an internship program. US college grads will also typically do at least one summer or longer-term internship before starting work.
Visa + cost
Who can apply for Intern USA?
It’s not possible to intern in the USA independently – it must be done via a US Department of State... Read more
Deposit
USD $250
Second payment
USD $350
Final payment
USD $1,679
Total from
USD $2,279
US Embassy fee
This is paid directly to the US Embassy and currently costs USD $185
Visa integrity fee
We're anticipating the US will bring in a refundable USD $250 visa integrity fee for future departures. More info to follow
I-94 arrival fee
This is paid directly to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and currently costs USD $24
Site visit (if required)
Check our FAQs for the cost and scenarios of when a site visit will be required
Travel insurance
Medical cover is included, but you must buy travel insurance to cover against the rest of your trip
Flights
We don’t recommend booking flights until your visa is approved
Support funds
You must be able to show you have USD $2,000 proof of funds when entering the US
Accommodation
Chat with our team about accommodation options over the summer.
Travel after your placement
Get 10% off worldwide Contiki trips before you go! Friends = benefits
Your program cost is determined by the length of your internship placement. On this visa, you have a 30-day grace period either side of your internship where you can travel in the USA. This is automatically included in your sponsorship and medical insurance policy. e.g., if you choose a 6-month internship, your overall stay in the USA can be up to 8 months.
Length of internship
0-3 months - $2,279 | 4 months - $2,329 | 5 months - $2,379 | 6 months - $2,429 | 7 months - $2,479 | 8 months - $2,529 | 9 months - $2,579 | 10 months - $2,629 | 11 months - $2,679 | 12 months - $2,729
Good to know
Balancing profit with purpose, JENZA only works for us if it works for others too. We donate 5% of profits to our Youth Access Scholarship Fund so that young people from under-served and lower-income backgrounds can experience working overseas. Find out more and apply for scholarship funding.
Paid internships
What you can earn
Your earning potential will depend on your sector and location. Average monthly salaries per industry for past interns include: Marketing or Business Management USD $3,000/month; Law or Engineering $4,000/month; Finance or Politics $5,000/month; Media or Film $2,000/month.
Internships
What types of internships can I do?
Other than some restricted fields, you can intern in most industries anywhere in the USA – so long as your training position is related to your degree. On this J-1 visa you can do one internship, for between 1-12 months, and it can be paid or unpaid... Read more
Intern USA in numbers
60+
Years we’ve run US cultural exchanges
80%
Of our interns find paid positions
50
Number of US states you can intern in
10/10
Your CV after your USA internship
Finding your internship
Info call
You can request a call with our team where we’ll dive into your... Read more
Placement advice
Our intern team have years of experience helping students to intern... Read more
Intern Hub
Created by our Intern team, follow our step-by-step guide to finding... Read more
Need to know
What must my internship include?
The red tape and cost of sponsoring international students can be a barrier for US companies looking to take on overseas interns. As you'll have sponsorship through us, all you need from your prospective employer is an internship offer - we help take care of the rest. When reaching out to US companies, you'll need to make them aware of the visa criteria for your placement. For example, it must be office based, full-time (minimum 32 hours per week), no more than 20% clerical based, and have a clear training plan that benefits your professional development. Jump to our FAQs for the full requirements.
USA experts
Book a video call
The JENZA Group have been helping students and grads to live, work and travel in the States since 1959! So trust US when we say we’re US obsessed. Book a video call with our intern team for all the info and intel on what placements you can do, where you can go, and when you need to apply.
BOOK A CALL How it works
When do I need to apply?
Intern USA applications are open year-round. You're also not restricted to summer internships in America on this visa, so it’s ideal for semesters abroad or to kickstart your professional training after you’ve graduated. Just remember that you must... Read more
Countdown to the USA
Check your eligibility in the visa + cost section, hit Apply now and create your profile to start your application. You can then access your online account anytime from the top of this page. Once you’ve paid your deposit, book a time to have your compliance call with our team. This can take up to 45 minutes and is a US Government requirement to check your suitability for this program - plus it's a great time to ask any questions.
You need to to have an internship secured before we can start the process of sponsoring you. If you don't have one already, check out the resources on our Intern Hub or arrange a separate call with our team to talk about how you can go about finding your placement.
1+ days
- Your US employer will need to fill out your DS-7002 Training Plan - this details company information, your training goals and information about your role. All the instructions and links to the form are provided in your online account. Once completed, we send this to our US sponsor for approval to ensure it meets US Department of State requirements. Please note, if a site visit to your host employer’s workplace is required, this can take an additional 21 days. Check our FAQs for the scenarios and cost.
7-30 days
- Once your internship is approved and you’ve paid your balance, your work papers (DS-2019), training plan (DS-7002) and SEVIS receipt will be sent to you electronically. You’ll need these to apply for your J-1 visa. This involves an online application (DS-160) and in-person appointment at the US Embassy or consulate in your home country - you'll find all the locations in your account. It's hard to put an exact timeframe on this as it is dependent on appointment availability.
3-30 days
- We recommend booking your embassy appointment the day you receive your DS-2019, as it's not unusual for embassy appointments to run out – especially in the lead up to US summers (Jun-Sep) and over Thanksgiving and Christmas (Nov-Dec). The embassy will keep your passport for up to 10 days, returning it by post along with your visa stamp. Unfortunately, we don’t have control over the availability of visa appointments or the outcome of your appointment.
10 days
- Once you have your J-1 visa, it’s safe to book your flights, travel insurance, and confirm any accommodation you have sourced. Make sure you book a return ticket – as you’ll need this to get through US immigration. Once you’ve had your online orientation to make sure you’re perfectly prepped for life in the USA – you’re good to fly!
1 day
- You can arrive into the US up to 30 days before the start date on your DS-2019. When you arrive, you’ll need to download a i-94 form from the US government website and go to a local social security office to get your Social Security Number. Your US sponsor will check in with you regularly to make sure your training is going to plan – plus they’re on hand for 24/7 emergency support.
More ways to make it in America
Not a student or grad?
If you don’t have a degree or you’ve already done Intern USA and want to return to the USA for an additional traineeship – ask us about our 1-18 month Trainee USA visa. As a non-graduate you’ll need five years’ industry expertise or as a graduate, one year’s industry expertise.
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Intel and inspo
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Looking for a little pre or post trip action? We've teamed up with Contiki to bring you the ultimate work and travel dream team. Check your online account to access your 10% off code.
Got questions?
We've got answers
Not found what you're looking for? Hit 'Ask a question' below and one of our JENZA Support Squad will come back to you - pen pal style.
Let's talk
Internship gurus
Our dedicated intern team will go over the visa eligibility, when you need to apply and what types of internships you can do.
- An internship is a paid or unpaid position within a company where you are constantly learning and training under a mentor. Internship placements must not be made up of manual or administrative tasks, but should show clear progression – enhancing the skills you have, learning new skills, and getting exposure to different areas of the department or business. See the next FAQ for more.
To protect you as an intern and ensure that your internship benefits your professional development, your placement must meet criteria outlined by the US Department of State. When approaching US employers, make them aware that any international internship offer must meet the below requirements:
- It must be a training position and not a job
- It must be full-time – a minimum of 32 hours a week
- It must be office based, not remote
- It mustn’t involve more than 10% clerical or basic work, or include unskilled labour
- It must benefit your career and have a clear training plan
- It must be doing work that is additional to the employer’s normal staffing requirements
- Unpaid internships are allowed for up to six months only
- There must be a minimum of five full-time employees to every intern at that location
- A site visit may be required to assess your future employer’s workplace. See the next FAQ for more
- If your host company has never taken on an intern through this program before, if their annual revenue is less than USD $3 million, or if they have less than 25 full time employees - our US sponsor will need to conduct a site visit. This is a US Department of State requirement. Site visits will be charged at USD $300. Unfortunately, we only find out if a site visit will be necessary once your internship offer goes through vetting. And if required by the sponsor, it will be added to your booking.
Your overall cost will depend on the length of your internship – as this determines how long we (JENZA + IENA – our US visa sponsor) need to provide the visa sponsorship and support for your stay in the USA.
On this type of J-1 intern visa, you have a 30-day grace period either side of your internship placement where you can travel in the USA.
This is automatically included in your sponsorship and medical insurance policy. Therefore, you will only pay for the cost of your actual internship. For example, if your internship is for 6 months, you can stay in the US and be covered by the included medical insurance we provide for up to 8 months.
- A training plan is a condition of your visa sponsorship and is where your US host company must detail what you will be doing, give a clear understanding of the goals of the training, and how you will meet those goals. Our team will go over exactly what is required and what questions your employer will be asked to complete.
It is your responsibility to secure your own internship. Applicants come from different degree subjects and have different career goals – and your internship should be a position that works towards your specific career path.
However, our team are here to assist you. We’ll give you advice on where previous applicants doing your degree have interned, provide tips on how to lay out your US resume, and can recommend placement partners you can reach out to. You’ll also have all the free resources on our Intern Hub – which is full of info to help you search and apply for international internships.
- On this visa, you're only permitted to do one 1-12 month internship. Your sponsorship is tied to that employer and the duration will be based on the length of your pre-arranged internship – with the option to travel for 30 days before and after.
- Your position can be paid or unpaid, but you cannot do more than six months interning in the US on an unpaid internship. The USA has an established and well-paid internship culture, with most sectors commanding a monthly salary of between USD $2,000-5,000. However, this will also vary depending on the size of the company and the city/region of the United States, with larger cities like New York, Boston and Washington commanding higher salaries. Salaries are negotiated directly between you and your employer, and the earning potential is uncapped.
- Yes, your position must be connected to your area of study. However, with the breadth of sectors, industries and businesses in the United States – our team can work with you to understand your career goals and try and advise on a position to target that would both satisfy your degree requirements and the direction you’d like to take your internship in.
On this visa, there are some fields that are restricted. In general, you can’t have patient or person contact. For example, you can intern in medical research or nutrition development, but you can't work as a doctor or PT seeing patients or clients.
- Education You can’t work as a teacher or teaching assistant, but you can work in curriculum development, lesson planning and more.
- Oenology and Viticulture You can’t do fruit picking, vine and harvest work, but you can do fermentation management, distribution and more.
- Construction You can’t operate heavy machinery or intern as part of a work crew, but you can do project management, drafting and more.
- Healthcare and veterinary You can’t do clinical care or administer medication or procedures, but you can do observation-based internships.
- Hospitality Typically, hotels must be rated 4-star or higher and have broad operations to facilitate a comprehensive training in the hospitality field. For culinary training, restaurants must be a fine dining establishment in order to qualify.
- Social services You can’t work directly with patients, but you can do social work and policy (unpublished), community outreach and more.
- Sports and nutrition You can’t do coaching, physical therapy or personal training, but you can do Sports Medicine business management, food product development and more.
- Retail Internships must be management-focused, and typically include training in areas such as human resources practices, accounting, staffing practices, buying, merchandising and more.
- Sales You cannot do commission sales, sales quotas as part of evaluations and/or compensation, cold calls and direct sales, independent representation of host organisation on sales calls. But you can do forecasting, budgeting, sales analysis, presentation creation, client presentations under supervision, learning how to pitch sales, client management, learning sales management tools and attending client meetings.
This list is not exhaustive, so if your industry or planned internship falls under one of these categories - please give us a call and we can advise.
It must be full-time – a minimum of 32 hours per week.
Yes. Medical insurance is included that covers against accident and illness while you are in the USA, but does not cover for routine care. You must also purchase comprehensive travel insurance to cover you against other aspects of your trip – including cancellation, curtailment, legal cover, luggage, personal items, repatriation and more. We're busy working on an insurance partner for all our global JEN-setters. If you're a UK passport holder, why not get a quote from our friends at Go Walkabout
- DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status) is the official certificate of eligibility that you need to apply for a J-1 visa. After your US Embassy appointment, your passport will be returned to you with your visa stamped inside. However, you must keep your DS-2019 with your passport at all times. One is not valid without the other.
- SEVIS stands for Student and Exchange Visitor Information System and is a database where the US Government keeps track of cultural exchange visitors on a J-1 visa. The cost of being placed in the SEVIS database is USD $220 and is included in your program cost.
- Nothing! We’ve always been the same team running identical programs, just with different brand names in different countries. As you can imagine, this got crazy confusing. So in 2024, JENZA became the new name for all our working holiday and intern programs, and BUNAC went back to its 1972 Americana roots, and became our summer camp brand.
- Didn't see your question? Ask our team here.
Did someone say 'gap decade'?
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