Global Internships: Taipei, Taiwan

Summary

Students on this program may qualify for a scholarship from the UC Berkeley Foundation Trustee Steven Pan. If eligible, students may qualify one of the four award tiers between $3,000 and $10,000. See the "Scholarships for Berkeley Study Abroad Programs" section of our scholarship page for details. Learn more about the impact of the Pan Scholars on UC Berkeley's News page.

Gain first-hand knowledge, connections, and international work experience through an academic internship in Taipei, Taiwan. 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 the internship via a ten-week online course
• Learn about Taiwanese culture and history through an on-site course
• Live in a shared apartment with other program participants

About Taipei

Relaxing and laid-back, Taipei is a hidden gem in Asia with a classic island vibe. Surf beaches are plentiful, many restaurants and shops close during the afternoon, and late-night markets compete with karaoke bar performances. Sporting droves of bicycle and scooter riders, the affordable university town boasts a large population without feeling overcrowded. The friendly and forward-thinking Taiwanese people welcome the rich mix of expatriates and international visitors to their shores. Vast parks and open spaces reflect the citizens' efforts to balance an urban lifestyle with a commitment to green living.

Program Details

Dates:

• Taipei: June 4 – August 1, 2026
• Online Course: June 8 – August 14, 2026

Dates are subject to change.

Units: 6 units

Language of Instruction: English

Two Required Courses:

On-site course:

• EALC: TBD(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 shared rooms with a private bathroom, and have access to communal living spaces and kitchen

Students will be randomly assigned to shared rooms. Gender-inclusive housing options are available on this program. If you have clarifying questions, please feel free to reach out to the program staff

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

At least 18 years old at the time of application

Not on term/academic notice or under censure for student misconduct at any point from application review to the end of your program

Application

• Application opens December 2, 2025 at 9 am PST
• Space is limited and applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis
• Deadline to apply is January 14, 2026 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: EA LANG 188
Title: Topics in Taiwanese History and Culture
Dates: May 28 - July 22, 2026
Instructor: Lanchih Po, Ph.D.
Units: 3 units
Prerequisites: None

Online Course

Option 1:

Course: Undergraduate & Interdisciplinary Studies W157
Title: Experiential Learning
Dates: June 8 - August 14, 2026
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 8 - August 14, 2026
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 enroll 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.

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 Taipei are available in a wide variety of fields and internship placement is guaranteed.

Internship opportunities range from various industries and fields of interests, from educational and human rights nonprofits to healthcare agencies and tech companies, with many other high-performing nonprofits and businesses in between. Some of the internship sites are locally grown, while others are local branches of internationally operated organizations. They range from small startups to large, established companies.

Examples of past internships:

• Business: A B2B technology company that enables customers in selected industrial markets to outsource the design, development and supply of non-core aspects of their product offering
  • This sector covers everything from entrepreneurial start-ups to multinational corporations with management/strategy consultancy firms in between. We also work with chambers of commerce and international agencies.
  • Typical industry tasks include:
    • Competitor research and analysis
    • Expand distribution channels
    • Market research
    • Business development, client management and sales
    • Project management
    • Strategy and Planning
    • Marketing task support
       
• Computer Science and IT: A global innovative company specializing in smart mobile devices, connected technology and virtual reality
• This sector is highly versatile, offering numerous opportunities in either positions or industries. Candidates entering this sector should anticipate showcasing a portfolio or practical experience with various programming languages, software development tools, and technical problem-solving skills. Each company may use different software and tools, requiring adaptability and a willingness to learn new technologies.
  • Typical tasks in this industry include:
    • Web & App Development
    • UI/UX Design
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Coding and technical project work
    • Data science/analysis
    • Writing, testing, and debugging software applications
    • Collaborating with teams to design software solutions per requirements
    • Maintaining and updating software systems
    • Technical sales - Business roles in IT companies
       
• Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare: A medical company that designs, develops, and manufactures self-injection solutions such as autoinjectors, pen injectors, and innovative specialty delivery systems for large-volume and high-viscosity formulations.
  • This sector includes placements in pharmaceuticals and biomedical companies, health tech startups, and medical devices. Interns in this industry will explore diverse career paths, from pharmaceutical research and clinical trials to healthcare administrations.
    • Typical tasks in this industry include:
    • Business development
    • Thematically-based research
    • Healthcare Content Creating, writing articles and research
    • Quality Control
    • Testing & Measuring

Common industry sectors for internships include, but are not limited to:

• Architecture
• Business
• Computer Science & IT
• Creative Design
• Engineering
• Entrepreneurship & Startup
• Greentech, Environmental & Sustainability
• Finance
• Health & Wellness
• Health Sciences
• Hospitality, Tourism & Events
• International Development & NGOs
• Legal
• Logistics & Supply Chain
• Marketing
• Media & Communication
• Real Estate
• Recruitment & HR

Costs

Students on this program may qualify for a scholarship from the UC Berkeley Foundation Trustee Steven Pan. If eligible, students may qualify one of the four award tiers between $3,000 and $10,000. See the "Scholarships for Berkeley Study Abroad Programs" section of our scholarship page for details.

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-UC 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 2026 Berkeley Global Internships programs will be available in the Summer Financial Aid Estimator in your Cal Central account in early February 2026. Before the estimator is available, you may submit a financial aid estimate request form on our website.

Please FIRST obtain your estimate via the Estimate Request Form, or in the Summer Aid Estimator once available, 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.​

Explanation of Fees

Tuition is based on a per unit cost: 

• The UC undergraduate student rate is $436 per unit
• The visiting student rate for all non-UC participants is $635 per unit

The program fee includes the following items:

• Student housing, including a single room at the University of Toronto's Innis College with a shared kitchen, living room, and bathrooms
• On-site orientation activities, including an introduction to the city of Toronto, the University of Toronto campus, Canadian 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 2, 2026, 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.

Instructors

Lanchih Po, Ph.D.

EA LANG 188: Topics in Taiwanese History and Culture

Email: lanchih@berkeley.edu 

Lanchih Po is associate adjunct professor in International and Area Studies and the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at UC Berkeley. She received her doctorate from the Department of City and Regional Planning at UC Berkeley in 2001, and taught at Peking University in Beijing from 2001 to 2006. Her research interests encompass divergent developmental paths in China's transitional economies and the socio-economic transformations associated with China's (sub)urbanization process, as well as the connections between urbanism, architectural space, literature, and media culture in China and Taiwan. Representative publications include “Property Rights Reforms and Changing Grassroots Governance in China’s Urban-Rural Peripheries: The Case of Changping District in Beijing” in Urban Studies (2011); and “Asymmetrical Integration: Public Finance Deprivation in China's Urban Villages” in Environment and Planning A (2012).

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.