Despite costing students a substantial amount of money, international internships are growing as global experiences are increasingly valued in the labor market.
In response to the growing demand for internships abroad, internship program providers have begun offering more international programs. Additionally, an increasing amount of universities, including Rice, Columbia and Yale universities, have begun providing more students internships in other countries.
Related: Penn's international students closed off from some career opportunities in the U.S.
Though experts say more affluent students have an unfair advantage in obtaining the internships — as it is easier for them to afford the costs of the programs — less affluent students like Darius Francis, whose family took out a loan to afford his summer internship in Edinburgh, believe the financial sacrifice is worthwhile.
Reviews of international internships are mixed. Junior Elena Friedberg from the University of Michigan, who interned in Paris at a bridal boutique, said that though it "was a great learning experience … the grunt work, like serving tea and coffee to customers, got repetitive."
However, the experience students gain is invaluable, especially those students who have to find funding and housing on their own. "You might have to find your apartment in the dark; you might not know where your key is coming from. But all of a sudden you're a couple inches taller. These can be some of the most enriching experiences," University of Michigan professor Rachael Cristo said about the impact interning abroad can have on students' lives.
Read the full article at The New York Times.
