LONDON – STUDY LONDON, THEATER STUDIES Please note that internship placements for the Spring 2022 semester may be limited and could be virtual, based on protocols at placements and local conditions. Practical experience in the workplace is an invaluable addition to classroom learning. An internship provides vital insights into a career field, experience in the global workplace, practical exposure to job demands, and development of professional and personal skills. In addition to developing your CV (résumé), an internship gives you the opportunity to directly experience the many cultures and people who make up the UK. Participating in an IES Abroad London internship offers you a unique opportunity to step outside of your educational environment and experience the British at work. In order to participate in an internship, you must obtain a Tier 4 visa. See your UK Immigration Packet for more information about how to obtain the Tier 4 visa. An IES Abroad internship consists of a practical component and a reflective academic element. It requires a significant personal and professional commitment from you. You need to devote two full days per week to your internship and attend academic internship tutorials. All placements are unpaid. Work at the internship placement will usually be between 16 and 20 hours per week for students. IES Abroad London has established good working relationships with many organizations that participate in our internship program. Internships are offered in the arts, business, education, media, museums, politics, and theater. Your ability to secure an internship depends upon your self-motivation, ability to meet deadlines, maturity, previous work experience, and flexibility regarding organizations and work projects. We try as much as possible to offer students a choice of internship, and we expect interns to be well-prepared and open-minded to the option(s) presented to them. The IES Abroad London Internship Program seeks to mirror the working world, and therefore securing an internship is a competitive process in the same way securing a job would be. The internship is the best match between the skills an intern offers and what the workplace is seeking. Internships are routinely and formally monitored and all companies/organizations have been vetted by the IES Abroad London Internship Office. *IES Abroad strongly discourages students from doing both an internship or community-based learning placement and an outside course, as these both require a time commitment that is very difficult to schedule. If you wish to do both, please understand that, if you are able to work both into your schedule, you will be occupied Monday through Friday with no day off. Please contact your IES Abroad Program Advisor for more information. Internship Seminar The IES Abroad Internship Seminar offers contextual support to practical work experience in the UK setting by placing the internship in a wider academic context and examining contemporary issues in internship areas. The internship seminars are designed to help you analyze, evaluate, and reflect upon your internship experience. Through assigned readings, relevant lectures, and discussions, the internship seminar provides you with a valuable opportunity to synthesize the
practical and theoretical components of your experience with a continued focus on intercultural competency. Seminars meet biweekly for 2 hours. An IES Abroad faculty member will supervise your academic work. Interns must fulfill all the requirements of the Internship Program. A grade is awarded for the combined internship placement and seminar, and it will be recorded on your IES Abroad transcript. Please note you will need to register for the Internship Seminar (IN 395) course during Preregistration. Students are not automatically enrolled. Application and Deadlines The internship application consists of several pieces and has an earlier deadline (May 1st for Fall, October 1st for Spring). Review internship information, instructions, and your Internship Application Form in your MyIESabroad account. If you apply for an internship, it is your responsibility to complete all pieces of the internship application before the deadline. You may not drop your internship after placement has been confirmed by the internship host without potentially preventing future students from obtaining internships. Therefore, such withdrawals will result in a penalty of £100 paid by the student. Application Requirements The internship application consists of several pieces listed below. If you apply for an internship, it is your responsibility to complete all pieces of the internship application before the deadline. A completed internship/community-based learning application consists of:
Internship Application Form - Submit this form to give the Internship Coordinator an idea of what type of internship you would like to pursue. Internship Approval Form - Must be completed by your Study Abroad Coordinator or Academic Advisor. Curriculum Vitae - Review the Internship Documents Guide. Follow the guidelines very carefully in creating your CV. Cover Letter - This letter will be reviewed by both the IES Abroad London Internship Coordinators and potential host organizations. The purpose of the letter is to introduce yourself to the host organization, provide additional details, and expand upon the information contained in your CV. This information will help the Internship Coordinators to know what kind of internship you are seeking and it will also help the host organization to know about your skills, background, and experience. Your cover letter is a formal letter, not a statement. Please refer to the Internship Documents Guide for further details. Professional Letter of Reference - This should be a testimonial that describes your professional abilities, positive qualities, and work ethic. The letter should be on official letterhead and signed by your professional reference. Please refer to the Internship Documents Guide for further details.
Applications that are not complete or are missing the appropriate signatures will not be considered. Completed applications received after the deadline will be reviewed at the discretion of the program director and will be given low priority for placement. Submitting your form early gives the best possibility of meeting your preferences. Selection IES Abroad does not guarantee placement in an internship. Prior to your arrival in London, companies and organizations are sent a selection of interns’ CVs, and choose which students to interview. Therefore, your ability to secure interviews will depend upon the quality of your CV, as well as the position’s availability. The Internship Coordinators in London will edit your CV and covering letter and ask you to interview with them over Skype. It is important to update your CV and covering letter, according to their guidance, and return it quickly, so they can start the placement process. The interview (“mock interview”) is a chance to practice interviewing from afar and also for you to find out more about the program and for the London coordinators to find out more about you. It is an important opportunity to make a good impression. Once the interview has taken place and your updated CV and letter have been received, the placement process begins. Many students will interview via Skype with potential companies prior to arrival in London. Other students will interview on site in London and confirm their placement within the first few weeks of term. Community-based Learning HL/SL 395 Comparative Social Policy: A Community-Based Learning Perspective and Practicum requires additional documentation pre-departure, and a significant time commitment on-site. In order to enroll in this course, you must obtain a Tier 4 visa and a Police Clearance Letter from your local police department. The course offers you an exciting opportunity to participate in local community life in London and to put your service work into an academic context. Practical experience is an invaluable addition to classroom learning. In addition to developing your skills and awareness of social issues, a community-based learning placement gives you the opportunity to directly experience the many cultures and people who make up the UK. Participating in community-based learning offers you a unique opportunity to step outside of your educational environment and experience the British in their communities. A community-based learning placement consists of a practical component and a reflective academic element. It requires a significant personal and professional commitment from you. You need to devote one full day per week to your placement. All placements are unpaid and require a commitment of 8 hours per week over the course of either one or two weekdays. The placement process will be primarily driven by the needs of the different host organizations and the projects that are available during your term abroad. This will be matched as closely as possible with your own skills and background. You are required to bring a Good Conduct Certificate, Letter of Good Standing, or equivalent from your local police station before arriving in London, showing that you do not have any criminal convictions. This document will be required by many of the placement providers in London. There is sometimes a fee and a waiting time for the letter or certificate to be processed, so it is worth starting this process right away. Contact your IES Abroad Program Advisor with questions or to see an example letter.
IES Abroad London has established good working relationships with many organizations that participate in our community-based learning program. Placements are offered across a variety of charity and community settings. Your ability to secure a placement depends upon your selfmotivation, ability to meet deadlines, maturity, previous work/service experience, and flexibility regarding organizations and work projects. We try as much as possible to find a good match for your interests, and we expect students to be well-prepared and open-minded to the option(s) presented to them. Unlike an internship, where the focus is on developing workplace skills, community-based learning is primarily focused on meeting the needs of the organization and you will be working to help them fulfil their mission and goals. It is important to note that the UK has strict provisions to protect vulnerable populations and to enforce security protocols. These provisions will restrict your access to UK hospitals and clinics, as well as limit direct interactions with service users in the fields of health and education. Community-based learning placements are complementary to the Social Welfare Policy class and can involve helping an education-related organization or health-related charitable organizations. Other possibilities include aiding the homeless and other vulnerable populations in a mental-health capacity, or offering general administrative assistance to support a public health organization or social welfare mission. Application and Deadlines The community-based learning application consists of several pieces. Review information, instructions, and your Community-Based Learning Form in your MyIESabroad account. It is your responsibility to complete all pieces of the community-based learning application before the deadline. Application Requirements The community-based learning application consists of several pieces listed below. It is your responsibility to complete all pieces of the community-based learning application before the deadline. A completed community-based learning application consists of:
Community-Based Learning Form - Submit this form to give the London based Coordinator an idea of what type of placement would be most suitable for you. Home School Approval Form - Must be completed by your Study Abroad Coordinator or Academic Advisor. Curriculum Vitae - Review the Internship Documents Guide. Follow the guidelines very carefully in creating your CV. Cover Letter - This letter will be reviewed by both the IES Abroad London Coordinators and potential host organizations. The purpose of the letter is to introduce yourself to the host organization, provide additional details, and expand upon the information contained in your CV. This information will help the London Coordinators to know what kind of placement would best suit you and it will also help the host organization to know about your skills, background, and experience. Your cover letter is a formal letter, not a statement. Please refer to the Internship Documents Guide for further details. Professional Letter of Reference - This should be a testimonial that describes your professional abilities, positive qualities, and work ethic. The letter should be on official
letterhead and signed by your professional reference. Please refer to the InternshipDocuments Guide for further details. Applications that are not complete or are missing the appropriate signatures will not be considered. Completed applications received after the deadline will be reviewed at the discretion of the program director and will be given low priority for placement. Submitting yourform early gives the best possibility of meeting your preferences. Selection IES Abroad does not guarantee placement in a community-based learning placement. Prior to your arrival in London, companies and organizations are sent a selection of students’ CVs, andchoose which students to interview. Therefore, your ability to secure interviews will depend upon the quality of your CV, as well as the position’s availability. The Internship Coordinators in London will edit your CV and covering letter and ask you to interview with them over Skype. It is important to update your CV and covering letter, according to their guidance, and return it quickly, so they can start the placement process. The interview (“mock interview”) is a chance to practice interviewing online and also for you to find out more about the program and for the London coordinators to find out more about you. It is an importantopportunity to make a good impression. Once the interview has taken place and your updated CV and letter have been received, the placement process begins. Some students will interview via Skype with potential community-based learning organizations prior to arrival in London. Other students will interview on site in London and confirm their placement within the first fewweeks of term. IES Abroad strongly discourages students from doing both an internship or community-based learning placement and an outside course, as these both require a time commitment that is verydifficult to schedule. If you wish to do both, please understand that, if you are able to work both into your schedule, you will be occupied Monday through Friday with no day off. Please contact your IES Abroad Program Advisor for more information.