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How to find and apply for internships in Australia
Where internships are advertised, when to apply and what to check as an international student, with a worked example.
Your classmates are talking about internships, and you are not sure where they are advertised, when to apply, or whether an international student can apply at all. Most of the answers sit with your own university and with the employers you want to work for, and the timing is earlier than many students expect.
What counts as an internship in Australia
The word covers several different arrangements, and the one you are looking at changes how you apply.
| Type | How it usually works | What the source says |
|---|---|---|
| Course placement or internship for credit | Arranged through your faculty as part of your degree | Study Australia says your education institution may organise internships or practicums to help you meet course requirements |
| Employer internship or vacation work | You apply to the employer, often for a semester break | The University of Sydney describes internships as paid work directly related to your degree, offered to penultimate-year students |
| Internship through a provider | A specialist organisation places you with a host business | Study Australia lists specialist internship providers as one route |
| Virtual industry program | Online, project-based | Study Australia lists its Industry Experience Program as a two-week virtual program for international students |
Study Australia's internships page says internships and placements can range from six weeks to six months and can start at any time of the year. Course-based internships have their own rules. At the University of Sydney, for example, the Arts and Social Sciences internship for credit involves at least 95 hours of placement, usually two days a week for 10 weeks during semester. Check your own faculty's rules.
Where internships are advertised
The University of Sydney's job search guide and Study Australia point to the same handful of places:
- Your university careers service. Study Australia's first step is to contact the careers service at your place of study, ask whether it offers placements and internships, and find out how to apply. Sydney posts paid internships on its CareerHub job board and suggests signing up for its job newsletter.
- Careers fairs. Sydney runs Graduate Jobs and Internships Fairs in autumn and spring.
- Employer websites. Both sources suggest visiting the careers sections of organisations in your field, or emailing them to ask whether they run internship programs.
- Job boards. Sydney names general sites such as SEEK and LinkedIn and graduate-focused sites such as GradConnection and Prosple, and suggests checking that a site is reputable before you register.
- Direct approaches. Sydney encourages students to approach employers directly about vacation or internship opportunities, even when nothing is advertised.
When to apply
Sydney says internship and vacation-work positions are "generally advertised early to mid-year". If you want an internship over the summer break, start researching employers in first semester rather than waiting for the break to arrive.
Course placements run on your faculty's timetable, so check those deadlines separately. Keep a short list of target employers and check their careers pages regularly. Our guide to tracking job applications shows a simple way to record closing dates and next actions.
What you need to apply
Sydney says that to apply you will need to send a targeted cover letter and resume. Its guide to writing a job application adds that employers may also ask for an online application form or supporting documents such as academic transcripts, and that an incomplete application is unlikely to be considered.
| Item | What to prepare |
|---|---|
| Resume | Education near the top, with relevant units, projects, part-time work and volunteering. Our graduate resume guide covers the structure |
| Cover letter | Specific to the employer: why this organisation, why this program and your evidence. See tailoring a cover letter |
| Academic transcript | Have a current PDF ready in case the form asks for one |
| Work-rights details | Your visa type and conditions, stated accurately |
| Test and interview practice | Sydney says psychometric testing is commonly used in graduate and internship recruitment |
International students: check two things first
First, your visa conditions. Study Australia's guide to finding work while you study says to check your visa status to make sure you are eligible to work. Our student visa work hours guide explains how university guidance treats compulsory placements differently from elective ones.
Second, the program's eligibility. Sydney's careers advice for international students notes that some graduate roles are only open to Australian citizens or permanent residents, and suggests small and medium organisations or startups, some of which may be more open to hiring people on student visas. Read each program's eligibility section before you spend time on the application. Study Australia also notes that some businesses work with external organisations to engage interns, including international students and graduates.
Paid or unpaid
Sydney describes internships as paid opportunities and says some unpaid work arrangements are lawful under the Fair Work Act while others are not. Study Australia directs students to the Fair Work Ombudsman for information on whether an opportunity should be paid or unpaid. If you are offered unpaid work outside your course, check that guidance or ask your careers service first. If you need an unpaid placement for course credit, Sydney says to contact your faculty.
A worked example (fictional)
This example is fictional. Arjun is a second-year Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in finance, studying in Australia on a Student visa.
| When | What he did |
|---|---|
| March, week 1 | Registered on his university job board and turned on internship alerts |
| March, week 2 | Listed eight target employers, including two mid-sized accounting firms and a fintech startup, and noted each program's eligibility rules |
| March, week 3 | Removed two programs that were open only to citizens and permanent residents |
| April | Visited the autumn careers fair and asked each employer what their internship involves and when applications close |
| April to May | Applied to five programs, each with a tailored resume and cover letter, and practised aptitude tests |
In June, Example Ledger Partners invited him to an online test and a video interview. He did not progress past that stage. The startup he had emailed directly, Example Pay, offered him a ten-week summer project. Before accepting, he confirmed the role was paid and fell within his course break.
Questions about internships in Australia
When are internships advertised in Australia?
The University of Sydney says internship and vacation-work positions are generally advertised early to mid-year. Course placements follow your faculty's own timetable, so check those separately.
Can international students apply for internships?
Many internships are open to international students, and Study Australia notes that some businesses engage international students and graduates as interns. Some roles are restricted to citizens or permanent residents, so check each program's eligibility, and check your visa conditions before accepting.
Are internships in Australia paid?
The University of Sydney describes internships as paid, degree-related work, and says some unpaid arrangements are lawful under the Fair Work Act while others are not. Study Australia directs students to the Fair Work Ombudsman to check whether an opportunity should be paid.
How long does an internship last?
Study Australia says internships and work placements can range from six weeks to six months and can start at any time of the year.