Put your degree to work
Need academic credit as part of your degree or want to spend the summer or a semester abroad getting ahead? USIT provides the visa sponsorship and placement tools to intern anywhere in the USA for 1-12 months – with 30 days either side to travel.
On the fence?
Let’s talk
Stand out with a professional internship in the USA
Make your summer count
In a competitive job market and increasingly interconnected world, having international work experience on your CV is a guaranteed way to help you stand out. On this program, you’ll get world-class training in your field, build a global network, and show future employers you have the motivation to live and work abroad. Plus, your visa allows you to travel for 30 days before and after your placement - meaning you can live and work in the USA for 14 months in total.
Why do it with USIT
Part of the same travel family as leading US visa sponsor, IENA, we provide start-to-finish support to intern anywhere in the USA for up to 12 months.
Bringing our USA game for 60+ years, our dedicated team will guide you through the visa, embassy, training plan, and placement vetting process.
Find step-by-step guidance on sourcing your placement on our Intern Hub - including an employer directory of where past participants have interned.
Aged 18+
Full-time student and grad-only
US sponsorship for 1-12 months
30 days either side to travel
Great for uni placements
CV and placement resources
€1,749
Laura, Intern in NYC
"I’m getting on great in New York and really loving it so far. I’m interning in an advertising agency in the Empire State building which is really cool!’’
Need to know
Internship USA is designed for current students or recent grads to put their academic skills to work in the States. From fashion to finance – you can work for between 1-12 months doing paid or unpaid internships, anywhere in the States, in a field related to your studies.
Once you have your position secured, the USIT team take it from there – checking your placement meets the visa criteria, vetting your host company (if required), and starting the process of sponsoring you. When you’re in the States, IENA (our sibling brand and visa sponsor in the US) supports you 24/7 – with regular check-ins to make sure your training is on track.
Who can apply
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.
What you can do
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 over on our parent JENZA 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.
Where you can do it
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 graduates are New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco – but you can live and work almost anywhere in the States on this visa.
Let’s go
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 your US sponsor
Your employer will need to fill out your DS7002 Training Plan which will then go to our IENA team for sponsorship 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
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 IENA to make sure you’re perfectly prepped for life in the USA. The team are then on hand 24/7 to support you during your stay.
Everything you need to apply for your visa and get the sponsorship to intern in the USA for 1-12 months.
What's included
Book now pay later
• Deposit of €150 due at the time of application • Second payment of €350 before we apply for your sponsorship paperwork • Full balance due 12 weeks before departure
US visa fee Irish passport holders
This is paid directly to the US Embassy and currently costs USD $185.
Site visit
A fee of USD $300 will be added to your program fee if a site visit to your prospective employer's workplace is required.
Travel insurance
Talk to the USIT team about specialist travel insurance providers who cover our work and travel programs
Flights
We don’t recommend booking flights until your visa is approved.
Objections overruled!
Past USIT interns have interned in fields from construction to law – including working at the LA and Chicago District Courts. In a crowded job market, working in America can put your CV to the top of the pile.
Bring your away game
It’s not possible to intern or work in America independently, it must be done via a US Department of State approved sponsor. Together with IENA, our sibling brand in the US, we provide end-to-end support – with no middle folk to deal with. When approaching US companies for your internship, make sure you mention that you’ll be applying for US sponsorship through USIT and IENA – as this is often a barrier for US companies looking to take on international interns.
Aside from the obvious – the food, weather, cities, beaches, the food again… this visa is the chance to learn from the best in the business. The land of opportunity, you’ll have access to companies in America that you just won’t get staying in Ireland. From multinational headquarters to media start-ups, every industry and sector is represented here. Attracting the leading talent from around the world, you’ll gain invaluable international experience and grow your network – all while living in one of the most exciting countries in the world.
Ask the experts
Everything is bigger in America – including the professional training options! USIT has three options to train in the USA – Internship USA, Grad USA and Trainee USA. Book a call with the team and we’ll work out which is best for you.
BOOK A CALL
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