History mixes with trendy modernity in Boston – the oldest city in the USA is considered the cradle of American independence. It offers an international attitude towards life with an academic flair and an excellent range of leisure activities. See AbbreviationFinder for Boston abbreviations.

So you can do the same as the sport-crazy Bostonians and cheer on the legendary Red Sox with a baseball game. Also culture fans delight in the time-honored city with European flair: From museums to theaters, and a gigantic harbor has to offer the city in New England.

So it’s no wonder that Boston is one of the most popular places to do an internship in the US.

In 5 steps to an internship abroad in Boston

Our American partner organization Academic Internship Council (AIC), with which we work in the field of internship placement, has over 30 years of experience in organizing internships for international students.

Over the years, the AIC has built up numerous partnerships with companies and organizations in Boston, which offer you the opportunity to complete a high-quality internship in your desired area.

If you would like to do an AIC-mediated internship abroad in Boston, simply follow our 5 steps to apply:

Step 1: Get information and advice

Please inform yourself first about the prerequisites for participation, the program fees as well as the dates and deadlines for the internship program in Boston. If your dream internship is to take place in one of the industries that are particularly suitable for Boston, nothing stands in the way of your application.

Contact our advisory team now – we will explain exactly which documents you will need for your application. In addition, we are happy to advise you at any time by phone, email or personally in our Frankfurt office on all your questions about internships abroad.

Step 2: Submit your application

In the next step, please send us your application documents in English (cover letter, curriculum vitae, performance overview) by email. We’ll check it out thoroughly and give you feedback by email or phone. As soon as your documents are complete and in order, we can forward them to the AIC.

Step 3: Discuss interests and wishes with the AIC

Shortly afterwards you will be contacted for the first time by your personal contacts at the AIC in Boston by email. In the next step, you fill out a detailed online questionnaire and, if necessary, upload further documents to the AIC database so that our contact persons can get an initial picture of your skills and internship goals.

As part of a comprehensive preliminary talk, which takes place via Skype, you then specify your ideas together with the AIC staff and discuss which type of internship is suitable for you. Your contacts will then start looking for an internship in Boston that suits you and your profile.

Step 4: Complete application training

The professional application training of the AIC prepares you perfectly for the upcoming interview.

Here you can find out how a “typical” job interview with a US employer works and what is particularly important. In this way you avoid misunderstandings and you can be sure to leave the best possible impression on your potential internship company.

Step 5: Complete an interview and get an internship

As soon as the Academic Internship Council has found a suitable internship for you, the next step is to make an appointment for the interview, which you can also do via Skype.

If the interview goes well and you receive an internship offer, you have to decide now whether you want to accept it. Otherwise there is the possibility that the AIC will look for another internship for you.

After you have decided on an internship, you can apply for your J1 visa for the internship abroad in Boston with the support of the Academic Internship Council .

Just like the AIC, we are available at any time to answer any questions you may have in the run-up to the application or during the application process.

Participation requirements

In order to apply for the internship program of the Academic Internship Council, you must meet the following requirements:

• Good command of English:These are determined in a preliminary talk with AIC, so that formal language certificates are not required.
• Completion of at least one academic year at a university or technical college: Unfortunately, it is not possible to place high school graduates without study experience, as the internships require first academic experience in the respective subject area due to their design.

However, participation after completing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree is possible. The last degree should not be more than a year ago when the internship began.

Particularly suitable industries

Some of the most traditional and prestigious universities in the United States such as Harvard, MIT and Boston University are located in and around Boston. In addition to the education sector, many other industries are also strongly represented in Boston. Over the years, many high-tech companies from the IT and biotechnology sectors have settled in the city. At the same time, the so-called FIRE sector (Finance, Insurance and Real Estate) is particularly important for the metropolis. Healthcare, the tourism industry and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are also essential industries in the charming city on the east coast.

Based on its experience, the Academic Internship Council recommends the Boston location in particular for internships in the following fields and areas:

• education
• Life sciences
• Non-profit organizations and NGOs
• International companies
• Communication and marketing
• NGOs
• Startups
• Tourism and hospitality
• Business services

Of course, tailor-made internships in other industries and departments are also possible. In some industries, such as fashion, banking, and healthcare, placement in Boston is more difficult. Here, however, the Academic Internship Council can often help to find technically suitable internships in related industries based on its experience.

You can also propose companies to the Academic Internship Council in which you would like to do an internship.

A realistic assessment of the chances of an internship in your desired area is made during the preliminary talk with the Academic Internship Council, which is an important part of internship placement.

Dates and application deadlines

In Boston you can choose between internship periods of different lengths in spring and autumn or an eight-week summer internship.

Period	Arrivals	Program start	Duration
Summer 2018	July 01, 2018	07/02/2018	8 weeks
Fall 2018	September 01, 2018	02.09.2018	3-5 months
Spring 2019	March 01, 2019	02.03.2019	3-5 months

So that the Academic Internship Council has enough time to find the internship and you also have enough time to apply for a visa, you should submit your application to us at least four months before the desired start of the program.

Program fees

The fees differ depending on whether you want to book accommodation in Boston through the Academic Internship Council or find your own accommodation.

Internship program	fees
Fixed price (regardless of the duration)	US $ 3,448

Internship program + accommodation	fees
8-week summer internship	US $ 7,100
3 months	US $ 8,756
4 months	US $ 10,412
5 months	US $ 11,968

The rooms that can be booked through the Academic Internship Council are located in student apartments or student dormitories, are furnished, contain kitchen utensils, washing facilities and internet access. The accommodations are centrally located and close to public transport.

Included services

The program fees include the following:

• Placement of a tailor-made internship in your dream industry through the Academic Internship Council
• Active support during the entire planning and application phase
• Review of the written application
• Professional application training via webinars
• Assistance in applying for a visa
• Orientation program, workshops & leisure program in Boston
• Assistance with all concerns on site
• Evaluation of the internship supervisor

Financing options

To finance an internship abroad, you can, among other things, apply for BAföG abroad, provided that your internship is a compulsory internship. Eligible students receive a subsidy for health insurance as well as living and travel expenses. You can also apply for various scholarship programs specifically for internships abroad.

Please note that internships in the USA are usually unpaid as they are considered part of the professional qualification. In individual cases and for longer internships, smaller (travel) allowances may be paid, but this is not the rule.