Global Internship Program

Global Affairs: Internships in Dublin

  • Dates

    Internship Abroad: June 24 – August 19, 2023

    Online Courses: June 26 – September 1, 2023

  • Location

    Dublin, Ireland

  • Program Fee

    UCLA Undergrads (4 – Units): $6,810

    UCLA Undergrads (8 – Units): $7,926

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

***Info Session: Click here to watch our recent info session***

The compact capital city of Ireland, Dublin is a hub for many international companies and organizations, as well as a buzzing startup scene. Dubliners are known to be some of the friendliest people in the world, which is reflected in the more informal and relaxed work culture. In the summer time the sun doesn’t set until 10 PM, so you will have plenty of time to fully enjoy the huge variety of recreational opportunities Dublin has to offer, most of which are a stone’s throw from the city center.

Internship placements are approximately 8 weeks long. UCLA partner’s with The Intern Group 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.

Application Dates

Application Opens:  October 24, 2022

Application Closes:  December 4, 2022

Final Payment Deadline: February 10, 2023

Cancellation Deadline: February 15, 2023

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 15, 2023 at 11:59PM. Paid program fees (minus $300 nonrefundable deposit) are refundable until February 15, 2023 at 11:59PM.

Eligibility, Selection and Placement Process

Eligibility Criteria

  • Undergraduate student
  • Minimum of 90 units completed by end of Spring 2023
    • 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 The Intern Group, our partners in Dublin. Through this advising call The Intern Group will learn more about each applicant’s qualifications, experience and career goals. The call will help The Intern Group determine whether the applicant is a good match for available internship opportunities in Dublin. After the call is completed, The Intern Group and UCLA will decide whether to offer the applicant acceptance into the Dublin Global Internship Program based on their qualifications and the pool of applicants.

Acceptance Decisions

Applicants will be notified of acceptance decisions in early January.

Placement Process

Students selected for the Dublin program will need to place their program deposit first, in order to be officially enrolled in the program. After enrolling in the Dublin program, a placement coordinator from The Intern Group will work with each student one-on-one to find the best internship match. Internship placements are customized to a students’ personal and career goals, interests and experience. Students will intern approximately 32 hours per week at their internship site. Total work hours and mode of work (in-person vs hybrid) will depend on their specific internship site needs.

Disclaimer

The Global Internship Program provides all participants with meaningful internship placement opportunities. Students must be realistic, however, about the level of their internship placement. Students with limited or no work experience, limited leadership or volunteer experience, no specialization courses completed, or other kinds of related activities, will be placed in an entry-level position in their requested industry.

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. For assistance with your resume, you can use the VMock tool provided by the UCLA Career Center.

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. The maximum word count for each short-answer response is 125 words. 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? (125 word maximum)
  • Location of Interest: What makes you interested in interning in the particular city or country you selected for your program? (125 word maximum)
  • 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? (125 word maximum)
  • 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? (125 word maximum)

Internship Placements

Dublin Placement Options:

  • Advocacy Groups
  • Economics
  • Global Health
  • Law
  • NGOs
  • Non-Profits
  • Politics
  • Social Work

Examples Placements:

Please note that these are just a few examples of student placements from past years and there is no guarantee that these same placements and/or project roles will be available for future terms. There are many more placements available in Dublin than those listed below. Your internship placement will be determined through an interview process to match you with a company or organization aligned with your skills and interests.

Internship Hours

Students will intern approximately 32 hours per week. Total weekly work hours and mode of work (in-person vs hybrid) will depend on the specific internship site needs.

Curriculum

Program Courses

All students are required to enroll in the I A STD 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.

  • I A STD 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

I A STD 195CE: Internship Course (4 units)

Prerequisites:  None

International and Area Studies (I A STD) 195CE is a 4-unit course designed around an individual internship experience. This course will offer you the opportunity to apply international studies theories and concepts to your internship experience. This course will help you analyze the effects the global and interconnected nature of our world has on people, cultures, politics, economics, and organizations. You will take your academic knowledge beyond the classroom, and in your papers and during one-on-one meetings, you will analyze your organization and work experience within an international context. I A STD 195CE must be taken for a letter grade if applied for major/minor elective credit. Pass/no pass is allowed.

*The course is open to all majors and may fulfill electives for any of the programs housed in the International Institute (International & Area Studies majors and minors, Global Studies major and minor, International Development Studies major and Global Health minor) by petition to the program Chair.

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.

*The course is open to all majors and fulfills the following electives for programs housed in the International Institute: 

  • Global Studies Majors & Minors: Applies to the Culture & Society upper division pillar.
  • International and Area Studies Majors: Applies to the International Societies and Cultures category.
  • International Development Studies Majors: Could apply towards Regional or Disciplinary elective in the major, by petition only.

Budget and Financial Aid

Budget UCLA Undergrads (4-Units)  UCLA Undergrads (8-Units)
Program Fee $6,810 $7,926
IEI Fee $61 $61
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 in dormitory or apartment accommodations. 
  • Airport pickup
  • On-site orientation
  • Optional social, cultural and professional development activities
  • 24/7 on-site healthy and safety support from The Internship Group staff
  • Health insurance.

Personal Expenses NOT Included:

  • Round trip Airfare to Dublin
  • 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 not purchase their flight to Dublin until informed to do so by UCLA.

*The purchase of a fully-refundable and/or flexible airfare is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.

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, The Intern Group, 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 single room accommodations in dormitory or apartment style lodging with other interns and/or local students. All accommodations comes with bedding, shared kitchen, shared bathroom, and basic wifi. Accommodations are typically within a 30-to-60 minute commute from internship sites via public transportation.

Meals

Meals are not provided. Students will have access to kitchen facilities in their accommodations to cook.

Optional Social, Cultural and Professional Development Activities

This program offers various social, cultural and professional development activities and events that students can participate in with the other internship program participants.

Travel

Travel to Dublin

All Global Internship program participants are required to purchase and arrange their own travel accommodations to Dublin. Students should not purchase their flight to Dublin until informed to do so by UCLA. Students will receive specific arrival instructions to assist with arrival to program housing.

*The purchase of a fully-refundable and/or flexible airfare is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED

Visa Information:

U.S. citizens are not required to obtain a visa to conduct an internship in Ireland.

For non-US citizens, please contact UCLA IEO if you have any questions regarding your visa eligibility for the program.

Personal Travel

The Global Internship Program is an intensive 8 week experience. Internship sites will expect students to complete their weekly hours and will not be providing vacation days during the program. Although it may be possible for students to conduct short weekend trips, all longer trips should be conducted prior to or after the conclusion of the Global Internship Program.