About The Program
Singapore is a hub for business and innovation, making it a perfect place to prepare you for a culturally diverse workplace. In an 8-week summer, build intercultural communication, networking, and professional development skills. Complement those skills with an internship at a small startup, nonprofit, or global organization in a variety of industries. Explore the city's thriving global economy through program symposiums and city tours. A futuristic city, Singapore boasts solar-celled super trees, autonomous taxis, and a glass biome with a cloud forest. But don’t let the ultramodern skyscrapers fool you—there is plenty of history to see in centuries-old temples, peaceful gardens, and pagodas.
Where you'll study
The Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE) office, located at Paya Lebar Square, is a modern co-working space where people from various backgrounds and industries collaborate on entrepreneurial ideas. The office is adjacent to a public subway station and a short walk from the central business district, where your internship will take place. Orientations, networking events, and meetings with internship supervisors are held at the study center and local organizations.
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From The Californian Abroad
My internship added to my academic coursework and strongly influenced my career plans. I found that I genuinely enjoy participating in research. I was intrigued while analyzing public campaigns and how they could be improved. I found the work very rewarding, and I've decided to pursue it in the future and work at a research institute.
My internship abroad was helpful for me in discovering what I like in a workplace and what I don't. I now better understand my goals and what I must do to acclimate and feel comfortable in new positions after graduation. Likely, I will never work in another country again, so observing the work-life balance and values of workers in Singapore was interesting. It made me value work-life balance even more than before I studied abroad.
The best way to make the most of your time abroad is never to be afraid to ask for help. You not only get to know the locals, but you never know what people you will meet that may stay in your life forever. This has to be the most valuable skill I learned, especially because it was my first time in a foreign country by myself.
My time as a study abroad student and intern left me with many new skills, meaningful connections, and precious memories. Now, I find myself looking positively toward the future and welcoming any new situations and opportunities that come my way.
My internship confirmed my interest in a career in software development, specifically mobile app development and backend work. It deepened my understanding of what it takes to build functional, user-friendly software, and I loved the challenge. At the same time, it opened my eyes to the importance of working with multidisciplinary teams and understanding different perspectives to find solutions. This experience made me more interested in combining my technical skills with communication and collaboration skills, which I hadn't fully considered before.
Throughout my internship, I developed better research skills. Because I was marketing to a different culture, I had to understand the audience first and go deeper with my research. Another skill I developed was my professional communication. This was my first office experience, and I was communicating with coworkers of a different culture, so I made sure to ask for clarification to avoid misunderstandings. I believe this is a very important skill because it reflects my ability and willingness to work in a team and effectively communicate with others.
Before this internship, I'd taken on leadership roles, but leading the business team showed me what true leadership means. I learned that a leader isn't the main piece of the puzzle, but rather a force that drives momentum forward. Through shared successes and mistakes, I transformed from a nervous, timid person into someone whose positive attitude energized the whole team.
This internship solidified my UI/UX design career aspirations. Working on real projects taught me to navigate design challenges, collaborate across teams, and incorporate user feedback effectively. The fast-paced environment confirmed my passion for creating user-friendly solutions, while the cycle of ideation, prototyping, and iteration showed me how to balance user needs with business goals. This experience reinforced my commitment to problem-solving through design and the value of adaptability.
My internship enhanced my professional toolkit by strengthening my analytical capabilities—from evaluating investments and identifying market trends to preparing strategic communications for data rooms. On a personal level, working under tight deadlines with diverse teams taught me adaptability and resilience, while leading initiatives boosted my confidence in fast-paced environments.