Top 7 Virtual Study/Intern Abroad Opportunities This Summer

 

You can study abroad from the comfort of your home. This sentence seems strange, but virtual study abroad offers many of the same benefits as a traditional study abroad experience - and some additional perks. Many program providers and universities are stepping up to the plate and providing much-needed virtual study abroad and internship programs in a huge range of fields and locations. These programs allow you to gain international experience, build global networks, engage with world-class university faculty and top industry leaders, virtually explore overseas locations, take fascinating courses, and build your résumé - all with the flexibility of doing it from home.

We've found seven such programs that you can take this summer. If you have a lot of free time indoors due to the current circumstances, want to gain credits and/or work experience, or simply feel like investing in yourself and expanding your mind, you should consider participating in one or more of the programs below. Please note that we cannot guarantee any credit transfer. For virtual study abroad opportunities, you will need to go through the usual course approval process to ensure that credits will transfer; in other words, you will have to fill out the Summer Course Approval Form and have it signed by all the appropriate people. For virtual internships, you will need to coordinate with the Internship Coordinator in your college/school/department in order to transfer credits.

Virtual Study Abroad Opportunities

• #CONVERGE at the Singapore University of Social Sciences

Duration: June 22 - July 18
Topic: How COVID-19 has changed our world in relation to public safety and crisis management, business, tech, and other fields
Locations: Various; include Singapore, Japan, the Philippines, and the United States
Fees: None (yes, really!)
Eligibility Requirements: Being an undergraduate student
Credits: None

The #CONVERGE program is relevant, flexible, and completely FREE! This program consists of a series of free webinars and other digital events that aim to unravel the impact of COVID-19 on our world. Students will be able to participate in discussions led by industry leaders and university faculty and build global connections and friendships. Three sessions of webinars and student discussions will be held every week, and recordings of the sessions will be made available. Apply to this program here.

• Summer International Business

Duration: July 6 - July 31 or August 17 - September 11
Topics: International business, international marketing, family business, entrepreneurship, and investment
Locations: Various (depend on course chosen)
Fees: $1,495
Eligibility Requirements: Minimum 2.5 GPA
Credits: 3 or 6 (one or two courses)
Application Deadline: June 8

Summer International Business is one of many virtual summer programs being offered by CEA Study Abroad. The program gives students the opportunity to explore comparative business studies among different countries' practices, virtually visit businesses overseas, and meet international entrepreneurs. For each four-week session, you can choose one or two courses. Signing up for a virtual Summer 2020 course will get you $1,500 or $500 off for a 2021 semester or summer program, respectively. Apply to the Summer International Business program here.

• ISEP Virtual Programs

Duration: Varies by program (4 - 6 weeks throughout June, July, and August)
Topics: Various; include technology and science, humanities and social sciences, health sciences, and and computing
Locations: Taiwan, Chile, Greece, Argentina, and Costa Rica
Fees: $2,000 - $5,800 (vary by program)
Eligibility Requirements: Vary by program
Credits: 3 - 6
Application Deadlines: Vary by program

ISEP Study Abroad are offering a number of unique, immersive summer study abroad opportunities. You can choose from a Chinese language, business and culture course in Taiwan, a Latin American health care and development studies program in Costa Rica, online courses in a variety of fields at the American College of Thessaloniki, Greece, and more. As different as the programs are, they each allow you to gain international experience and cultural growth wherever you are. Apply to each program through its web page.

• Virtual World DiscoverIES

Duration: June 15 - July 31
Topics: Various; include psychology, business, and art
Locations: Various; include Barcelona, Tokyo, London, Milan, and Paris
Fees: $1,125 (3 credits) or $2,250 (6 credits)
Eligibility Requirements: Minimum 2.5 GPA (exceptions may be made); minimum IELTS score of 6.5/TOEFL iBT score of 79
Credits: 3 or 6 (one or two courses)
Application Deadline: June 1

IES Abroad's Virtual World DiscoverIES program offers a truly unique online summer school. You can choose from courses as diverse and interesting as Endemic Diseases & Their Socioeconomic Context, Japanese Popular Culture, and Managing Fashion and Luxury Companies. The world-class professors teaching the courses will be located in equally diverse locations, ranging from Cape Town to Paris. Students who participate in this program will also receive a credit toward a future study abroad or internship program ($1,000 for a semester or $500 for a summer). Apply to this program here.

• Online Summer Study Abroad at University of Arts London

Duration: June 29 - July 17
Topics: Various; include design management, journalism, art history, fashion business, and luxury brand management
Location: London
Fees: £1,235 ($1527.89)
Eligibility Requirements: Completion of at least one year of undergraduate-level study; equivalent of IELTS 5.0 or above (6.0 or above for certain courses). Some courses may have minimum GPA and other requirements.

Credits: 3
Application Deadline: June 15 (to also apply for a scholarship)

University of Arts London - a top two university for art and design in the world - is offering five online courses this summer. Participants will be able to engage with their course leader and other students on a stimulating array of activities related to their selected course and London’s rich contemporary visual and material culture. You can apply to UAL's Art History, Criticism and Communication, Design Management, Journalism, Fashion Business and Luxury Brand Management, and Visuals for Fashion online courses at each course's web page. You can find instructions on how to apply for the Summer Study Abroad 2020 Scholarship (which covers the cost of the tuition fee) here.

Virtual Intern Abroad Opportunities

• Virtual Accelerated Internship

Duration: August 3 - August 28 (Session 2); August 17 - September 11 (Session 3); August 31 - September 25 (Session 4)

Topics: Various; include architecture, engineering, journalism and media, health, and finance

Locations: Argentina, Barcelona, Ecuador, New York City, New Zealand, or South Africa

Fees: $1,390

Eligibility Requirements: Minimum 2.5 GPA

Credits: 3 (the New York City Internship may be an exception)

Application Deadlines: June 15 (Session 2); July 1 (Session 3); July 15 (Session 4)

CIS Abroad's Virtual Accelerated Internship program enables you to do real, résumé-building work across 20 career fields from the comfort of your home. Participants will work 15-30 hours a week for four weeks in a company in one of the countries listed above. The program offers flexible schedules and one-to-one career coaching to find the best internship placement for you. Apply to this program here, and use the promo code VIRTUAL300 on your application by the application deadline for $300 off on any 2020 virtual internship with CIS Abroad.

• The Intern Group Virtual Internship Program

Duration: Varies by program (4 - 24 weeks; programs start every week year-round)
Topics: Various; include PR and marketing, finance and accounting, IT and computer science, journalism, and NGO and non-profit internships
Locations: Various; The Intern Group has a network of 3,000+ host organizations around the world
Fees: $2,990
Eligibility Requirements: Vary by program
Credits: Vary by program
Application Deadline: At least one month before desired start date

The Intern Group is offering virtual internships at 3,000+ leading organizations, including some of the most prestigious organizations in the world. The Virtual Internship Program is extremely flexible; participants can choose to work between 10-40 hours per week for 4-24 weeks and choose a start date that suits them. The program includes career advancement training to help you thrive during your remote internship as well as a keynote speaker series, where you can ask questions live to global business leaders. AUS students can apply to this program here through ISEP in order to receive a $200 discount on program fees. You can browse other discounts offered for this program here.

Take the initiative to challenge and develop yourself this summer - we think you won't regret it.

Suzana Saoud

IXO Publicity Specialist

Ezaldeen's Semester Abroad: Challenges and Silver Linings

COVID-19 has been extremely disruptive for study abroad students. Computer engineering major Ezaldeen Arafat knows this all too well - he departed to Louisiana State University this semester and has been unable to return to the UAE because the university shut down relatively late. The pandemic has been challenging for Ezaldeen in many ways, but it hasn't been all bad - due to the situation, he was able to grow closer to his extended family in the USA.

Ezaldeen and a friend at the New Orleans ferry

Ezaldeen's experience with the pandemic in Louisiana sounds very similar to the experiences of our study abroad students here at AUS: "When the university shut down, I was spending time with my friends before they left. Since they all live in countries where they hold citizenship, they were able to travel home (most of them were exchange students). Restaurants are still open for takeout, so you can get food but you can’t eat there. So we would get food and eat at somebody’s place, but around 95% of my friends have left to their home countries, so I was running out of things to do."

Despite this, he says he's coping pretty well with the situation. "I try to focus on my online courses and I know that I would be in quarantine even if I did make it back to the UAE, so for now, the only option for me is to wait things out anyway, no matter where I stay."

Staying in the USA during this pandemic was not Ezaldeen's choice to make: "My university shut down pretty late in response to COVID-19, and as I was making plans to go back to the UAE, the country closed its borders to everyone who wants to enter the country except their citizens.

"I stayed for a couple of weeks in Louisiana when the university shut down, but my uncle, whom I’ve met only once before, offered to let me move in with him and his family in North Carolina as I wait to be able to return to the UAE. Even though I still had some people that I could see in Louisiana, things were getting pretty dull, so I booked a one-way ticket to North Carolina and am currently living with my uncle."

Ezaldeen has observed how the pandemic has transformed Louisiana and North Carolina - which hasn't been all too different from how it has affected the UAE: "Louisiana was absolutely empty in terms of pedestrians. The number of cars you would see on the street didn’t really change, except for drive-throughs, which were always packed. The situation is the same in North Carolina."

Needless to say, the COVID-19 outbreak has heavily affected Ezaldeen's study abroad experience. "I realized that even if I decided to stay at the university, my study abroad experience had ended anyway since the university had shut down and I would have to quarantine myself for the remainder of my stay in the USA," he said. "At this point, it really didn’t matter where I stayed; I just wanted to stay with people whom I could rely on while I go through this pandemic. That's why I chose to move in with my uncle."

The transition to online courses has been pretty rough on Ezaldeen, but the fact that study abroad grades (that are passing) don't affect AUS students' GPA is a safety net. "I basically have no motivation to work when I stay at home 24/7 - kind of ironic since I basically have all the time in the world - but my courses are pretty easy. I’m also only taking four courses and a lab, because I planned this trip to have a very low amount of work compared to a regular semester at AUS. The easy courses mean that I have to work minimally to pass since I only need a C, but my grades have definitely dropped. I used to average A/A- on my exams, whereas I am now averaging C/D on the online exams I am taking. Since I did well in the beginning of the semester, I’m hoping that these grades average out to a passing grade."

Unsurprisingly, Ezaldeen's experience with the pandemic has been mostly negative, but he sees a bright side to the situation: "I got to form a relationship with a side of my family that I never thought I would see before. I also got to explore North Carolina’s capital, Raleigh, by car, which is indeed a very beautiful city."

Finally, he would like to leave everyone with this message: "I hope that everyone really is safe and that everyone spends their time in quarantine where they belong - with their close family. Unfortunately, I don’t get that privilege. Even though this is a really tough time, we do learn to appreciate even the smallest things that we have in our regular everyday lives. And even if somebody’s pandemic experience is extremely negative, just know that we become better people through our struggles and that the outcome will be a new and stronger you!"


Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist

Studying Abroad in the Era of COVID-19

Noah Franco

'Era' might be a bit dramatic, but it has certainly felt that way. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench into many of our plans. This is especially true for students, many of whom are scrambling to figure out arrangements regarding online courses, internships, and graduation ceremonies. International and study abroad students have the added stress of deciding whether to stay put or return home and arrange to travel, which has become increasingly difficult. Noah Franco is an AUS design management student abroad at Arkansas State University who decided to remain in the United States. He shared with us how this pandemic has affected him as a study abroad student.

Much like most of us, Noah has been staying indoors lately. "I've been spending most of my time in my room working on assignments or watching lectures, watching Netflix, gaming with my friends back in Dubai, and scrolling endlessly through social media," he said. "Since I'm more of an introvert, I don't mind spending all this time indoors. However, I miss routine university life: walking to class, going to the gym and playing football, and so on."

At the time of my interview with Noah, Arkansas had 1,498 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The state is around 7,800 miles away from the UAE, but the effects the virus is having in both places are very similar: "I live on campus and the atmosphere here has drastically changed in the last month. Most of the students and staff have moved back into their homes and only a few people are left on campus. Off-campus, the streets are not as lively as they used to be as all restaurants are now takeaway only, and many other businesses are closed."

(Don't worry, this photo was taken before social distancing was imposed.)

Despite the shared experience we are all having living through this pandemic, it is undeniable that some of us are harder-hit due to a variety of reasons. For one, study abroad students have been put in unique situations due to COVID-19, such as "travel restrictions on going back home and having to take online classes at odd hours of the day (for the students that returned home early)," according to Noah.

Much like AUS, Arkansas State University decided to conduct classes remotely for the remainder of the spring semester. "Since I was already taking a few online classes this semester, adjusting to all online classes wasn't too hard," Noah said. "Except for when I procrastinate and have to end up watching multiple recorded lectures at the end of the week," he added.

At the Centennial Bank Stadium at Arkansas State University

As difficult as this situation is, most struggles do have a silver lining. "I think the world now understands the gravity of the situation and I think global crisis management and healthcare will improve for the better," Noah said.

Noah also has a message for everyone during these times, which IXO fully endorses: "I hope you and your family are doing well. Stay indoors and stay safe. Hang in there everyone!"

Suzana Saoud

IXO Publicity Specialist

Gigi's IXO Internship

Gigi at our office

IXO offers opportunities not only for study abroad, but also for employment and academic and professional career advancement. Aside from our many student employees, we have welcomed Visiting Guests-in-Residence to work at our office and gain experience relevant to their studies and careers. One such person was Jihan "Gigi" Elsayed, an American who interned at IXO throughout Fall 2019 to complete a graduate practicum. She has since landed a job in the UAE and hopes to stay here long-term.

Gigi's internship at IXO was the last requirement for her Master in International Education Management program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California, USA. "One of the benefits of completing the practicum at IXO was the opportunity to learn about different areas in international education management. For example, some practicum sites will either focus only on international student services or only on study abroad. At IXO, I worked on projects that focused not only on these, but also on professional development, alumni outreach, marketing and recruitment, etc. I was able to see and learn how the office operated as a whole and everything that went into it."

At her IXO birthday/farewell party

Working at IXO also broadened Gigi's scope of knowledge in her field in another way. "Professionally, I am more knowledgeable about education in the UAE. Since I grew up and studied in the USA, a lot of my knowledge regarding international education was very USA-focused, or European-focused, since I studied abroad in France. Having worked at IXO, I learned about international education from a different perspective."

"Overall, this was a great learning experience, and I appreciate and thank IXO for welcoming me and allowing me to complete [my Master's program] at AUS," she said.

Gigi doesn't plan on leaving the UAE anytime soon. "Ever since I studied abroad during my undergraduate studies, I always knew that I wanted to go abroad again. Currently, I am still living and working in the UAE, specifically in education. Hopefully by next fall, I will go back to school to receive a teaching diploma, and I hope to stay here long-term."


Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist

Spring 2020 Memories

It is perhaps an understatement to say this semester isn't turning out as planned. This is especially true for our incoming students, many of whom are flying back home this week. However, all is not lost. We'd like to look back on some of the precious moments and memories our students made over the past several weeks to remember the great times we had and the beautiful friendships we made.

Sharing a meal

This photo is from one of our first trips of the semester to Dubai, at the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding. There's probably nothing better than an Emirati-style meal to get people to bond and talk.

Secret Cupid

Casey was unamused by her present from our office's Valentine's Day gift exchange. Probably thinking about carrying it to the dorms.

Window shopping at the Old Souq

This was taken right before a seller badgered them into buying a 500 Dhs. antique dish set. (Just kidding.)

Sun's out, shades out

There was a bit of glare, but our boat ride across the Dubai Creek was still pretty great.

Birthday cupcakes

These are a staple of IXO student birthdays. Even after the campus was closed, we made sure to get them when it was someone's special day.

Stay hydrated

On our trip to Dubai, some took the heat better than others. (Hot weather and the sun seem to be recurring themes...)

Tara's tree branch disguise

Don't you just love candid shots?

Off to the races

Seif and Kim looked infuriatingly cool at the Dubai Kartdrome.

A place in the sun

Just one more, because this photo from our Fujairah outing is strangely artistic.

Lunch hour, best hour

After walking and exploring for hours on a trip, it was always nice to sit down for a meal with our students and chat - especially if they ordered food from the region and we could watch their reactions to it.

Repping IXO

A golden shot from the desert in Fujairah.

At the end of the day

Many a comfy evening was spent in the IXO lounge, where our students would get together after classes to have a snack and see familiar faces.

IXO relations are for life, and all our incoming students are forever part of our family. If you ever find yourself in the area, drop by the corner office in the Main Building with all the flags and the best coffee!


Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist

Sawi's Superb Spanish Internship

Ahmed "Sawi" Eladl in Spain

We often share stories about study abroad on this blog, but there's another type of international experience that is equally valuable and exciting, if in a different way: international internships! Ahmed "Sawi" Eladl, an AUS chemical engineering alum and our former Peer Advisor, is one student who took advantage of this opportunity. He was a Global Intern at a startup at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain, in 2018, and the experience honed his professional and personal skills and helped him learn a new language.

At the startup, Sawi assisted in trying to develop an innovative, sustainable concrete tile that can be heated with microwaves. "This is intended to replace the current heating system of using electric heaters in Spain's households and reduce CO2 emissions by 70%," he said.

Sawi's internship abroad allowed him to make connections and do work relevant to his major. "Being exposed to the startup scene in Valencia introduced me to pure multidisciplinary engineering for the first time, pushed me to think critically and outside the box, and helped me expand my professional network. I also developed my fabrication and product development skills as I was mainly involved in the development and testing phase of the tiles."

"Additionally, my interpersonal and communication skills were sharpened through working abroad in a multicultural team for almost two months," he said. "I also got to take Spanish classes and fell in love with the language."

The cherry on top was the place in which he got to do the internship. "Spain was an amazing country to live in, with beautiful beaches, great music, and bubbly people who appreciate life and live it to the fullest. I honestly think of it as the perfect retirement destination. I am definitely going back someday as the country has so much to offer."

Sawi had numerous international experiences prior to this. His study abroad at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas, USA, in 2017, was especially important in preparing him for this internship abroad: "That was the first step I took outside my comfort zone. Before studying abroad, I could never have imagined taking such a step of interning abroad without the safety net of a university community of students. My study abroad is also what developed the travel bug that pushed me to look for an internship abroad in the first place."

If you are an AUS student interested in doing an internship abroad, check out our website to see some options and for more information.

Suzana Saoud
IXO Publicity Specialist

The Bali Effect

Fatme Faour is an AUS marketing student who went on the one-week AICHE Study Tour to Indonesia in January 2020. She shares her experience in this blog post.

Fatme Faour in Indonesia

Bali, my dream getaway that turned into a reality. Not only was it my first time traveling alone but it was also the most amazing experience of my life. One of the few things that made it so memorable were the people that were there and how well we all got along together. Even though the only person I knew on the trip was my sister, all the students on the trip made me forget that. Every day was a day that I’ll never forget.

The study tour group

During the tour, we made academic outings to Unilever, the University of Indonesia, and a chocolate factory. All of these spots were highly insightful. The people at Unilever shed light on their supply chain, how they treat their employees and customers, and so on. Then, at the university, we got to see the beautiful campus, its facilities, and the exchange programs offered there. We also got to know the kindest students and their faculty. Moreover, the chocolate factory was both educational as well as entertaining, since they had us make and decorate our very own bars of chocolate.

Now, even though the trip and its locations were quite educational, we also had the chance to partake in various thrilling and adrenaline-pumping activities - which, in my opinion, are the best kinds of activities to have, particularly when going out with a group of people. Most of these activities were on my bucket list, such as holding a snake, going rafting, doing an ATV bike ride, visiting a monkey forest, going on the Bali swing, riding elephants and so on. My personal favorites were definitely rafting and the ATV bike rides because I got to enjoy them with such a fun group of people.

I would most definitely recommend study tours to anyone who is able to travel abroad. It is unquestionably the experience of a lifetime; at least it was for me. When I look back at my time in Indonesia and Bali, the idea that I was a part of that still seems so crazy to me - especially since my decision to end up going was not only last minute, but also pure coincidence!