20 Dec How to Fund Your International Internship
Completing an international internship can do more than just help you stand out in an increasingly competitive job market. The added experience of exploring different cultures and meeting people from all over the world is an irreplaceable part of the process. Nevertheless, even before your travels begin, raising the costs associated with your international internship can be a worthwhile adventure in and of themselves. Drumming up the funds shouldn’t keep you from a life-changing trip, so we’ve penned our top tips for meeting the bottom line!
1. Online Funding Campaigns
Online platforms like GoFundMe and FundMyTravel allow you to create fundraising campaigns to spread the message through your social media and other online channels. This can be an effective way to help make your hopes of living and working abroad a reality. So what’s stopping you? Here are a couple of pointers to get your campaign up and running:
• The more intriguing and unique it is, the more attractive it will be to potential donors. Sure you might know a lot of the people who’ll be seeing it at first, but with a few shares, it’ll be out there on its own.
• Ask everyone to share your campaign. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Simple.
• Add compelling content. A picture might paint a thousand words, but imagine what a video can do!?
• Come up with creative incentives for different donation amounts. You could send a postcard to every person who donates $10, or take home a souvenir typical of your internship destination for people who donate over $25. Keep it fun!
2. Your University
Most universities are prepared for the eventuality that their students are going to want to expand their horizons and look at taking an international internship. By engaging with the faculty, exploring the available options, and not being afraid to ask questions, you might just find yourself heading in the right direction.
3. Local Community
Reach out to local organisations or religious institutions. Sometimes a noble project like undertaking an international internship can strike a chord. You won’t know until you try, right?
4. Your Home Country
More often than not, governments set aside slices of their considerable budget cake for these exact scenarios. Do a little research and you might be lucky enough to find a passionate local representative who’s all about getting you where you want to go.
5. Have a Garage Sale?
You might be surprised at how much you can get for some old (let’s call ’em vintage) clothes and a few semi-scratched CDs. Think of it as trading old memories for new ones. When you reach your destination it’ll all be worth the effort.
What are you waiting for? Start you Absolute Internship adventure today!
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