Two sessions of our summer 2024 program will be available to choose from. The first session will run from May 19 - June 29, 2024, and the second session will run from July 7 - August 17, 2024.

Naturally, the most important consideration when taking up a program like iX Summer Abroad is that it is what you make it. Being in a new environment - especially abroad - is the chance to gain confidence and self-assuredness, possibly in a higher-pressure environment than what you’re used to. This means engaging with the classes, asking lots of questions, being proactive and professional in your internship, and being an avid explorer of your host city. What this leads to, once the program ends, is a community of students who are more worldly, experienced, and able to understand the needs of a professional environment. These are all things that go a long way in shaping our students' decisions and outlooks long after their iX program ends.

See this video for a former iX student’s perspective:

We always encourage our students to do their research to make sure that the right decisions are being made with the right information. Many traditional abroad programs out there only focus on two components: travel combined with either a course or an internship. In many cases, the courses taught by other study abroad providers are language-focused, rather than skills-based. The internship, then, is also what makes iX stand out.

In short, iXperience combines three spheres of learning: Learn a skill taught by industry experts, apply that skill in a carefully-vetted, guaranteed internship to gain marketable work experience, and travel the world with planned excursions and weekly community events to build connections for life. All of this while being supervised by trained, experienced program staff who know your host city well! An illustrative comparison is available in the table on our Tuition and Aid page, where the value of iX programs is laid out more clearly.

Cape Town and Lisbon are two of the most beautiful and exciting cities in the world, which is why they’re both host to our campuses.

Cape Town offers access to endless hiking opportunities - including on the iconic Table Mountain - and the option to surf the waves of two different oceans, all just a stone's throw away from the student accommodation.

Lisbon gives visitors many rich cultural experiences, a deep history and sprawling beaches, while also offering the opportunity to bask in the warm Portuguese summer sun. No matter the type of experience you are looking for, book a call with an admissions consultant to find out which option is best for you.

We have a rigid health and safety briefing with all our students on day one of the program to ensure that everyone is well aware of the city and surroundings. Each of our host cities’ student accommodation is located within 3.1 miles of the nearest hospital, and with dedicated staff appointed to each campus, we are able to offer support 24/7. Visit our Health and Safety page for a detailed breakdown.

In both Cape Town and Lisbon, the student accommodation is a shared space so all of our students are able to connect with one another. We house 2-5 students per room, and room selection is on a first-come-first-serve basis. This means that students who commit to the program and pay their deposits early have first choice of rooming options.

Each city’s accommodation is paired with a co-working space just a short distance away, and is close to shops, transport routes, and amenities. Students will be picked up from the airport on arrival and taken to check into the accommodation the Sunday prior to the program’s start date. Students will depart from the accommodation to the airport the Saturday after the program ends, and transport will also be arranged on this day. Note that early or late arrivals and/or departures will require your own transportation and additional accommodation arrangements.

Depending on the chosen city, you'll have a very different packing list! Cape Town enters its winter between June and September, so it's best to pack warmer clothes; however, the South African winter is very mild compared to the US’s! Expect temperatures of 55°F at worst during the day. Cape Town's weather is notorious for changing in a heartbeat, so make sure to pack a few items for warmer conditions.

Lisbon, on the other hand, will be in its summer during the program, so it is best to pack for a hot climate - and don’t forget your sunscreen! For both locations, you will need to pack swimwear/beachwear as well as outdoor clothing, as you will be going on many adventures in both cities. Also include one or two smart-casual options for meetings with your internship manager.

As we’ve seen in previous years, it can definitely get overwhelming having to attend class and complete internship projects while trying to take in and explore a new city. But don’t worry! iX organises many optional events throughout every week for you to experience the best of each city, but it will be up to you to balance which events you attend and which days you will reserve for your learning experience.

We always offer round-the-clock support to students who are struggling with the course work or workload, and our in-city staff members are dedicated to ensuring you get the most out of your experience with iX.

iX works with over 250 partner companies around the world as part of our internship program. From startups to NGOs, big corporates to non-profits, our internships are sourced from businesses of all sizes in an extremely broad range of industries and disciplines.

Naturally, because these internships are real-world, they change year on year depending on the business’ needs. It’s impossible to predict far ahead of time what innovative, forward-thinking companies will come up with next! As a result, we confirm projects right up to the start of the program, which is why the full list of finalized internships is only released to students when the program begins. That being said, the examples of previous years’ internships included in the info packs is a great illustration of what kind of work you can expect.

Check the past internship explorer page for examples of companies we’ve worked with previously to get an idea of what to expect.

Paid versus unpaid internships is an important consideration. We fully appreciate that individual circumstances will be the final determining factor when making these decisions. That being said, iX internships are structured to be part of the course - they are not standalone experiences. The integration of learning and continuous support, as well as pre-program vetting and scoping, makes the outcomes of the internship much more clear and established than an independent internship at an outside company.

The iX internship is specifically designed to be a significantly more impactful learning opportunity, where working under the supervision of an industry professional maximizes the impact of the outcomes. Ultimately, the experience pays off down the line: with resume and LinkedIn support, interview coaching, collaborative working, defined outcomes, and a clear structure to the program, iX students are much more prepared for future interviews and recruitment drives. Many of our alumni go on to work at some of the world's biggest and most prestigious companies, and their testimonials about how iX helped shape their journeys into their careers speak for themselves.

In the first week of the program, you’ll receive the Internship Explorer, a document that outlines all of the internships available in your chosen course. You’ll have a few days to research the available companies, consider your options and discuss them with your TAs. Read the Explorer carefully: it will indicate logistical requirements, project scope, dress code, working format and more. Then, at the end of the first week, you’ll get a preference survey, where you’ll submit your top three choices to your teaching team.

As part of the preference survey, you’ll write a short motivation for why you align with each project - this is an exercise similar to writing a cover letter for job applications. Whether you’re placed in your first choice or not depends on a variety of factors, just as it is in real life: demonstrated skill in class, engagement, quality of your homework submissions, work ethic, ability to work in a team and so on. Your teaching team is constantly assessing these factors in class from day one, so it’s in your interests to participate fully! Some projects may attract more interest from students than others; as such, in these cases, not everyone can be accommodated in their first choice placement. We work to balance everyone’s preferences as best we can, but sometimes, we need to be selective. The best way to maximize the chances of being placed in your first or second preference is to engage fully with the class content and keep open channels of communication with your teaching team from day one.

You’ll then receive your placement at the beginning of the second week, when you’ll be expected to convene with your team and begin planning for your kickoff meeting!

The first two weeks of the program are purely class time: this is where you’ll be learning rapidly, researching the available internship projects and convening your team once the placements are done. Once teams are finalized, you may receive some onboarding to do with your team from your internship manager ahead of kickoff in the third week. Not all projects will require onboarding, but some may.

Then, starting in the third week of the program, for three days every week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays), you will work on your internship project full-time with your internship team; on Tuesdays and Thursdays, you will have class in the morning and internship work in the afternoon. You will have regular check-ins on your progress on your internship project from your dedicated Teaching Team mentor (usually one of your TAs), who will also be on hand to answer any questions you might have from a technical perspective.

At least twice a week, your manager at your internship company will check in with your team - together with your Teaching Team mentor - to answer questions you might have about your internship project, as well as to check on the direction that your project is taking, and brainstorm with your team any challenges you might be having. Use these meetings wisely! You’ll need to make the most of all the contact time you have with your manager.

In the week before the internships kick off, your TAs will guide you through doing introductions to your manager and setting up your first meeting. Depending on factors like the manager’s availability, working location and format, this kickoff meeting is usually in-person, but some have been done remotely in the past. Hybrid working styles are the norm amongst the majority of businesses in progressive hubs like Cape Town and Lisbon.

In that first meeting, you’ll introduce yourselves to your manager, get an understanding of their working format and understand their company culture. This is where you’ll have an opportunity to discuss where and how frequently you’ll all meet, what your preferred communication channels are and other aspects of your working relationship. Communication is key! Ask lots of questions and don’t be afraid to negotiate your working situation with your manager. It’s just like in the real world.

All students doing iX Summer Abroad will have the choice of a range of in-city internships. An in-city internship means that your manager and company is in your host city, and it’s very likely that they follow a hybrid working model. Remember, post-pandemic, many companies have shifted to a hybrid work environment. You may encounter such companies in the internship options. Post-pandemic, the benefits of remote and hybrid work have transformed the global workforce.

“Hybrid” means you will work from the companies office two days a week, and one day a week you’ll work remotely. The Internship Explorer, which you’ll receive towards the beginning of the program, will indicate some details of the available internship companies’ working formats. iX Summer is designed specifically to reflect the realities of the working world today!

You’ll onboarded to the tools used by your host company, and integrated with their systems for communication and collaboration. Your iX Teaching Team mentor will check in with your team regularly on a Zoom conference call. You will also have a dedicated Slack channel with your Teaching Team mentor, who will respond to any queries on this channel within 12 hours.

Based on who submits the same internship preferences as you and what placements your Teaching Team settles on, your internship group will be made up of 4-6 students in the same course as you. You’ll be working alongside your classmates, so collaboration is essential. Group dynamics can be tough to navigate, but this is part of the learning process! You’ll need to work together, lead together, ideate together and achieve together. A demonstrated ability to work in a team is a hugely valuable thing to talk about in a future job interview, so use this opportunity to really flex that skill.

There are a number of avenues for you to reach out for help if your team is stuck. You have regular check-ins with your dedicated Teaching Team mentor (usually one of your TAs), as well twice-weekly (at least) check-ins with your company manager. You will have Teaching Assistants in your class who will respond to any of your questions within 12 hours via your internship team’s communication channel. On top of that, you can always reach out to your in-city iX Program Manager for any issues you might be experiencing, whether they have to do with your internship teamwork, or anything else.

Ideally, yes! Many of our students get letters of recommendation from their internship managers, but this is entirely at the discretion of the host company. The best way to ensure that you get one is to communicate effectively with your team and manager, be present and attentive in your meetings and achieve the goals set out for your group. An alternative to a letter of recommendation is a LinkedIn endorsement, which also goes a long way in the recruitment process. Impress your host company and doors will open up for you.

Many former iX students have been recruited by their iX internship companies immediately following the program. Because business needs change fast, and the most forward-thinking companies are always on the lookout for standout talent, there’s always a chance that an offer can come out of the internship.

It’s critical to note, though: iX does not have any hand in the recruitment of interns, and it’s done entirely at the company’s discretion, with no influence or discussion from iX’s side. The best way to maximize the chances of encountering a recruitment offer is to be a standout student who takes the lead and goes above and beyond!

Your iX Summer internship will depend on a number of factors: the company’s internal working policies, working hours, project scope, group progress and more. Generally, you can expect to do 96-128 hours of work over the course of the four internship weeks.

This is broken down as three days of full-time work (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) along with part-time internship work on the other two days (Tuesdays and Thursdays), after your classes in the mornings. Your work will include group work sessions, meetings with your manager(s), individual work time and contact time with your TAs to get professional guidance, as well as the potential for additional workshops, professional seminars, external functions with your manager(s), client meetings and more.

This depends on your citizenship. US citizens do not need a visa to enter South Africa for up to 90 days, which is more than enough for the duration of the iX program. We’ll gladly provide any letters or documentation that may be needed upon your arrival, but because you’ll be learning and doing excursions with us, the best way to describe the program if asked about it at the border is that you’re doing an educational tour. If you’re not a US citizen, please check the diplomatic and visa requirements of your home country or passport issuing authority.

In 2023, iX Summer students were housed in Neighbourgood Green Point and Village n Life Camps Bay. Both accommodation hubs are in coastal suburbs, which are iconic, thriving and beautiful parts of the city that are within walking distance of some of the most vibrant restaurants and beaches the city has to offer. All iX accommodation is in safe, modern areas of the city, and you’ll have plenty to do in your off time.

In both locations, coworking space provided is within walking distance of the accommodation, so you will be able to walk to the space within 15 minutes. Both Camps Bay and Green Point are two of the safest and trendiest areas of Cape Town. All iX student accommodation is equipped with 24-hour security. You’ll receive your own set of keys and access codes so that you can come and go as you please. Free and unlimited WiFi is always available, but may be a little slower than what you’re used to. However, the coworking spaces provided are also available to work from and the internet will be faster there.

Most rooms are equipped with simple kitchenettes that include a microwave, kettle, small fridge and cutlery and crockery, allowing all students to prepare their own meals. You’ll be sharing a room with two or more fellow iXers of the same gender. Remember, rooming is done based on preference for early payment: the sooner you enroll in the program and settle the deposit payment, the higher you’ll be on the rooming preference list. Note that, because we partner with accommodation providers that have a broad offering of options, some rooms may be bigger than others, and have different amenities; while we endeavor to make the experience largely equal for everyone, there may be cases where late applicants will be accommodated in slightly smaller rooms.

Uber is by far the easiest way to get around town: it’s safe, available everywhere, and very affordable. Cape Town’s MyCiti bus system is the best form of public transport and is also a great way to get around the city. It is also possible to walk around to many locations. This will be covered more comprehensively in the day one health and safety briefing after you arrive.

No, the classes are taught live and in person, and the internship is in-city. You’ll have access to an excellent coworking space depending on where your iX accommodation is located, where you’ll have free WiFi, access to loads of coffee shops and restaurants, and modern amenities for before and after class. You will be able to walk to your accommodation from the coworking space provided.

No, your meals are not included in the program. However, there are many fantastic restaurants and cafés in all directions, within walking distance from the coworking space as well as your accommodation. There are also lots of excellent grocery stores for you to buy food from and there will be facilities to prepare meals either in your apartment or in communal kitchens. Note that the US Dollar is significantly stronger than the South African Rand, so you’ll find that food is relatively cheap in Cape Town. To give you an idea, a cappuccino is around $2 and a large 14” pizza will only set you back around $8. Some dining experiences are included in the program, so there will be occasions where we’ll take you to an awesome dining destination and it’ll be covered by us. Check the sample program schedule to get an idea of what to expect.

iX works with over 250 partner companies around the world as part of our internship program. From startups to NGOs, big corporates to non-profits, our internships are sourced from businesses of all sizes in an extremely broad range of industries and disciplines.

Naturally, because these internships are real-world, they change year on year depending on the business’ needs. It’s impossible to predict far ahead of time what innovative, forward-thinking companies will come up with next! As a result, we confirm projects right up to the start of the program, which is why the full list of finalized internships is only released to students when the program begins. That being said, the examples of previous years’ internships included in the info packs is a great illustration of what kind of work you can expect.

Check the past internship explorer page for examples of companies we’ve worked with previously to get an idea of what to expect.

As with many other international cities, Cape Town is not without its criminal activity - in the city center, this generally consists of opportunistic petty crime, such as pick-pocketing. There are portions of South Africa with more serious criminal elements but these are a significant distance out from where the iX program is run. Our rule of thumb is that vigilance is key, with some good, old-fashioned common sense - but don’t worry, our experienced iX staff will make sure to answer any of your questions, keep you safe and support each student throughout the iX journey to ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable experience with us.

Flights are not included in the price of the program. What is included is: the course and internship program, safe, comfortable accommodation with other iXers, co-working space from which to do online class and internship work, four excursions, in-person talks by industry experts, weekly community and social events, airport pickup and drop-off, 24/7 health & safety support, welcome event and orientation.

We have a schedule that our program management team puts together to help you explore and enjoy the city with friends and our staff. You are also free to plan your own activities, and should you need assistance, feel free to ask!

Rooms are allocated with 2-5 students in each. Rooming selection is on a first-come-first-serve basis. This means that students who commit to the program and pay their deposits early have first choice of rooming options. If you have specific requests for who you’d like to room with, please let your Career Advisor know. If you would like your own private room, you can contact your Career Advisor prior to the start of the program to see if this can be arranged (depending on availability - and please note, this will be at an additional cost). Alternatively, you can contact your program manager when on the program about this, but the sooner we get your request, the sooner we can make appropriate arrangements.

Your coworking space will be within walking distance of your accommodation, and will be accessible at all times. You’ll be shown where it is during orientation on your first full day in the city, and what amenities are available to you to support your learning journey with iX.

The iX Alumni Network is supported by a dedicated online platform that is rich in perks! From free asynchronous learning courses to the alumni database that connects you to other former students who now work in the industry, our alumni have many ways to stay engaged. We have a dedicated internal community team that ensures that everyone who wants to continue their learning journey - and are keen to join our post-program earning opportunities too - can do so. We're always keen to keep the iX family in touch, even if life gets busy sometimes.

We cap our class sizes to ensure that every student has the opportunity to get involved and have a personalized learning experience. That being said, there may be multiple classes within your course, so the iX Abroad program varies in size, depending on the number of classes we can accommodate. It's up to the individual to make the most of what the program offers! The iX staff on the ground are always on hand to ensure that each and every student is safe, supported, and given the space to grow in their own ways.

Uncertainty is normal - and it can be a gift! We encourage exploration, especially with the knowledge that no experience is wasted. If you're unsure of what your vision for your future career looks like, don't panic - that's absolutely normal. Our advice is to request the course info packs from your iX admissions consultants and get to know what the learning outcomes are for each course, as well as examples of previous internships and teaching teams.

When making a decision, remember: you're not bound to do one thing for the rest of your life! New skills can be valuable down the line in surprising ways. Even if you do one of our courses and realize that it's not for you, that's still a valuable insight (since knowing what you do want is wonderful, but knowing what you don't want is a great second-best).

If you're struggling to make a choice, ask your admissions consultant to put you in touch with an iX alum who has done one of our courses before. Real-life insight can be very helpful when clarifying your decisions. Even if you start the program and realize that you're not interested in the field, we do allow course switches (with clear motivation) up to three days in.