Want to know what it’s really like to intern abroad in Australia as a college student? We recently caught up with AIFS Abroad participant Tiffany from the University of Kentucky. After starting her international education journey on a three-week program in London, she was inspired to further pursue new global experiences in Sydney, where she interned during spring semester of her senior year. Since then, she’s launched her career and is spending her summer working as a member of the AIFS Abroad team!
Discover how Tiffany’s experience as an international intern in Australia helped her gain professional experience and plan her future!
Tiffany’s Study Abroad Journey: From England to Australia
Some students struggle to decide whether they should study abroad and where they should go. For Tiffany, that wasn’t quite the case. She accepted a unique opportunity to study abroad through an AIFS Abroad customized faculty-led (CFL) program that was designed to improve career readiness among first-generation college students:
“I chose to study abroad for the first time because, honestly, the opportunity kind of just landed in my lap. I got an email about a three-week program in London, England, through AIFS Abroad and Explore First, specifically for first-generation students… At the time… I did not fully understand how much it would end up changing my life.
During the program, we went on different company visits, attended career-focused events, and spoke with young professionals from all over the world… London also made living abroad feel possible in a way it never had before. I met several Americans who had moved overseas, and seeing them made me think, ‘If you can do it, I can do it.’”
Tiffany found her summer study abroad program in London to be so rewarding that she knew she needed to go abroad again. This time, she selected sunny Sydney, Australia:
“After London, I knew three weeks abroad was not enough. I wanted a full semester. I looked at several different places, but I eventually chose Sydney, Australia, because I wanted to live outside the United States, and Australia felt like somewhere I could realistically see myself long-term… I liked that Sydney was a coastal city with beaches, public transport, and English as the main language. It felt adventurous but still possible.
[…] I fell completely head over heels in love with [Sydney]. It was different in so many ways, but it was also more than I could have ever wished for. I loved the people, the energy, the lifestyle, the public transportation, the beaches, and the feeling of independence I had there. By the end of my semester, Sydney felt like home. When I had to leave, I sobbed and sobbed. I cried dramatically by myself on Bondi Beach, and then I cried the entire flight home while watching Finding Nemo.”
After returning home, Tiffany realized she had left a piece of herself in Sydney, so she chose to go abroad a third time:
“When I got back to the United States, I felt like this whole other world I had created had suddenly disappeared. It was like I had lived this huge, life-changing experience, and then I was just expected to go back to normal… I returned to Sydney for an internship during my final semester of university, [interning] in human resources at a nonprofit. I loved my internship, loved the people I worked with, and set up my final semester so that when it ended, I would already be living in Sydney.”
Her experience interning abroad led her to land a job after graduation—working for her favorite study abroad provider:
“Now, in a full-circle moment, I work for AIFS Abroad, the same organization that brought me abroad the first time and the last time. I am now a Program Advisor in Sydney, helping other students have the same kind of experience that completely changed my life.”
Internship Experience
AIFS Abroad offers full-time internships at vetted companies and organizations around the world. We guarantee an internship in one of your approved career fields after you’re accepted to a program, so you can gain relevant professional experience that aligns with your goals. For Tiffany, her internship abroad was an ideal way to develop her career during college, while living in her dream destination abroad:
“[My internship] was perfect because it connected my personal goal of living in Australia with my professional goal of gaining real experience in human resources… I interned at [a charity] organization [that] does a lot of frontline work through mental health specialists, social workers, domestic violence workers, and other community service roles, but I worked more on the back end of things in the national office.”
At her internship, Tiffany had a range of hands-on responsibilities that included supporting hiring processes behind the scenes and contributing to people-centered projects:
“My internship was in recruitment and human resources, so a lot of my responsibilities were connected to the recruitment process. I helped with CV screenings, phone screens, interviews, recruitment strategies, and general HR and talent-related tasks… I helped with presentations, visited the organization’s women’s health center, and worked a bit with student placements as well…
It gave me a really clear look at how much work goes into hiring, especially in an organization where the roles are so people-focused and important.”
Along with gaining hands-on HR experience, Tiffany also valued being part of an organization that plays such an important role in the community:
“Overall, my placement gave me experience in both the practical side of recruitment and the more people-centered, mission-driven side of HR. It was a really good fit for me because I got to work in Human Resources while also being part of an organization that genuinely cares about people and community.”
Impact of Interning Abroad
In addition to developing industry-specific professional skills, interning abroad gave Tiffany the chance to strengthen her soft skills and broaden her perspective, too. Her internship program in Sydney showed how gaining experience in an international environment can spark both professional and personal growth:
“I think almost everyone can benefit from interning abroad because it gives you work experience, but it also gives you so much more than that. It shows you that the world is so much bigger than you are, and that you can learn so much from working with people from different cultures and backgrounds.
You realize… how much opportunity there is to grow, learn, and develop. Interning abroad pushes you outside of what is familiar and shows you that there are so many different ways to live, work, and build a future. All you have to do is take the opportunity.”
Work Culture Abroad
When you intern abroad, you quickly discover how different work culture can be, even in two Western democracies like the United States and Australia. For example, Tiffany discovered how much more laid-back professional life can be in Australia:
“I would say Australia, and Sydney specifically, felt a lot more relaxed than what I was used to in the United States. Even in the workplace, the culture felt less intense and more human.
One of the first things I noticed was the dress code… People wore casual shoes and more comfortable clothes to work, which honestly shocked me at first because I was so used to the U.S. version of ‘professional.’ In the U.S., workplace presentation can feel a lot stricter, so seeing people still be professional without dressing so formally was really interesting to me.”
Tiffany also appreciated the emphasis on creating a healthy work-life balance in Sydney:
“Overall, the U.S. can feel a lot more strict and like everyone is constantly running on a hamster wheel. It often feels like people work until they physically cannot work anymore. Australia, at least from my experience, felt like it valued work-life balance more. People still worked hard, but there was also more understanding that people have lives outside of work. I definitely aligned more with that.”
Housing
All AIFS Abroad programs include safe and central housing. Hear Tiffany describe how her student residence in Sydney provided easy access to the city center—and delicious fro-yo!
“I lived in a student residence/dorm during my program… In Sydney, I shared a room with one other person, and there were eight of us total in the apartment, with two people in each room… It had the basic amenities, a gym, and an outdoor courtyard.
The location was actually one of the best parts. We were about an eight-minute walk from Broadway Shopping Centre, which had basically everything you could need. We were also only a few minutes from Yo-Chi, which is a very popular frozen yogurt place in Australia and quickly became one of my favorite nearby spots. So even though the housing itself was an adjustment, the location made daily life really convenient.”
Making Friends Abroad
Studying and interning abroad is an excellent opportunity to make new friends. While some students choose to go abroad with someone from home, the vast majority set out alone and are looking to meet people just like you.
Plus, AIFS Abroad programs include activities and excursions that help you learn more about your host country—all while you bond with fellow participants. As Tiffany explains, each of the three times she went abroad, she found it easy to make friends:
“I did not know anyone before going abroad any of the three times I went, and each time I honestly found it easy to make friends. I think when you are abroad, especially as an international student, there is this whole community of people who are also new, also figuring it out, and also looking for people. You kind of just find each other. I do not really know how it happens, but it does.
My advice for future students would be not to stress too much about going alone. I know it can feel scary, but so many other people are in the exact same situation. If you go to orientation events, say yes to plans, and stay open to meeting people, you will find your people. In a city like Sydney, there are always people coming in and out, and there are so many like-minded people who want to meet you too.”
Personal and Professional Growth
Interning abroad is about more than just getting a new line on your resume. It helps you develop real-world skills, build new connections, discover a new culture, and experience all kinds of growth. Hear Tiffany describe how interning abroad in Sydney shaped her—both professionally and personally:
“Professionally, interning abroad gave me real human resources experience and helped me picture what my career could look like in Australia. Personally, it made me more confident, more independent, and more willing to take risks for the life I actually wanted.
My future goals definitely solidified. Studying abroad helped me realize I wanted Sydney to be part of my future, and interning abroad helped me start building the professional experience to make that possible.”
Are you a college student or recent graduate who’s ready to take the leap and intern abroad with AIFS Abroad like Tiffany did in Sydney? We’d love to help you start your journey!
Here at AIFS Abroad, we know a thing or two about helping college students and recent graduates intern abroad. Our programs come packed with valuable inclusions that are designed to enrich your experience abroad and ease the transition in your host city. From coordinating your housing to providing things like integrated career readiness, comprehensive insurance, 24/7 emergency support, on-site staff, and cultural and social activities and excursions, you’ll take comfort in knowing you’ll have support throughout your entire experience abroad.
Want to figure out your future before graduation, like Tiffany did?
