Internships for Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Due to heightened concerns about student health and safety we are suspending internship placements, volunteer work, and service-learning projects in health care facilities at all USAC program sites for the 2020-21 academic year. If you have any questions, please contact the USAC internship team at internship@usac.edu.

Internships in Puntarenas are offered during the semester and yearlong terms. Internships are optional and included in your program fees. They range from 1-3 credits and are counted as part of your credit load. Interns earn credit but no financial compensation. In addition to professional and academic experience, internships are a great way to immerse yourself in the culture, meet locals, and practice your language skills. For students who will be working in a non-English speaking environment, you must be able to communicate at an advanced level (Track III). Students will learn the required Spanish technical terms on the job. Upon request, USAC will identify options for English-speaking internships.

Past internship placements in Puntarenas have included:

• Working in the Mangrove Forests
• Local schools
• Teaching/tutoring English

Eligibility:

• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• Junior standing (at time of internship)
• Foreign language proficiency (some placements)

Beginning in Summer 2021, a non-refundable internship placement fee will be required of all students participating in an in-person USAC internship. This fee helps offset the costs of securing quality internship placements and helps provide a range of professional development activities, including an online internship seminar, career workshops, and panel discussions. The fee amount has not been finalized but will be announced in the near future.

Placement is not guaranteed by USAC; rather it will be determined by your application, supporting materials, and an interview with the internship sponsor on site.