University: University of Exeter

Course: Mathematics Degree

Country: UK

Heading to: Sydney, Australia

For how long: 10 weeks

Starting: June 2010

Programme: Accounting Internships programme

What do you hope to achieve/ learn on your internship?

I think one of the most valuable things that I will learn is to stand on my own two feet.  Living alone abroad, especially so far away from home, is daunting but a necessary step to prepare for the “real world” after university.  I also hope to gain some relevant work experience which will look great on my CV.

What do you think this internship/ placement will add to your CV?

As of now, my CV is fairly bare as far as work experience is concerned.  An internship in Australia would definitely be a great addition and will hopefully make my CV stand out more in this increasingly competitive world.

Why are you travelling to Australia for your internship?

To be honest, it was a bit of an impulse decision!  But I have always wanted to visit Australia and I love travelling and visiting new places so this will be another country to add to that list.

If you’re interested in a summer Accounting internship or a graduate Accounting placement, click through to the Accounting Internships page for full details on the programme and example internships.

Name: Joseph

College: Savannah College of Art and Design

Course: Production Design

Country: USA

Heading to: Sydney, Australia

For how long: 10 weeks

Starting: June 2010

Programme: Film or PR Internships programme

Click here for Summer 2011 Internships – US College Students & Graduates

It may seem like a lot of choices we have for Joseph and quite a wide search area. The reason for this is due to the popularity of our Sydney Film internship programme at present.

We will be prioritising Film as the internship for Joseph and as a second and third option, we will look to place him into PR or events internship as a backup.

Our Sydney team is very confident of finding Joseph a great internship for the Summer and we are sure he will learn a lot on this programme.

Below, Joseph has answered some quick questions on why he chose Australia with Intern Options:

What are you most looking forward to in Australia?

The thing that I am most looking forward to in Australia is the experience of a completely new culture and a chance to see one of the most unique environments on the plant.

What do you hope to achieve/ learn on your internship?

I hope to achieve real world experience that will help me succeed within my career.

How jealous do you think your friends are going to be?

Most of my friends are super jealous and some even think its crazy and random. I think it is a chance of a lifetime.

Why are you travelling to Australia for your internship?

The main reason I looked for an internship in Australia is so that I could get a chance to experience a place that I have always wanted to visit, and I hope to move there one day.

If you’re interested in a  summer internship or a graduate PR or Media placement, click through to the PR & Media Internships page for full details on the programme and example PR, Media, Advertising and Journalism internships.

I was a bit nervous about the phone interview but it was all so relaxed and friendly it didn’t really feel like an interview anyway which is always nice! The visa was also sorted out very smoothly, which I was not expecting! I just applied online and within a couple of days it was all sorted so there’s no need to panic about that.

I also managed to quite a cheap flight on lastminute.com so try that site if you’re stuck for options.

Good luck everyone, hope everything goes well for you! xx

A few tips for looking at travel insurance:

Here are some companies to get you started, most specialise in Australia or New Zealand for you to check out.  Make sure you talk to them yourself or with your parents to make sure you know what you are covered for.  We don’t work with any of these companies so do your homework (I always hated homework).

• Worldwide Insure – Click here
• Flexicover Direct – Click here
• Cover Works – Click here
• Down Under Insurance -  Click here
• World Nomads – Click here
• Mind The Gap Year – Click here

Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

Will my University medical insurance be enough – or do I need to purchase separate travel insurance?

A couple of things you will need to make sure of, firstly that your university insurance works in a foreign country, outside of Europe? Secondly does your university policy include repatriation back to the UK if something happened to you? That is if you had an accident or medical problem and you needed to get back to the UK, your medical insurance would cover this.

Thirdly, medical insurance is different to travel insurance. Travel insurance is vital to avoid big costs during your travel and insurance period. Areas you could incur costs that are usually covered by a travel insurance policy are:

• Loss or stolen valuables or baggage
• Missed flights due to sickness or flight cancellation
• Loss of your passport
• Personal Liability (very important especially in Australia)
• Repatriation back to the UK or your home country

At the end of the day for the cost of around £100-£150 you can potentially avoid many thousands of pounds loss from any number of potential situations.

Any questions you have or good insurance companies you come across let us (and others know)