Singapore, also known as “the Lion City”, is one of the most beautiful and greenest cities in the world. The downtown area, which consists of many small districts like Chinatown, Orchard Road and Riverside, offers countless shopping opportunities, monuments, museums and restaurants.
English is spoken in business life, so there are no communication problems for you. However, basic knowledge of Chinese is helpful for communication in everyday life. Singapore has established itself as a strong economic power: the World Bank named Singapore the second best country to do business in 2017.
So it’s no wonder that the fascinating city of Singapore is a popular place for an exciting internship abroad.
In 5 steps to an internship abroad in Singapore
With more than 30 years of experience, our American partner organization, the Academic Internship Council (AIC), is an expert in arranging tailor-made internships for international students.
In order to be able to offer you a suitable internship in your desired area, the Academic Internship Council has established collaborations with many different companies and organizations in Singapore in recent years.
If you would like to do an AIC-mediated internship abroad in Singapore, simply follow our 5 steps to apply:
Step 1: Get information and advice
Please inform yourself first about the prerequisites for participation, the program fees as well as the dates and deadlines for the internship program in Singapore. If you are also interested in the particularly suitable industries in Singapore, nothing stands in the way of a successful application.
Then contact our advisory team – we will inform you about the application documents that you have to submit. You can also reach us at any time by phone, email or personally in our Frankfurt office and ask us all your questions about the internship abroad in Singapore.
Step 2: Submit your application
In the next step, please send us your application documents in English (cover letter, résumé, performance overview) by email. We check them and you will receive feedback from us – by email or phone. As soon as your documents are complete and in order, we will forward them to the AIC in Singapore.
Step 3: Discuss interests and wishes with the AIC
Next, you will be contacted by your personal contact at the Academic Internship Council in Singapore for individual internship placement. You fill out a detailed online questionnaire and, if necessary, upload additional documents to the AIC database so that your contacts can find out more about your interests and internship requirements.
As part of a comprehensive preliminary talk, which takes place via Skype, you will collectively record your individual strengths, interests and professional goals. Your contacts will then start looking for an internship in Singapore that suits you and your profile.
Step 4: Complete application training
The professional application training of the AIC prepares you perfectly for the upcoming interview.
Here you can find out what to expect from a “typical” interview with an employer from Singapore and what is particularly important. In this way you avoid cultural misunderstandings and you can be sure to leave the best possible impression on your potential internship company.
Step 5: Complete an interview and get an internship
After your contact person has found a suitable internship that suits you, they make an appointment for an interview. You usually do this via Skype as well.
If the interview goes well and you receive an internship offer, you have to decide whether you want to accept it. Otherwise, the AIC will look for another internship for you.
After you have decided on an internship, you can apply for your visa for the internship abroad in Singapore with the support of the Academic Internship Council.
Of course, we are always available to answer any questions you may have – whether before you apply or during the application process.
Participation requirements
In order to apply for the internship program of the Academic Internship Council, you must meet the following requirements:
- Good knowledge of English:This will be checked during the preliminary talk with the Academic Internship Council, so that formal proof of language proficiency does not have to be provided.
- Completion of at least one year of study at a university or technical college:Unfortunately, high school graduates without study experience cannot be placed for internships in Singapore, as initial academic experience in the relevant field is required for the activities.
- Age between 18 and 25 years:Only students in this age range receive the required visa for an internship abroad.
If you already have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree and it was not more than a year ago, you can apply for an internship in Singapore through the Academic Internship Council.
Particularly suitable industries
An internship in Singapore offers you the unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture and gain practical experience in your dream industry. Due to the multicultural society and the resident international companies, you will learn to find your way around an international work environment through an internship in Singapore. At the same time you are building up a large professional network and you will be given unique experiences that will shape you on an academic, professional and personal level.
Thanks to its extensive experience, the Academic Internship Council has compiled a list of industries and types of companies that are particularly suitable for an internship in Singapore:
- architecture
- design
- Research internships in the fields of biology, chemistry, medicine & culture
- Financial accounting
- Hospitality
- Law & Legal
- marketing
- media
- Fashion
- NGOs
- human Resource
- Computer science
- engineering
- Business consulting
- advertising
- Auditing
Internships in other departments are of course also possible. Only in some specific sectors, such as banking, health or engineering, the agency in Singapore is more difficult. So you can still do an internship in Singapore, you give the Academic Internship Council thanks to his experience professionally appropriate internships in similar industries and Departments.
You can also propose companies to the Academic Internship Council in which you would like to do an internship.
In order to get a realistic assessment of your chances of an internship in your desired area, the preliminary talk with the Academic Internship Council is an essential part of the internship placement.
Dates and application deadlines
In Singapore you can choose between internship periods of different lengths in spring and autumn or an eight-week summer internship.
| Period | Arrivals | Program start | Duration |
| Summer 2018 | July 01, 2018 | 07/02/2018 | 8 weeks |
| Fall 2018 | September 01, 2018 | 02.09.2018 | 3-5 months |
| Spring 2019 | March 01, 2019 | 02.03.2019 | 3-5 months |
Your application should reach us at least four months before your desired program start, so that the Academic Internship Council has enough time to find the internship that suits you and you can apply for the visa for Singapore in due time.
Program fees
The fees to be paid depend on whether you want to look after your own accommodation or whether you book it through the Academic Internship Council.
| Internship program | fees |
| Fixed price (regardless of the duration) | US $ 2,332 |
| Internship program + accommodation | fees |
| 8-week summer internship | US $ 5,610 |
| 3 months | US $ 6,926 |
| 4 months | US $ 8,436 |
| 5 months | US $ 10,246 |
The rooms provided by the Academic Internship Council are part of student apartments or student dormitories. They are furnished, have kitchen utensils, a laundry facility and internet access. The location of the accommodations is central, with easy access to public transport.
Included services
The program fees include the following:
- Placement of a tailor-made internship in your dream industry through the Academic Internship Council
- Active support during the entire planning and application phase
- Review of the written application
- Professional application training via webinars
- Assistance in applying for a visa
- Orientation program, workshops & leisure program in Singapore
- Assistance with all concerns on site
- Evaluation of the internship supervisor
Financing options
If the internship in Singapore is an internship as part of your studies, you can for financing among others BAföG apply. If you are eligible, you will receive a subsidy for health insurance and travel and living expenses. There are also various scholarship programs especially for internships abroad.
Please note that your internship in Singapore is usually unpaid as it is considered part of your academic education. If you do a longer internship, it may happen in individual cases that you will be paid smaller (travel cost) subsidies, but this is not the rule.
