SDSS Summer Internship Program FAQs

General Internship Frequently Asked Questions

Each job description has the student status that is eligible to apply. All applicants must be Stanford students in good standing.
For undergraduate students, applicants must be students throughout their participation in the program unless noted in the job description. If you plan to graduate before the end of summer quarter, please consult with your major department (e.g. the student services representative) to discuss deferring the conferral of your degree until the end of summer.
For graduate students, applicants must be currently enrolled at the time of application.
For the New Zealand roles, applicants must be undergraduate students currently enrolled and will not graduate until at least Fall 2025. Seniors graduating in spring or summer 2025 are not eligible.

No. You will not receive any academic credit for participating in the Internship Program. However, this might fulfill the "abroad" requirement by some majors. Please check with your major department managers.

Internships are funded by the employer. You will be an employee of the employer. You must be able to legally work in the country where the employer is. Stanford University is not providing a stipend or salary.
For the New Zealand roles, you will be employed directly by the employer, and we have negotiated the compensation package. The host company will pay a travel stipend for you after you sign the work agreement. If you plan to travel or have extra expenses, you should prepare funding for yourself.

You will meet the other internship participants during the orientation program in Spring Quarter.

Yes, undergraduate international students who have declared a major and graduate students are eligible to apply. Once selected, applicants will need to obtain Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization from Bechtel International Center. For more details, please visit the CPT information page.

You are required to make sure to have a passport that is valid six months after the date of departure with at least one blank page in the passport for the visa. If you don’t have a passport, apply for one immediately. You will need your valid passport to initiate any visa process.

You are strongly advised to check out the appropriate foreign consulate website for visa requirements. You are responsible for obtaining appropriate visas on time.
Once you are accepted for a New Zealand role, we will provide you with more information regarding visa applications. We are working with an immigration company to support this process.

You should consult with a physician or travel clinic well in advance of your departure to inquire about immunization recommendations. Some inoculations may require a series of shots that take weeks or months to become effective.

You must be covered by health insurance that is valid worldwide for the entire duration of your time overseas. If any medical treatment is necessary, you will be fully responsible for the costs. Therefore, you must obtain health insurance (which should cover 1. medical treatment worldwide, 2. medical evacuation, and 3. repatriation of remains) for the summer. If you’re covered by Cardinal Care, all three categories are covered. The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) can be purchased online. The ISIC card issued in the U.S. includes basic travel insurance that covers your international travels outside of the U.S. It also provides discounts on transportation, museums and other amenities. Students with Cardinal Care should check with the Vaden Health Center. Students covered by another insurance company should check directly with them and purchase additional travel health insurance if they are not covered. Link: Cardinal Care

On canvas, under commons, search for “international academy”. This platform is designed to help you prepare for your time away from Stanford. You'll find important pre-departure travel information to help you prepare for your trip, as well as links to additional resources to dive deeper into topics.

In general, there is no language requirement for students who are going to intern in other countries. NOTE: Some positions by some companies may require certain language skills and will be listed on the job description.

You must check with the International Center about how traveling will affect your current U.S. visa.

Connect to Crisis24 at Stanford Dedicated Hotline: +1-443-716-2305 Collect calls accepted.
International Travel Assistance Program
All travelers participating in Stanford-sponsored or Stanford-organized travel have access to Crisis24 travel assistance and Zurich international medical insurance while traveling abroad. All participants should familiarize themselves with the details of the assistance program and insurance coverage, and know how to access assistance in an emergency. Participants are highly encouraged to download the Crisis24 app. Details of the program, and instructions on downloading the app can be found on the International Travel Assistance website.

This program is for current freshman, sophomores, and juniors. Students must be enrolled at Stanford in the fall following the summer internship.
There are 7 roles at 7 different companies. Apply to those roles that match your interest and skill set. You can apply to up to 4 roles in the New Zealand program.
The internship program is in partnership with the University of Auckland. All interns will be required to live in the home stay arranged by U. Auckland. Interns will participate in weekly events for community building and to learn about New Zealand people, culture and sustainability. Interns will pay the U.Auckland for room and board and programming ($7,700 NZD).
- Arrival - approx June 18, 2025
- Internship - June 23 through August 29, 2025
Interns will be the employees of the companies by which they are hired.Compensation will be NZD 10,000 for the 10-week program and NZD 2,500 to cover travel expenses. Interns will be assisted to set up bank accounts at the Bank of New Zealand. (There is one exception to the travel stipend. Auckland Unlimited (government organization) will manage the travel arrangements and payment for the intern.)