Intern Abroad v Study Abroad: Which is better for you?

Whether you decide to intern abroad or study abroad, you will have an incredible & rewardable opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture, improve your foreign language skills (in most cases), and strengthen your CV/Resumé before you enter the global job market. Interning abroad and studying abroad will provide you with different outcomes, so it's important to know the differences between the two. Both paths offer unforgettable experiences and growth, but determining which is better for you? The right choice depends on whether you’re looking to hit the books or to roll up your sleeves & get straight into action!

Intern Abroad v Study Abroad: Which is more challening?

Interning abroad is designed to be challenging and will give you a newfound sense of resilience & adaptability. It will naturally require a level of effort & hard work as you launch yourself into a professional setting in a culture & language different to your own, but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be enjoyable, rewarding and fulfilling, and offer unforgettable experiences & growth.

An internship abroad requires a level of professional responsibility, and your focus will be on earning valuable international job experience to advance your career prospects and to make you stand out in an ever-increasingly competitive job market. Student parties that you might be familiar with on campus will be less of a priority, as you immerse yourself more intimately with the local culture & bond with your co-workers who could have a variety of different ages, backgrounds, and global awareness to your own.

Studying abroad is slightly less intense as it focuses more on exposure to a new culture’s academic & social life within more comfortable & familiar surroundings - classroom settings and university campuses’ (in most cases). This will allow you to gain different perspectives in your field of study, while giving you free time to explore the local culture at your own pace, but that doesn’t mean it is not challenging navigating the local language, customs & making friends with new people.

A study abroad program is usually made & designed so students are not required to work too much, and they can build their experience in the way that they want & immerse in the local and culture at a pace which won’t necessarily shock the system.

Intern Abroad v Study Abroad: Which will push me further outside my comfort zone?

When interning abroad, you will be spending a chunk of your time away from your usual crowd. Busy building genuine connections with your colleagues & interacting daily with locals outside of work, you will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a real & authentic glimpse into the local culture, and experience local customs first-hand. An internship abroad allows you to do more than just observe but actively contribute, learn and soak up your surroundings in a way that a tourist or visitor never could.

When studying abroad, you will be spending a large amount of time with fellow international students and interacting with local students, somewhat keeping you in familiar surroundings – a university campus & a university social life. As a result, your interactions with locals could be more limited, with your exposure & experiences of the local culture being more indirect & observational. For people accustomed to university life, the adjustment can be easier as the focus is academic – something you are already familiar with.

Intern Abroad v Study Abroad: How can I use the experience in future job interviews?

When all is said and done, your experience either doing an intern abroad program or a study abroad program is only as good as you can sell it! You will need to be able to understand what you learned and how you developed through the experience. From soft skills to solid accomplishments, it is so important to track the progress you made and be able to show it in your CV/Resumé, and in future job interviews.

So, is interning abroad or studying abroad better for you?

In the end, both interning abroad & studying abroad provide a distinctly different kind of adventure that caters to your personal goals and interests – it is important to reflect on these and work out which path is right for you!

An internship abroad will allow you to develop real-world skills that can set you apart in the job market., beyond just obtaining a degree. Recent studies show that fewer than 5% of university students in Europe undertake an internship abroad, while a significant proportion do study abroad through programs such as ERASMUS. In the United States, upwards of 90% to 95% of university students do not take part in international internship programs nor study abroad programs.

A study abroad experience will allow to live an adventure & gain better skills in a foreign language – something future employers will value highly. However, swapping one university campus for another could be difficult to use & justify as a significant highlight to make your CV/Resumé stand out from the crowd.

Intern Colombia

At Intern Colombia, we provide all-inclusive internship programs to graduates, students, and young professionals from around the world combined with an authentic cultural immersion experience. If you're looking to gain practical work experience, build your professional profile, experience personal growth, and improve your language skills an internship abroad with us might be the perfect fit. We provide diverse internship programs in Colombia linked to a wide range of 24 academic disciplines & career fields.

Intern Colombia will always be at your disposal to provide you with support, advice, and recommendations before you arrive, during your internship program in Colombia, at the end of your internship, and even after you have completed our internship program!

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Are you ready to take part in an international internship? Contact our Admissions team & discover what internship opportunities we could offer in your areas of interest.

This blog post 'Intern Abroad v Study Abroad: Which is better for you?' was written & published by Intern Colombia on 01 March 2026