AIFS Abroad Internships in London, England

This was an amazing experience and opportunity to grow professionally and personally. Shani and Gregg were absolutely amazing in coordination this program as well as providing support during the program. Gregg offered many unique weekend adventures that provide an opportunity to do more than just work or study. Shani was so helpful in making sure all the legal and visa related things were taken care of. This alleviated a lot of stress for me personally and I could not be more grateful. I have minimal complaints and would certainly recommend this program to others.

With the pandemic shuttering the global opportunities I planned to attend through my college, I applied to GE to try and still go abroad before graduation. I’m happy to say it was a great experience!

I appreciated how GE helped prepare me for an internship by looking over my resume and having me take a quiz to find my strengths and build a cover letter around them. This was a great addition to the program and something I intend to use to apply for jobs in the workforce beyond the GE program. My advisor was great about answering my questions and making sure all of my paperwork was finished in time to depart.

A minor complaint of mine is that GE has no transportation from the airport to your flat. As someone who’d never flown on a plane, didn’t know how tubes worked, and had been up for over 24 hours traveling, it was difficult to navigate from the airport to my flat, even though I’d brought a map of the city to help. The housing itself was quite nice, with air conditioning, private bathrooms, and being right next to a grocery store and having two tub stations nearby.

Regarding my internship, I was with a great company and learned a lot as a content writer, but I did apply for public relations first and journalism second, and though I didn’t mind my placement at all, if future students are looking for a specific job rather than a broad placement, they may be a bit disappointed.

The best part of my program was by far Gregg and Shani, who were very kind and prompt in responding to my questions and concerns. When I got sick during the program, Gregg was great about giving me information on what doctor offices my student insurance covered and what papers I needed to fill out. Also, many of the places Gregg took the group were not tourist destinations, but niche places you’d never know about unless you had someone from the area with you. This was great, and really added to the experience in a way I wouldn’t have gotten had I come to London on my own without GE.

I also enjoyed how Gregg and Shani showed us students a PowerPoint of how we would feel throughout our stay during Orientation—from the initial excitement to understandable fatigue to adapting to your new environment. When I did find myself slipping into the “understandable fatigue” stage, it really helped to know that my feelings were a natural part of going to a different country and would improve—which they soon did.

Overall I would recommend GE as a solid option for building your work portfolio abroad. I never felt like I was in danger walking around the city, and was able to do a lot of sightseeing on the weekends! Considering it was my first time abroad, GE was great about preparing me for what to expect and offer help if I needed it.

My only issues lie not with the on-site staff, but with what GE marketed the program to be. I applied for a specific internship opportunity listed on their website (I believe it said specifically "work for a contemporary art gallery"), and I ended up working for a museum of architecture. None of my blame lies in Shani, she did a great job aligning my interests, qualifications, and the opportunities present in London this summer. However, it has felt like false marketing on GE's side to promote one thing, and provide another.

I would have no issues if instead they marketed a generalized opportunity (such as "work within the art scene of London"), rather than a niche position that I applied specifically for.

Besides that, Gregg and Shani do a fantastic job ensuring the safety and support of 75+ young adults, many of whom it is their first time in the UK. The activities Gregg puts on are always diverse, affordable, and their own unique hidden gem that made me feel like a true "Londoner". Shani somehow manages to find jobs for dozens of students and their targeted careers, while juggling communication between various companies and international students. Although the internship may not be your dream profession, no matter what, the opportunity teaches you invaluable lessons on how to pursue that career.

If you need/want an international internship and want to push your own limits in a foreign country (all while still being supported by staff and friends), I would recommend this program.

When I first started this experience it was going really well. My advisor was helpful and it made me excited and hopeful. When arriving to London it was going great until the program actually started. The program leader in in London should not be in her position. She is extremely unprofessional and speaks in a very rude manner to participants. She treated us like children when we're all adults trying to learn more. I understand the topic of a Visa is important but the way she spoke was unacceptable. She called most of the participants unprofessional and sent us all multiple threats. Her position must be stressful with the amount of people in the program but if you can't handle it without staying professional then it's time to find another job. I have never met anyone so unprofessional in my life. For us to be paying so much and to be treated like kids, it's terrible. My interactions with her along with all the other unhappy participants made this experience more negative and not worth the money. Also, the housing is horrible. It is in a bad part of town and the company unite students is cheap. They lost SO many of my packages, never answer the 24/7 phone, and are so unhelpful if you have any problem. Which you will have a lot of problems like broken appliances in the kitchen and in the bathroom, terrible wifi that goes out every weekend, bugs, smells, it goes on. For paying so much money I expected better housing.

If you are a recent college/university graduate and you think you’ve missed out on your once in a life time opportunity to study or intern abroad, look no further. I thought I’d missed my chance due to the pandemic but GE gave me the chance to still fulfill that dream of mine.
My goal was to explore different industries and my internship at a chamber of commerce allowed me to do just that. The housing was centrally located gave us access to a gym, dance studio, study rooms, and lounge. 6 interns shared a kitchen and living room and we each had a private bedroom and bathroom.
Gregg, GE’s London program coordinator, provided almost weekly outings full of London’s gems beyond the typical tourist attractions. He was very attentive to all of the interns needs, checking in frequently and taking action when needed. London is an expensive city so it was nice that most expenses for Gregg’s outings were prepaid by our program fees.

While there are definitely both pros and cons to interning with GE, the experience overall was enjoyable. London is made especially fantastic by the on-site coordinator, Gregg, who provides invaluable support, fun and educational activities, and will go to bat for you to ensure you have a good time. The housing was excellent, my internship was educational, and I was given many opportunities to learn and grow from the experience. The housing is in a great location, is incredibly safe, and very clean. You are guaranteed to enjoy the social activities provided by the location coordinator.

I loved every second being in London. The internship I was placed in was not necessarily super aligned with my major but it ended up being awesome! The company I worked for and my coworkers were amazing. I found my love for marketing through this experience. Also, Gregg made sure there was an activity/trip planned EVERY weekend so there was limitless opportunities to meet people and see all around England. The housing was also very nice and we had private bathrooms and private rooms with a shared kitchen.

I chose to do an internship in London kind of last minute and I’m so grateful I did! Though my placement wasn’t applicable/initially what I thought I’d be doing, I still feel like I learned things from my internship and coworkers that I can carry forward with me. I always felt very supported in London by our Location Coordinator, Gregg. He was so consistent about checking in, planning fun weekend activities, and making sure we knew we had someone to go to for help or questions. I learned so much from him - He knows the city like no one else! London was a great place to work as a young person and I highly recommend going if you can!