If you're old enough to vote, then you can tick the "yes please" box on this USA internship visa too.

• You must be 18+ and be able to fulfil one of the below student requirements:

• If you're a full-time enrolled student your course must be at a recognised Irish college or university (or EU or UK institution) and be at least a two-year course that ultimately leads to a degree or higher qualification. Unfortunately, online, lifelong, special purpose or distance learning courses are not permitted on this visa. If you’re not a student but have five years’ experience in the field your internship relates to, check out our Trainee USA program instead.

• If you’ve already graduated you must enter the USA within 12 months of the date on your graduation certificate. Recent graduates will also qualify for our 1-year Grad USA program.

  When to apply

You can apply at any time of the year. However, it can take up to 12 weeks to process your application, so if you’re looking to do an internship over the summer or have already graduated, make sure you build this into your timescales.

Your internship must be related to your academic field and you must have an internship offer before we can start the process of sponsoring you to work in the USA.

Duration and salary

Depending on the length of your internship, you’ll be issued with a 1-12 month visa with 30 days before and after to travel. On this visa, you can do either a paid or unpaid internship. The salary for paid internships will be negotiated directly with your host company and will vary depending on the city and company you intern for, but you can typically expect to earn between USD $2,100-4,500 a month.

Finding your internship

It's your responsibility to find your own placement in the US, but don't worry – you're not alone! We'll work with you to look at your academic experience and what direction you want your career to take. Based on past participants who’ve interned in the USA with the same degree, we can shortlist companies for you to target. Plus, you'll have access to our Intern Hub.

Created by our Intern Team, you'll find step-by-step guidance on how to source your position - plus handy downloadable templates for emails, resumes, visa letters and more. You'll also find a directory of US employers that have taken on past interns from this program. Hosted on our JENZA Travel Group parent site, check out our free Intern Hub resources here.

Approving your internship

All internships and training plans must be vetted by our US sponsor to ensure they meet the visa and labour criteria. This may include a site visit to your prospective employer. For more info, check out our FAQs.

What industries can I work in?

Popular industries for Irish graduates to work in are construction, engineering, tech, politics, law, finance, science, architecture, media, publishing, marketing and fashion – but you can intern in any field as long as it is related to your degree.

There are some roles within certain industries such as agriculture, teaching and medicine that aren’t permitted, but our USA team will be able to guide you around these restrictions and help you find a position within that industry that is likely to be approved by our sponsor. For more on the industries you can intern in, check out our FAQs.

What cities can I intern in?

Popular destinations for Irish students to intern are New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco – but you can live and work anywhere in the States on this visa.

The process to apply for USA visas can be complex. But the payoff to upskill in the USA can be invaluable to your future career goals and progression. Plus, our team will support you throughout the entire process.

1. Secure your position

Check you’re eligible in the tab above, start your online application and pay your deposit. If you don’t already have an internship secured, check out the free resources and employer directory on the Intern Hub - hosted on our JENZA site.

2. Book a call

Once you have a position secured, you’ll have an in-depth call with our USA team to run through the program, answer any questions, get you set up the sponsor’s system and conduct a phone interview (this is a visa requirement).

3. Assessment by the US sponsor

Your employer will need to fill out your DS7002 Training Plan which will then go to our US sponsor for approval. If your application is approved, your work papers will be issued within 15 business days – or 21 business days if a site visit to your employer’s workplace is required.

4. Pre-departure pack

Once our US Sponsor approves your application, we’ll email your DS2019 work papers, SEVIS receipt and DS7002 Training Plan to your home address. You’ll then receive your pre-departure pack by email with all the information you need to schedule your US Embassy appointment.

5. US Embassy interview

You're off to the US Embassy! This interview and a 5-7 day review of your passport will provide them with the information they need to issue your visa.

6. Land in the USA

Before you go, you’ll complete an online orientation with your US sponsor to make sure you’re perfectly prepped for life in the USA and they are then on hand 24/7 to support you during your stay.