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IES Internships London

Fast Facts

Sessions Offered:

Summer

Location:

London, England

Credit:

Resident, 9 hours

Program Features

Affiliated Program
Internship

Eligibility:

- Good academic & disciplinary standing

- 2.5 GPA or higher

- Summer after sophomore year or later at time of internship

Application Due:

2/1

IES Internships

Big Ben in London

Earn UI credit through a summer internship!
Spend eight weeks over the summer interning full-time in the field of your choice.

Today's employers are looking to hire employees with:

  • Relevant, global experience
  • Foreign language proficiency
  • Intercultural communication skills
  • Confidence and adaptability
  • Workplace knowledge and experience

When you have completed an internship, you will have the job experience, the professional skills training, and the confidence to help you and your resume stand out.

See more at IES Internships

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING UK VISA: Due to complications with the UK visa, this program is unique among the IES summer internship offerings. This internship is part-time: 16 to 20 hours per week, rather than 40 like other IES Summer internships. It also involves a 6 credit internship course plus a single 3 credit course from the IES UK Today program.

See more about UK Today courses at IES UK Today Courses

The UK visa has been experiencing extreme processing delays. Pursuing this opportunity in London means accepting a risk of ravel delay. Please consult the Study Abroad Internships Advisor for more information or to explore other destinations. Dublin, Sydney, Singapore, or Cape Town are excellent alternatives to London, if you wish for an easier visa process.

Guaranteed Placement

IES Internships guarantees full-time summer internship students a placement in their field of choice, as indicated on their internship application submitted to IES.

If IES Internships is unable to offer a student an internship placement in the expressed field of choice selected on his or her internship application at least two weeks before the program start date, despite the student’s good faith participation in the process and satisfaction of all program requirements, then the student shall have the option to either receive a refund of the full amount he or she has then paid IES Internships or to transfer to an IES program of comparable length and value in the same location (subject to the student satisfying applicable visa requirements and IES Internships’ academic program requirements).

See more at IES Internship Guarantee

Academic Credit

The IES internship program can count for 9 credit hours. All participants will complete the Leading Across Cultures course offered through IES, for which some materials are due online before departure.

Factors to consider:

  • Cost: The Study Abroad Administrative Fee is based on the number of credit hours you plan to receive
  • Academic Planning: All students should meet with their academic advisor before studying abroad. Your academic advisor can help you create a degree plan, showing where credit is needed and where credit is not needed to stay on track for graduation.
  • Steps to Studying Abroad

    1. Before initiating an application with IES, students must complete a Discover Study Abroad session at the University of Iowa. 
    2. After completing the Discover Abroad session, students must call the Study Abroad office at 319-335-0353 to be assigned to the appropriate study abroad advisor.
    3. Once assigned, students must meet with their study abroad advisor to receive  program application instructions.
      


     

    Study Abroad
    1111 University Capitol Centre
    Iowa City, IA 52242

    Phone: 319-335-0353
    Email: study-abroad@uiowa.edu

London, England

Take the Tube or a double-decker bus to work. Grab some fish and chips for lunch. Experience everything this global center of business, culture, architecture, and learning has to offer.

An IES Abroad internship in London develops your professional skills and ability to communicate across cultures while also providing substantive work experience to jump-start your career in today’s competitive job market.

You'll be guaranteed an unpaid placement at a local business or organization, where you'll work for at least 32 hours a week. You also will enroll in a required 3- or 6-credit academic internship seminar with other IES Abroad interns, where you’ll learn about a variety of local business settings and opportunities.

Before you depart, IES Abroad works with you to fine-tune your résumé, perfect your cover letter, and hone your communication and interview skills as they prepare you for working in a new cultural environment.

Spend your free time getting to know London and its surroundings through IES Internships-organized cultural events and optional field trips to places like Stonehenge, Stratford-Upon-Avon, and Brighton.

Dates of Program

The most current information can be found on the IES London Internship webpage.

Available Placements

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING UK VISA: Due to complications with the UK visa, this program is unique among the IES summer internship offerings. This internship is part-time: 16 to 20 hours per week, rather than 40 like other IES Summer internships. It also involves a 6 credit internship course plus a single 3 credit course from the IES UK Today program.

See more about UK Today courses at IES UK Today Courses

The UK visa has been experiencing extreme processing delays. Pursuing this opportunity in London means accepting a risk of ravel delay. Please consult the Study Abroad Internships Advisor for more information or to explore other destinations. Ireland, Australia, Singapore, or South Africa are excellent alternatives to England, if you wish for an easier visa process.

The London Eye

  • Arts & Museums
  • Business
  • Education
  • Engineering (Financial, Technology & Audio)
  • Information Technology (IT)
  • Marketing
  • Media & Communications
  • Music
  • Politics
  • Social Organizations
  • Theater

If the field you are interested in is not listed here, that does not mean it isn't available. Please discuss other possibilities with Study Abroad to see if IES has partners in London that would be able to accommodate your interests.

US Department of State Country Information

The US Department of State provides safety and security information for every country of the world to help you assess for yourself the risks of travel. Each country information page contains a Travel Advisory, Alerts, and other important details specific to that country that could affect you.

Pay close attention to the entry and exit requirements, local laws and customs, health conditions, and other details to help decide whether traveling to any given country is right for you. Non-US citizen travelers may also wish to seek guidance from the embassy of their country of citizenship. The UI International Travel Policy for Students addresses restrictions on student travel to high-risk locations and engagement in high-risk activities abroad.

Housing

London Bridge

Residence Hall

You will live in an international student residence hall located in central London. You and another IES Abroad intern or student share a room with an attached bathroom and will either have access to a common kitchen with others on your floor or a kitchenette in your room. No meals are included, but there are many affordable eateries nearby. There are laundry facilities and common areas with wireless Internet (and 24-hour Internet access in your room) on various floors of the residence hall. Enjoy 24-hour security and a short walk to public transportation.

Travel Arrangements

Participants will make their own travel arrangements to London. The cost of travel is not included in the program fee. Information about airport pick up will be provided directly to the participants by IES Abroad. Students should book airfare to correspond with the arrival and departure dates provided by IES Abroad.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING UK VISA: Due to complications with the UK visa, this program is unique among the IES summer internship offerings. This internship is part-time: 16 to 20 hours per week, rather than 40 like other IES Summer internships. It also involves a 6 credit internship course plus a single 3 credit course from the IES UK Today program.

See more about UK Today courses at IES UK Today Courses

The UK visa has been experiencing extreme processing delays. Pursuing this opportunity in London means accepting a risk of ravel delay. Please consult the Study Abroad Internships Advisor for more information or to explore other destinations. Dublin, Sydney, Singapore, or Cape Town are excellent alternatives to London, if you wish for an easier visa process.

There have been several issues recently with delayed visas to the UK. It is advised that students book airfare that allows for changing the dates of your travel. Booking through discount websites often results in a "total loss" of ticket expenses if you are forced to delay your departure.

Additionally, it is important for the visa that students do not book connecting flights through Ireland (Dublin). In order to obtain your visa, you must pass through immigration in the United Kingdom and flights coming into London from Ireland bypass UK immigration.

Eligibility Requirements

Big Ben and Double Decker Bus

All applicants must meet with Study Abroad PRIOR to applying (please call 319.335.0353 to set up an appointment)

  • At least 18 years of age
  • In good academic and disciplinary standing at the University of Iowa
  • 2.5 GPA or higher
  • At least a sophomore standing prior to application; rising junior status at time of program departure
  • Undergraduates must be enrolled in a full-time degree program; recent graduates must begin their internship no more than 12 months after graduation

How to Apply

  • Complete the UI online application. Please note that a nonrefundable $50 application fee will be charged as part of this online application. The UI online application includes:
    • Passport Copy: upload a clear PDF copy of your passport to the application or click “in the process of applying/renewing”.
    • Sign on your Credit Agreement (called a cover sheet) indicating the location of your internship and the number of credit hours you plan to receive. [The cover sheet is NOT the same as the cover letter IES may ask you for.]This decision cannot be changed, please discuss your plans with your academic and study abroad advisors before selecting your response.
    • Fill out the IES internship application. The complete application includes: (These items should all be done by the deadline. Give yourself time to get them done.)
      • Application: 1-2 business days to create profile before being able to upload documents
      • Cover Letter: upload to IES application
      • Resume: upload to IES application
      • Placement Interest Form: upload to IES application
      • Transcript: send from MyUI electronically to Liz English at admissions@iesabroad.org
    • Monica Ernberger, in the Study Abroad Office, will complete the Home School Authorization directly with IES (online) once you’ve completed the entire application process.
    • Application Deadline

      Applications are due on Feb 1st for Summer.

      Resume and Cover Letter Information

      Part of the application process is submitting a cover letter and resume. Throughout the process, you'll be given several opportunities by IES Abroad to revise these materials, but it's important that you put effort into your first draft. Start this process early and utilize the following resources:

      1. The Pomerantz Career Center at the University of Iowa offers assistance with writing resumes and cover letters. The webpage is a good first place to start if you aren't sure what these documents should contain or what they look like: Pomerantz Career Center: Resumes and Related Materials. The Pomerantz Career Center also holds walk-in hours from 9am-4pm while school is in session.
      2. One of the most difficult parts of the application is writing a cover letter without a job description. It is suggested that interns look up similar entry-level jobs on a site like www.indeed.com or www.monster.com and utilize the list of qualifications on a job description similar to the type of internship they are seeking.
      3. IES also offers a PDFStudent Prep Manual. The most updated version can be found in your IES Portal.

      Post Acceptance

      Acceptance into your chosen internship is made by IES directly via an email to you. After acceptance you will be asked to confirm your participation with IES and the University of Iowa. After confirmation, you will work and correspond directly with IES to complete pre-departure materials. Participants are responsible the IES application deposit ($500) and study abroad administrative fees if they withdraw after handing in their confirmation form.

      Program Cost

      2024 IES Internship London: 9 credit hours cost sheetPDF

      These documents outline the total estimated costs associated with participating in this program and can be used for financial aid purposes. It includes fees charged on students’ U-Bill (Course Fee, Study Abroad Fee, and Iowa Regents CISI Insurance) as well as out-of-pocket expenses. Actual out-of-pocket expenses will vary from individual to individual. Quoted estimates are conservatively high, yet realistic.

      The cost sheet includes the Study Abroad Administrative Fee and Mandatory Iowa Regents CISI Travel Insurance.Please see the respective websites for further details. If the fee is inclusive of UI tuition, it is calculated by Current Tuition. Please contact your study abroad advisor with questions regarding this cost sheet - call 319-335-0353 to schedule an appointment.

      The London visa is a significant additional expense above and beyond the list price of the program, with a complicated application process. Participants should discuss this cost with Study Abroad before committing to the program.

      Upfront, out-of-pocket expenses

      Some costs are incurred prior to departure and will be due before financial aid/scholarships disperse. Here are the expected upfront costs for IES Internships:

      • Iowa Application Fee: $50
      • Visa Fee (London): $350
      • Airfare Estimate: $1,600
      • Passport: $145

      Optional additional fees paid to IES

      These fees are all optional and are not included in the course fee for the program. The cost should be paid directly to IES Abroad — failure to pay will result in IES Abroad withholding transcripts.

      • Single Room Upgrades
      • Optional Tours

      Financial Aid and Scholarships

      Most financial aid (scholarships, grants, and loans) is applicable to study abroad programs. Please check the Study Abroad website for information on financial aid and how it may be applied to studying abroad. You are also encouraged to speak with someone at the Office of Student Financial Aid to explore financial aid options.

      Students wishing to use Federal Financial Aid need to be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours.

      Scholarship opportunities exist for study abroad participants. Please explore Study Abroad's website for UI Study abroad Scholarship Opportunities.

      In addition, IES Abroad has many scholarships that UI students can apply for. These scholarship opportunities are found on the IES website.

      Federal Pell Grant recipients are eligible to apply for the Gilman Scholarship.

    Pre-departure Resources

    IES Abroad and the UI have a variety of resources available to you to prepare for departure. It is recommended that you review these materials, share them with your parents, and refer back to them if you have questions.

    1. IES Internships Pre-departure ManualPDF
    2. A Parent Guide to Study AbroadPDF
    3. Health Preparation Guide for International TravelPDF

    UK Visa

    IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING UK VISA: The UK visa has been experiencing extreme processing delays. These delays have caused past students a lot of frustration and a few have lost plane tickets because their visas weren't issued in time for departure. Pursuing this opportunity in London means taking this risk. Please consult Study Abroad advisor Amy Bowes for more information or to explore other destinations.

    Orientation

    In order to prepare for your time abroad, you are required by the University of Iowa to complete two orientations. These may be in addition to orientations provided by your on-site provider. See below for more information.

    Online Education Abroad Pre-Departure Orientation

    You are required to complete the International Programs ICON course “Education Abroad Pre-Departure Orientation” prior to departure. This orientation is mandatory for all students going abroad under the auspices of the University of Iowa. It covers many practical matters about living overseas, such as health and safety, communication, money, goals, and much more. You will be enrolled in this course by International Programs and an email will be sent to you once enrolled. If you have any questions, you can email safety-abroad@uiowa.edu.

    Program-Specific Orientation

    This orientation will be facilitated by your study abroad advisor and will cover content specific to your program and host country. It could be conducted in a group setting or one-on-one depending on your type of planned activity abroad. Your study abroad advisor will send you more information about this mandatory in-person session.

    GoinGlobal

    The University of Iowa Career Center offers GoinGlobal as a free resource for all students. IES Abroad will do the legwork as far as finding you an internship, but you might wish to do so research ahead of time about workplace culture, employment trends, etc. The country guide for the UK can be found here: GoinGlobal UK Country Guide. Iowa students must first access their account on campus and create a log-in. After you create an account, you'll be able to access GoinGlobal off-campus for free.