International Internships and Research
Internships
International internships allow students to pursue professional experience on a global level while receiving academic credit and using financial aid and scholarships to support time abroad.
International internships and research opportunities are open to all College of Forestry students, including Ecampus students! They are also one of the most affordable and versatile options abroad, pairing academic learning with real-life experience.
Internships are available:
- In the following areas: forest engineering; forest management; wood product development; marketing and trade; natural resource management; community development; forest and wildlife conservation and ecology; recreation and tourism; wood science; and renewable material development.
- In all types of professional organizations including research labs, industry, small businesses, NGOs, government agencies, non-profits and education.
- In many world languages including English.
- At all times of year.
- For undergraduate and graduate students.
Most internships are 3-6 months in duration. Internship providers often help interns find housing, get oriented to their work place and environment, and develop critical work skills. Many also provide stipends or other support to help cover costs. While you must register for a minimum of one credit, you can earn more. The College of Forestry accepts applications for internships up to a year in advance on a rolling basis.
Questions? Email cof.international@oregonstate.edu.
Get started!
(This form is for current OSU students interested in internships abroad. For international students interested in coming to OSU for an internship, click on our page for Visiting Scholars & Interns.)
Some Potential Opportunities
We are currently evaluating internship opportunities for 2022-23 and expect this list to change. We recommend you complete the interest form above to let us know your interests and connect with us about opportunities!
Offering a breath of fresh air amidst the bustle of city life in Dublin, Airfield Estate is an idyllic 38-acre urban farm working to inspire and enable people to make food choices that benefit themselves, their families, their communities, and the planet. Students will have an exciting range of options for engagement with this mission through the celebrated farm, gardens, heritage, and food offered at the estate. This site is a good fit for students interested in sustainability, eco-tourism, and environmental education.
This internship is available year-round. Airfield Estate is easily accessible via public transportation, and meals are provided.
- Visit Airfield Estate
Carlingford Adventure Centre fulfills the dream of leading a life of adventure on the Irish coast by providing outdoor pursuits and activity holidays in a safe and friendly environment for kids and adults alike. The facility offers a comprehensive range of recreational activities from land to sea to sky, including kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, and hill walking. Interns wil live in a communal setting with other international students and work as trainee instructors and group leaders.
This internship is available for a variety of dates and timeframes between April and October and is especially geared towards students studying outdoor recreation with experience participating and/or working in outdoor activities.
Powerscourt Estate is a premier private estate with extensive gardens and woodlands in County Wicklow, Ireland.
- Visit Powerscourt Estate
Just north of Dublin, minutes from the coast, and situated on the banks of the River Nanny, Sonairte is a cozy multi-faceted community hub dedicated to promoting ecological awareness and sustainable living as an environmental organization, visitor attraction, and educational facility. Students will have the option to take part in a wide range of activities supporting nature trail and river walk, Sonairte’s organic garden, zero waste eco and secondhand shops, beekeeping museum, and sustainable energy park.
This internship is available year-round.
- Visit Sonairte
Nestled in an off-grid island facility off the west coast of Vancouver Island, Cedar Coast Field Station pursues a mission of preserving ecological health, celebrating the cultural and biological diversity of Clayoquot Sound, and providing an inclusive and accessible space that acts both as a source of inspiration and a scientific resource. Students will have the opportunity to help lead and develop place-based education programs and conduct field work while contributing to the care and feeding of the station and working alongside a collaborative community of researchers and volunteers.
The facility is equipped with WiFi, cell service, and VHF radios for hikes and water activities. Housing is provided and Cedar Coast provides one boat ride off the island into the town of Tofino each week.
Instituto Forestal de Chile (INFOR) is the Forest Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Chilean Government. Since 1965, they have been conducting research in Chilean forest ecosystems, with 7 research stations throughout the country. Internships are offered in a research station in Chiloé Island or in Concepción. During an internship, a student will learn about ecological restoration with native tree species through a combination of practical work and data analyses in the context of many current research projects. Interns are received all year for 3-6 months.
- Visit INFOR (Instituto Forestal de Chile)
- Read about Krystal's experience at INFOR
- Read about Ben's experience at INFOR
IPBio is a non-profit organization that connects scientific research and the general population in order to expand public knowledge about environmental issues. Their long-term goal is to connect all of Brazil’s major biomes with a network of research centers. IPBio’s current research projects are primarily focused on data collection and field research, and are either conceptualized internally for practical goals or through partnerships with academic institutions. IPBio is located on the Betary Reserve, a 60 hectare preserved area in the municipality of Iporanga in southern Brazil, in the São Paulo district. The reserve and surrounding area is home to the largest surviving contiguous area of Atlantic Forest, and is formally recognized by as The Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. Roles for interns include: eco-volunteer, bioluminescent mushroom researcher, research assistant, amphibian researcher, bioacoustics researcher, photographers/videographers, website design, animal release center assistant, fundraising and communications, volunteer coordinator, gardener/farmer/trail maintenance, and mural painter. Interns are housed on the reserve in the Darwin Guest House. Minimum stay is 2 weeks, interns are welcome year-round.
Visit IPBio (Instituto de Pesquisas da Biodiversidade) to learn more!
Gorilla Guardians (formerly Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village) is a non-profit umbrella organization located in the northern province of Rwanda. The project aims at improving the lives of reformed poachers and communities around Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park through provision of conservation incentives, supporting community enterprise development and livelihood based projects. Projects include livelihood changes for reformed poachers, conservation support, and enterprise development, with room for new research projects. The area has a good road network, water, internet and electricity, with the major town of Musanze just 15-20 minutes away. Interns should have integrated conservation and development skills, a willingness to become familiar with village areas and people, an ability to take initiative, and be able to adapt to areas where English is not a primary language. Interns will be accommodated in the village until suitable accommodation has been found.
Visit Gorilla Guardians Village to learn more!
Makerere University Biological Field Station (MUBFS) is a unit of Makerere University’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. It was established in 1970 at the edge of Kibale National Park in Kabarole district of western Uganda.
The station has a number of running research projects, ranging from primate behavior, nutrition, and ecology, effects of climate change, human-wildlife conflicts, fish ecology, and community-based conservation. The station also has programs in environmental education and has an active project where staff track and remove snares set by local hunters in the forest. The station also collaborates with a nearby community that is conserving a wetland and promoting it for ecotourism. Interns can be involved in a number of these projects, depending on their experience and interests. The interns will stay at the main site of the station in Kanyawara. Students can jointly contribute to hire a standby vehicle that can serve all of them, provided their schedules can be harmonised. Open to undergraduate and above.
Visit Makerere University Biological Field Station (MUBFS) to learn more!
KAFRED is a community based organization in western Uganda, founded in 1992 by six members of the Bigodi community with the assistance of a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer. Since then, the membership has gradually increased to more than 170 members, including numerous affiliate groups. KAFRED is 100% community-owned and run, and has garnered a number of accolades, including The Equator Initiative Award (2004 and 2010); best Community Sustainable Program in Uganda in 2008; silver award at the 2015 African Sustainable Tourism Awards and the TODO! Award for tourism for social responsibility, in Germany. Some ongoing projects for interns include: primate census, tree phenology, conservation education, tourism marketing and promotion, and conducting surveys, with a current need for someone with artistic skills to paint illustrations in the visitor center. Interns will be hosted in a homestay 10 minutes’ walk from the worksite. Students from all backgrounds and levels are welcome, but those with special interests in ecotourism, conservation, research, and community development are preferred. Internship available June-December.
Visit Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED) to learn more!
Check back soon for more information on this internship!
- Visit Scion
Research
If you would like to undertake research or wish to attend a conference abroad and are looking for funding, apply for the Dean's Fund Award. Available for both undergrad and graduate CoF students, you can apply for funding for your international experience. Click here for more information on the Dean's Fund.
The National and Global Scholarships Advising office provides guidance and advising throughout the application process for select, nationally-competitive scholarships and fellowships for research and study abroad. Email LeAnn Adam at leann.adam@oregonstate.edu for more information.
If you have conducted research as an undergraduate or graduate and want to share your projects at conferences, we can help with that as well. Previous CoF students have attended conferences in Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and other locations.
Read about one student's research in Chile!
Returning Interns
Resources for Hosts