Summer Internships in Spain

When it comes to planning a summer stay in Europe, Spain is one of the top destinations for tourists and abroad students alike. Not only is it an ideal spot for a summer holiday, but it’s also one of the most popular European countries for international students looking to take classes or become an intern for the summer. Summer internships in Spain are the perfect way to spend the summer in Spain while developing your professional skills and building your resume. 

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Why Intern in Spain? 

Spain is a country full of vibrant culture, beauty, and endless opportunity. Whether students are looking to immerse themselves into the local culture, improve their Spanish speaking skills, or have easy access to European travel, Spain is a hub for all things European summer. Students can make use of the stunning beaches, stunning historic sights and museums, and delicious local cuisine. If students wish to utilize Spain’s active nightlife, there are so many must-experience bars, clubs, and music festivals. In addition, the easy public transportation makes getting around so much easier and cheaper, especially for international students who may not wish to rent a car. There’s no wonder why so many students chose internships in Spain for summer 2024. 

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Options for Summer Internships in Spain 

Given how popular Spain is when it comes to summer internships, there are seemingly endless programs and career fields to choose from. Depending on what program you choose, you could have a summer internship in Spain for fashion, finance, marketing and more. You could teach English, or take on a student role and take some Spanish language classes alongside your internship. Students also have the freedom to choose where in Spain they want to be as well, such as large cities like Madrid and Barcelona or smaller, more intimate towns like Grenada. The main thing to be considered, however, is whether or not having a paid summer internship in Spain is important to you. Almost all programs are strictly unpaid, and finding one that pays interns takes more planning ahead. Interning over the summer means that programs are only 2-3 months at a time, meaning you don’t need a visa (phew!). So the only steps you need to worry about depend on what type of route you decide to take to get an internship. 

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University Programs

A very common path for finding a summer internship in Spain is to sign up through your university and have them set you up with a company. This is a very convenient and easy way to approach interning, as you can typically access everything you need through your university’s study abroad portal. Plus, most of the time you can still use financial aid and/or scholarships already associated with your studies for your time abroad, and many times you can receive credit for your internship this way. This is also great if you’d prefer to be abroad with other students from your school. However, there are typically no paid summer internships in Spain via this method, and the cities you can intern in are more limited. All in all, finding an internship through your own university is an easy and efficient method to make your way abroad! 

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Independent Programs

Another top choice for students when it comes to interning abroad is going through an independent program. This means that students, since you still have to be enrolled in university, seek out one of the many organizations, not part of their home university, that help students get placed into internships with companies that have agreed to partner with the program to take on unpaid interns. This is a very fun way to get to know students from other universities since students from any U.S. university can sign up! Most of the time you can communicate with your university to still receive credit for the internship, and any language or other courses that may come with it, in order to use financial aid. Where a student will live during their summer internship in Spain is usually up to them, with the choices being a shared apartment with other students in the same program, a homestay, or a nearby residence hall. And students have more cities to choose from. Although also strictly unpaid, going through an independent program is very efficient, beneficial, and sure to help any student make the most out of their time overseas. 

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Paid Internships

For those looking for paid summer internships in Spain, it can be more difficult than the university or independent program route and takes more planning ahead. Also, keep in mind that even though these internships are paid, interns only receive around 200 euros per month. Students have to find and reach out to companies in Spain all on their own, however they would like to. You can search companies on a multitude of different websites and platforms to find some in your desired career field, and apply directly through their website. This can be tricky, and housing is not guaranteed. If the company doesn’t provide housing for their interns, you must find a living arrangement on your own. However, there are a lot of options for those choosing this method, such as the same residence halls that independent programs set students up with. It just takes some extra research, but is entirely possible. Plus, Spain is known to have a very affordable cost of living. Additionally, students have to create their own checklist of what they need to do before coming to Spain, like getting travel health insurance. So, if a paid summer internship in Spain is your desired path, the process just takes a bit more planning on your end. But don’t let that deter you, it's not as daunting as it seems and can be very beneficial for students.