Taking summer or work-study jobs abroad provides many students with an incredible opportunity to travel and see the world. Students can find hundreds of jobs in dozens of different disciplines while studying abroad. Taking jobs abroad can provide students with opportunities to travel that may be difficult to come later in life; combining an income-generating activity with the opportunity to see a new part of the world, even less affluent students may be able to indulge their travel desires.
For students, one of the most popular jobs abroad is teaching. Many countries look for English-speaking students to teach English to local students during the summer or semester. Best of all, language teaching jobs for students in other countries do not always require teachers to speak the local language; many of these programs use immersion-style training that only allows teaching and conversation in English. Students with sports or activity skills, such as mountaineering guides or ski instructors, may be required for other teaching jobs for students studying abroad. Although knowing multiple languages may be advantageous for these jobs, some employers prefer to hire students to teach tourists and visitors from the same country in their native tongue.
For students with a scientific background or major, research jobs abroad may be ideal. Surveys, excavations, and other forms of field research are always in need of workers in scientific and anthropological studies. Though these jobs may not always pay well, they usually include room and board as well as the opportunity to network with and learn from industry experts. Counting animal migrations, assessing the impact of a new factory, or excavating a ruin for important archeological artifacts are all possible jobs.
There are also many business-related jobs available abroad for students. These jobs, which are usually paid internships, provide valuable training and work experience in businesses and corporations all over the world. Many programs require interns to be enrolled in a participating school and to receive school credit for working abroad. Positions available may vary depending on experience level and field of interest, and many programs require interns to be enrolled in a participating school and to receive school credit for working abroad.
Check with school counseling centers or look online for job listings for students who want to work abroad. There are numerous websites that list job openings for students in almost every field. While some of these programs require a work-study program to sponsor them, others are simply international jobs that can be taken over the summer or during a semester off. Students looking for work abroad may be vulnerable to fraud and scam artists, so it is critical to go through reputable channels to find work.