Summer Internship in South Korea for International Students

South Korea, the entertainment capital of East Asia, offers a unique blend of tradition and modernity, making it an attractive destination for international students seeking summer internships. With its booming economy, innovative culture, and global influence, Seoul provides a dynamic backdrop for career-building experiences. This article explores the various aspects of summer internships in South Korea, covering opportunities, cultural experiences, and practical considerations.

Why Intern in Seoul?

Interning in Seoul offers students the chance to engage with one of Asia’s most influential cultural and tech capitals. Known for its dominance in innovation, entertainment, and design, Seoul is a standout location for students in IT, journalism, art, and business. Interns can work with global corporations, social ventures, or research institutions while experiencing a city that balances futuristic development with deep-rooted traditions. Seoul’s fast pace and global influence make it an exciting and challenging environment for young professionals.

Cultural and Economic Landscape

As the capital and largest city of South Korea, Seoul is steeped in a 2,000-year history and offers visitors a chance to experience the heart of Korean culture. After the 1950s, the city experienced rapid economic and population growth, and now South Korea is a global leader with a thriving economy. Additionally, as a city, Seoul holds about 20% of Korea’s population, and its metropolitan area holds the sixth-highest population in the world.

Students will be able to visit four UNESCO world heritage sights in the city and will have an opportunity to experience the culture that has been taken to the global stage. Korea exports several manufactured items, but the impact of its cultural exports also must be recognized, with K-Pop becoming a more than 5 Billion dollar industry and K-dramas and Korean food, becoming more recognizable worldwide.

Career-Building Experience

Transform your summer into a career-building experience in Seoul, where ancient palaces stand alongside gleaming tech headquarters. During this 8-week program, develop professional skills through a full-time internship while gaining insight into South Korea's innovative business landscape. Work 30-40 hours per week with organizations across multiple sectors, including business management, education, hospitality, tourism, and public administration. Strengthen your intercultural communication abilities through hands-on work experience in English or Korean. Weekly seminars help you reflect on your experiences and navigate workplace dynamics in an international setting.

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Internship Opportunities and Fields

There are abundant internship opportunities in South Korea, so all you'll need to do is know what kind of internship you want. As one of the most popular destinations for international internships, you can find almost any kind of internship program in South Korea.

GlobalWorks internships are personalized internship programs that bring you out of the country, and into the workplace. We connect academic study with real-world experiences by providing full-time international internship opportunities to UO students in various career fields. Working with local professional internship providers in locations around the world, we provide individualized placements for UO students. Students earn UO credits and life-changing work experience in a different culture. Immerse yourself in a new city, earn UO course credits, and gain professional experience with a GlobalWorks internship.

Available Career Fields

Several internship career fields are available, catering to diverse interests and academic backgrounds. These include:

Art + Design
Business + Accounting
Computer Science + Information Technology
Education
Environment + Sustainability
Journalism + Communications
NGO + Nonprofit
Social Science
STEM + Healthcare

Placement Opportunities Explore the internship opportunities available to help you grow your skills, build your resume, and gain meaningful experience in a field that aligns with your goals. After you apply, our team will work with you to review your resume, cover letter, and experience to find the right fit for your internship abroad.

Career Fields Availability:

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Business & Marketing
Communication & Media
Education & Training
Engineering
Environmental & Sustainability
Fashion & Merchandising
Hospitality, Events, & Tourism
IT & Computer Science
Performing & Visual Arts
Political Science & Public Policy
Research
Science & Math

Specific Internship Programs

Several organizations offer structured internship programs in South Korea.

CIEE Summer Global Internships: These are 6-credit, 8-week programs with full-time working hours (approximately 30 hours weekly) and a seminar.
CIEE Semester Global Internships: These are 9 to 13-credit, 12-week programs that feature a full-time internship (approximately 30 hours weekly), a seminar, and an optional 3 to 4-credit academic course online.
Harvard College Korea Summer Internship Program: This program places interns in various fields, providing them with the opportunity to learn about Korean culture while living and working in Seoul. The Korea Institute (KI) provides interns with funding for relevant expenses.

Internship Examples

CJ ENM (Entertainment Division): Interns assist in script review, create film data, research trends related to global film planning, investment, and production, and assist in managing internal databases.
CJ Cultural Foundation: Interns conduct in-depth market research and analysis on non-mainstream arts and culture (i.e., indie music, short films, etc.) in the US and beyond and assist with events related to the Foundation’s activities.
Asia Hope Camp Organization (ACOPIA): This internship program provides high school and university students with firsthand experience working in an NGO in Seoul.

Cultural Immersion and Activities

Beyond the professional experience, interning in South Korea offers a rich cultural immersion. Seoul’s efficient public transportation system makes it easy to participate in your professional placement and explore the city's countless cultural offerings.

CIEE’s excursions and cultural activities in Seoul will open doors for you to explore South Korea’s rich diversity, language, culture, history, and timeless beauty in ways that will enhance your time abroad. Samples of past excursions and activities:

Take a day trip to the DMZ to gain insights into the history and geopolitical significance of this border.
Learn about ceramic making in Mungyeong, a pottery-producing area dating back to the 18th century.
Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace while wearing traditional Korean clothing (Hanbok).

Festivals and Events

If you’re interning in Korea it’s a guarantee that your time will intersect with some events. Throughout the country there’s around 38 recognised festivals held annually. Each festival has a different theme which ranges from ceramics to jazz and everything in between.

Boryeong Mud Festival: This festival is by the beach and is celebrated by dancing, sliding, and wrestling in the mud. It’s a true carnival atmosphere, with every activity designed to get you absolutely covered in mud. There’s obstacle courses, inflatable slides, mud fountains, and even mud massage zones. The end of the event is marked by a huge concert.
Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival: Jinhae’s cherry blossom festival is South Korea at its most breathtakingly beautiful. The ten-day spring festival commemorates the blossoming of its cherry trees as the whole city becomes engulfed in petals. No trip during the festival is complete without a visit to ‘Romance Bridge’ - which borrows the name from 2002 Korean drama ‘Romance’.
Ice Fishing Festival: Korea’s most popular winter event attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to take part in the icy activities. During the festival you can take-part in ice soccer, bobsledding, and snowman building. However, the most famous event is ice fishing, whereby participants drop their fishing line into holes drilled into the ice and wait patiently for trout to bite. Many people jump into the water to try and catch the trout with their bare hands.

Cultural Hotspots

Several must-see landmarks are the beautiful city views from N Seoul Tower, the Gyeongbokgung Palace and shopping in the fashion district Myeong-dong. Seoul is South Korea’s vibrant, cosmopolitan capital, celebrated for its dynamic nightlife, unique blend of traditional and modern culture, iconic landmarks like Gyeongbokgung Palace and N Seoul Tower, world-class museums, bustling street markets, trendy cafés, and stylish shopping districts.

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Seoul’s number one hidden chill-out oasis right in the city center with live music and street artists along the river stream. This is the place where Seoul’s young crowd goes for partying, street dancing events and live music performances. Craft shops, Korean traditional dining and beautiful cafes to spend a whole afternoon. Meet the oriental version of super crispy fried chicken with a sweet & spicy sauce, topped with roasted crispy peanuts.

Soft Power Influence

South Korea’s soft power has already reached far beyond Asia and impacted many parts of Western culture with its thrilling K-pop music and fashion scene. Seoul fashion week, held twice a year, is a global fashion event on par with those in London, Paris, and New York. Renowned Korean designers BESFXXK, EENK, and Heta all made their debut at Seoul Fashion Week and have gone on to have incredible success.

Practical Considerations

Several practical aspects need consideration when planning a summer internship in South Korea.

Visa Requirements

Depending on how long you intend to intern in South Korea, you can intern on either a tourist visa (14-90 days), working holiday visa (up to 1 year), or D-2 visa (which also allows study). Many countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program, allowing citizens from these countries to get a tourist visa on arrival for 14 up to 90 days. A D-2 visa is issued to foreigners who are planning to study at the undergraduate or above level of school.

Housing

CIEE Seoul offers diverse housing options to ensure you’re comfortable in your home away from home. From twin rooms to single rooms in residence halls, we will strive for your accommodation preferences to be met. All housing options are located in neighborhoods with convenient access to public transportation, shops, cafés, and eateries.

Standard Housing: Includes a twin room in a shared apartment or residence hall within a 30-minute commute by public transportation to the city center. Each room features an ensuite toilet, shower and a shared kitchenette.
Select Plus Housing: Includes a single room in a residence hall or shared apartment within a 30-minute commute by public transportation to the city center. Each room features an ensuite toilet, shower and a shared kitchenette. Select Plus housing is very limited and requires an additional fee.

Costs and Funding

You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. *Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. CIEE accommodation options are detailed in the Housing section. Based on availability, Select or Select Plus Housing can be chosen during the application process for an additional fee. Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses.

The Korea Institute (KI) provides interns with funding for relevant expenses. (IE: Interns will pay for their own airfare, living expenses and dormitory fees from the KI award. Housing will be in a dorm and dorm fees must be paid in-person by the student from your KI award directly to Ewha. Directions to come from Ewha. Students must arrange and purchase their own airline ticket.)

Cultural Sensitivity

Always take your shoes off when entering residences, temples, or guest houses.

Work Culture

The work scene in Seoul is fast-paced, with high-tech offices, collaborative spaces, and a strong focus on teamwork and innovation.

Benefits of Interning in South Korea

Interning abroad in South Korea will give you a taste of the exciting life in megacities like Seoul, Busan and Incheon. A South Korea internship will give you the chance to discover all the mind-blowing sites this exciting destination has to offer. A South Korea internship will give you the chance to discover all the mind-blowing sites this exciting destination has to offer.

Personal and Professional Growth

I completed my internship in South Korea, and I have to say, it was life-changing. I was able to practice real conversational Korean with my coworkers and make connections throughout the company. Not only is an internship good for your resume, but you also get a chance to explore somewhere you've always dreamed of. Jada S.Student; Georgia State University

One thing that stood out to me was how innovative and visually captivating marketing and branding is in Korea. With my deep interest in marketing and branding, I was inspired by the way culture, technology, and design are used to create memorable brand experiences.Bella K.Student; University of Florida

Program Features

Internship Placement
Cultural Activities & Excursions
Housing & Internet
Local Team Support
Airport Reception
In-Country Orientation
International Insurance
24/7 Emergency Assistance
Mental Health Support
Career Resources
International Internship Course
Optional Academic Credit

How to Apply

Choose Your Destination: Internships in South Korea are always a popular choice. Seoul has everything you need for an amazing work-life balance.
Choose your Career Field: Choose from dedicated career fields. This is your chance to start your career and begin building the experience you need to land your dream job.
Choose a Learning Objective: Take the time to think about what you’d most like to gain from the internship. Once you’ve decided, Admissions Advisors can tailor the program to ensure you achieve your objective!
Submit Your Application: The last step is to apply!

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