Remote Internships Abroad
Now more than ever, Kaya’s community partners around the world are reaching out for the help of interns who can help them push forward their great work. Your remote internship, (also known as a virtual internship or online internship or even virtual work placement), will contribute to a capacity building-project for an organization tackling social or environmental issues in their local community.
This is a great opportunity to learn transferable soft skills as you prepare to embark in your future career!
No matter your major, you can trust that your internship will be aligned with Kaya’s mission to promote sustainable social, environmental, and economic development. Not only will you gain relevant cross-cultural work experience and boost your resume, the results of your work will make a long-lasting impact in a community in your host country. Alongside your project placement, you’ll engage in interactive cultural workshops and connect with a local buddy your age to enhance your cross-cultural understanding of the host country.
Read our blog on Remote Internships to find out more.
Watch our webinar on remote internships.
In which countries can I do a Remote Internship?
What fields are available for Remote Internships?
Internships are available across a range of academic areas including;
- Anthropology
- Architecture / Urban Planning
- Business
- Communications
- Education
- Environment and Sustainability
- Entrepreneurship
- Graphic Design
- Human Rights
- Immigration
- IT / Website Development
- Journalism
- Law
- LGBTQ+ Rights
- Marketing
- Media
- NGO Management/ Business Development
- Public Health
- Research
- Social Enterprise
- Videography / Film productions
- Women’s Empowerment
2024 Details
Spring 2024 Session Date
Start date: February 2, 2024
End date: May 3, 2024
Application deadline: January 12, 2024
Summer 2024 Session Date
Start date: May 17, 2024
End date: July 12, 2024
Application deadline: May 3, 2024
Fall 2024 Session Date
Start date: September 6, 2024
End date: December 6, 2024
Application deadline: August 23, 2024
What does a Kaya Remote Internship include?
- Advising support from Kaya every step of the way from the application process throughout your program
- Individual internship placement matched based on your interests and career goals (internships range from 15-30 hours per week in summer and 5-12h per week in Fall to accommodate schedules)
- Orientation to your host organization and placement
- Cultural Orientation with your Country Site Director
- Placement Guide outlining details of your host organization and goals of your placement
- Donations to support the work of your project
- Weekly “face to face” check-in and feedback session with your Project Supervisor
- Weekly “face to face” check-in and reflection session with your Country Site Director
- Weekly Cultural workshops with Country Director to attend live or watch the recording when it is convenient for you (1-2 hours/workshop)
- Local buddy for weekly cultural exchange with prompts to facilitate discussion
- Discussion forum to connect you with other interns
- A toolkit to understand your work style and learn to bridge cultural differences through interactive culture guides
- Certificate of completion
- Support pursuing home university credit, where available.
- Invitation to Kaya LinkedIn Alumni Group
- Reentry toolkit to guide your future career steps!
- Future program discount of US$200/ GB£150 to visit your host country in the future
Optional Add-ons (not included)
- Language classes: Spanish in Ecuador
– $55 2 hours/week
– $100 4 hours/week - Academic coursework with credit through our university partner.
International Work Experience
Boost your resume while making a difference in an organization tackling social or environmental issues.
Build a Global Network
Gain instant personal and professional connections with locals from your host country.
Remote Work Skills
Our virtual world seeks employees who can collaborate from their homes and offices worldwide. Stand out with remote work experience in a cross-cultural setting.
Cultural Connections
Experience the culture with local people through workshops and informal chats with local buddies eager to share their culture with you.
Support Staff
TOM GORE
Placement Manager
Tom works from England where he has been advising students remotely for more than 6 years. He joined the Kaya team after a life-changing experience as a volunteer teaching assistant in Thailand. He spent his first year with Kaya living and working remotely in the Philippines and continued from there when Super Typhoon Yolanda hit. Tom can advise you on how to make the most out of your remote work experience – even when things go differently than you planned!
FAQ’s
How can I get international experience without traveling to another country?
Your remote international internship gives you instant connections to local people who are eager to share their culture and welcome you into their lives. With these virtual cultural connections, you are invited behind closed doors and into the day to day lives of the local people.
With Kaya’s online cultural workshops and cultural connections, you’ll not only learn about the cuisine, music, and cultural traditions, you’ll also get to know the culture on a deeper level – understanding both personal and professional relationships in the context of your host country.
How will I benefit from a remote internship?
We live in a virtual world where more and more companies and employees collaborate and work together from their offices and homes around the world. (The Kaya Team included!) Completing a remote international internship will set you apart from the crowd because not only will you gain remote work experience, you will also be gaining valuable experience in working remotely across cultures – with support to help you navigate the cultural differences in the workplace.
Can I earn credit for a remote internship?
Your choice! If your home institution offers credit, your Kaya Placement Advisor will support you to help you meet your university’s requirements. If your university does not offer credit, you have the option to register for a three-credit Global Studies course through Kaya’s partner institution.
Do I need to speak another language?
No! Each location offers placements in English. Placements in the local language are also available for advanced language learners.
How will I communicate with my supervisor?
Each week you will have a minimum of one call with your site supervisor. Your site supervisor will also be accessible via email throughout the internship. Site supervisors use a range of platforms which include WhatsApp, Skype, and Zoom. After your placement is confirmed, you will receive your site supervisor’s contact information along with guidelines for communication.
Am I taking a job from a local?
No. Like many people around the globe, the communities Kaya partners with have been hit hard by the economic impacts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Your contributions help them to come back faster and stronger so they can get back to fulfilling their community-driven missions and long-term goals.
Can a remote international experience replace the real thing?
Nothing can replace the in-person experience of travel and we do hope you make it to your host country one day soon to experience first hand the vibrant markets of Morocco, take in the breathtaking views from Table Mountain, see the fruits of your labor at your host organization in Ecuador, or sit down at a cafe in Vietnam with your local buddy. We mean it! Your online internship comes with a $200 discount for future travel with Kaya to your host country. You will arrive prepared, confident, and with lifelong friends! In the meantime you can still develop some of the important cross-cultural skills that can help you with your career and your studies.
Do you have a payment plan?
We understand that students, and often their families, are working hard to make experiences like this possible. We also recognize that each university has a different process and timeline for financial aid. Speak with a Placement Advisor if you have concerns about the payment schedule, and they can discuss with you what kind of flexibility we are able to offer for your specific situation.
Why pay for a remote internship?
At our core, we are a responsible travel organization, which means we treat our community partners and participants with the utmost respect and consider the quality of their experiences carefully. In order to be responsible and sustainable, we have incorporated a variety of cultural components into our remote internships. This helps create fertile ground for cross-cultural exchange filled with mutual understanding and growth, and also provides proper support for the intern. This level of support and guidance takes work, and we want to compensate our community partners fairly. We also want to provide a quality experience for you, one that has a lasting impact, which is why in addition to your internship placement we’ve included weekly check-ins with your Project Supervisor, weekly check-ins with your Country Site Director, weekly Cultural Workshops, a discussion forum, a for bridging cultural differences in the workplace, and a reentry toolkit. We are proud to be able to offer these resources, but they do require valuable time and energy from our hard-working and dedicated partners on the ground.
Application Process and Payment Schedule
CONTACT US
Speak to a Kaya placement advisor for more information on available placements in your subject area, and the type of work you are interested in. Click here to email us.
APPLY
Complete an Application
and submit your resume/CV with a $45/ £40 deposit, for us to match you with best project options. Deposits are deducted from the total tuition fee and will be refunded if we can’t find you a placement.
CONFIRM INTERNSHIP
Confirm your chosen project with a Kaya advisor, then pay your balance to accept and book your placement.
What are the requirements to do a Kaya Remote Internship?
Our program is open to all.
Instruction is in English, so there are NO foreign language requirements, but we do have opportunities if you are looking to improve your Spanish, Arabic of French language skills.
All you will need is access to a laptop, internet connection for video calls and an interest in cultural learning.