GVSU Internships Abroad
GVSU Internships Abroad allow you to both live and work abroad, helping you to grow as a professional and as a global citizen.
All participants register for GVSU credit within their major, usually for a 490 Internship course.
GVSU's International Center works closely with two affiliates, EUSA and GE, in order to offer these programs. Our current partners offer programs primarily in Western Europe: Ireland, England, France, Spain, Czech Republic, and Italy. Sites outside of this region are Australia and Costa Rica.
Take this quick quiz to learn which GVSU Internship programs are best for you!
Didn't get the results you wanted? Look into external Internship Programs
Example Placements
Many more majors than those shown below can intern abroad!
Below are examples of placements in a few career fields. For more examples, you can browse GE & EUSA's websites. Please keep in mind that repeating the exact placement as previous students is not guaranteed. These examples are here to illustrate the variety and caliber of placements, customized to each student.
Programs
GVSU Internship Abroad programs are available across many countries and cities around the world. There is some overlap between the EUSA and GE programs so we've created the Programs flyer below to help you understand the differences. Look over the affiliates section on this page to learn more about EUSA and GE.
GVSU Credit
All GVSU Internship Abroad program participants will register for GVSU Credit. Typically, students register for three credits of the internship course in their major (490). The exact course and number of credits is determined by each student's academic department.
Learn more about the requirements for an internship in your major including the professor who oversees internships (Internship Coordinator) in your department here.
For more information on which General Education requirements your course will meet, review our General Education page.
TRANSFER CREDIT
Some GVSU programs (majors) will only allow GVSU credit to fulfill internship requirements. This means that transfer credit will not fulfill the internship course in that program. In these cases, GVSU Internship Abroad programs can be accepted since students participating in these programs register for GVSU credit.
Our Affiliates| EUSA & GE
Our affiliates provide quality placements customized to each student applicant. We have chosen these two partners to deliver quality placements for GVSU students. They have consistantly demonstrated great expertise, professionalism, and care for our students.

EUSA is a non-profit specialized in internships abroad with over 25 years of experience. EUSA works with their large network to create customized placements for US students in nearly every field of study. EUSA has a dedicated US office as well as permanent offices in all 5 cities where EUSA programs are offered. Learn more on the EUSA website.
Global Experiences (GE) is part of the well-known American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS). Offering Internships Abroad in 11 cities around the world, GE has an established network of employers for over 40 career fields. Learn more on the GE website.
EUSA
- Spring/Summer Programs only
- Only 1 application required through OASIS
- Set application deadline: February 1
- No limit on the number of placements on any program or in any major*
- Homestays in Madrid & Paris; shared Apartment style housing at all other sites
- All programs in Europe
- History of innovative and highly customized placements (Equine Therapy, Stained Glass Studio, etc)
GE
- Programs offered every semester (Spring/Summer, Fall, Winter)
- Secondary application required (apply through GVSU on OASIS and then to GE directly)
- Rolling application which means GE doesn't wait until our deadline to make placements
- Placements limited
- All shared apartment style housing
- Programs in Europe as well as Australia and Costa Rica
Planning Guides
Application Process : a step-by-step guide to the process you take BEFORE you're accepted into a GVSU Internship Abroad Program
Placement Process : a step-by-step guide to the process you go through AFTER you're accepted into a GVSU Internship Abroad Program
Majors
Your Academic Department
At GVSU, each academic department determines if an internship is necessary, what is required in order to fulfill the requirement, and how many credits an internship experience merits. It is best to consult with your academic department and internship coordinator to understand the requirements in your program's internship policies.
Restrictions
Due to certain program's stringent requirements, they do not approve internships abroad. This does not mean studying abroad is not possible for students in these majors, but that internship credits cannot be completed abroad. One of these programs is Allied Health Sciences. Engineering students have one options which is the DHBW Co-op program.

Business
The Seidman College of Business has a process in place for internship and 490 course approval. Please refer to the information on the Seidman Internship page and contact Anthony Marberry with any questions.

Funding an Internship Abroad
We've compiled internship-focused scholarships in this guide. Your options are not limited to these few, however. Check out many more opportunities on the Scholarship & Grants page
GVSU International Internship Scholarship
Amount: Up to $2,000
EUSA Live, Intern, Learn Abroad Scholarship
Amount: Up to $2,000
GE Generation Study Abroad
Amount: Up to $1,500
Gilman Scholarship
Amount: Up to $5,000
GVSU Murray Scholarship
Amount: $1,500-$5,000
GVSU Career Center Internship Award
Amount: $500
FAQs
Housing
EUSA & GE offer all shared Apartment Style housing. There are two exceptions: EUSA Paris & EUSA Madrid which offer highly immersive homestays. Below are examples of some of the housing EUSA has used in the past. These exact rooms are not guaranteed but are good examples of the types of housing used.
EUSA Housing

EUSA Dublin | UCD Campus

EUSA Dublin | Shared Apartment Kitchen

EUSA Dublin | Individual Bedroom

EUSA Prague| Shared Lounge

EUSA Prague| Shared Kitchen

EUSA Prague| Shared Bedroom
Pre-Departure
Already accepted into an internship program? We've made a special page with all the information you need. Check it our here.

Virtual Internships Abroad
Thinking you might want to Intern Abroad virtually? Check out the Virtual Internship Abroad Providers page!
This is a list of external internship options for your to research. If you decide to participate in one of the programs, you will work directly with your department's Internship Coordinator to get approval for any credits. The Padnos International Center does not help coordinate virtual internships abroad.
Questions?
Please contact the Padnos International Center's Peer Advisors with general questions at [email protected] or (616)331-3898.
Alissa Lane is our GVSU Internships Abroad Advisor. Please contact her with specific questions at [email protected] or (616)331-3898.


