Top 10 paid internships for international students

An unpaid internship is a privilege few can afford, especially abroad. A paid one can be the bridge from a degree to a career, and some of the world’s best-known organisations offer them to international students.

These ten programmes pay a salary, stipend or allowance, according to their official pages, checked on October 30, 2026. Several take applications all year, so there is often something open now.

The list at a glance

#	Programme	Where	Next deadline
1	World Bank Group Internship Program	United States	Not announced yet
2	UNICEF Internship Programme	Several countries	Rolling
3	WIPO Internship Program	Switzerland	Rolling
4	ESA Young Graduate Trainee Programme	Several countries	Not announced yet
5	KAUST Visiting Student Research Program	Saudi Arabia	Rolling
6	CERN Summer Student Programme	Switzerland	Not announced yet
7	DAAD RISE Germany	Germany	November 30, 2026
8	Mitacs Globalink Research Internship	Canada	Not announced yet
9	European Commission Blue Book Traineeship	Several countries	March 12, 2027
10	Google Summer of Code	Online	Not announced yet

1. World Bank Group Internship Program

A paid, mentored internship in which students contribute to real World Bank Group projects in Washington, DC or country offices.

• Who can apply: Final-year undergraduates or master’s/PhD students who are citizens of a member country, speak fluent English and have up to six years of work experience.
• Deadline: Next deadline not announced yet. Two cycles per year: Spring/Summer applications open January to February; Winter/Fall applications open July to August. Exact closing dates are not listed.
• Why it is on the list: A paid, mentored internship on real World Bank Group projects, for students from any member country.

Read the full World Bank Group Internship Program listing

2. UNICEF Internship Programme

Internships of 6 to 26 weeks in UNICEF offices worldwide, mostly in humanitarian work, with a monthly stipend.

• Who can apply: Applicants aged 18+ enrolled in a degree or graduated within two years, proficient in English, French or Spanish.
• Deadline: Rolling applications. Internships are posted throughout the year; each vacancy has its own deadline on jobs.unicef.org.
• Why it is on the list: Paid internships in UNICEF offices worldwide, posted throughout the year.

Read the full UNICEF Internship Programme listing

3. WIPO Internship Program

Paid internships, mostly in Geneva, on intellectual property and innovation topics, with monthly stipends of 1,645 to 2,170 CHF.

• Who can apply: Advanced undergraduates, master’s students or recent graduates (within two years) with professional English and/or French.
• Deadline: Rolling applications. A new roster is published yearly and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; check vacancy pages for posted deadlines.
• Why it is on the list: A published monthly stipend for internships in Geneva on intellectual property and innovation.

Read the full WIPO Internship Program listing

4. ESA Young Graduate Trainee Programme

A one-year salaried traineeship (extendable to two) working on real space missions at the European Space Agency.

• Who can apply: Recent master’s graduates (or final-year master’s students) in science, engineering, IT or business from ESA member, associate or cooperating states, including Canada.
• Deadline: Next deadline not announced yet. Vacancies are usually published February to March, with selection by June and start in September to October; no closing date is given.
• Why it is on the list: A salaried year working on real space missions, for graduates from ESA member, associate or cooperating states.

Read the full ESA Young Graduate Trainee Programme listing

5. KAUST Visiting Student Research Program

A 2 to 6 month STEM research internship with KAUST faculty, including a USD 1,000 monthly stipend, housing and return airfare.

• Who can apply: Third-year-plus undergraduates and master’s students with a GPA of at least 3.5/4 and proof of English; PhD candidates are not eligible.
• Deadline: Rolling applications. Applications are accepted all year round; start and end dates are flexible.
• Why it is on the list: A research internship with a monthly stipend, housing and airfare, open all year.

Read the full KAUST Visiting Student Research Program listing

6. CERN Summer Student Programme

Students spend 8 to 13 weeks on a physics, engineering or computing project at CERN, alongside lectures, workshops and lab visits, with a daily allowance of 94 CHF.

• Who can apply: Bachelor’s or master’s students (not PhD) in physics, engineering, computer science or maths with at least six semesters of full-time study and good English.
• Deadline: Next deadline not announced yet. The official page gives no date and tells applicants to check the application portal; no positions were open when checked.
• Why it is on the list: A summer at the world’s best-known physics laboratory, with a daily allowance.

Read the full CERN Summer Student Programme listing

7. DAAD RISE Germany

A three-month summer research placement with a doctoral researcher at a German university or institute, supported by a monthly DAAD stipend.

• Who can apply: Undergraduates in biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences or engineering studying at universities in North America, the UK or Ireland; German is not required.
• Deadline: Applications open 15 October to 30 November 2026 (11:59 pm CET); reference letters due by 15 December 2026.
• Why it is on the list: A funded summer research placement in Germany, with the deadline at the end of November.

Read the full DAAD RISE Germany listing

8. Mitacs Globalink Research Internship

A 12-week summer research internship under a Canadian university professor, with support toward airfare, housing, food and health insurance.

• Who can apply: Undergraduates from Mitacs partner countries (23 listed, including India, Brazil, Mexico, Ukraine, Tunisia and others); detailed rules vary by country.
• Deadline: Next deadline not announced yet. The Summer 2027 student call has closed; the official timeline shows student applications usually open around June.
• Why it is on the list: A 12-week research internship in Canada with support towards airfare, housing and food, for students from partner countries.

Read the full Mitacs Globalink Research Internship listing

9. European Commission Blue Book Traineeship

A paid five-month traineeship at the European Commission where graduates get hands-on experience of EU policy work and administration. Sessions start on 1 March and 1 October.

• Who can apply: EU nationals, plus a limited number of nationals of candidate countries, who have completed a full three-year degree. You need C1 English, French or German and no more than six weeks of earlier work in EU institutions.
• Deadline: Applications for the October 2027 session run from 15 February 2027 to 12 March 2027 at 10:00 Brussels time. The March 2027 session closed on 4 September 2026.
• Why it is on the list: A paid traineeship at the heart of EU policy-making, mainly for EU nationals plus a limited number from candidate countries.

Read the full European Commission Blue Book Traineeship listing

10. Google Summer of Code

A remote program where newcomers write code for an open source organization over 8 to 22 weeks with mentors. Stipends range from USD 750 to USD 6,600 depending on project size and country, paid after passing evaluations.

• Who can apply: People aged 18 or over who are students or open source beginners and are eligible to work in their country. Residents of U.S. embargoed countries, Russia, Belarus and the DNR/LNR regions cannot take part.
• Deadline: The 2026 contributor applications ran from 16 March to 31 March 2026. The 2027 timeline has not been published yet.
• Why it is on the list: A remote, paid way to gain real software experience with open source organisations.

Read the full Google Summer of Code listing

How we ranked them

This is an editorial ranking. We weighed pay (published stipends rank higher), how open each programme is to international applicants, and the experience it offers. No organisation paid to be included.

Also worth a look: the ADB Internship Program, the WHO Internship Programme (a living allowance for interns who need financial support) and the European Parliament Schuman Traineeship.

Frequently asked questions

Are internships at the UN and World Bank paid?

The World Bank Group, UNICEF and WIPO describe their internships as paid on their official pages. WHO gives a living allowance to interns who need financial support. The International Court of Justice internship, by contrast, is unpaid.

Can I do an internship abroad if I am not a student?

Some programmes accept recent graduates. WIPO, for example, accepts graduates within two years, and the ESA Young Graduate Trainee Programme is for recent master’s graduates. Check each listing.

Do I need a visa?

Usually, for in-person internships. Some organisations help; others expect you to arrange it. Google Summer of Code is remote, so no move is needed.

Find more opportunities

Browse every internship, traineeship and summer programme on our Opportunities page, sorted by the soonest deadline, and see our fellowship deadline calendar.