Frequently Asked Questions

what if I'm interested in internships in the fields of STEM, Finance, Law, and Medicine?

Birthright Israel Onward applicants interested in interning in one of the following internship fields – STEM, Finance, Law, and Medicine – must meet the following criteria:

The applicant must be in their sophomore year of studies or beyond while applying for the Onward program.

The applicant must have prior exposure to the field outside of academic studies.

Prior professional experience/internship experience in the specific field of interest is desirable but not required*.

*Applicants interested in an internship in the legal field must demonstrate internship and/or work experience related to the field

The applicant must have completed at least 4 courses relevant to the internship field of interest or be enrolled in said courses that will be completed by the time the Onward program begins.

If the applicant is applying for a computer science or computer engineering internship, they must meet the criteria above AND must be proficient in at least in one computer programming language.

Applicants meeting all criteria have the strongest chance of securing an internship in the desired field

Applicants meeting two or fewer criteria:

Theme Based Programs: Applicants can be waitlisted or can be transitioned to a different Theme Based Program depending on availability

Hillel/Community Programs: Applicants will need to take under consideration that it is unlikely that an internship match will be made in their desired field or a related field if they do not meet the above criteria based on available internships and the applicants skills and experience and should therefore seek internships in other fields.

When will I know what my internship placement is?

Birthright Israel Onward cannot guarantee a specific date by which participants will know their internship placement. Due to our individualized matching process and the laid-back Israeli workplace culture, participants may often find out about their placement shortly before arriving in Israel. We understand that this uncertainty can cause anxiety in the weeks leading up to the program. Rest assured, while our goal is to place participants as early as possible, this timing is normal. Except for very specific circumstances, participants will arrive in Israel knowing where they will be interning.

Can I find my own internship placement?

Participants are welcome to be in touch with their Internship Coordinator with any ideas, including connections to internships through their personal networks. All internship placements need to be vetted by your Internship Coordinator before being confirmed.

Will I be paid for my internship?

No, participants on Onward programs are not permitted to be paid by their internship employer during the program. If you wish to continue working for your employer (with or without pay) after your Onward program concludes, please be in touch with them directly.

Do I need to speak Hebrew?

No, prior knowledge of Hebrew is not a requirement to participate in Birthright Israel Onward programs.

If I do not like my internship, can I change it?

After starting your internship, your internship coordinator will check in to see how your experience is going. If you are unsatisfied with the placement, the first step will be to address the issues within your current placement. If the issues persist your placement coordinator can work with you to find a new placement.

How does the internship placement process work?

The process begins by selecting an Onward Israel program that you are eligible for and applying through the application form (available on the webpage for the Onward program in which you are eligible for). Applicants can use the program finder on the home page to determine which specific Israel program they are eligible for based on which community or campus they are from. Applicants should read the general criteria listed on each program webpage as well.

Once an applicant submits their application form, and based on a preliminary eligibility check, the local partner to Onward (the local community or organization that is a co-sponsor of the program) or an Onward staff member or alumnus, will arrange a preliminary interview with the applicant.

After an applicant completes this stage, the Israel-based program organizer will contact them to conduct a secondary interview, typically with the internship coordinator for the specific program they have applied for. The goal of this second– round interview is for the coordinator to assess whether or not they feel they will be able to find the participant a placement in your first, second or third choice field of interest within reason.

After the second– round interview, a final decision is made regarding the applicant’s acceptance to the program. If the applicant is accepted, they will receive an acceptance letter detailing out how to register, most often, beginning with submitting their program fee and a copy of their passport or proof of having started the passport renewal process. Only after the program fee is paid, can the participant internship placement process begin. *NOTE: While we understand it can be nerve-wrecking to pay for the program without knowing where the internship will be, it is Onward’s policy to see the seriousness of our participants by accepting payment prior to sending resumes out to potential employers. As a reminder, while Onward can never make guarantees about specific internship placements, our coordinators interview applicants to assess how likely it is they feel they will be able to place the applicant. The ability of the internship coordinator to place an applicant also depends on the participant’s willingness to be open and flexible.

The placement process varies slightly with each program, but the goal is always that participants work with their internship coordinators to receive internship options based on the participant’s specific interests and the coordinator will help facilitate a match with an employer. Once a mutually desired placement is arranged, an additional interview is conducted between the employer and the participant to ensure it will be a good fit for both. After this interview a final decision about your placement will be made.

Do certain fields of interest require pre-requisites?

Birthright Israel Onward applicants interested in interning in the fields of STEM, Finance, Law, and Medicine – must meet the following criteria:

The applicant must be in their second year of university studies or beyond while applying for the Onward program
The applicant must have prior exposure to the field outside of academic studies
Prior professional experience/internship experience in the specific field of interest is desirable but not required. Applicants interested in a law internship must have prior law-related internship and/or work experience
The applicant must have completed at least 4 courses relevant to the internship field of interest by the start date of their Birthright Israel Onward program
If the applicant is applying for a computer science or engineering internship, they must meet the criteria above AND must be proficient in at least one computer programming language

Applicants meeting all criteria have the strongest chance of securing an internship in their desired field. Applicants meeting two or fewer criteria should take into consideration that it is unlikely an internship match will be made in their desired field and should seek internships in other fields.

What field/industry can my internship placement be in?

Last summer, Onward participants worked for over 1,000 employers in Israel in a variety of fields. While we can never guarantee a specific internship placement or field, we make every effort to find the best match for each individual given a variety of factors including but not limited to:

1. What field they are interested in (some fields require pre-requisites)

2. Their past coursework and relevant work experience

3. The availability of placements in the city the program is based in.

We always encourage our applicants to be flexible and open-minded as they might be able to get relevant work experience for their professional goals with companies or organizations that they might not have previously imagined.