SEMESTER INTERNSHIP AND STUDY ABROAD IN SYDNEY
Spend your semester in Sydney studying at University of New South Wales (UNSW) while interning part-time with a local startup. This program allows you to take classes and earn a semester’s worth of credit while also gaining international work experience. Live in furnished apartments and attend events with your cohort, supported by your local Sage Corps staff for the entirety of the program.
Program Highlights
Study at UNSW, a top 20 ranked university worldwide, in the heart of Sydney.
Intern part-time 15-20 hours per week at a startup across a variety of industries.
Find out why The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Global Liveability Index 2019 put Sydney in the top 3 most livable cities in the world thanks to its amazing culture, environment and infrastructure.
Spend your weekends exploring Sydney’s famous beaches, cafes, and nightlife in what is also one of the world’s safest cities.
Gain unique global experience that will make you stand out in future job interview.
Program Overview
How it Works
How does this program work?
Apply on our Website – it’s free to start your application and apply in under 10 minutes.
Interview with Sage Corps – we want to learn more about you and see if you are a good fit for the program.
Accept Offer – Selected candidates will receive an offer to join our program. To accept, you will sign our enrollment agreement and make your initial program payment to secure your spot.
Enroll in Skills Academy – You will start your hard and soft skill training online in your selected professional track to help prepare you for your internship and time abroad.
Enroll in UNSW – we’ll help you apply and enroll in UNSW courses for the semester. Please note you will need to get pre-approval from your home university for transfer credit (we will help advise you!).
Interview with Startup – Based on your internship qualifications, we will match you with a startup for an interview. Most students receive an offer from their first startup interview, but you may need to interview with multiple startups before accepting an offer.
Pre-Departure Process – We will prepare you to go abroad with a detailed checklist of steps for you to follow. We will book your housing and medical insurance for you and also help advise you to apply for a visa and options for you to book your flight.
Go Abroad – Arrive in Sydney, attend Sage Corps’ welcome dinner and orientation, and start your internship. You will attend events and cultural activities with your cohort and our staff.
Start your classes – You will start classes at UNSW for the semester and intern part-time alongside your class schedule.
Join our Alumni Network – after the program you will become part of our alumni network with networking and career opportunities.
Eligibility
3.0 GPA to apply*
Minimum sophomore standing at a four-year institution at the time of participation.
Second semester Freshmen may be admitted on a case-by-case basis.
Enrolled in a US or Canadian university
*If you fall below the GPA requirement you will be asked to provide an additional GPA statement.
Course & Credit
Classes at UNSW
Students will take 3 classes over the semester (18 UNSW credits), which usually transfers as 9-12 U.S. semester credits. You will need to get pre-approval before you go abroad and confirm with your home university how the credit will transfer. You will receive a transcript from UNSW at the end of the program. Your internship with Sage Corps will not appear on your UNSW transcript.
You can search available subjects here on the UNSW website.
About UNSW
UNSW is a world-leading teaching and research university recognized by employers and organizations around the globe.
The Australian ranked UNSW as the number one Australian university for producing successful entrepreneurs. UNSW has produced more technology entrepreneurs in the past 15 years than any other Australian university according to CrunchBase.
UNSW is ranked in the top 20 universities in the world according to the 2024 QS World University Rankings.
Internship
You will intern part-time with a startup alongside your classes. The internship is approximately 15-20 hours per week with usually 2-3 times per week in the office depending on your role and company. The internship is not credit bearing, but sometimes students are able to earn credit through their home university.
Types of Placements
Internships in Sydney include sales/business development, digital marketing, data analytics, software development, UX/UI design, graphic design and finance/business analytics across a variety of industries.
Example Placements
Ankor Software (SaaS) is an all-in-one service for the Yacht Chartering industry. Ankor makes bookings, creating itineraries, and collecting guest preferences easy. They are growing rapidly and excited to host more interns. Previous UX/UI and graphic design interns have been responsible for creating content for their website.
Loadin.com is a platform used to communicate with professionals in the music and festival industry, making performance day a breeze! Previously, Loadin.com has hosted business analytics interns who have conducted market research and created a strategic plan for Loadin.com’s expansion to the United States and the United Kingdom.
Relio is an app designed to connect locals with their city. Relio also uses smart analytics to help businesses learn more about the needs of their customer base. Learn more about events happening around Sydney while you intern in data analytics.
Uprise is a performance tool to assist employees to manage and take charge of their mental health. This startup is using technology to take a proactive approach to counseling and wellness. Previous students have interned in Marketing and Business Development roles.
Living in Sydney
Sage Corps Orientation
Our orientation program is designed to acquaint you with your new home and prepare you to make the most out of your internship. You will meet your local staff and the other Sage Corps interns in your city cohort.
Cohort Events
Throughout the program you will meet with your cohort to take part in cultural events. Examples may include a pitch night at popular startup co-working space, Fishburners, and meet in the city to see the National Indigenous Art Fair to learn about aboriginal culture and art.
Housing
Your housing is pre-arranged as part of your program. All housing is apartment style accommodation with other Sage Corps interns in the city. Although internship placement locations vary, all housing is within easy commuting distance (one hour or less) of where you’ll be interning and studying.
Local Staff
Your Sydney City Managers are your go-to local staff person during your time abroad. You will meet them upon arrival and they are there to support you as needed during your time abroad.
Health & Safety
Sage Corps closely monitors students’ health and safety during our programming. We work with our international medical insurance provider, the U.S. State Department, and local government authorities alongside our in-country staff to ensure our students’ health and safety.
Learn more about our health and safety protocols here.
Program Dates
Please note that dates below will be confirmed at a later date.
Spring 2025
September 1, 2024 – Early Bird Deadline*
Mid Jan – Arrive in Sydney
Mid Jan – Sage Corps Orientation
Jan 27 – Start Internship
TBD – UNSW Orientation
Feb 14 – First Day of Classes
April 18 – End Internship
April 22 – Lay Day of Classes
TBD – Study Period
TBD – Exam Period
Mid May – Program Ends
Pricing & Inclusions
Pricing below is an estimated cost based on the 2024 program. These costs will be adjusted slightly and confirmed at a later date.
Spring 2024
Total program cost: $25,666
Educational Costs (tuition and intern programming): $17,266
16-weeks housing: $8,400
Program Inclusions
16-weeks furnished housing
Tuition for 3 UNSW courses
2-day orientation
Welcome, mid-point and final dinner
6 included events
Medical insurance
24/7 local staff support in-country
Pre-departure advising
Sage Corps Skill Academy
Resume review
Interview preparation training
An unforgettable semester abroad!
Funding your Program
There are a variety of ways Sage Corps applicants typically fund their program, from university grants, external scholarships, partial Sage Corps scholarships, and parental support. Many of our internship placements also provide a small stipend to help reimburse students for basic costs while abroad. Learn more.
