Research
Internships

Are you in the process of completing a research paper, thesis or dissertation? Our research internships will guide you in your data collection in the field. And thanks to GVI’s involvement in global conservation and sustainable development, you’ll be able to supplement your research with insights from existing datasets that were 20 years in the making.

So, what are research internships? A research internship is an internship that supports the partial fulfilment of your research thesis, dissertation or other academic or independent research paper. The main focus of a research internship is to support you in collecting and/or analysing the data that you’ll use to write up your paper. Research internships also help you to prepare for your future career in the industry by giving you experience with field research methodologies.

So, what if you already have a specific research topic in mind, or you’re well into your dissertation and you’re looking to complete the practical component of your research on a research internship? Our award-winning research internships offer a range of research topics to choose from that could fit into your existing research. Your enrolment manager will provide you with information on all the research opportunities available to you.

WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN A RESEARCH INTERNSHIP?

A research internship allows you to meet your university or independent research requirements in a supportive and structured environment. With over 20 years of experience in field research, GVI will support you throughout the process, and connect you to an appropriate topic of research and a remote research internship supervisor. And we have hundreds of topics for you to choose from.

Research internships offer unique research opportunities in locations that are often otherwise challenging to access. For example, in Jalova, Costa Rica, previous interns have collected data on butterflies and amphibians in the protected Tortuguero National Park. And if you do a research internship in this location, you’ll be able to make use of existing databases. The benefit of this setup is two-fold.

Having access to existing research means that you don’t have to go out and collect the same data for your dissertation. This will save you time, strengthen your findings and give you the opportunity to hone in on other areas of your research. Using existing databases also contributes to the sustainability of resources used on the project. And, any new research you conduct during your research internship will be added to our databases, contribute to future students’ work on the project, and towards scientific conservation research more broadly.

On our research internships, you’ll also get to collaborate with other researchers across our international locations. This also includes the chance to connect with students from universities around the world whose research interests and goals are similar to yours. You’ll also work alongside our qualified on-the-ground staff members who are experts in their field.

Along with the opportunity to expand your professional network, you’ll make lifelong international friendships, receive and offer support to fellow students on our international research internships and learn directly from professionals in the industry.

And the benefits of a research internship don’t end after your program, it’ll also open doors to possible jobs in the industry once you complete your studies. All of our projects involve collaborative work with partner organisations, such as the Coastal Jaguar Conservation based in the Caribbean of Costa Rica, or the Endangered Wildlife Trust based in Africa. This unique industry exposure can put you on the map with reputable organisations.

GVI is an award-winning, international volunteer and internship organisation recognised by Go Abroad and Go Overseas. Some awards we’ve won include the Go Abroad Top Rated Intern Abroad Program award and the Go Overseas Value, Safety and Support award.