Virtual International Internships

Virtual internships allow you to gain remote professional experience with an overseas company, interact with professionals in your chosen field, and learn inter-cultural skills that you can help enhance your profile to prospective employers. Virtual international internships offer students the opportunity to engage with one or more host cultures, learn from international experts in their major field(s) of study, and develop a set of intercultural skills that employers desire and that can open doors to physical international experiences later in a student’s academic or professional career. They offer a less cost intensive way to interact with local people and communities around the world and in many cases, collaborate with peers from the host culture.

Why consider a virtual INTERNSHIP?

Although a virtual program may not be what you first imagined when you decided to study abroad, there are a lot of reasons why you should give it a chance! Check out this short video for an overview of exactly what virtual programs have to offer.

How does it work?

Using the links below, you can identity a virtual internship abroad within your areas of academic interest. Research your options, meet with an EA advisor, and then work with the appropriate campus department(s) to determine UNC Charlotte equivalent credit for the virtual internship.

In most cases, virtual internships like these are offered through UNC Charlotte affiliate program providers. A list of approved virtual programs is included in the next section.

API Virtual Global Internships

API places students in virtual, customized 8-week internships in countries across the world including:

  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Chile
  • Costa Rica
  • Ireland
  • New Zealand
  • Portugal
  • Spain
CIs Abroad

CIS offers Virtual Global Internships in the following countries:

  • Argentina
  • Ecuador
  • New Zealand
  • South Africa
Global Experiences

Global Experiences offers international internships with companies based in the following locations:

  • Australia – Sydney
  • Costa Rica – San Jose
  • France – Paris
  • Ireland – Galway, Dublin
  • Italy – Florence, Milan
  • Spain – Barcelona, Madrid
  • UK – London, Edinburgh
International STudies Abroad (ISA)

ISA offers the following types of internships:

  • 10 week placements in Australia, Spain or Vietnam
  • 16 week part time placements in Australia, Spain or Vietnam
University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC)

USAC offers Global Virtual Internships:

  • 3 credit hour internships arranged by USAC Specialty Program Directors with local companies, NGOs, and governmental organizations.
  • Internship includes a seminar that will help students make sense of their internship experience and navigate the cross-cultural landscape of the workplace

program cost structure

Each program sponsor will provide pricing information on their websites; fees will be paid directly to the provider. Virtual programs do not have an EA administrative fee. Financial aid can be used for internships approved by EA and that earn credit.

academic credit

Students should reference the Can I Get Credit? and Earning Credit Abroad sections of the EA website to understand how credit works on study abroad programs and academic policies.

Registration and Grades

EA will work with students to be registered for credit at UNC Charlotte if they chose to earn credit for their internship experience. Equivalent credit for work done abroad will be issued through the EA Course Equivalency Form. More information on this process can be found on the Earning Credit Abroad page.

Application Process

Most virtual study abroad programs are facilitated by affiliate program providers, third party organizations that provide study abroad and internship programs.

How to Apply

Study Abroad 101 is not required for virtual programs at this time, but it is still highly recommended that you complete the course.

1. Meet with an EA Advisor

Meeting with an EA Advisor is required before you can access the EA application. The advisor will discuss the program with you and go over any questions or concerns you may have about the virtual study abroad process.

Request an Advising Appointment

Request an Advising Appointment

2. Request Access to an EA Application

Once a student has selected the program they would like to apply to, they will need to request access to the application via an online Google Form. As a reminder, only students who have completed Study Abroad 101 and who have met with with an advisor (if required) will be given access to an application. Please allow up to two business days for the application request to be granted. Students will be sent an email once the application has been created; you will then be able to complete the application in the EA portal.

3. EA Application Review and Approval Process

First, EA will determine if the student meets the general eligibility requirements for study abroad as well as any program specific eligibility requirements. After the application deadline passes, EA will review and evaluate all application components to see if the student can be approved to participate in the program. If the application has been approved by EA, the student will then be notified via email 2-3 weeks after submission.

4. Provider Application

Students should begin their provider application after meeting with an EA adviser and beginning their EA Application. It is the student’s responsibility to go to the affiliate provider’s website and follow the applicable application instructions in order to complete the required application.

Please note: approval by EA and acceptance by the Provider is not guaranteed. The provider application will likely require a non-refundable application fee, so students should ensure they meet the EA eligibility requirements before finalizing an application or submitting any fees to the provider.