GEI Frequently Asked Questions

I will graduate before/in June. Can I apply?

Applicants must be Stanford students throughout their participation in the program. If you plan to graduate before the end of summer quarter, please consult with your major department (e.g. the student services representative) to discuss deferring the conferral of your degree until the end of summer.

I will coterm with a graduate status in the spring quarter and I will be a Stanford student while on the internship (leaving as a graduate student). Does this mean I am eligible for the program and can receive my B.S. degree at the end of spring quarter?

Yes. Our only concern for the internship program is that you still be a Stanford student (of any type) returning as an enrolled student for fall quarter of the new academic year while you are on the internship. Since you will be a coterm, you retain your student status (i.e. it continues even with conferral of the undergraduate diploma) over the summer as a student would if they were a junior and returning for senior year.

Will a minor in engineering make me eligible to apply for the internship program?

As long as you have completed or will complete two engineering fundamentals (excluding ENGR 70A and CS106A) before the start of the program, you are eligible to apply.

Will I get credit for my internship?

No. You will not receive any academic credit for participating in GEI.

What’s the language requirement?

In general, there is no language requirement for students who are going to intern in other countries through GEI.

For students planning to intern in China, one quarter of Mandarin, or equivalent is required. One option is to take a language class in the spring quarter (CHINLANG 31E - Accelerated Beginning Mandarin for Engineering Students, First Quarter) to prepare for a summer internship.

NOTE:  Some positions by some companies may require certain language skills and will be listed on the job description.

I am on a fellowship and am limited to 10 units. Can I audit the language course so that I don't use up my units?

No. It is the policy of the language center that all language courses must be taken for credit and no auditors are allowed. You will need to work out with your advisor or student services manager how to accommodate this class into your academic plan.

What should I focus on in the application essay?

The essay asks you to answer a few questions. The first one is your statement of purpose. It is important that we see that interning abroad helps you to fulfill your educational/career goals. Also, we want to know that you’ll be able to handle working abroad for three months, so any information about previous travel experience, experience with other cultures or generally openness to new experiences would help.

The second essay helps us to evaluate your fit with a particular position. Why are you applying for that position and what particular skills do you bring? If you’re selected in the first screening processes at Stanford, the essay will be given to the hiring company, so it should also convince them that they’d be excited about having you on board for this position.

Who provides funding for my internship?

Both the School of Engineering and the host company provide funding for your internship, i.e. round-trip airfare, a salary for housing and meals. Need-based financial aid is available. If you plan to travel or have extra expenses, you should prepare funding for yourself.

I am an international student; will an internship abroad affect my status in the U.S.?

You must check with the International Center about how traveling will affect your current U.S. visa.

What if I need to arrive later or leave earlier?

The goal of this program is to give students an extended immersive experience abroad. Therefore, we expect that students will remain in their internship placement for the full duration of this program unless they have advance written permission from GEP staff and the internship host company.

Can I intern longer than three months?

Some of the companies will allow (even encourage) an internship longer than three months. The program will support stays up to six months as long as the student does not officially graduate before the end of the internship. If you’re interested in a six-month stay, please indicate this possibility in your application.

When will I meet the other internship participants?

You will meet the other internship participants during the pre-departure orientation program in Spring Quarter.

What if my passport expires or if I don’t have one?

You are required to make sure to have a passport that is valid six months after the date of departure with at least one blank page in the passport for the visa.  If you don’t have a passport, apply for one immediately.  You will need your valid passport to initiate any visa process.

Do I need a visa?

You are strongly advised to check out the appropriate foreign consulate website for visa requirements.  You are responsible for obtaining appropriate visas on time.  Once you are accepted for a GEI, we will provide you more information regarding visa applications.

How is the airfare expense covered?

If your host company does not cover the cost of your roundtrip airfare, the School of Engineering will provide a travel stipend for you to use to book your own flight.  The travel stipend will be issued to you at least one month before the start date of your internship.  You will be responsible for booking your flight through Stanford Travel to the destination city of your internship.  THIS IS REQUIRED PER STANFORD POLICY.

Please note that if you do not complete your entire internship, you will be required to return your travel stipend.  If you have any questions or need assistance with the travel stipend, please contact Ming Luo ming@stanford.edu.

Do I need health insurance?

Stanford University provides insurance for unforeseen medical and security incidents that travelers may encounter while abroad. This insurance, via Zurich, is provided at no cost to the traveler on Stanford-sponsored or Stanford-organized travel. This policy does not have deductibles or copays, but there may be circumstances in which travelers will be expected to pay for medical care out of pocket and seek reimbursement. Travelers can access this coverage through calling Crisis24 +1 (443) 716-2305. There are exclusions under the Zurich policy, and we advise travelers to familiarize themselves with the policy prior to travel.

If you do not call Crisis24 for assistance, you will be expected to pay for any treatment you receive. You should retain all receipts and documentation of care in order to file a claim with Zurich.

Travelers should contact their personal medical insurance provider to understand their international medical coverage for exclusions under the Zurich policy and are required to maintain coverage for the duration of their time abroad. If a traveler is seeking routine or preventative medical treatment abroad, they will be expected to pay for these services and seek reimbursement from their personal medical insurance provider.

Policy

For additional information review the policy summary or contact globalrisk@stanford.edu.

Do I need to get immunizations?

You should consult with a physician or travel clinic well in advance of your departure to inquire about immunization recommendations. Some inoculations may require a series of shots that take weeks or months to become effective.

Stanford covid-19 specifics

See: for Stanford Travelers - COVID-19

Note: Vaden is very busy toward the end of spring quarter so you should plan on making your appointments four to six weeks in advance of travel.