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Internship in Sri Lanka

Are you searching for a life-changing experience you'll remember forever? Would you like to go on the adventure of a lifetime while making a real difference in the world? Have you considered an internship as an opportunity to gain practical experience in another country?

During your internship in Sri Lanka program, you will have the opportunity to travel to an exotic country while gaining invaluable life experience and helping people in need. IFRE Volunteers’ affordable internship opportunities offer an exhilarating challenge of real-world experience combined with professional skill building and cultural immersion. While in Sri Lanka, you will have the chance to explore a stunning land full of tropical forests, pristine beaches, important wildlife sanctuaries, and significant Buddhist relics. Your time abroad will also give you practical experience, sharpen your communication skills, and allow you to explore cultural perspectives that will contribute to your future career and personal growth.

IFRE offers an amazing and affordable variety of internship programs such as teaching computer skills, youth projects, and empowering women through handicrafts. There’s something for everyone in Sri Lanka. We value your time, energy, and personal experience, so no matter what kind of internship experience your looking for, we will work with you to connect you with the internship project that will best meet your needs.

When you join one of our intern programs in Sri Lanka you will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of poor children, communities, and elephants helping to make this world a better place. IFRE invites you to take a few moments to contact us by email for more information or keep reading to learn about Sri Lanka program details.

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Internship Opportunities in Sri Lanka

Read about some of our most popular intern program below for program and project details, housing and food information, prices, etc. If you don’t see any opportunities that work for you, please contact us so we can work with you to find the right fit.

In Sri Lanka, internship participants collaborates with local orphanages and children support groups aimed at offering support to displaced, abandoned and abused orphan children in Sri Lanka.

Through this local project, interns will work directly with these children and leave a positive mark on their lives. In this internship project, participants spend valuable time physically living with the orphaned children as a part of their orphanage-family. These underprivileged children need love, care and attention, and the resource-poor orphanage centers need to be rescued by the willing, helping hands of interns as well.

Skills/Qualifications Needed

There are no specific qualifications needed to join the orphanage internship project. All interns are expected to be flexible and patient, as well as possess a passion and love for children. Experience working with children is considered a plus.

An Interns’ Responsibilities

Sri Lanka orphanage interns teach English (3-4 hours a day) in the orphanage or local school (where the children attend during the day). Interns offer daily life-skill support with physical and dental hygiene and dressing for school/life. Evenings are a chance for interns to show off their creativity by organizing games, drawing, singing, dancing and other creative educational and extra-curricular activities.

Interns also help children with their homework and help monitor their academic progress. If interns are not interested in teaching during the day, they can opt to stay and care for the younger children remaining in the orphanage. Interns are also expected to assist with serving and preparing meals, maintaining the garden and various administrative duties.

If you are interested in volunteer programs, we also offer rewarding orphanage volunteer program in Sri Lanka.

A Pirivena is a monastic college, similar to a seminary, for the education of Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka. Piriven have been centers of education in Sri Lanka since ancient times. Often “lay people” (religious followers not holding religious positions) receive education at a Pirivena as well. There are nearly 700 Piriven in Sri Lanka, which are maintained by the Ministry of Education.

This unique Sri Lanka internship opportunity allows interns who teach Buddhist monks to be part of the centuries-old and traditionally rich culture that captivate and intrigue many Western imaginations.

Skills/Qualifications Needed

There are no specific qualifications needed to join the Sri Lanka internship for teaching Buddhist Monks. However, it is important to note that monks are highly respected social figures in Sri Lanka. Monks follow strict and exemplary life rules, and only interns with serious discipline can the project. Separate temples/schools exist for male and female monks and interns will only teach their specific gender.

An Interns’ Responsibilities

Interns in this amazingly unique internship in Sri Lanka work with monks and nuns ranging from 8-21 years of age. Interns may assist with various extra-curricular activities, which could include sports, arts, music, etc.

Teaching English at a Piriven to these eager, young monks will provide interns with an extraordinary opportunity to immerse in the ever fascinating and enlightening Buddhist culture, teachings and philosophies. Many past interns have commented that this particular project is one of the most memorable, engaging and mind-opening experiences they have had in their lives.

If you are interested in volunteer programs, we also offer rewarding Buddhist monk teaching volunteer program in Sri Lanka.

Being a developing country, Sri Lanka is economically and educationally disadvantaged. However, Sri Lanka is keen to improve its educational infrastructure and its people are hopeful and work hard to achieve a more prosperous life. The importance of conversational English is very significant in Sri Lanka, as English fluency helps secure higher-paying jobs and provides a gateway to further opportunities for the future.

In Sri Lanka, young people are in search of a strong English foundation so that they can lift themselves and their communities out of the clutches of poverty. Unfortunately, public schools are often underfunded and there is a shortage of qualified teachers. This seriously hurts the children of low-income families who can’t afford expensive private education.

This is where you come in. By joining our Sri Lanka teaching English internship, you will help children who have been deprived of a quality education by teaching them vital English skills. By sharing your love and passion, you will make a difference by bridging the educational gap, providing much needed manpower to assist the local staff while experiencing the breathtaking country of Sri Lanka.

Skills/Qualifications Needed

There are no specific qualifications needed for you to join this internship in Sri Lanka. However, you must be willing to help the needy and be ready to work hard. It is also important that you are compassionate and have a passion and love of caring for children. Good skills in teaching English will are also necessary for you to provide maximum benefit to the kids.

An Interns’ Responsibilities

When you join this English teaching internship program in Sri Lanka, you will teach in elementary or middle schools in Galle. Depending on your experience, you can choose to teach independently or as an assistant to a local English teacher. Sri Lankan school shave their own books and curriculum which you will be using to teach the students.

As a teacher, you will spend 4-5 hours a day teaching young children in public schools between the ages of 6- 13 years. Additionally, you will organize extracurricular activities such as art, music and sports, as well as assist with administrative tasks when needed.

A strong command in English language is fundamental to make it in today’s globalized world, and your support will be vital in ensuring happy and prosperous lives for these disadvantaged kids. The love and passion you share with them will go a long way to ensuring that the children are motivated and inspired to reach their full potential.

If you are interested in volunteer programs, we also offer rewarding teaching volunteer program in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean that is home to the unique Sri Lankan elephant, the largest and darkest sub-species of Asian elephants. Sadly, the elephants of Sri Lanka suffer daily through human encroachment on their habitats and exploitation. and hundreds more are pushed further and further as industry and deforestation steals away their home.

IFRE partners with a local elephant center that has cared for more than 80 elephants since its inception to provide a unique opportunity for international interns in Sri Lanka. Today it is the home of six elephants ranging in age from 25 to 60 years temporarily or permanently residing at the center. By joining the important work done here, you will provide important care and nurturing to these traumatized animals and help their chances of survival as a species.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife experience that really gives back to animals in need, and for elephant lovers you will never feel more fulfilled or like you are making a bigger difference in the world. You will show a kinder version of humanity to these amazing animals and ensure their health, well-being and survival.

Skills/Qualifications Needed

There are no specific qualifications required to join our Sri Lanka internship opportunity with the Kegalle elephant program. All you will need is a willingness to work hard, a dedication to helping elephants, and a kind and respectful attitude towards the animals you will be helping.

An Interns’ Responsibilities

The Kegalle elephant internship in Sri Lanka will assign you a special elephant to work with as an assistant to a mahout (or elephant handler). Your daily tasks will involve feeding, bathing, and grooming the elephant, providing mental stimulation, and looking out for any signs of illness or injury and assisting in providing treatment if necessary.

You will also work daily in the eco-farm helping to grow fruits, vegetables, and medicinal herbs, as well as support the project in other ways such as administrative work, research, fundraising, teaching English, and helping out with the mobile veterinary unit.

If you are interested in volunteer programs, we also offer fulfilling elephant volunteer program in Sri Lanka.

A medical internship experience in Sri Lanka is an eye-opening experience, providing you with a great deal of international work-experience in a variety of departments. We have medical internships based in The Teaching Hospital Karapitiya (THK). THK is the largest Tertiary care center in the Southern Province and was established in 1982.

THK is the main training facility for the Faculty of Medicine. It consists of 1560 beds, 54 wards, and several other units. Interns normally work in several departments, such as general medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, ENT, and pediatrics, and you can also arrange to spend a few days in specialist areas like neurology, rheumatology, the mortuary and clinics.

A medical program will be remarkable for your career and provide you with a great deal of international work-experience in different medical fields. Additionally, your support will go a long way to ensure that Sri Lankans have easy and affordable access to proper medical care and improve the general health in the country as a whole.

Skills/Qualifications Needed

All medical students and professionals with a medical background can be part of the Sri Lanka medical internship opportunity. If you are a physician, physician’s assistant, nurse midwife, gynecologist, dentist, paramedic, EMT, physical therapist, or a medical student with a passion and love to help people in need then this is the perfect project for you.

Medical internships will be matched with programs in various locations, depending on the field of specialization, but no matter where you’re placed you will be making a huge difference and gain valuable experience.

An Interns’ Responsibilities

Your responsibilities as a medical intern in Sri Lanka will highly depend on your level of education, experience, and expertise. You will not be allowed to perform major surgeries or medical procedures; however, you will be able to work closely with experienced local doctors or medical practitioners and learn by shadowing them while they perform their tasks.

Major duties will include providing first aid, administering medication, checking patients and prescribing medication if necessary. You will also assist with administrative work, promoting health education and personal hygiene, in addition to keeping patients records and immunization updates.

If you are interested in volunteer programs, we also offer life changing medical volunteer program in Sri Lanka .

If you are interested in amazing volunteer opportunities in Sri Lanka, please feel free to contact us.


Program Fees & Dates

Our internship in Sri Lanka opportunity starts every Monday, although we allow for flexibility due to travel constraints.

Since 2003, IFRE has been the most trusted and respected intern abroad organization in the world, and also the most affordable. We’re dedicated to providing the highest quality intern programs at the lowest fees, which make it possible for everyone, especially students, to intern internationally and make a positive impact in the lives of others.

We believe in 100% transparency. Rest assured; we never use middlemen. Your one-time registration fee of $299 covers our administrative costs. The low weekly program fee is paid in the host country directly to your service project (via country coordinator), and includes housing, food, and minor expenses. IFRE is a non-profit organization, so your program fees are tax deductible.

The program fee for internship and volunteering is basically same in Sri Lanka. However, unlike volunteers, interns often work closely with guided supervision from a local project director, and a small weekly supervision fee ($25-50/ week) may be incurred in addition to volunteer program fees.

Learn more about our highly affordable volunteer program fees in Sri Lanka.

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Internships vs. Volunteers Programs

In general, volunteer programs focus on humanitarian outreach and project support. Volunteering is popular amongst people who want to share their love and passion for underprivileged children, impoverished communities, or conservation efforts in need of resources.

Internship programs in Sri Lanka focus on creating a real-world learning environment for interns and students so that they practice professional development and obtain new skills. Similar to volunteers, interns may work on a variety of projects (many times alongside volunteers) that benefits local communities, children, wildlife and similar projects. Teaching programs, medical outreach, and children’s support are the most popular internship projects.


Room & food

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In Sri Lanka, all internship participants stay with well-screened host families (in most situations this is with our in-country coordinator or local staffs). Our host families are socially respected and are well versed in the art of hosting international interns.

Host families offer a safe home, shared rooms and shared bathroom facilities with running water and a western style toilet. You receive three prepared meals per day. If you will be out of the house during lunch hour, you can request a lunch "to go" that you can take with you or eat out on your own.

Find detailed information about your accommodation and meals in Sri Lanka.

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Field Support and Supervision

Once your internship in Sri Lanka begins, our local staff members stay in constant touch with you. We recommend that the interns stop by the office once a week, if they are staying/working in the local area, to provide feedback on their home stay and project. Many minor issues can be avoided with a just little extra communication before they develop into major issues.

Projects have local staff members in addition to our in-country coordination staff. If your project is located a great distance from our offices, then our local staff communicates by either email and/or phone and visits every 2-4 weeks when possible. We are available for you at the local office via email and phone for your entire trip. It is our job to make sure that you are safe and healthy.


Free Time

Internship participants in Sri Lanka have free time for the duration of their project, weekends and the Language and Culture program. While IFRE does not arrange activities during this time off, our local staff, members and coordinators can provide priceless assistance in making appropriate arrangements for travel around Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is a natural paradise of Asia. There are tremendous opportunities for travel and exploration. Free time allows for travel to major tourist areas such as Colombo, Kandy, Negombo, Anuradhapura, Sigiriya and Dambulla. Interns can relax and simply hike in their village or ride bicycles.

Sri Lankans also perform a variety of daily rituals and religious activities that interns can participate in, with their host family. Please discuss your recreation options with our Sri Lanka project staff for activities available in your free time.

Learn more about some exciting ways to spend your free time in Sri Lanka.



FAQS: Internship in Sri Lanka

Arrival and Departure

Once you are accepted as an intern in Sri Lanka, you will need to arrange travel plans arriving into the Colombo International Airport. Please make sure to send us your correct fight information and consult with our country coordinator before leaving your home country.

We will send an IFRE representative to pick you up from the airport, so it is important that you send us any flight delay information as soon as possible. You should also let us know immediately if you miss your flight.

You will need to make your own program departure arrangements as IFRE does not offer airport drop-off service.

Visa

Before you arrive in Sri Lanka for your internship, you will need to secure a tourist visa which also requires Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).

You may extend your visa if you decide you’d like to spend more time in the country after you have arrived by visiting the department of Immigration in Colombo.

For more information on Sri Lanka visa requirements, please visit Entry requirements visa Sri Lanka.

Vaccination

For travel to Sri Lanka, the CDC recommends vaccinations against:

Rabies, Hepatitis B, Japanese Encephalitis and Meningococcal Meningitis, Yellow Fever, Malaria

Learn more by visiting CDC Sri Lanka.


How can I apply?

Sri Lanka intern applications are straightforward. Simply go to the our website, fill out the online application, and then submit it to us. We will follow up with you within 24-hours of your application submittal.

To learn more about how to apply for internship abroad opportunities, please visit this link.


Why go with IFRE Volunteers?

IFRE Volunteers is a non-profit organization who wants to change the world. Established in 2006 and trusted by more than 22,000 people, IFRE is well experienced in providing outstanding, safe, and meaningful intern experiences in Sri Lanka. Our transparent, tax-deductible fees are the most affordable rates in the world.

When you give back through one of IFRE’s intern abroad program, we will connect you with an amazing and unparalleled team of people who will support you through your journey.


Our Volunteer Abroad Programs

IFRE offers best affordable volunteer opportunities across 20 countries around the world. If you are interested in our highly impactful and rewarding volunteering opportunities in India, Nepal Thailand, China , Cambodia, Bali, Ghana , Kenya , South Africa , Tanzania , Uganda , Zimbabwe , Costa Rica , Ecuador , Peru , Guatemala , Argentina , and Brazil

Check out A Complete Volunteer Abroad Guide : Everything You Need To Know to learn more about what is volunteering abroad. If you want to know how to volunteer abroad for free, go through our Volunteer Abroad for Free article. If you are a college student and searching for meaningful summer volunteering programs, check out our popular articles Community Service Trips For College Students and Summer Volunteer Programs For College Students .

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