Learn more about the O’Neill Global Leadership Program in Portugal

GLP in Portugal is an international internship program for graduate students at the O'Neill School. Selected students will be placed in an internship in Portugal that matches their degree field and/or area of interest. The program is 8 weeks in length (June-July 2025) and students will work full-time at their assigned internship. The internship placements are unpaid. Placements will be in Lisbon, Portugal.

This internship program includes all the following features:

  • Guaranteed internship/research position placement related to degree
  • Lodging (furnished double room, single if possible)
  • Public transportation pass
  • Laundry/cooking facilities
  • 24-hour emergency contact
  • Pick-up on arrival day in Portugal
  • Comprehensive health insurance
  • Use of university facilities

*Students must have a minimum of a 2.5 GPA

GLP in Portugal will be 8 weeks in length (June-July 2025) and students will work full-time at their assigned internship.

Students can be placed in internships with with a variety of organization types including NGOs, nonprofit organizations, public organizations, multinational companies, and start-ups in Lisbon, Portugal. The topical areas of placements include sectors like:

  • Transatlantic Leadership, Law, & Diplomacy 
  • Nonprofits and Governmental Organizations
  • Engineering, Tech & Sustainability 
  • Hospitality, Tourism, and Development
  • Medical & Healthcare 
  • Business

FLAD/SiPN will secure internship placements for students that match their stated interests and degree fields. In your application materials, please outline your areas of interest clearly so FLAD/SiPN has as much information to work with as possible.

Costs

2025 GLP in Portugal Program Fee: $3,800-$4,000*

* Program Fee will be finalized by October 1

 To secure their spot, students will accept their offer with a $550 deposit towards the program fee. The remaining program fee amount will be charged to students’ bursars in March-April.

In addition to the program fee, students will be responsible for covering their flight and personal expenses while on the ground in Portugal, as well as paying any tuition associated with their internship requirement.

For a full breakdown of estimated cost, see the 2024 GLP Portugal fee sheet.

Scholarships

O’Neill will support students doing this program with a $1,000 stipend. Students are encouraged to apply for any internal or external awards to help fund this experience. Please see our scholarship page for available funding. Students may also apply any internship stipends awarded through their admissions process to this program.

We invite applications from O’Neill graduate students in any degree who are in good academic and disciplinary standing. The Career Hub and the O’Neill International Office (OIO) will open a call for applicants each fall semester. We will select a cohort of 10 graduate students to participate in the program. Students will be asked to upload a resume, cover letter, and a letter of reccomendation from a previous supervisor or faculty member. Below is the application process timeline:

  • October 1: Applications open for all Global Leadership Programs
  • Early-mid October: Program infosessions are held - attend to learn more and ask questions
  • November 1: Applications due for this program
  • Early-Mid November: Interviews will take place
  • Late November: Students notified of acceptance into program
  • Early December: Students confirm participation in program and pay deposit

After acceptance, O’Neill will submit the selected students’ information and interests to the FLAD/SiPN. FLAD/SiPN will then secure placements for the students in an organization related to the students’ interests and/or degree field. Students can expect to have their internship placement by May 2025.

The O’Neill International Office will administer a pre-departure training and preparation process covering health, safety, security, and cultural information for students doing this program. Pre-departure group meetings will take place monthly from January-May preceding departure for the internship program. 

This program meets the guidelines for the experiential component of students' graduate degrees (MAAA, MPA, MSES, and duals) and can count for experiential credit for the MIA program as well.  Upon learning of their placement, students will submit their internship on the O’Neill Career site.  Students will be required to register the internship with the Career Hub and enroll in at least 0 credits of V585/E589 for MPA, MSES, and dual MPA-MSES students; or enroll in the Y750 Internship in Arts Administration course for MAAA and dual MPA-MAAA students. MPA, MSES, dual MPA-MSES, and MIA students can choose to elect credit(s) for the internship; the number of credits available for the internship will be dependent on the amount of hours completed and will be assessed for tuition. All students will be asked to complete post-internship self and program evaluations.

“Traveling- it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”

—Ibn Battuta