Global Internship Program

College Scholars: Internships in Sydney

  • Dates

    Internship Abroad: TBA

    Online Courses: June 20 – August 26, 2022

  • Location

    Sydney, Australia

  • Program Fee

    UCLA Undergrads (4 – Units): TBA

    UCLA Undergrads (8 – Units): TBA

    Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents.

From the iconic Sydney Opera House to the golden sands of Bondi Beach, Sydney is a great mix of nature and a world class metropolis. This Global Internship program is specifically designed for students enrolled in the College Scholars Program. Internship placements are approximately 8 weeks long. UCLA partner’s with ISA to place students at internship sites based on personal career goals, interests and experience. While completing the on-site internship, students will also be enrolled in 1 or 2 online courses, earning 4-to-8 units of academic credit. Online courses follow Summer Session A and will last for a total of 10 weeks. Student’s looking to receive financial aid must be enrolled in 2-courses during the program.

*If you are a College Scholar who majors in one of the other career fields offered by the Global Internship program, please contact the Global Internship Program Manager to discuss your best options towards completing an internship program, while also fulfilling your major/minor academic requirements.

Registration Dates

Registration:  October 25 – December 5, 2022

Final Payment Deadline: February 11, 2022

Cancellation Deadline: February 16, 2022

Please do not enroll in a Global Internship Program unless you are sure you intend to participate. Remember that your deposit is nonrefundable. See our Cancellation Policy. The cancellation deadline is February 16, 2022 at 11:59PM. Paid program fees (minus $300 nonrefundable deposit) are refundable until February 16, 2022 at 11:59PM.

Eligibility, Selection and Placement Process

Eligibility Criteria

  • Undergraduate student
  • Enrolled in the College Scholars Program
    • Honors students that are not enrolled in the college scholars program are ineligible, but may have opportunities to enroll in some of the other Global Internship Programs offered, depending on their major.
  • Minimum of 90 units completed by end of Spring 2022
    • Units can include transfer credit
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
  • Good academic standing

Selection Process

Students who apply that meet the eligibility criteria will conduct an advising call with ISA, our partners in Sydney. Through this advising call ISA will learn more about each applicant’s qualifications, experience and career goals. The call will help ISA determine whether the applicant is a good match for available internship opportunities in Sydney. After the call is completed, ISA and UCLA will decide whether to offer the applicant acceptance into the Sydney Global Internship Program based on their qualifications and the pool of applicants. Please note that the  earliest applicants will hear back regarding acceptance decisions is early January.

Placement Process

Students selected for the Sydney program will need to place their program deposit first, in order to be officially enrolled in the program. After enrolling in the Sydney program, a placement coordinator from ISA will work with each student one-on-one to find the perfect internship match. Internship placements are customized to a students’ personal and career goals, interests and experience. Students will work approximately 32-to-40 hours per week at their internship placement.

Documents to Prepare for Your Application

Resume

As part of the application process you will be asked to upload a current copy of your resume. Please take time to appropriately format and spell check your resume before submitting.

Motivation to Enroll Questionnaire 

As part of your application process you will be asked to complete a questionnaire. Responses should be well thought out and demonstrate why you are a strong candidate for the Global Internship Program. It’s highly encouraged to prepare your responses in advance on a Word document and then copy and paste to the application once you apply. Please see the questions below to assist you in preparing your answers:

  • Personal Introduction: Please give some  general background on yourself and why you are interested in participating in the Global Internship Program?
  • Location of Interest: What makes you interested in interning in the particular city or country you selected for your program?
  • Career Goals: Within your career field, which specific sector are you interested in working in and what do you hope to gain from this global internship experience? How will this experience assist you toward reaching your career goals?
  • Why should you be selected?: What do you think makes you stand out as a strong candidate for the Global Internship Program? Why should you be selected for the program?

Placements

Sydney Placement Options: Students will be placed within a local NGO’s, Non-Profit or Governmental organization amidst a range of career fields (depending on the student’s major, experience, and career goals). Career fields may include, but are not limited to:

  • Agriculture & Veterinary Sciences
  • Arts & Humanities
  • Business & Marketing
  • Communication, Media, PR
  • Education*
  • Engineering*
  • Environmental & Sustainability Studies
  • Fashion
  • Film & TV
  • Health*
  • Hospitality, Events, & Tourism
  • IT and Computer Science*
  • Legal Studies and Advocacy
  • Performing and Visual Arts
  • Political Science
  • Psychology & Social Work
  • Research
  • Science and Math
  • Sports and Exercise Science

*UCLA offers specific Global Internship Programs targeting these career fields. Please speak with the Global Internship Program Coordinator to see which would be your best option in order to fulfill both the College Scholars Capstone and your Major/Minor departmental requirements.

Example Placements:

Please note that these are just a few examples of student placements in the past. This list does not guarantee availability for future terms. Since College Scholars come from a wide array of majors, internship sites will depend on career interest and experience. For sample internship role descriptions please click here.

Curriculum

College Scholars Cohort Meetings

All enrolled students will be required to attend 3 Virtual College Scholars Cohort Meetings, including pre-departure, during program and post-program meetings. These cohort meetings will provide students an opportunity to reflect on their experiences with the larger cohort and honors department, as well as share their experiences with other College Scholars (ie. post-program meeting).

Program Courses

All students are required to enroll in the CESC 195CE course while attending the program. Students who wish to earn more units and/or apply for financial aid, may also enroll in the CESC 130 course as well.

  • CESC 195CE (4 units) ~ Mandatory
  • CESC 130 (4 units) ~ Optional

* Please note that in order to be eligible for financial aid, students must be enrolled in both the mandatory course AND the optional course (total of 8-units).  

Course Descriptions

CESC 195CE: Internship Course (4 units)

Prerequisites:  None

Community Engagement and Social Change (CESC) 195CE is a 4-unit course designed around an individual internship experience. This course will offer you the opportunity to apply community engagement and social change theories and concepts to your internship experience. You will take your academic knowledge beyond the classroom. In your papers and during one-on-one meetings, you will analyze your organization and work experience within an international context. CESC 195CE must be taken for a letter grade. Auditing and pass/no pass is not allowed.

*This course will fulfill the College Scholars Capstone requirement.

CESC 130: Intercultural Communication in the Global Workplace (4 units)

Prerequisites:  None

This 4-unit course is designed to help students critically analyze their own cultural values and beliefs and the impact they have on their communication. It will provide students with strategies and tools to more effectively communicate and to manage intercultural conflicts in the global workplace. Students will study and critique intercultural communication theories, review relevant case studies and discuss first hand experiences from their global internship. This course must be taken for a letter grade. Auditing and pass/no pass is not allowed.

Budget and Financial Aid

Budget UCLA Undergrads (4-Units)  UCLA Undergrads (8-Units)
Program Fee TBA TBA
IEI Fee $61 $61
Visa Expenses (estimate) $220 $220
Airfare (estimate) $1,500 $1,500
Meals & Incidentals (estimate) $1,500 $1,500

**Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents.

Program fee includes:

  • Tuition
  • Internship placement
  • Single room accommodations in shared apartment
  • On-site orientation (including welcome meal).
  • Optional social and cultural activities
  • 24/7 on-site healthy and safety support from the ISA staff
  • Health insurance.

Personal Expenses NOT Included:

  • Roundtrip Airfare to Sydney
  • Visa fees
  • Personal travel during program
  • Costs for medical expenses and emergencies
  • Meals and entertainment expenses
  • Transportation to/from housing to internship site
IEI Fee

All undergraduate students will be charged a $61 IEI fee per summer. The IEI (Instructional Enhancement Initiative) fee is a course materials fee that is charged in order to support the use of technology in undergraduate education at UCLA. For more information please click here.

Budgeting

We recommend that you budget accordingly to cover optional sightseeing, laundry, emergencies, etc.  How much to budget depends on your travel, entertainment, and souvenir choices. It is always best to overestimate your spending. Take the time to research the cost of living in your destination and the activities you want to participate in while abroad.

Purchasing Airfare

Students should wait until final internship placement confirmation, prior to purchasing their flight to Sydney. 

Financial Aid

Financial aid for Summer Global Internship Programs is available to qualified UCLA students. Students must be enrolled in a total of 8 units (2 courses) to be eligible for financial aid. For details about the financial aid application process, please visit the Financial Aid section of this website.

On Location

Arrival

Our partner organization, ISA, will provide airport pickup for your internship program.  You will be responsible for making your own arrangements back to the airport at the end of the program.

Accommodations

Students will reside in double room accommodations in shared apartments with other interns in Sydney. All apartments comes with bedding, fully equipped shared kitchen, shared bathroom, and basic Wifi. Apartments are typically within a 30-to-60 minute commute from internship sites via public transportation.

Meals

Meals are not provided. Students have access to fully furnished kitchens in their apartment to cook.

Optional Social and Cultural Activities

This program offers weekly organized events around the city that you are free to participate in with the other internship program participants.

Travel

Travel to Sydney

All Global Internship program participants are required to purchase and arrange their own travel accommodations to Sydney. Students should wait until ISA confirms placement prior to purchasing their flight to Sydney. Students will receive specific arrival instructions to assist with arrival to program housing.

Visa Information:

Interns will be required to obtain a visa to do an internship in Australia. ISA will help to guide students with the visa process and providing a letter of support.