We develop international internship opportunities for UW-Madison undergraduate students from all academic disciplines to develop a global talent pool to serve the needs of state, national and international employers. We are actively seeking organizations abroad that are able to offer substantive internships, whether in-person or virtually.
IIP works with you to customize the internship to your needs. We can help define the internship position, and assist in managing the recruiting and placement process.
See our Employer FAQ page and Internship Host Handbook for more details.
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 make recommendations for logistics such as housing and travel.
At the end, hosts should complete a performance evaluation for the intern and provide any relevant feedback for the intern to aid in their professional development.
Employer Testimonials
“Closer cooperation between the UW-Madison and the business community is critical to preparing the next generation of global leaders—people who will engage across borders and disciplines to develop solutions to the world’s problems.”
-Bill Linton, founder and CEO, Promega Corporation
“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.”
-Jason Shin, president & CEO, Takamoto Electric
“Our interns from the UW-Madison have contributed greatly to our global policy research efforts. Their language skills and technical knowledge allowed them to be productive from the first day. It is a great experience for the interns and a fantastic opportunity for us to engage with talented students.”
-Clay Nesler, Vice President, Global Energy & Sustainability, Johnson Controls, Inc.
Other ways to partner with IIP
If you are not quite ready to host an intern, but share our belief that international internships 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.