About Internships
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An internship is a fixed period of work experience with a company or organization that a student will undertake during their course of study at college, often linked to their major and/or future career plans. Internships give students a chance to further their understanding about the industries and organizations that interest them as well as answering several questions, such as 'I wonder what working life is like?', 'How can I apply what I have learned at university in the workplace?' and 'Is this the job for me?'. Internships can really make a difference when it comes to shaping the future vision of a student.
Participating in internships (academic credit not guaranteed!)
Internships may be registered as academic courses in APU as students are furthering their learning and building their careers through these experiences. However, we often hear comments from students stating, “If I can’t get course credit, then I won’t participate in internships.” That is not the point of internships. Participating in internships is not a replacement for classes at APU. Internships are professional experiences with companies/organizations that allow you to build your career before you graduate! Through internships, students gain critical experiences, learning and understanding to further develop their studies as students.
In addition, in order to register your internship as an academic course to receive credit, there are necessary requirements that you need to fulfill. Therefore, you may not necessarily be able to receive credits each time that you register. It’s crucial that you understand the basic requirements of registering for course credit beforehand (for details, please refer to the webpage About Internship Course Registration).
Types of Internships
At APU, internships are divided into two types, 'Contract-type Internships' which are provided as part of a collaboration between APU and companies/organizations, and 'Independently-arranged Internships' where students search, apply for and arrange the internship by themselves. For both types of internships, students may register for and receive course credits upon meeting all the requirements.
Contract-type Internships
Contract-type internships are internships at companies/organizations that have partnered with APU to specifically recruit APU students as interns. These internships were designed with the goal of providing students with practical opportunities to make use of what they learned in the classroom.
Students who wish to take part in this program can apply through the university during specific application periods. This can be a good opportunity for students who are new to doing internships or would like to gain experience at companies/organizations particularly interested in APU students.
GAIA (GlobaAl Internship with Alumni)
GAIA is a unique type of contract-type internship program where students can gain hands on experience while working alongside APU alumni inside and outside of Japan. The purpose of this program is for students to:
- 1. Connect with alumni and build their network
- 2. Gain role models for planning their career
- 3. Apply knowledge gained to their school life and post-graduation career
The application requirements and process for GAIA is the same as for other contract-type internships. For details, please refer to the webpage "Contract-type Internships".
Past GAIA Presentations
2025 Spring Internships (AY 2024)
| Host Institution | Participants’ experiences |
|---|---|
| Wakabakai (J) | Group Presentation |
| Invescore (E) | Group Presentation |
| ANA Crowne Plaza Kobe (J) | Group Presentation |
| Camcom (J) | Individual Presentation 1 Individual Presentation 2 |
| PT Ikuzo Indonesia (J) | Individual Presentation 1 Individual Presentation 2 |
| Monova (J) | Individual Presentation 1 Individual Presentation 2 |
| Shift Energy (E) | Individual Presentation |
Independently arranged Internships
“Independently arranged Internships” are internships in which companies and organizations directly recruit and select candidates, and students directly apply for positions. In these internships, the university is not the point of contact. For details, please refer to the webpage "Independently-arranged type Internships".
Comparison between Contract-type and Independently-arranged Internships
| Contract-type Internships | Independently-arranged Internships | |
|---|---|---|
| Application Method | Through APU | Through the host institution |
| Screening Process | Both APU and the host institution screen applicants | Only the host institution screens applicants |
| Internship Period | Semester Breaks (February-March, August-September) | Depends on the host institution |
| Internship Length | 1 week ~ 1.5 months (at least 40 hours) | Depends on the host institution |
| Eligible for course credits | Yes (see "About Internship Course Registration" for details) | Yes (see "About Internship Course Registration" for details) |
Internships in Japan
In terms of the job-hunting schedule in Japan, internships are primarily for students in their third year. While participating in a company’s internship does not guarantee a job offer from the company, many companies, especially in the consulting industry, heavily favor job applicants who have done internships with them. Companies in Japan are gradually starting their hiring processes even earlier than usual, and as part of this change, some offer internships directly linked to employment (採用直結型インターンシップ).
There are 4 types of activities offered by companies in Japan that support students career development. Types 3 and 4 are considered internships as per the revision of the "Basic Approach to the Promotion of Internships and Other Career Development Support Initiatives for Students (MEXT, MHLW, METI) ("Three Ministries' Agreement")" (revised on June 13, 2022) which redefined the types of industry-university collaborative initiatives in career development support for students.
Promotion of Internships at Universities: MEXT (Japanese only)
| Comparison | Type 1: Open Company |
Type 2: Career Education |
Type 3: General Knowledge/Specialized Skills Internship |
Type 4: Highly Specialized Internship (Graduate Students) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Examples (not limited to these cases) |
Information sessions or events held by companies, organizations, or universities | Programs offered through classes or by companies | Hands-on experience in the workplace | Hands-on experience requiring specialized skills |
| Work Experience Available | None | Optional | Yes | Yes |
| Length | Brief (usually 1 day) | Depends on program | General Knowledge Type: 5+ days Specialized Skills Type: 2+ weeks |
2+ months |
| Target | Open to all students | Open to all students | Undergraduate: 3~4th-year students Master's: 1~2nd-year students |
Master's/PhD students |
| Connection to Employment Screening | None | None | Depends | Depends |
Internships at Japanese Government Institutions
Japanese only
