Gain Professional Experience Abroad
Experiential Learning at the University of Montana partners with a variety of international organizations to allow students the opportunity to experience their career field abroad. Work Abroad can include internships, volunteering, and research. However, finding the right experience abroad will take time, so get started early!
First, make an appointment with our Work Abroad Advisor, Kevin Hood. Second, make an appointment with your academic advisor to ensure that you will receive academic credit for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. After that, get to researching to find the program that's right for you!
Here is a list of Work Abroad Resources to get you started!
Once you've checkout our work abroad databases to get a better understand of where you want to go and what you want to do, its time to take a look at possible programs you can participate in! UM partners with a variety of organizations to provide students with the opportunity to intern, volunteer, or work abroad. Below is a list of organizations UM students have traveled with in the past. Organizations marked with an * are university partners. However we encourage student to research all options to find the program that is right for them.
Work Abroad Programs
Absolute Internship is one of the leading international internship programs in the world, with programs in Barcelona, Beijing, Hong Kong, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Paris, Shanghai, Singapore, Stockholm and Tokyo. This company enables university students and graduates to develop their career aspirations across the globe by working with world-class companies to provide life-changing opportunities to its participants. its award-winning programs aim to develop both the personal and professional skill sets, allowing ambitious individuals to follow their passions alongside other like-minded students from all around the globe.
Atlantis is the global leader in healthcare experiential education for university students and recent graduates. They operate short-term programs (1-10 weeks) over school breaks, aimed at U.S. undergraduates, that take place primarily in the U.S. and Europe.
Medical schools want 3 things: healthcare exposure, GPA/MCAT, and certain competencies; Atlantis gives students the best version of the 1st, frees them to focus on the 2nd, and cultivates/shows the 3rd to medical school admissions committees. In fact, after participating in Atlantis and graduating from college, Atlantis Alumni have gone on to attend almost all medical schools in the U.S.
The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals is a fellowship funded by the German Bundestag and U.S. Department of State, that annually provides 75 American and 75 German young professionals, between the ages of 18½–24, the opportunity to spend one year in each other’s countries, studying, interning, and living with hosts on a cultural immersion program.
The program consists of three phases:
- Two months of intensive German language training
- One semester of classes in one’s academic or career field at a university, technical or professional school
- Three to five month internship in one’s career field
CBYX is open to candidates in all career fields, and applicants from a broad range of backgrounds are selected for the program each year.
Missoula-based organization that hosts an internship in Costa Rica.
The Ecology Project International resides at Pacuare Reserve in Matina, Limon, Costa Rica. As a non-profit organization with limited resources, volunteers always play a vital part in helping us meet our research and conservation goals.During their time at the reserve, volunteers help run both our short-term and long-term monitoring programs, as well as care for the Reserve itself. From March to October, they provide us with the assistance necessary to carry out beach monitoring at night and early morning. With basic training, they support the collection of biometric data from female turtles during the nesting process, and support exhumations of eggs and the release of hatchlings. But most importantly, your presence is key to protecting the turtles that nest on the beach at Pacuare Reserve
Whether you are a student, a professional, or a retiree, there is a wide world to explore, with endless opportunities to learn and contribute. Welcome to ELI Abroad, a non-profit organization that creates volunteer and internship opportunities for the globally-minded seeking a travel experience that goes beyond the ordinary. Since its founding in 2001, ELI has worked with thousands of participants from 41 countries, providing them an amazing array of programs.
No other travel experience can offer so much. Explore a new culture from the inside, working side by side with the locals. Whether you have a year to spare, or just 10 days, we have a program that's right for you, priced to meet even the most modest budget, and backed by outstanding in-country support.
Field Study Abroad has been welcoming students to Southern Africa for immersive internship experiences since 2008. Having partnered with with responsible and ethical animal conservation and social development programs across Southern Africa our highest priority is to ensure our interns form part of relevant and adventurous field studies and management efforts.
Nowhere else will you find this combination of a fulfilling field study abroad internship program offered for university credit.
This program is run by a locally operated company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. This on the ground knowledge ensures interns are properly prepared prior to their arrival. Additionally, they provide support throughout the duration of the internship if an intern has any concerns.
Want to learn more? Fill out this questionnaire for more information and to schedule a zoom call with a Field Study Abroad representative.
GIVE’s immersive, all-inclusive group trips engage you in meaningful volunteer projects, authentic cultural experiences, and off-the-beaten-path adventures so you can discover the world and find your purpose in it.
We know that you can’t be boxed in. You’ve got your own ideas and ideals, but one thing’s for sure – you want to contribute to a better future.
- You love to get outdoors, but want more than just a holiday. With the climate crisis intensifying, you have a fierce drive to preserve and protect nature, but want to experience untamed adventures too.
- You’re keen to build your career in nature conservation, but want to see the theory come to life by getting up close and personal with intricate ecosystems. To learn directly from scientists, experts, animals and organisms in the wild, while making lifelong friends with like-minded change-makers from all over the world.
- You’re eager to have the best time of your life, and at the same time be part of something really impactful. To play your part to help our planet.
Yes, it’s a lot. But that’s the thing. With GVI, you can experience all of it.
Full UM Tuition Waiver- $3,450 program fee
IE3 Global offers over 130 different full-time internships, in more than 40 countries. With so many programs, we are able to offer work experiences in a wide range of professions, catering to a variety of different majors and minors.
At Intern Abroad HQ we organize international internships for any student, graduate, or young professional who wants to advance their dream career through global work experience. We coordinate everything, from sourcing and customizing your internship placement to sorting out your airport pick up, accommodation, and meals.
We give you job-ready experience that will help you stand out to employers. Whether you choose to intern abroad or remotely, full or part time, our placements are customized to meet your study requirements and career aspirations.
Intern Abroad HQ is a division of International Volunteer HQ, the world’s largest volunteer travel organization.
International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) is a global non-governmental, non-profit organization. We benefit students, employers and universities through the IAESTE internship program. Paid internships abroad help students gain professional experience and cross-cultural skills. Employers and universities gain access to talented international interns, who bring new impulses and insights to their business or research. IAESTE provides primarily STEM internships, however we expand to other fields, such as marketing, management and languages.
Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife is the first non-profit wildlife rescue, conservation and education center in Laos.We run a multi-species wildlife center in Asia’s hotspot for trafficking, north of Laos’ capital Vientiane. We work with authorities to investigate wildlife crime and rescue animals of any species, with an aim to rehabilitate and release wherever possible. Any animals deemed unsuitable for release are offered lifetime care and refuge in our wildlife sanctuary.
Omprakash helps organizations to amplify their impact, while empowering individuals to become more critically conscious participants in processes of social transformation. Our bold vision is to reinvent 'global learning' to make it more affordable, more ethical, and more impactful.
The Peace Corps brings together skilled, committed Volunteers with welcoming host communities for service opportunities in more than 60 countries.
Volunteers live and work side by side with community members on locally prioritized projects, building relationships, exchanging cultures and knowledge, and helping transform lives for generations.
Still not sure if working abroad is right for you? Check out this video of Real UM students reflecting on their experiences abroad and how it changed their lives for the better!
Video
Hear More from UM Students Abroad
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Wildlife Conservation Volunteer Experience in South Africa
Join UM student Jeff Heyer as he reflects on his 6-week volunteer experience working with a wildlife conservation program in the Limpopo region of South Africa.
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Medical Internship in Kathmandu, Nepal
Join UM student Kate Bick as she reflects on her 12-week internship working in various hospitals and schools in Kathmandu, Nepal.
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Journalism Internship in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Join UM student Addie Slanger as she reflects on her 12-week internship working at Que Pasa Zona Norte, a News Publication, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Want to see more? Visit our YouTube Channel to view the full stories and hear from other UM students who went abroad!