Isla Internships

Isla Internships Abroad places intrepid humanitarians, entrepreneurs, and change makers in internships abroad with global development professionals working with Isla's local and international partner organizations, social enterprises, and other institutions around the world.

If you are an undergraduate, graduate student, or young professional seeking an international work experience in global development context, Isla is for you! Give a little. Gain a lot!

Why intern with Isla?

Build your professional skills and cultural awareness while helping Isla's global partner organizations improve their operations and outcomes.

Gain productive global work experience while satisfying your university academic, practicum, research, or capstone requirements.

Build your international networks in a global development context. Jump out of your comfort zone and live, learn, and intern abroad!

Make lifelong personal and professional friendships while doing good work. You will certainly broaden your global perspective!

How It Works

Click on the following steps to learn how it works....

1. Explore and discover the Options

Research your Isla international internship options by first checking out one or more of the following:

Discover our Isla destinations in Europe (Bulgaria and Kosovo), West Africa (Uganda), and Asia (India);
Browse through our Search Internships listing;
Check out the Sectors below in which which we operate and discover the opportunities;
Search internships by clicking on specific Career Fields that interest you.

Doing the search in one or more ways will help you choose your internship preferences. If you are undecided and need more help, we are available via email or a Google Meet call to guide you through the options and application process.

Whatever you choose, we will customize an internship just for you! This means we will help you find an internship that is a good fit for your particular skill set, background, and interests and also meets the needs of your host organization!

Always remember that we want you to have an educational and productive internship experience where you build your professional skills while providing a useful skill or need to your host organization.

Sectors

Agriculture
Arts, Culture, & Social Impact
Business
Climate Change
Education & Youth

Environmental Conservation
Democracy & Governance
Entrepreneurship
Gender Equality
Global Health & Medical

Human Rights & Social Justice
Security Studies
Wildlife Conservation
Women & Youth Development
Workforce Development

Career Fields & Skills

Medical
Natural Resources
Permaculture
Public Health
Political Science
Public Relations
Security Studies
Sexual Reproductive Health
Secondary Education
Social Enterprise Development
Social Entrepreneurship
Sociology
Social Work
Tourism
Urban Planning
Website Development
Wildlife Conservation
Women and Youth Development
Workforce Development

Paying for your internship? Most colleges and universities offer scholarships and grants specifically for the purpose of engaging their students in meaningful international experiences, including internships abroad. If you're a student, check for these scholarship opportunities at your university's international or education abroad office. Also, numerous national organizations, such as the Gilman scholarship and others, offer funding for internship programs like ours. You may qualify for both your university's and national scholarships. Combining funding sources can not only make your internship doable, but possibly at no cost to you! To learn more go to the How It Works page and click on the FAQ - Are There Grants or Scholarships Available To Help Finance My Program?

For more information about Isla internship opportunities in Bulgaria, Kosovo, India, or Uganda, please contact us at info@isla-serve.org. We are also happy to arrange a Google Meet call to guide you through the application and internship placement process. Apply today!

2. the online application

Once you have decided on your destination and internship choice(s), complete the online application on our website and submit the $75 application fee. It's easy! You will be asked to send us your university transcripts, a resume (CV), and two letters of reference. Please note that you can save your application and go back to it at any time.
Upon receipt of your application and fee, Isla will give you a call to learn more about you to ensure that you are placed in the best fit internship just for you.

3. The Internship Placement

An invitation to join Isla will be sent to you with a mutually agreed upon internship offer. We will also send you your Scope of Work and an internship contract.
Learn about Isla internship program fees here.
Pre-departure preparations begin with lots of guidance from the Isla team.
Intern with Isla! Improve your skills while helping your host organization improve their operations and outcomes.

4. The Isla experience

Your Isla internship will allow you to gain valuable international work experience, life skills, cultural awareness and sensitivity, and the confidence to help you develop personally and professionally.
During this time, Isla will monitor your stay to ensure that you are benefiting from your internship and host family experience. You will receive weekly sessions with your host supervisor and periodic reflection surveys from Isla.
The beautiful part of your Isla internship is that you will improve your skills while helping your host organization improve their operations and outcomes.

* Please note that Isla is currently placing interns in shared apartments only and not with host families due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope if the situation improves interns will have a choice of shared apartments or a host family stay in the summer 2022.

Featured Internships

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What are Isla alumni saying?

Bridget Wright - Security & Governance Intern
University of Iowa
BA - Political Science

The highlight of my internship in Kosovo was meeting such amazing people. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn and be exposed to more than I could have ever asked for. The different political, social, and cultural aspects of Kosovo amazed me and I am so blessed to have lived there for 9 weeks. From individuals I met on the street to all my amazing co-workers at my host organization to the tremendous love and support from Isla, I am eternally grateful. Kosovo is filled with open arms, curiosity, and love. I am so glad that I chose to intern in Kosovo because I have gained friends for a lifetime.

Samantha Ricardo - Global Health Intern
Hofstra University BA Dance
New York University MGPH School of Global Public Health

The experience in Uganda provided by Isla was life changing for me. I was given the same job as an entry-level global health program director and was asked to rise to the task. At the time I was a college student applying to grad schools for a Masters in public health. I had very little experience working in global health, however, I took free classes online (recommended to me by the Isla Executive Director) and did months of preparation to get myself ready to give the best impact possible. In 90 days I successfully completed my task but it took all the time I could possibly give. I worked weekends and nights preparing materials and reading up on new research for my program. With all that said, I wouldn't have had it any other way! If you are serious about jumpstarting your career, this is a great place to do it!

Ibeth Morales - Entrepreneurship
University of Kentucky
MA - Patterson School of Diplomacy

Before going to Kosovo, I knew that I wanted to be involved in development or international diplomacy. This internship just reaffirmed my passions for these areas as it showed me that making a difference really matters for those whose life you are going to be touching.

Mira Tan - Social Justice & Gender Equality
Miami University of Ohio
BA - International Studies

Working closely with Kosovo Women's Network staff, I had an opportunity to get a hands-on experience on what a feminist movement looks like, how it works and most crucially its impact toward improving and promoting the rights and the interests of women and girls. I really do appreciate this experience and I really hope I can come back to continue to collaborate with KWN.

Margaret Rice - Global Health
Yale University
MPH - School of Public Health

In addition to fulfilling a summer internship requirement for my Master's degree in global health, this experience provided valuable experiences and knowledge working in a global health context in Uganda.

Jared Nunes - Human Rights and Social Justice
California Polytechnic University
BA - Sociology

This Isla internship experience in Uganda has allowed me to get first-hand experience in a field that is built upon working towards helping others, which drove me towards this internship in the first place. Thank you Isla and to my host organization!

Jaclyn Williamson - Global Health
Colorado State University
MPH - School of Public Health

I was mostly drawn to Uganda because I desired to work on global health issues. As an Isla intern, I gained experience in real-world applications of program development, implementation, and evaluation. I also conducted research for my Master's degree capstone project requirements.

Cody Vandergrift - Youth Development and Human Rights
Miami University of Ohio
International Studies & Psychology

Many thanks to the Isla Team for your help with my faculty-led program and internship. Without Isla we would not have been able to experience Kosovo in the way that all of us students have. I truly believe that with the help of Isla and my host family, our experiences have been elevated!