Biology Internships Abroad | GoAbroad.com

There are a wide variety of biology internships abroad, depending on your specific goals and interests. The organization you are matched with might be a non-profit, government group, or private company, and your role may be devoted to a number of areas within the field. 

Field Work. An important element of biological research is gathering field data. Potential biology internships in field work may focus on marine biology studying sharks or a coral reef system or on the ecology of a rainforest, for example. There are research stations in all types of biomes around the world, including deserts, grasslands, forests, tundra, and even the ocean.

Educational Outreach. If you are interested in going directly into the community to work with people, educational outreach is a good area of focus for your biology internship abroad. Many times local citizens are not connected with the research going on in their area; in order for them to learn more about the reasons behind research programs, interns can assist local organizations in visiting communities and conducting outreach programs to raise awareness. 

Biology Tourism. Many national parks, wildlife refuge centers, dive shops, and conservation groups around the world offer the chance for travelers to learn about biology and the environment while on vacation. These institutions are well-respected and and do important work, allowing biologists to focus on both research as well as working directly with people. 

You can intern abroad in biology anytime throughout the year; most organizations offer flexible start dates, depending on the length of your internship placement. If there is a certain species or phenomenon you want to explore, it is good to factor this into your decision on when to intern abroad in biology. Since many biology internships abroad are customized, you’ll most likely narrow down top areas of study and the organization will coordinate your specific internship. 

Usually there is no experience required to intern abroad in biology, just an interest in the subject matter. If you have experience working with or researching a certain type of animal, you can share this so they can keep this in mind. Many biology internships abroad will begin with on-the-job training, so you can learn the tasks you’ll be working on and expectations of the group.