The Pre-Departure Checklist for Upcoming Interns Abroad

Congratulations on scoring an internship abroad! Go you! Now that we’ve got that part covered, there’s a whole list of things to do before interning abroad and we’re here to help you prepare for this once in a lifetime experience.

You are obviously set on challenging the limits of your comfort zone so you’ve already prepared yourself to embrace the change. That’s a huge step already. Now let’s see what else we can take into consideration for your interning abroad pre-departure checklist. By now you’ve already inquired about the benefits or entitlements that come with the position so you should have a good starting point for your budget.

Stay on top of your game through the entire experience. Get your paperwork in order, set your dates straight and book your flights or accommodation in advance and make a list of things you’d want to do or see while abroad ( add it to your finance budget!). Mon Dieu, even prepare your outfit for your first day!

Why it’s important to have a game-plan before you go

Did we congratulate you on your internship abroad yet? We did? Well, we’ll do it again because that’s how big this is. Congrats! Now it’s time to make sure that this entire transition goes smooth, and for that to happen a plan of action is required. Going into this unprepared is a no-go.

Take a deep breath and realise that you are about to probably move across the world, away from your friends and family, to a very unknown environment. Ok, now that we’re pass the shock, let’s get into the excitement of working in an international environment, discovering and immersing yourself into a new culture and making international friends. Not to mention the boost this will give your resume. You will soon realise that life is not so bad and you will eventually start to embrace it. Keeping this in mind, it will make cultural shock not so… shocking.

First impressions are important so let’s make yours stand out. Smile and be confident (you’ve earned this)! Be friendly with your colleagues, ask questions and take notes on everything that seems important. Attend company events and integrate with other people (you never know when that guy from the IT department might be able to speed up some things for you). Focus on your tasks and if time permits you, volunteer to do some extras work. Make someone’s day easier and gain some respect.

The important things to do before intern abroad programs

If you’re a student…

If you’ve just graduated or are in between studies, an internship abroad is the perfect elixir for your career, because all employers love international experience. But before you say “yes to the internship”, let’s get some facts straight. Decide on the length of the internship before applying, and make sure this doesn’t interfere with your classes somehow. Some universities actually offer you credit for completed internships so they might let you be gone for an entire semester.

As a student, each internship is valuable into shaping your future career, so make sure you chose an internship based on your career plans. Sure, teaching weightlifting in Spain sounds awesome and it might make for an amazing summer, but this won’t help your future in the long run.

Be sure to figure out…

Length of the internship
University credits
Career focused internship

If you’re not a student…

An internship abroad is not something you only do in between studies, but also in between career change or simply for skills development. The only difference is that you are not deemed as a student anymore and a student visa won’t apply for you, which means you need to start looking early into working visas or permits.

Polish off your resume! You want your resume to show your new employer what you’ve done and are capable of, but most importantly it needs to voice what is it that you expect to achieve through this internship.You don’t want to come off as a “know it all”, but as someone that has some past experience but is willing to learn something new.

You need to coordinate your…

Work visa/permit
Updated resume

Get Your Documents in Order

Paperwork! Gaaah! Yes, there is a lot of paperwork that needs taken care of before you can make your grand entrance in this internship abroad life. Make sure all your documents are up to date, or at least within the validation date, terminate whatever phone contracts you might have if you’re going to be gone for a while, check with your insurance if you are covered abroad as well, but most importantly, check the visa requirements of the country you are going to.

Most abroad employers will actually help and support you through the entire on-boarding process.

So let’s wrap it up. What do you need?

Passport
Visa
International insurance
Work contract

Arrange Your Finances

They say money doesn’t bring happiness, but it sure makes life easier. Whether you’ve scored yourself a golded paid internship, or an unpaid one, you will not escape the wrath of “budgeting”. If you’re interning abroad on a program, accommodation and some meals might already be included in the original cost, but if not, you have a bit of research to do.

Start with the cost of living of your destination, figure out if you need a roommate, learn some home cooked meals from your momma (trust us, you’re gonna need them!), and try to come up with cool ways to enjoy yourself (picnic in the park with friends!). And if you haven’t done so yet, start saving up in advance, consider opening a fundraiser or even apply for scholarships.

During your time abroad you will have enough time and liberty to explore your host country, to travel and sightsee, to go out with friends or co-workers, or even travel to other countries. Be aware that all these actions involve spending money, so make sure you budget right!

GoAbroad tip — a different currency rate can be used to your advantage!

Let’s cross them off our list:

Housing
Meals and groceries
Transportation
Currency exchange
Extra fun expenses

Miscellaneous To Do’s

A lot of people seem to forget that packing is such a crucial task. Pack based on the length of your internship, you accommodations quarters and the value of your items. Of course you need your clothes and your first aid kit, but you don’t really need that sweater from grandma when you’re going on a summer internship.

Research your destination country and learn a few words even! Being the new person in a job and in a new country is especially hard, so make it easier on yourself with doing a bit of research on what is or isn’t appropriate to say/do in your host country. If you throw in a Guten Morgen on a fresh summer morning, you’ll make a lasting impression on your new colleagues.

Packing (here’s our go-to intern abroad packing list)
Research destination country
Basic foreign language skills
Vaccinations

You’re ready to high-tail it abroad!

Now that we’ve covered everything on the interning abroad pre-departure checklist, it’s time for you to start checking those items off. Take it a step at a time and soon enough, you’ll be in Spain sipping on Sangria after your first day at the office. And there’s no better time than now to start your process. Take it from us, the hardest part of this entire experience will be saying goodbye to your adoptive country and all the new friends you’ve made.

If we’re coming off as very obsessed with planning in advance, it’s because we are. But only because we want you to enjoy yourself and not spazz out in the middle of downtown Tokyo because you forgot your allergies medication. You’re welcome and you’re ready to go!