Global Team Internship in Bali
This is Not Your Average Internship Programme
At Think Pacific, we believe that an internship abroad should not only enhance your CV – It should develop your global perspectives, increase your skills and confidence, be accessible, and help you discover your passions through exciting real world experience.
Our Global Team Internship (GTI) has been designed to help you bridge the gap between university and graduate employment in a globalized workforce by combining unique work-experience with cultural immersion and a team-based adventure.
During the placement, you will have the incredible opportunity to live in a traditional Balinese village with a team of fellow students, whilst supporting our hand-picked network of Bali-based businesses, social enterprises and charities to develop practical and sustainable solutions to current challenges.
The GTI is your opportunity to see Bali through a truly unique lens. To join a team, experience a traditional balinese village and work side-by-side local organisations to further their aims and mission, which in turn will further your skills
- 1-month team based internship in beautiful Bali, Indonesia
- Explore a new culture by immersing yourself into Balinese life
- Create work for up to 3 different local businesses, charities or start ups
- Tackle real world & impactful projects, across a range of sectors
- Prepare for the future of work – diverse, ever-changing and hybrid
- Develop the skills and attributes, which employers crave
- Up to 120+ hours of learning, mentoring and global work experience
- Suitable for all students – supercharge your CV & boost your employability
- Project includes: Accommodation, 24/7 in-country support, food, domestic travel, unique internship projects, employability skills workshops and cultural and adventures activities.
- Dates: May, June, July or August 2024
- Fees: £1,895 / $3,545 AUD for 1-month in Bali.
- University scholarships available. Download Our Funding Guide
Project Discovery Session 
Watch a recording with our Regional Manager, to learn all about the project.
Or attend a live session with one of the team:
Biweekly on a Wednesday’s 4pm [GMT] / [11am EST] (Register Here)
Biweekly on Thursday’s 2pm [FJT ] / 12pm [AEST] (Register Here)
No matter what course you study, this internship is open to all and you don’t need any specific skills or prior experience. This is ideal for students looking to gain unique work experience that is geared towards the changing future of work!
The beauty of this faced-paced programme is that it is broad in nature. Rather than putting limits on your experience, we provide a wide-range of projects that are fascinating and inspiring and give you the chance to decide your preference as a group. This allows you to discover a range of opportunities and sample different career paths across a short timeframe.
The GTI is focused on developing your skills and ability to adapt to projects… to be agile, to solve problems, to get out of your comfort zone and to work in a team in a professional setting.
Whether you’re taking a rewarding summer break or looking to enhance your skills beyond your studies, on our GTI you can:
- Experience; Gain unique experience of living and working in Indonesia
- Contribution; Make a tangible impact and find solutions to real world problems
- Challenge; Expand your comfort zone, throw yourself into diverse projects and themes
- Learn; Learn about a new culture by living in a traditional Balinese community
- Skills; Develop professional skills and gain experience employers are looking for
You will need a positive mindset and a professional approach because you are working on real-life business projects for clients that invest time and mentoring for students. Our guarantee is that this internship will boost your softs skills and confidence, whilst providing the chance to make a meaningful contribution to exciting partners.
Bali is a paradise island waiting to be explored; beautiful beaches, misty waterfalls, towering volcanoes, and glorious rice fields. A unique culture, traditions, spirituality and customs that you can’t help but fall in love with.
Experience this incredible island and contribute to local projects, whilst undertaking a fun, culturally immersive, team adventure, where perspectives are challenged and lifelong memories are made.
Bali is also one of the most exciting, vibrant and innovative places to learn from small businesses and social enterprises. It is Asia’s most popular startup hub and has become one of the world’s thriving digital nomad locations.
Live, work and learn with a group of like-minded students. Up to 40 students can join our project at a time. Most people join entirely on their own. You’ll depart with a new group of close friends and lifelong connections. Develop your communication skills as you work within different groups each week to achieve outcomes. Enjoy weekly activities and even travel together, as you explore Bali further on your weekends.
In multi-discipline teams of 4-5 students, you will work as a small ‘consulting team’ for a chosen client organisation in Bali. Each week you will be set an ‘Action Project’, which is a specific challenge faced by the organisation. Often ‘big picture’, they include strategies for growth and development or improvement of the organisations systems, structures or future potential. They may require ‘outside the box’ thinking, creativity and research to produce an effective outcome for the organisation.
Test your flexibility, agility and resilience by working within diverse sectors and supporting x3 different organisations during one fast-paced programme. Each week you can discover a new career – from start-ups to local businesses to charities. You’ll enhance your global career skills by learning to translate classroom learning into a deeper understanding of real-life international workplaces, business challenges, professional relationships and co-work behaviours.
Enterprise partners are chosen for their ethics, values and sustainable contribution to the local area. They are handpicked because they are fabulous mentors, who value student perspectives, are eager to collaborate and see external participation as a means to boost internal opportunity.
Cultural understanding context is central to this programme to expose you to different world views, values and attitudes. You can engage in language lessons, cooking classes, traditional community visits and religious and historical sites of interest. Alongside understanding local challenges through a Balinese lens.
Experience diverse working environments, which are central to the future of the working world. From meeting clients on-site and experiencing business premises and offices, collaborating from coffee shops and co-working spaces or in the sunshine. Ideate your plans beside the rice fields and jungles and practice your pitch in your Balinese homestay.
Join fun, engaging and team based workshops. Each week you have the chance to learn new skills and consider global perspectives as you develop. knowledge for the future of work. We arrange speaker sessions from industry leaders, consultants and start-up founders to provide a breadth of career skills, business perspectives and professional learning opportunities.
Each week, your group will present your action project to industry colleagues and company stakeholders. This is your chance to perfect your skills in communicating your ideas on a global level and increase your confidence. You will also receive critical feedback and validation for what you have created.
We include a number of unique activities – think visits to jungles, waterfalls, rice fields, local markets and temples. Take part in a cooking class, an art class & see a traditional dance show. On your free weekends, explore the island and your interests further.
After your first week of cultural discovery, orientation, preparation and team building with your fellow interns, it’s now time to start working on inspiring projects for fantastic businesses and NGO’s in Bali.
Each week you will choose a programme partner to work for and project brief that inspires you. The week begins with a site visit to learn about the organisations vision, goals and challenges. Your task then is to work within a small group of 3-5 interns to tackle the brief and present back your ‘action project’ and ideas to the organisation at the end of the week.
For host organisations, this is an opportunity to gain unique international insights from creative thinking students, to prototype new concepts, begin new projects that have been limited by staff resources or gain fresh perspectives on their strategies and operations.
Our partners include local enterprises, family-run businesses, start ups, social enterprises and charities. Organisations are from diverse areas of arts, tourism, retail, property and technology or mission focused in areas of environment, conservation or human rights. All organisations are chosen for their ethics and sustainability. They are also fabulous mentors, who value student perspectives, are eager to collaborate to grow their vision. Like us, they see external participation as a means to boost internal opportunity.
Each week you will be set an Action Project – A specific challenge faced by the organisation. Your role in your team is to find the best solution. Often ‘big picture’, always interesting, sometimes challenging. Projects focus upon research, development and solving issues. You’ll need to work collaboratively, consider cultural difference and learn quickly. Creative and critical thinking are the secret ingredients to producing the most effective outcomes. Each week culminates in you presenting your concepts to the partner for feedback and review.
Here’s a look at the average week to paint a picture of how it is put together for you:
- Monday – Business Site Visit & Project Brief
- Tuesday – Group Work + Professional Skills Lab
- Wednesday – Group Work + Partner Q&A
- Thursday – Group Work + Professional Skills Lab
- Friday – Group Presentations to Partners
When working on your project with your group, Think Pacific utilises a range of vibrant ‘co-working’ spaces which give you the opportunity to taste the ‘digital nomad’ life and immerse yourself into a professional environment that reflect the new hybrid nature of employment. Whilst at these co-working offices, you will have the opportunity to network, enjoy refreshments and feel what it’s like to work in paradise.
Across the internship, you will have the opportunity to work for three different partners on three different ‘action projects’. Each week there will be a new business, charity or social enterprise for you to engage with and complete an ‘action project’ for. When it comes to doing this, we have designed the ‘5 D process’ that you and your fellow interns will follow:
- Discovery: you will visit the organisation and engage in activities to learn about the product or services
- Discussion: engage in discussion with the organisation’s team and your fellow interns to deepen your understanding and explore ‘action projects’
- Decide: alongside your group, you will decide which project you will focus on
- Design: working in vibrant ‘co-working’ spaces, you will create your project with your small team
- Deliver: present your group project to the attached partner organisation
“78% of employers believe graduates do not arrive in the work-place equipped with the skills they need to be work-ready – Chartered Management Institute ‘Work Ready Graduates Study’
The world of work is rapidly changing. Employers are seeking graduates ready to work in global, hybrid environments, who are flexible, resilient, collaborative and problem-solvers. But students have limited opportunity to get real-world experience, to hone their skills or develop their professional abilities.
Our Global Team Internship is designed to develop a range of core skills employers look for, whilst at the same time, adding capacity and growth to a small, handpicked businesses and enterprises in Bali, who really value your commitment, ideas and innovation – a true win-win situation!
Take this opportunity for professional growth, throw yourself into every aspect and you will gain demonstrable skills to boost your future.
1-Month Internship Dates 
🇮🇩🌴
3rd June – 30th June 2024 (Limited Spaces)
24th June – 21st July 2024 (Limited Spaces)
15th July – 11th August 2024 (Limited Spaces)
4th August – 31st August 2024 (Limited Spaces)
16th September – 13th October 2024
14th October – 10th November 2024
10th February – 9th March 2025
17th March – 13th April 2025
14th April – 11th May 2025
16-Day Internship Dates 🇮🇩🌴
2nd December – 17th December 2024
13th January – 9th February 2025
This secures your place in the team and provides personal support from your project coordinator, access to our pre-departure portal, online preparation webinars and your Think Pacific t-shirt. Your registration fee is added to your project fees.
This covers the remaining costs of the placement. Many students receive bursaries from their universities to support their participation and/or fundraise for their program fees. It’s up to you whether you fundraise or not but your project fee is due 60 days before the project begins.
We pride ourselves on the delivery of a safe, structured and personally supported experience. Our philosophy is to provide a high-quality and exceptionally well-structured international placement that gives you a once-in-a-lifetime experience, whilst contributing to sustainable development.
Over 1/3 of your fee supports our international charity, the Think Pacific Foundation.
| Currency | £GBP | $AUD |
|---|---|---|
| Registration Fee | 195 | 345 |
| 1-Month Programme Fee | 1700 | 3300 |
| 16-Day Programme Fee | 1100 | 2100 |
Think Pacific works in partnership with many universities across the world to support student mobility and employability. There are scholarships and grants available for students from individual university departments and/or governments in several countries.
Students can apply for scholarships and bursaries to join our projects in Fiji. To find out if there’s funding available at your university or in your areas, please email info@thinkpacific.com.
Full inclusions list:
- Airport welcome and transfer to hotel in Ubud
- All accommodation including 2- day hotel briefing and cultural orientation, 2-day team building camp in a beautiful rural setting, homestay accommodation in traditional Balinese village and 2 days debrief at a hotel. (However, you can choose to travel with your teammates at the weekend to experience other areas of Bali)
- Welcome ceremony on your into the arrival to the community
- All in-country travel, except for optional weekends travel.
- Breakfast and evening meal included from Monday – Friday across your 4-week project.
- Guest speakers and workshop sessions
- Arrangement of business site visits and co-working spaces
- Guided activities, such as local hikes, excursions to waterfalls, cultural activities or attending local festivals or community events.
- Think Pacific local and international staff team co-ordinating all daily group activities and providing 24/7 support.
- In-country manager, Balinese-based Project Managers and UK team providing planning, risk assessment and 24-hour backup support.
- Air-conditioned private transfers to your placements each day.
- Comprehensive online portal & personal volunteer project planning resources.
The following costs are not inclusive. However, Think Pacific provides comprehensive and personalised support to assist:
- Flights: Budget approximately £800 – £1100
- Insurance: Budget approximately £100- £200. Think Pacific can advise and provide details for example policies.
- Visa: Approximately £220 Think Pacific manages this process with a local visa partner and advises students on their 3-month visa.
- Spending Money: Budget approximately £300 for lunches, weekend food & additional drinks or items of a personal nature.
- Vaccinations: Typhoid and Hepatitis A. Budget approximately £50 (However, vaccines can be free for most students). We advise you check with a medical professional for any specific vaccines you may require.
Apply for university funding to cover flights and insurance.
Think Pacific team mentors co-ordinate the entire project and are available 24/7 for student support. Our biggest piece of advice for students is to not hesitate to speak to our team leaders if they have any questions about health and safety.
During orientation, students are given guidelines to ensure they stay safe in Bali. For example, students should always stay in pairs at least and should keep their accommodation address in Sinhalese or Indonesian with them at all times. The guidelines also include important day-to-day advice such as where it is safe to withdraw money from local ATM machines etc.
Pre-departure briefings take place pre-departure (online webinars) and in-country to prepare you alongside our comprehensive pre-departure portal.
During the project, all students stay within the same Balinese village, which is located in a very safe area, located a short distance from the beautiful Ubud. Living in homestay is a wonderful experience and your chance to learn about traditions and customs.
The accommodations are all clean and modern, with western style bathrooms. Rooms have air conditioning, electricity and wifi. Most rooms are twin share and you will share with a fellow student on the programme of the same gender. You will have a lock and key to your room for privacy.
Breakfast and evening meals are served Monday – Friday at your homestay. Food is wholesome and local, with often a mix of bread, jam, fruit, fresh juice, tea and coffee in the morning and dinners are rice, noodles, vegetables or meat or seafood. Balinese food can be spicy but we ensure there are varied options. Vegetarians and vegans can be catered for. Filtered water is available at all homestay and you should never drink tap water.
Think Pacific provides comprehensive support to universities as required. Universities are provided with a dedicated and experienced director to oversee the entire program from start to return with specific areas of responsibility designated from the outset. Our services with the programme fee include
- Full Promotion of programme including webinars or presentations and content
- Management of all applications and creation of custom application pages
- Careful communication with all enquiries
- Pre-departure support and live zoom sessions
- Visa entry to Bali support
- Pre-departure Portal – a comprehensive portal for all travel essentials and latest advice for flights, insurance and kit list, vaccinations and more.
- Pre-Departure Hub – Our own pre-departure group for live enquiries, chat and student networking, available to download as an App.
- Live seminars on cultural awareness, cross-cultural and in-country preparation
- Global Skills – Our online portal with courses on career development.
During this internship, you have the unique opportunity to live in an authentic Balinese village. Often three or more generations live in one family complex, so prepare to be surrounded by kids, grandmas and grandpas in addition to your homestay parents. You’ll be sharing beautiful, but basic, accommodation with the family, some of your teammates and often some furry or feathery friends too. Trust us, you’ll never be lonely!
Breakfast and dinner is also provided at any Think Pacific resorts, camps or hotels. Breakfast and dinner is also included each day in the village and you’ll eat with your Balinese family. You may often find many people when you eat – in Bali, the whole family lives as one. Food is very carbohydrate-heavy, so expect lots of rice and vegetables, as this makes up the bulk of a typical diet.
You’ll have the freedom to purchase your own lunches and meals at weekends – to give you the freedom to try the wonderful array of restaurants, street food and markets available. A lunch in Bali will cost no more than £5.
Life in a rural Balinese village is very different to life in a western city, which brings provides a fascinating experience but also its challenges! The comparatively basic standard of living, the communal nature, the strong religious beliefs and the traditional customs and values in the village, may take time to adjust to. It is completely normal to feel a little out of your depth in the first few days. With the support of your family, your team and our leaders, we find it doesn’t take long to adjust to day-to-day life.
The majority of Balinese adults speak some English. There may be some language barriers with pronunciation, but as long as you talk slowly and clearly in English there is little difficulty in understanding each other. Young children and some elderly members of the community may not speak any English at all and it’s great to learn a few local words as early as you can.
You can choose to stay in your accommodation at the weekend but the homestay village is located outside main tourist areas and away from attractions, which is why volunteers tend to head out on Friday afternoons to spend the weekend soaking up culture and comfort. (This is your choice)
Whether you prefer lazing on a beach or visiting cultural sites, the weekend is your oyster. We would recommend budgeting £50 per weekend for transport, activities, accommodation & all meals. We will provide you with advice on incredible things to do on the weekends.
Think Pacific in-country staff support the programme and guide daily activities.We are incredibly proud that 70% of our paid staff, in Indonesia, are local residents.
By investing in local staff we ensure that we are making as positive an impact as possible within the communities where we work by not only providing long-term employment opportunities but also ensuring that those who know the country and the culture best are managing the project and the relationships with local enterprises. Our international staff provide additional support and mentorship 24/7 and enjoy sharing their lived experience of Bali.
