AIFS Abroad: Study, Intern, or Study & Intern in Australia

I went abroad to Sydney, Australia for a three month internship with AIFS. AIFS helped me to find a company that would fit best with my work interest as well as found a great apartment for us. The location of the apartment was very central to my internship as well as close to public transport, making it easy to get around. My advisor, Andrea, was more than helpful throughout the whole process and made me feel comfortable and help adjust to the big change of being in a different country. There were a few trips planned throughout the program as well including a winery trip and a trip to the Royal National Park. It was cool to be able to meet people within the program and get to do activities together to have other people that are in the same boat as us being abroad. I would definitely recommend this program as well as the location!

Traveling to Sydney for an internship was the best next step for me both professionally and personally. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I'd do it over again in a heartbeat (I am even considering doing another program with AIFS). They check all the boxes, and all your needs are met. They provide you with insurance, housing, and all the interviews are set up for you.

Realistically this was a great option to travel for a good price while being able to add experiences and skills to your resume. Before the interviews, they help you prepare by helping you make your resume professional for interviews and let you know the next steps you need to take. It was a very valuable experience that has helped me feel more confident in my professional life.

We had amazing support in Sydney when we arrived from the on-site advisor. She was an amazing resource who assisted us with everything from navigating public transport to finding the nearest grocery store. She made sure we were prepared and checked up on us throughout our time here, which was really nice. Additionally, she ensured that our internships were going well and even vouched for us if necessary. My roommates and I felt so lucky to have had her support throughout our internships.

This experience is a great way to make friends, explore a new country, and get some professional experiences! Sydney is also a great city if you want to be social and meet tons of people! There are places to go every weekend to meet both local people your age and people who are on exchange as well. This city also has a lot of opportunities to try new things solo if you would rather do that! You get the best of both worlds here.

The program makes it easy to match you to an internship. Once on-site, your advisor checks in with you throughout about your internship. They also offer fun activities included in the program that allow you to see more of the city. On the other side, this program is on the pricier side and living in Sydney is expensive. The city is a great place to explore from the markets, beaches, and surfing to the surrounding national parks and wildlife, there is always something to do. One thing I wish was different about the internship placement process is the clarity in the roles/tasks of the internship specifically for the period you are interning for, where I noticed with mine as well as other interns that it was not what they expected in terms of the assigned roles. Overall, I had a great experience and would not trade it!

I had an amazing time overall in Sydney, summer 2023, and would recommend it to anyone wanting to study or work abroad. The work mindset here in Sydney is very relax with a good mix of respect and responsibility from your coworkers and supervisors. Having the ability to work a few days a week and have time off for going out and about around the city is a plus. Most supervisors are very nice about letting interns take time off as we’re here for a short time. So, if you do come to Sydney I suggest doing as much as you can during the weekends at markets, museums, and the national parks outside the city. And maybe even visit other cities like Melbourne, Brisbane, and maybe even Tasmania like I did!

I learned so much professionally and about myself during my internship in Sydney. There was a great balance between work and getting to explore. Andrea, our onsite coordinator planned great excursions both in the city and to surrounding areas. My host company was super welcoming and I had many networking opportunities. It was fun to make connections with different employees and companies in a new city. Everyone we interacted with was flexible and accommodating to make sure we got a well rounded experience. Thank you AIFS and Andrea!

My internship experience through AIFS global experiences has been incredible. I found AIFS to be extremely supportive and informative. It would’ve been extremely difficult to find an internship abroad on my own. AIFS paired me with companies that aligned with both my academic studies and career goals. AIFS found me a place to live, set me up with health insurance, taught me how to use the transportation systems, taught me the cultural differences, and much more. AIFS also set up excursions around Australia the allowed us to bond with the other American interns in our cohort and enjoy different areas of Australia that we might have missed otherwise. It was different than study abroad because we gained unique work experiences that will better prepare us for the workforce. I would recommend this program to anyone in college, but especially to those who want to work internationally.

AIFS was great!! Not only do they let you choose your location and field of interest, but they take you on fun excursions you probably would’ve never done by yourself! I had a great experience. Coming to Australia was truly life changing and I am so grateful for the opportunity. I actually had to switch internships because the first one was not a good fit at all. I was miserable, but AIFS helped me find a solution and a new internship. They are very supportive and wanting the best for the interns.

The support that I have received throughout my experience has been amazing for my personal and professional development! Special shout out to my on-site advisor, Andrea Hays for being such an encouraging pillar throughout my internship abroad in Sydney, Australia! The process of figuring out how to go abroad can be overwhelming but GE and its process makes it so much easier. Just pick your program, submit all of your documentation, and you'll have a foundation to curate your own experience. A going abroad experience is what you make it and this program sets you up so that you have more time for getting the most out of your time there!