A host takes interns whose course matches the work, so your subject narrows the map before anything else does. If you have not read it yet, the Internship Abroad overview explains the two tracks and who qualifies.
Engineering and technical
Degree and diploma students in engineering and computing
The facts on this page are a general guide. Hosts, allowances and permit rules change from year to year, and we confirm them for your case, in writing, before you apply. Where a route involves placement, it is handled through licensed placement partners and recognised sponsors, as explained here.
The classic choice for culinary and hotel students. Hosts range from city hotels to country inns and starred restaurants, and the kitchen brigade system you read about in college is how the day actually runs. Engineering and business students can intern here too, under the same three-way agreement.
Fields
Kitchen, pastry and bakery, restaurant service, front office, housekeeping; engineering and business with a college agreement
Usual length
2 to 6 months. Six months is the limit with one host in an academic year
Who qualifies
Students enrolled in a degree or diploma. Your college must sign the agreement
Allowance
A legal minimum applies to internships longer than two months: €4.50 an hour in 2026, about €630 a month for full-time hours
Housing and meals
Often provided by hotel and restaurant hosts. Confirm it in the agreement
Language
Basic French strongly advised for the kitchen; more for guest-facing roles
Permit basis
An internship agreement approved by the French authorities, then a long-stay trainee visa
Plan for
About 3 to 4 months from offer to departure
Paperwork, in order
Offer from the host
Convention de stage signed by three parties
Approval in France
Long-stay visa
Travel
France treats an internship as part of your studies. If your course has ended, or your college will not sign, this route is closed.
Europe's largest manufacturing economy, and the first choice for mechanical, automotive, electrical and mechatronics students. Interns join real project teams in plants, engineering offices and suppliers. Hotels in the larger cities also take hospitality interns who have some German.
Fields
Automotive, machinery, automation, electrical and electronics, industrial IT, logistics; hotels
Usual length
3 to 6 months, up to 12
Who qualifies
Students at a university outside Germany whose internship relates to their course; a separate route exists for recent graduates
Allowance
Set by the contract. Germany's minimum wage covers voluntary internships longer than three months; internships that your course requires are exempt, and pay for those varies
Housing and meals
Usually your own cost. Some hosts help you find a room
Language
English in many engineering teams; German A2 to B1 for hotels, shop floors and daily life
Permit basis
Approval from the Federal Employment Agency for a study-related internship, then a national visa for stays over 90 days
Plan for
About 3 to 5 months from offer to departure
Paperwork, in order
Internship contract
College letter confirming the link to your course
Federal Employment Agency approval
National visa
Travel
Whether your internship is compulsory under your syllabus decides both the pay rules and the paperwork. Bring your syllabus to counselling.
A small country with a dense industrial base: chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food processing, logistics around the port of Antwerp, and the European institutions in Brussels. Internships are often in international teams where English is the working language.
Fields
Process and chemical engineering, food technology, logistics, IT; hotels and restaurants
Usual length
3 to 6 months, up to 12 in some cases
Who qualifies
Students whose internship is part of their course, and young graduates on a training agreement
Allowance
Course internships are often unpaid or carry an expense allowance. Training agreements outside a course carry a minimum monthly allowance set by age
Housing and meals
Usually your own cost
Language
English in international firms; French or Dutch helps, depending on the region
Permit basis
Authorisation from the region where the host is based, where required, then a long-stay visa
Plan for
About 3 to 4 months from offer to departure
Paperwork, in order
Internship or training agreement
Regional authorisation, where required
Long-stay visa
Travel
Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia each run their own rules. The host's address decides which apply to you.
Internships in the USA run under the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, which exists for training and cultural exchange. Most Indian participants train in hotels and resorts: culinary, food and beverage, front office and rooms. The programme has two categories, and your status decides which one you use.
Fields
Hospitality and culinary mainly; also business, engineering and other fields with a matching host
Usual length
Intern: up to 12 months. Trainee: up to 18 months, and 12 months in hospitality
Who qualifies
Intern: enrolled outside the USA, or graduated within the last 12 months. Trainee: a degree plus one year of related experience, or five years of experience
Allowance
Paid by the hour at the host's rate, as written in the training plan
Housing and meals
Usually your own cost. Many hosts help you find shared housing
Language
Good spoken English, tested at interview
Permit basis
A designated sponsor issues Form DS-2019 on the basis of a training plan (Form DS-7002), then a J-1 visa interview
Plan for
About 3 to 4 months from offer to departure
Paperwork, in order
Interview and offer from the host
Training plan signed
Sponsor issues DS-2019
SEVIS fee and J-1 visa interview
Travel
The J-1 is an exchange visa. You are expected to return home at the end, and some participants must spend two years in their home country before applying for certain other US visas.
An island of beach resorts with an international guest list and a service standard to match. A good first internship abroad: English and French are both spoken, flights are short, and resorts are used to hosting Indian students.
Fields
Kitchen, pastry, restaurant and bar service, front office, housekeeping, spa and guest relations
Usual length
6 to 12 months
Who qualifies
Hotel management and culinary students, and recent graduates
Allowance
A modest monthly stipend, set by the resort
Housing and meals
Shared staff accommodation, meals on duty and transport are commonly provided
Language
English; French is a clear advantage with guests
Permit basis
The resort applies for your permit in Mauritius before you travel
Plan for
About 2 to 3 months from offer to departure
Paperwork, in order
Interview and offer letter
Resort applies for the permit
Entry approval
Travel
Resorts are often far from towns. Ask about days off, transport and how many interns share a room.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi hold one of the densest collections of large hotels anywhere, and most international brands are present. Interns work in big, multinational teams where everything is done at volume.
Fields
Kitchen, food and beverage service, front office, housekeeping, events and banquets
Usual length
3 to 6 months; some programmes run for 12
Who qualifies
Hotel management and culinary students, and recent graduates
Allowance
A monthly allowance, set by the hotel
Housing and meals
Staff accommodation, duty meals and transport are usually provided
Language
English. Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam are widely spoken among staff
Permit basis
An entry permit and training or work permit sponsored by the hotel
Plan for
About 1 to 2 months from offer to departure
Paperwork, in order
Interview and offer letter
Hotel applies for the entry permit
Travel
Medical test and ID in the UAE
Travel only on the permit your host has arranged for training. Do not start an internship on a visit visa.
Resort and city hotels in Bangkok, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Langkawi take interns for shorter terms. Costs are lower than in Europe, which makes this a sensible first placement before a longer one elsewhere.
Fields
Kitchen, restaurant service, front office, housekeeping and guest relations
Usual length
3 to 6 months
Who qualifies
Hotel management, culinary and tourism students with a letter from their college
Allowance
A small allowance; some placements offer accommodation and meals in place of a larger one
Housing and meals
Accommodation and duty meals are commonly provided
Language
English
Permit basis
A visa category for training, supported by letters from your college and the host
Plan for
About 2 to 3 months from offer to departure
Paperwork, in order
Interview and offer letter
College and host letters
Visa
Travel
Check the visa category named in your offer. A tourist visa does not permit an internship.
Language levels in Europe are graded from A1 to C2. For an internship, the first three steps are the ones that matter.
A1
Getting by
Greetings, numbers, the names of tools and ingredients, simple instructions.
Enough for engineering teams that work in English, and for daily life in Germany or Belgium.
A2
Following the work
You understand orders called across a kitchen or a shop floor, and can ask when you have not understood.
The practical minimum for a kitchen or housekeeping internship in France. Start three to four months before you travel.
B1
Speaking with guests
You can take an order, handle a simple complaint and talk with colleagues on a break.
Usually asked for restaurant service and front office in France and Germany, and for German shop floors where the team does not use English.
For Mauritius, the UAE, the USA, Thailand and Malaysia, the working language is English. In Mauritius, some French will set you apart.
Who usually pays for what
An internship has costs before it has an allowance. Plan for both columns.
You pay
Service and partner feesGiven to you in writing before you commit.
Visa and permit feesPaid to the embassy or authority, at their current rates.
FlightsReturn travel, unless your offer says otherwise.
InsuranceHealth and travel cover for the full stay, where the host does not provide it.
First-month moneyYour first allowance arrives at the end of the first month.
Language classesFor France and Germany, before you leave.
The host usually provides
Allowance or stipendThe amount and pay date written in your agreement.
AccommodationCommon in hotels and resorts; less common in engineering.
Meals on dutyStandard in hospitality.
Uniform and safety gearCheck whether laundry is included.
SupervisionA named tutor and a planned rotation.
CertificateAnd a reference, if you have earned one.
Be careful with any offer that asks for a large payment but cannot show you the host's name and a draft agreement. A genuine internship can always show both.
After the internship
The placement ends on the date in your agreement. What you do with it afterwards is up to you.
Return and finish your course
Hand in your certificate and evaluation so that the internship counts towards your industrial training requirement.
Ask for a reference before you leave
A signed letter from your supervisor, on the host's letterhead, is worth more than the certificate alone.
Apply for work, at home or abroad
Employers treat a completed internship abroad as real experience. When you are ready, our Work Abroad page sets out the routes.
Study further
Some students return to the same country for a master's or a specialist diploma. See Study Abroad.
Questions about destinations
Which country is the easiest first internship abroad?
For hospitality students, Mauritius, the UAE, Thailand and Malaysia are the gentlest start: the working language is English, the paperwork is shorter, and hotels usually provide a room and meals. France asks more of you, mainly the language, and gives more back in kitchen training.
Which destination pays the most?
Allowances differ by host as much as by country, so compare what is left after rent and food. A smaller allowance with a room and meals can leave you with more than a larger one in a city where you pay for both. We set out the figures in writing for each offer.
Can I choose the city or the hotel?
You can state a preference, and we pass it on. The host chooses its interns, and many of the best training kitchens and plants are outside the big cities. Students who stay flexible on location receive offers sooner.
Can I do a second internship in another country?
Yes, if your course dates and the visa rules allow it. A common pattern is a shorter placement in Asia or the Gulf first, then a longer one in Europe or the USA.
Can I extend my internship once I am there?
Sometimes. An extension needs the host, your college where it signed the agreement, and the immigration authority to agree, and each country sets a maximum. Ask before your permit runs out, never after.
What if the internship is not what the agreement said?
Tell us and your college at once, in writing. Most problems with hours, housing or tasks are settled by a conversation with the supervisor in the first weeks. The agreement you signed is what makes that conversation possible.
More questions, including cost, language and what happens after the internship, are answered on the overview page.
Not sure which country fits your course?
Tell us what you study, your internship dates and the languages you speak. We will show you the destinations that fit, and the ones that do not.
Important: Internship availability, eligibility, allowances, permit and visa rules, fees and processing times vary by country, host and year, and are subject to change. Figures on this page are a general guide. Verify the latest requirements with the embassy or authority concerned before you commit. Revamp Consultancy provides counselling, preparation and documentation guidance. It is not a recruiting agent; internship placements are arranged through licensed placement partners and recognised sponsor organisations. Revamp Consultancy does not guarantee internship offers, visas, employment or immigration outcomes.
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Office
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