Please see additional Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to AIESEC's Exchange Program.
On this page:

• Steps to apply
• Application materials
• Timeline

What are the steps to apply for a traineeship?

• Internship Search
• You begin by applying to the AIESEC Exchange Program and choosing AIESEC Yale as your local community.
• A Local Student Process Coordinator (LSPC) will accept you as an exchange participant.
• You schedule a guidance meeting with an LSPC to:
  • Learn more about AIESEC and the exchange program
  • Discuss traineeship opportunities that interest you
  • Get oriented to http://www.myaiesec.net/ to browse the traineeship database.
  • Complete an EP Form (EP stands for Exchange Participant)
  
  
• Application Preparation
• You complete the following in the My Account tab at http://us.aieseconline.net/search/
  • Sign an Exchange Participant Contract (outlines expectations of you and of AIESEC US)
  • Pay the $45 Application Fee (one-time fee, good until you are matched)
  • Submit credit card info for the $455 Matching Fee (this is only billed if you confirm your acceptance of a traineeship)
• With the help of an LCPC, you advance to the Exchange Stage in http://www.myaiesec.net/
  
  
• Matching to an Internship
• You e-mail your application materials (see below) to the TN Manager. Copy in AIESEC Yale on any correspondence with TN Managers.
• Within 8 days, you should be notified of your acceptance or denial.
• You have 8 days from the date of notification to confirm or reject the match.
  
  
• Post-Matching Preparation
• You must attend a day-long retreat (free of cost) for AIESEC orientation and cultural preparation, to be held on Saturday, April 26, 2008.
• You acquire a visa with the help of your LSPC and TN Manager.
• You purchase your plane ticket and obtain health insurance. See Resources for useful links.

What application materials are needed?

Applications to AIESEC traineeships consist of three core documents:

• Letter of Motivation. A 500 word (maximum) Letter of Motivation (not cover letter) indicates how your prior experience and/or future aspirations equip you for the internship to which you are applying.
  Include not only what you hope to gain from the experience but also what you plan to contribute to the internship.  Rather than spend paragraphs on your background and explaining why you are interested in this position/field (which can come across as self-absorbed) - use this space to address what you hope to learn AND accomplish in the job.  It's rarer for the writer to explain how his/her skills, experience or perspective might be interesting or valuable to the person/organization.  Do some homework and visit the organization website, if available, so you may address specifics and how you plan to contribute.  Don't be afraid to put a bit of your personality into the statement and allow the sponsor to 'get to know you.' Be concise but comprehensive at the same time.
• CV, which is a resume formatted to international standards.  Please see the example CV, which is available here.  Like the example, you should elaborate on each point in your resume so someone internationally could understand what it is and why it's important.
• Acceptance Note, which is an AIESEC form saying you commit to taking the traineeship if you are accepted.  It is analogous to applying “Early Decision” to a college.  This may be omitted from an application, but gives your application greater attention and weight if you do include it.  A template for you to use is available here.
  
  The Acceptance Note is only binding for 8 days, so if you do not receive notification of acceptance in 8 days, you are free to send out another Acceptance Note.  Do not send out more than one Acceptance Note at one time, since each is binding for 8 days.

Some traineeships may request a phone interview or other supplemental documents.

What is the timeline?

AIESEC internships are matched on a rolling basis. Every day, new opportunities get uploaded and current positions are matched.

On average, it takes 2 to 5 weeks to be matched from the time you start searching for positions. This is highly dependent on your proactivity.

The ideal window to apply is 3 to 4 months before you wish to start your internship.  This is early enough for you to make your travel arrangements (plane ticket, VISA, etc.), while it is late enough to ensure that positions during your desired timeframe have been uploaded.

The final deadline to be matched is April 20, 2008, before the AIESEC orientation and cultural preparation retreat. This means you must begin your application by March 30, 2008 at the very latest.