When Should You Start Applying to Secure a Summer Internship as an International Student?
If you are studying in the United States for two years or more, you have probably heard of summer internships. Summer is usually a big internship season in the United States because it is rare for students to take a semester off from college to do a co-op (4 to 6-month-long full-time internship). While you could think that because the summer internships are in the summer, you have time to start searching for one, I would say that you are wrong, as recruitment for these programs can start almost a year before the competitive and high-demand ones.
To answer the question “When should I apply to a summer internship?”, I would say that it depends on which field you are looking into, as well as what type of company.
The General Timeline to Secure a Summer Internship
8-10 months before the start (August-October):
This is when you start looking at the market
You can identify which companies you are interested in
Go to career fairs and talk to recruiters. Having a 1-on-1 conversation and connecting with them can only help you, as you are an international student and, as a result, may have a harder time securing an internship.
Work on your resume (Check out our articles to help you with it)
6–8 months before (November–January)
Start applying
Large corporations and consulting firms are already starting the recruitment processes and their interviews
Apply to structured internship programs and smaller companies if you find.
4–6 months before (February–March)
Keep on applying, as this is when the second wave of programs opens
Usually, this is when mid-sized companies and startups start posting the positions that they will have for the summer
Use your university career portal and job tools like LinkedIn
Tip: Don’t hesitate to get LinkedIn Premium for your search. It is an investment, but it can be really beneficial, especially for competitive programs, to help you have visibility on who else applied.
2–3 months before (April–May)
If you still haven’t secured an internship yet, don’t panic because some companies have some last-minute needs for interns.
Local companies of a smaller size are still posting some summer internship positions as they have different visibility on the workload versus bigger firms.
Tip: If you are still looking in April, you can use your school network. Go to the career center and talk to your program directors and your professors.
Timeline By Industries
Tech and Engineering
Application window: September-December
Internship length: 12-16 weeks
Tip: Start looking early! Tech firms like Google or Tesla close their application in the fall.
Finance and Consulting
Application Window: August-November
Internship length: 10-12 weeks
Tip: These are usually the first industries to open their internship programs, so be prepared as early as you can
Marketing and Communications
Application Window: November- February
Interview Length: 8-12 weeks
Tip: They usually have rolling applications; however, in these fields, networking can be a bigger asset for you than an early application
Hospitality and Tourism
Application Window: January-April
Internship Length: 8-16 weeks
Tip: Many employers tend to hire closer to the summer season, when they have more visibility into expected demand. This is perfect if you are a late applicant.
Research and Academia
Application Window: October-February
Internship Length: 10-12 weeks
Tip: Coordinate with your professors or university labs, especially if funding is involved.
Startups and Nonprofits
Application Window: February-May
Internship Length: Flexible
Tip: these sectors can be more informal than other industries, so sometimes personal outreach works best. Don’t hesitate to work closely with your country’s chamber of commerce, as they may know some startups that are looking for interns.
For International Students Specifically
As an international student, you can follow these timelines, but you may have to start applying sooner than the application windows of the industries you are targeting, as you have more challenges than American students to secure your internships. Indeed, a lot of American companies right now are scared to hire international students due to the rapid change in legislation over the course of the past few months. While you may need more time to secure an internship, it doesn’t mean that it is impossible to find one. I have plenty of friends who have been able to find an internship in the US recently.
Pro tip: Keep a good tracker of the different internships you applied to, make sure everything is in order with your school, and ask for help.
Conclusion
It is not impossible to find a summer internship as an international student; however, you may need more time than your American peers. The key is to be early and ready. Work closely with your professors and your career counselor. If you can, go to career fairs even if the jobs are a bit different than what you are hoping to get.
