The International Internship Program (IIP) develops international internship opportunities for UW-Madison undergraduate students from all academic disciplines. We are actively seeking organizations in Japan that are able to offer substantive internships, whether in-person or virtually. Many UW-Madison students study Japanese, but there are also English-speaking students interested in Japan internships.
After 20+ years of internships at JR Central, and many other partners, Japan is our number one destination for interns and demand is high!
Join us in continuing to strengthen the Japan-Wisconsin connection. 日本語でも対応できます。
See our Employer FAQ page and Internship Host Handbook for more details.
Testimonials
“I think that it is important for domestic companies, such as ours, to come in contact with foreigners as much as possible. I thought that this would benefit the Americans and also would be good for our company to have experience introducing people to the Japanese way of working.” Read more.
-Yoshiyuki Kasai, Chairman Emeritus of Central Japan Railway Company
“Since learning Japanese at UW helped me so much in my career, I wanted to give back to the students studying Japanese and guide them to good career paths.” Read more.
-Jason Shin, president & CEO, Takamoto Electric
“The biggest takeaway for me was experiencing the Japanese workplace culture firsthand. Having worked as a professional for three years now, I often find myself reflecting on those aspects of the culture, such as communication, respect, and diligence that I try to emulate in my own professional life.” Read more.
-Wyatt Rufener, UW-Madison alumnus and student intern at JR Central and Hirose Denki
Hosting an Intern
IIP Employer Interest Survey
Why Host an Intern?
The UW International Internship Program provides access to students with global competency, language proficiency, and expertise in their fields.
Hosting an intern can help develop a mutually beneficial relationship between your organization and UW-Madison, and help your organization gain name recognition among students and staff. It is also a fantastic way for you to stay connected to the UW-Madison as an alum and provide opportunities for current Badgers.
In addition, hosting an intern is a great way to test out a highly-motivated employee in a low cost, low-risk situation, as well as bring a fresh perspective to your organization.
What are the host expectations?
Hosts are expected to provide a meaningful work experience and guidance contributing to the professional development of the intern. Hosts should plan to assist the intern in increasing understanding of the host country’s culture, acclimate to the work environment, and impart knowledge of the industry or organization for the professional development of the student.
Hosts should also plan to help arrange the intern’s work permit/visa, if applicable, and and provide support or make recommendations for logistics such as housing and travel.
At the end, hosts complete a performance evaluation for the intern and provide any relevant feedback for the intern to aid in their professional development.
Other ways to partner with IIP
If your organization is not ready to host an intern, but shares our belief that internships in Japan are valuable for our Wisconsin students, please let us know.
We can also talk about partnering with IIP in other ways such as contributing to our scholarship fund, helping us with career panels, or planning for a future internship.
ご連絡をお待ちしております。