Global Internships: Singapore

Summary

Gain first-hand knowledge, connections, and international work experience through an academic internship in Singapore. On this program, you will:

• Undertake a professional internship opportunity to build transferable skills in the career field of your choice
• Earn academic credit for your internship via a ten-week online course
• Learn about Singaporean culture and history through an on-site course taught by National University of Singapore faculty
• Live with other program participants in residence halls at the National University of Singapore (NUS)

"I liked that I was able to explore my field of interest with people from different backgrounds in a new country. It was definitely an eye-opening experience."

—Singapore participant

About Singapore

A crossroads of international trade for centuries, Singapore is the dynamic gateway to Asia and one of the world’s most globalized cities. This island city-state hosts the Asian headquarters of many multinational corporations across a range of industry sectors, making it an exceptionally diverse business economy that embraces everything from finance and pharmaceuticals to technology and tourism.

Singapore combines an ultramodern skyline with the rich cultures of its past. The city’s excellent public transportation system makes it easy to explore Singapore’s exciting blend of cultures and cuisines.

With all that it has to offer, Singapore is an ideal venue for a challenging and rewarding internship program.

Program Details

Dates:

• Singapore: May 26 - July 19, 2025
• Online Course: June 9 - August 15, 2025

Dates are subject to change.

Units: 6 units

Language of Instruction: English

Two Required Courses:

On-site course:

• HISTORY N100G: A History of Singapore in Ten Objects (3 units)

And an online course of your choice:

• UGIS W157: Experiential Learning (3 units) or
• UGIS W158: Global Citizenship (3 units)

Housing

• Students will live in single rooms in National University of Singapore dormitories.
• Students will have access to laundry, a shared bathroom, and small kitchenette to prepare meals.

Eligibility

• Currently enrolled in a degree program or have graduated within the last 12 months
• At least one year of college coursework completed by the start of the program
• 2.0 GPA or higher
• Not on academic probation or under censure for student misconduct at any point from application review to the end of your program
• Be eligible for a Singapore Work Holiday Pass (see below)

The Singaporean government requires participants on this program to hold a Work Holiday Pass. To apply for the pass, you must:

• Be between the ages of 18 to 25
• Be enrolled at a university that is ranked among the top 200 world universities (includes Berkeley)
• Be a resident and full-time student at your university for at least 3 months prior to submission of the Work Holiday Pass
• Not have held a Work Holiday Pass within 12 months from submission

Additional requirements apply. Visit the Work Holiday Pass website for full eligibility requirements.

Application

• Application opens December 2, 2024 at 9 am PST
• Space is limited and applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis
• Deadline to apply is January 15, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST

Courses

In addition to your internship, you will take an on-site local history course and an online internship course for a total of 6 Berkeley units.

On-site Course

Course: History N100G
Title: A History of Singapore in Ten Objects
Dates: May 26 - July 19, 2025
Instructor: Dr. Kelvin Lawrence
Units: 3 units
Prerequisites: None

This course serves as an introduction to Singapore society, covering its recent history and current issues. Students will get a good sense of what went into the construction of modern Singapore as a nation, a home, and a place to make a living and raise a family, as well as various policies and processes dealing with "deficits", such as low fertility rates, afflicting Singapore. Where possible, students will have the opportunity to go on field-trips where history "comes alive," or to meet the people—front-line, backroom or boardroom—who have a hand in keeping Singapore going.

This course satisfies the L&S International Studies breadth requirement. Please note that academic requirements may change. Consult with your college/major advisor to see which degree requirements this course may fulfill.

Online Course

Option 1:

Course: Undergraduate & Interdisciplinary Studies W157
Title: Experiential Learning
Dates: June 9 - August 15, 2025
Instructor: Richard Thomas Ashcroft, Ph.D.
Units: 3 units
Prerequisites: None

With this course, you will be able to add a new dimension to your internship experience: a reflection on what it is to be both a worker and citizen in a globalizing world. You will be challenged to use your internship experience as an opportunity to explore the importance of cultural / generational differences in the workplace, professional ethics and personal values, and the structure and norms of different types of organizations. A series of audio-visual lectures, practical exercises, writing assignments, presentations, and online group discussions will ask you to engage in honest self-reflection about what you want from your career, and to develop the skills you need to succeed personally and professionally in a rapidly changing world.  We hope that this course will help understand the challenges of the modern global workplace and guide you towards a successful and fulfilling career. 
 

Option 2:

Course: Undergraduate & Interdisciplinary Studies W158
Title: Global Citizenship
Dates: June 9 – August 15, 2025
Instructor: Jeroen Dewulf, Ph.D.
Units: 3 units
Prerequisites: None

With this course, you will be able to add a new dimension to your internship experience: a reflection on global citizenship. You will be challenged to use your internship experience as an opportunity to critically explore cultural differences, modes of conduct and values. A series of audio-visual lectures, practical exercises, writing assignments, projects, and online group discussions will stimulate you to leave the comfort zone of what you are familiar with and to explore alternative views on right and wrong, good and bad and the beautiful and the ugly. The course will also encourage you to interact with locals and to engage with the city/region/country where you live during your internship. It is our hope that this course will help to increase your consciousness about the challenges of being a global citizen.

Consult with your college/major advisor to see which degree requirements these courses may fulfill. 

Registration

Global Internships staff will register you in courses after your acceptance to the program. Please make sure there are no active blocks on your student account that may impact your course enrollment.

Instructors

Kelvin Lawrence, Ph.D.

HISTORY N100G: History of Singapore in Ten Objects

Dr. Kelvin Lawrence is a faculty member in the History Department at National University of Singapore. At NUS, he earned his Bachelor’s degree and MA in History. He then went on to complete a Ph.D. at the Australian National University, focusing on four seminal Malay intellectual figures from the nineteenth and twentieth (pre-war) centuries. His research interests include Southeast Asian history, more specifically Malay history, intellectual history, cultural history and social history, and he is eager to share these interests with all who enroll in his course this summer.

Richard Thomas Ashcroft, Ph.D.

UGIS W157: Experiential Learning
Email: rashcroft@berkeley.edu

Richard Ashcroft is a Lecturer in UC Berkeley’s Department of Political Science and Interdisciplinary Social Science Programs, and former Postdoctoral Coordinator for the Network for a New Political Economy. His research and teaching explore how modern societies should evolve in the face of deepening diversity and disagreement, with a particular focus on the connections between postwar multiculturalism, political economy, and the legacies of empire. He teaches courses on the political theory of multiculturalism, classical and contemporary political economy, and US, UK and EU politics.

Dr. Ashcroft is from Winchester in the United Kingdom. He read Theology at Oxford, before attending law school in London and qualifying as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales. He spent several years working for a leading US-UK firm specializing in tax and trust law, and then became a legal aid lawyer in South London acting for the homeless and tenants of social housing. During this period he received an MA in the Theory and Practice of Human Rights, before completing his PhD in Political Science at UC Berkeley in 2018.

Jeroen Dewulf, Ph.D.

UGIS W158: Global Citizenship
Email: jdewulf@berkeley.edu

Dr. Jeroen Dewulf is Associate Professor in the Department of German at the University of California, Berkeley where he teaches courses in German Studies and Dutch Studies. He is also Queen Beatrix chair as well as Director of Institute of European Studies and Director of Dutch Studies.

Born in Ostend, Belgium, Dr. Dewulf graduated in Dutch and German Philology at the University of Ghent. He holds a Master's degree from the University of Porto and a Ph.D. from the University of Bern. His areas of specialization are European Studies, particularly related to (multi)cultural identity in Belgium and the Netherlands, and Post-Colonial Studies, in particular, Dutch colonial history and literature.

Internship

The Global Internships team works one-on-one with you to find an internship based on your academic background, experience, interests, as well as employer needs and availability. Internships in Singapore are available in a wide variety of fields and internship placement is guaranteed.

Examples of past internships:

• Produce a local musical which requires the management of a group of local children and parents, communication with the show director and choreographer, ticketing requests for the show, marketing, etc.
• Assist in various audit engagements including but not limited to developing strategic plans and carrying out the audit steps which include vouching, tracing, calculating, testing, closing, and finalization of audit files
• Research potential projects in various industries, including water, cement, oil, and gas, while developing training and marketing videos for organizational partners
• Conduct legal research and draft legal submissions while also attending various sessions at both the State Courts and High Court for criminal, civil and commercial cases
• Support all commercial activities on new business and client services including new client prospecting, marketing, resource planning, event planning, and client engagement coordination

Opportunities can vary year-to-year by such factors as market trends, time of year, and the economy. Common industry sectors for internships include, but are not limited to:

Some challenging internship fields to place in Singapore are:

• Banking – alternate placement in financial services (such as wealth management, research, and analysis, or corporate finance) require students to have superb analytical and modeling skills, demonstration of strong Excel skills, knowledge of Asian financial markets, and sometimes mastery of relevant programming languages. Other alternatives include accounting and audit internships
• Engineering – alternate placement in research at local universities
• Fashion – alternate placement in retail or export/import and event-based costume design or staging
• Government – alternate placement in political parties or NGOs
• Hospitality / Tourism – alternative placement in marketing / public relations in the food and beverage industry
• IT / Computer-related internships - there are many opportunities for those who are strong in programming. Areas like: Database Administration, Computer Networking, Infrastructure and Helpdesk Administration are however not available for internship
• Psychology/Health Care (with direct patient contact) – alternate placement in research positions or back-end roles in related institutions (e.g. HR, business development at a hospital/clinic)

Costs

Tuition and Program Fee

The fees to participate in this program are broken down into 1) tuition and 2) program fees, which are applied to your student billing account as follows:

Fees are subject to change. All non-Berkeley students must pay an additional Document Management Fee of $71.

Estimated Out-Of-Pocket Expenses

In addition to the fees outlined above, Berkeley Study Abroad has estimated amounts for out-of-pocket expenses. These amounts are used to calculate financial aid packages for eligible students. Actual expenses will vary depending on your lifestyle and spending habits.

It is your responsibility to obtain any necessary travel documentation for your program destination (i.e., passport, visa, etc.). This may require you to pay fees of up to a few hundred dollars depending on the type of paperwork required.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available for UC Berkeley students who are enrolled in at least 6 units during the summer.

Financial aid estimates for 2025 Berkeley Global Internships programs are now available in the Summer Financial Aid Estimator in your Cal Central account.

Please FIRST obtain your estimate in the Summer Aid Estimator, then write to travelaid@berkeley.edu if you have any questions about the estimate you receive. Your estimate will include a Berkeley Study Abroad Scholarship if you qualify for one based on financial need.

How to locate the Estimator:

1) Log into Cal Central
2) Navigate to the My Finances Tab, and find the "Financial Resources" card
3) Scroll to the bottom of the Financial Resources card and click on Summer Sessions
4) From the Summer Sessions menu, click on Summer Cost and Aid Estimator

Make sure to adjust the number of units in the estimator if your program offers a choice of course selection. If your program only offers one combination or one course for 6 total units units, you do not need to update the units in the estimator.​

All other students should contact the financial aid office at their home institution for more information.

Explanation of Fees

Tuition is based on a per unit cost:

• The UC undergraduate student rate is $419 per unit
• The visiting student rate for all non-UC participants is $615 per unit

The program fee includes the following items:

• Student housing, including a single room and shared bathroom at National University of Singapore Prince George Park Residence.
• On-site orientation activities, including an introduction to the city of Singapore, the National University of Singapore campus, Singaporean work culture, etc.
• Travel insurance, including accident/sickness medical coverage, emergency medical evacuation, security extraction, and other travel assistance services
• Other program-related costs, including fees for placement services
• The initial non-refundable deposit of $300, which will be charged on February 3, 2025, is applied to the program fee.

Please note that the list of items included in the program fee is not all-inclusive and is subject to change.

The following items are excluded from the program fee:

• International airfare
• Personal expenses (souvenirs, routine medical expenses, toiletries, etc.)
• Meals (access to kitchen facilities will be provided)
• Course materials (textbooks and readers)
• Other travel expenses (passport, visa, etc.)
• Additional meals
• Commuting costs for the daily travel to and from your internship

Timeline

*All dates are subject to change.