FIE expects students to fully comply with the instructions and guidelines listed here. As part of your online application, you will also be required to electronically sign an agreement form indicating your acceptance of these conditions.

It is important for students to understand that the consequences of misconduct within the workplace might result in dismissal with no recourse to a further placement or program refund. Additionally, dismissal may result in loss of academic credit. Please read the following guidelines carefully and refer to them during your placement if you have any questions.

Required Documents and Materials

Students are responsible for ensuring the accurate and timely submission of all required internship materials, including CV, Personal Statement, choices, and industry-specific requirements such as writing samples or portfolios. Failure to submit these materials within the required timeframe could affect the student’s placement.

Students should also ensure that any requested revisions or amendments are completed promptly and within the timeframe indicated by the FIE Team. Failure to do so could delay the student’s placement process and affect the student’s placement.

Pay

In compliance with irish immigration regulations, the placement is an educational experience for which you are earning credit; it is not employment. All FIE internship experiences are unpaid.

Concerns

Any concerns about your placement or conditions of work must be discussed with the FIE Team, and when neccesary, your site supervisor.

No particular placement or placement industry is guaranteed to be available for an individual student during the short time the student is available to work in Dublin. Students must select three different industry choices and may be placed in an internship related to any of their three choices. Students should ensure they are prepared to accept a placement related to any of their choices.

Only in exceptional circumstances will a placement be changed, and only after a thorough assessment of the situation by the FIE Team.

Class Conflicts

Every effort is made to schedule required class components outside of regular working hours. If students have evening commitments at their placement, required class sessions will take priority. However, if needed you should consult with the FIE Dublin Resident Director member to see if special arrangements can be made.

Absences

• Authorized Absences: In the case of a minor illness that necessitates an absence from the workplace, you are required to contact both your site supervisor and the FIE Team each morning of the absence. If you cannot participate in your internship placement for more than two weeks due to prolonged illness, disability or personal reasons such as bereavement, the FIE Team will work with you and your home campus to arrange a suitable academic alternative. Due to immigration requirements, all students must be involved in some form of academic study in order to satisfy their visa and academic conditions.

• Unauthorized Absences: Students cannot absent themselves or resign from their placement without prior discussion with the FIE Team. Students who walk out or leave their placement without due notification will be dismissed from participation in a placement and this will have a detrimental effect on your academic grade.

• Holidays & Leave from Placement: You are expected to work the days and hours that have been designated for your placement except in the case of illness or bank holidays. Leave for other reasons is not permitted.

Conduct

While in your placement, you must remember that at all times you are a representative of your country, your home institution, and FIE. Students are expected to maintain a professional and respectful demeanor in interactions and correspondence with anyone associated with their placement, including FIE staff.

Dismissal & Consequences

Both FIE and the placement site supervisor have the authority to remove any student from a placement due to unsatisfactory performance or unacceptable behavior. Students will in this case receive an “F” grade for the internship course.

In such instances where a student is dismissed or removes themselves from their placement, FIE reserves the right to remove the student from the program (including housing) and therefore require the student’s immediate return to their home country.

Unforeseen Circumstances at the Placement

Occasionally, due to circumstances beyond FIE’s control, a placement which has accepted an intern will no longer be able to host the student or will discontinue the placement. In these circumstances, FIE will inform the student and organize a new placement for the student as soon as possible. The student must successfully interview at the new placement in order to secure the new internship. 

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I GET BACK?

Reverse Culture Shock
Many students returning from study abroad programs experience what is known as reverse culture shock, meaning they find it difficult to reintegrate into their home country and way of life. Studying abroad and interning gives you insights into your own way of life and you may have a new perspective on your own culture.

Your experiences with FIE in Dublin will have changed you. You may have new habits, behaviors, values and friends, and find your confidence has increased. Your friends and family may notice personal growth and changes also, and may be unprepared for the new you. This can often lead you to feelings of isolation and difficulties in relating to people who have not had the same experiences as you.

Remember reverse culture shock is a phase, and you will soon settle back into a routine. To help alleviate this transitional period, stay in touch with any friends that you made while in Dublin who can relate to your Dublin experiences. Contact your study abroad office for advice and support, and above all, don’t worry – these feelings will pass! Don’t forget, you can always visit Ireland again, and your study abroad and interning experience will be one you will value for years to come.

INTRODUCTION

These pages are a guide to the internship areas in which the FIE Team has successfully placed students in the past. Please carefully read this introduction and the sections relevant to your major and interests. The three choices you select will be the basis of our search for your placement. As the internship is coordinated on your behalf, it is important that you understand the reality of what you should expect from your placement.

6 Things You Need to Know About your Internship!

The best piece of advice we can give you at this stage is to read these materials carefully. One of the most important indicators of success in the international internship is your preparation beforehand and your complete understanding of the reality of the journey you are embarking on.

Before selecting your industry choices, take the time to fully digest our Realities of Working in Dublin page, including industry differences, education vs professional practice, company size and “brand name” companies, and learning objectives.

To summarize the key points on the pages above:

• Internships require flexibility, an open mind, a positive attitude, and a professional hardworking approach. You will be challenged in your Dublin internship!
• Industries in Ireland can be very different than in your home country and you should prepare for the fact that internship opportunities may be limited.
• You will most likely be placed with a small or medium sized organization. Most large companies do not offer internships for the short period of time you are in Dublin.
• All positions are unpaid and entry level. You will be expected to complete a wide variety of tasks, from basic and administrative to more specialized and project-based.
• This is first and foremost a cultural experience. Interning in an international environment is an excellent learning opportunity to expand your cross-cultural skills.
• The success of your internship placement is what you make of it!

Selecting Your Three Industry Choices

You should select three industry areas of interest which coincide with:

•           your major (and/or minor, if applicable)
•           your previous work/internship experience(s)
•           your desired future career path

Keep in mind you MUST select three different main industry choices. Sub-areas are not required, but if selected must come from the options presented here. Provided that you have the relevant skills and experience, we endeavor to place you in an internship that is as close to your original requests as possible. However, please keep in mind that while we will try to place you within your first choice area, we will utilize second and third choices if and when necessary, and will often use a combination of all three. Click here to see the instructions for selecting your three industry choices.

Internship Industry Areas

Dublin Internship students can select from the following industries:

Please note that there are no internships available in science, math, engineering or the medical industries. However, students in these fields can still have valuable experiences in a Dublin internship. 

The general industry areas listed above are the industries in which we have successfully been able to place students. However, if you wish to intern within an area that is not listed, please email us. We are happy to let you know if your chosen option may be possible.

If you have any other questions or need more information, please do not hesitate to contact either your study abroad office or the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I GET TO DUBLIN?

Internship Orientation
After you arrive you will participate in a comprehensive orientation which includes the following topics:

• Information about Irish cultural differences and the culture of work in Ireland.
• Emphasis on the concept of an international internship as a learning process.
• A clear explanation of each stage of the internship process, intern responsibilities, and requirements
• Practical advice about transport, dress codes and conduct.

Placement Notification
Students are notified of their placements shortly after arrival in Dublin and before the beginning date of the placement, barring circumstances beyond FIE’s control. Students are not informed of their placements until they are confirmed, and this can occur any time after arrival in Dublin and before the beginning of the placement.

While you won’t get to select your exact placement, students benefit from FIE’s years of experience in organizing internships for foreign undergraduates and guiding students to make the most of the experience. Only in exceptional circumstances will a placement be changed, and only after a thorough assessment of the situation by the FIE Team. If you would like to discuss your placement, please get in touch with a member of the FIE Team.

Challenges in the Workplace
Every student will face challenges in the Dublin internship, but the challenges will be different for each student. Maybe for you the challenge will be understanding the variety of local and international accents, especially over the phone; discovering an industry works differently than you anticipated and so tasks you expected to be readily available aren’t possible or navigating hidden cultural differences between you and your colleagues.

Whatever your challenge, the FIE Team is here to help you make the most of your experience and your placement. Get in touch with the team to schedule a meeting or drop by the office for further advice.

Participating in an internship placement can be a life-changing experience. While challenging at times, the rewards are plentiful and we hope that you will learn from this experience in many ways. You will develop new skills, increase your knowledge base and social awareness, and experience working in a new culture. This experience can help define your future goals and ambitions and provide you with a lifetime of memories.

Realities of Working in Dublin 
Learn more about working at your placement site on our Realities of Working in Dublin page.