​Isla interns will work with our partner organizations (NGOs, social enterprises, and other institutions) in support of their community development efforts. Our partners identify needs and challenges that they and their communities face.

Isla interns play an integral role in executing a specific need: helping to implement a project or conduct research. Thus, many of our partner organizations’ needs become internship opportunities.

• Academic and/or work experience in areas related to the work of our partner organizations.

• Work, volunteer, or field experience, which demonstrates initiative and leadership.

• Reasonable level of knowledge and interest in the chosen destination.

• Appreciation of cultural and economic diversity.

• Genuine respect, patience, and curiosity toward cultures in the countries where we work.

Isla's primary objective is to provide qualified, motivated and capable interns who can help further the mission of our partner organizations. In the process, the intern gains valuable international work experience. We are very selective in reviewing applicants for the available internships. We want to ensure that both the interns and host organizations are given the best opportunity to reach their full potential.

Isla internships are specifically developed in response to requests from our local NGO partners. We only place interns with organizations that have developed clear objectives and have expressed a need for additional support. Interested applicants should review the list of currently available internship opportunities and apply for those for which they have direct experience or interest. Isla looks for participants who demonstrate flexibility/adaptability, attention to detail, a strong interest in working with diverse communities, creative problem-solving ability and cross-cultural communication skills. Most importantly, we will tailor your internship to match your unique skills and experiences.

You must be at least 18 years of age to participate in an Isla internship. The most competitive applicants will have academic and/or work experience relevant to the internships available.

However, we do have opportunities for students to experience a gap year between high school and university/work.

Isla also accepts post-graduates and professionals who are seeking

international work experience.

Applicants should have a command of the English language. We encourage learning the basics of the local language. Isla will help set up local language lessons upon request.

Yes! We work with all people interested in providing their support as an intern with our local partner organizations. Please talk with an Isla staff member handling your application about any specific questions you have on coordinating your application.

Your internship, hosted by one of our local partner organizations, is directly based on the needs of the organization. When a local organization enters into partnership with Isla we jointly go through an institutional self-assessment (ISA) process where the organization identifies specific objectives and needs. Each partner-hosted internship is unique and has a position description to meet the needs identified by the organization. Most importantly, each internship has a work plan that is intended to help the host organization, while also matching your interests and skills.

Most colleges and universities provide credit for participation in our internship program. We often work closely with you and your university advisor to make sure you qualify for academic credit prior to the start of your internship. Please check with your university to determine its policies and let us know how we can help. We do not provide credit directly through our organization. Isla is also partnered with national universities (Kosovo) where our interns can take courses and receive US academic credits.

Most colleges and universities offer scholarships and grants specifically for the purpose of engaging their students in meaningful international experiences. If you're a student, check for these scholarship opportunities at your university. Please note, that it is possible to combine scholarships to make your internship doable and possibly at no cost to you! Isla can also help provide financial support through scholarships based on needs and qualifications.

In addition, numerous organizations and agencies offer funding for international internship programs like ours. You may qualify for the following national scholarships.

U.S. Federal Pell Grants usually are awarded only to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree. (In some cases, however, a student enrolled in a postbaccalaureate teacher certification program might receive a Federal Pell Grant.) Pell grants may be used for study and internships abroad as long as the students receive credit for the experience. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid, except under certain circumstances.

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The U.S. Department of State's Benjamin A Gilman International Scholarship enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad. The Gilman Scholarship Program is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study and intern abroad programs worldwide.

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The Inter Exchange Foundation Christianson Fellowship awards up to $10,000 to young Americans who are passionate about helping communities abroad thrive and are eager to learn about the local culture. Fellows identify a project or an organization working on an issue they care about, and with the support of the Christianson Fellowship, contribute their skills and passion to that endeavor for at least six months on-location abroad. This intercultural experience is a meaningful way to help others, improve skills, and gain insight about another culture.

Grant recipients receive notification approximately six to eight weeks after each grant deadline.

For more information, visit our Funding your Internship page.

Yes, there are qualified language tutors available at our program site. We will help facilitate language lessons. Language lessons must be completed outside of work hours.

Absolutely! We will provide documentation and letters of recommendation upon successful completion of our program. Please let the Isla staff member handling your application know about any internship documentation requirements once you have been selected for placement.

Yes! However, we ask that interns provide us 14 days notice if they want to extend their internship so that we can coordinate with the site team and any relevant local partner organizations and housing accommodations. This helps to ensure that work in the extended period will continue to be impactful.

Yes! Every program participant is provided with Travel, Medical Insurance, & Emergency Evacuation Assistance through Seven Corners, a leading travel insurance provider. This service maintains an emergency phone line that is available 24/7. Certificates of insurance are issued before the participant arrives in country. Isla follows the Safety and Security regulations mandated by the US embassy.

You are also welcome to purchase additional insurance through Seven Corners if you wish to have extended health coverage or to cover your personal belongings from theft or damage. You can contact Seven Corners directly to learn more about expanding your coverage.

Safety and security for our staff and program interns is of the utmost importance to our organization. International development work carries inherent risks that cannot be completely eliminated, but we take every effort to ensure that risk factors are mitigated. Our safety approach has been developed by Isla's CEO/Founder and Executive Director, in coordination with US embassy programs, the US Peace Corps program, and other pertinent international development protocol. We reduce risk by integrating interns with the local community and ensuring that our local staff provide the key behavioral and practical safety protocols.

Key aspects of our health and safety approach include:

• Training interns on safety competencies that include cultural integration, local health and safety concerns and approaches to dealing with the most common safety issues.

• Maintaining an in-country staff with connections to the local communities who are available 24/7 in case of emergency.

• Regular check-ins with interns throughout the duration of their program.

• Access to a 24/7 emergency line based in the US for issues requiring care or support.

This depends on where your passport is issued from. Please discuss any passport/visa questions with the Isla staff member handling your application. We are happy to help!

The program fee includes:

• Pre-departure preparations, airport pickup, and In-country orientation

• Welcome lunch/dinner

• Housing (with your own bedroom), internet, and kitchen- (if you have any allergies, please let us know)

• Travel, medical, and emergency evacuation insurance

• Local SIM Card

• Monthly Bus Pass

• Local Language classes

• Mentorship from local professionals

• 24/7 support from Isla team

• Bi-weekly internship and cultural experience reflection sessions

• Scheduled team lunches/dinners with all interns/Isla team with relevant professionals/stakeholders

• Support in organizing and planning travel/in-country social activities

• Certificate of completion and letter of references upon completion of internship

• Continued mentorship post completion of internship (according to field of interest)

The program fee does not include flights, visa fees, incidental expenses (including health insurance deductible), mid-day meals, personal weekend excursions, and any other personal expenses.

Isla is a relatively small organization that invests many hours into building customized internships for you. That investment involves an enormous amount of time working with our partner organization. We do all this while keeping our prices below all of our competitors. We are unable to refund our intern's payments in the event of anything beyond the control of Isla (pandemic, natural disasters, war, etc.). In the unlikely event that your internship is not completed, we will work closely with you to build an alternative internship that we will offer to you at cost. Application and acceptance is on a rolling basis. Therefore, in the event that Isla is unable to refund you, an internship placement will be secured for you for up to two years after payment.

​Program fees, less the non-refundable deposit payment, may be fully refunded provided the request is processed by Isla more than forty-five (45) calendar days prior to the scheduled start date. Refunds are also subject to a $200 cancellation fee to cover expenses already incurred by Isla on behalf of the participant, plus any additional cancellation costs such as a non-refundable accommodation bookings and deposit fees.

Cancellations and Refund Policy

• The confirmation deposit is non-refundable.

• If a cancellation is made effective more than 45 days prior to the start date of the program, the program fee paid, less the deposit, will be refunded.

• We are unable to refund our intern's payments in the event of any force majeure. This includes, pandemic, natural disasters, war or any other event that is completely beyond the control of Isla.