Founded in 2013, Sage Corps’ mission is to better prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s global workforce. To that end, Sage Corps runs a leading international internship program that sends undergraduate students to work with entrepreneurs at high-impact startups worldwide. These hands-on internship roles across industries create unique opportunities for students to tackle real problems and build real solutions. Startups offer students the ability to test-drive different roles and see different aspects of a professional organization, which helps to further career exploration and future-proof professional skills.
For summer 2027, Students work individually in Lisbon, Portugal at a local startup, while being part of a broader cohort of 25-30 U.S. university students.
Before going abroad, all students complete our online Skills Academy in which students build new, hard skills to better prepare them for their internship and broader career development.
Sage Corps is an international internship program that sends university students to work with startups. We design our programs to prepare students for trending jobs. First, students spend 15+ hours completing hard skill training modules as part of our Sage Corps Skills Academy. Next, students apply these skills during internships at global startups.
Our programs help college students and recent graduates accelerate their careers, and prepare for a competitive job market in the global economy. After completing our program, students join a talented alumni community of like-minded young professionals who accept full time positions at some of the world’s top international companies and startups.
Sage Corps interns are placed individually with startup in Lisbon, Portugal. Typical tasks vary by internship role. For this specific independent abroad internship experience, our program manager will work 1-on-1 with the student to source an exciting opportunity. Some examples may include:
Sales & Business Development: Lead generation, prospect outreach, sales support, market analysis, CRM management, competitive intelligence.
Marketing: Social media management, content creation, email marketing, digital advertising, market research, analytics and reporting.
Software Development: Front-end or back-end web development, coding, debugging, software testing, and contributing to product development cycles.
UX/UI Design: User research, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, visual design support. (Portfolio required.)
Graphic Design: Visual asset creation, branding support, print and digital media production. (Portfolio required.)
Data Analytics: Data collection and cleaning, statistical analysis, data visualization, reporting.
Finance (where available): Financial projections and analysis.
All interns receive a structured workplan from their startup supervisor and contribute meaningful work over the 8-week program period.
Open to all academic disciplines and majors. Some roles may be a better fit for some majors vs. others. Examples include:
- Sales & Business Development: Business, Marketing, Economics, Communications, Liberal Arts
- Marketing: Marketing, Communications, Journalism, Psychology, Sociology, Business, Digital Media
- Software Development: Computer Science, Software Engineering, (REQUIRED: prior coding experience)
- UX/UI Design: HCI, Design, Psychology (REQUIRED: portfolio)
- Graphic Design: Graphic Design, Visual Arts (REQUIRED: portfolio)
- Data Analytics: Data Science, Statistics, Economics, Computer Science
All students should demonstrate initiative, adaptability, and comfort in a fast-paced startup environment.
Students must bring their own personal laptop computer. Software requirements vary by role (e.g., design software for UX/UI or Graphic Design tracks). Sage Corps notifies students about specific software needs upon placement, and students always have the opportunity to upskill and fill skill gaps in our online skills academy. Host startups provide workspace access but not equipment.
Estimated One-Time Expenses
The Sage Corps host site fee for the cohort program in Lisbon includes Sage Corps' online skills academy, furnished housing, cohort dinners, medical insurance, pre-departure support, advising and personalized resume review, on-site orientation, the facilitated startup internship placement, 24/7 local staff, and group activities.
*Check with your university's Global Opportunities Office for their pricing
**At time of posting visa not required for U.S. citizens completing a single-term internship
***Varies based on medical history, doctor’s recommendations, and insurance coverage
Estimated Monthly Expenses
*Rents vary depending in chosen accommodation and exchange rate
Note: Some startups may offer a small stipend (typically 300-500 euros).
Budgeting Note: Estimated costs are based on typical internship-related costs and a modest standard of living. Each intern’s costs will vary based on lifestyle choices (eating out vs. cooking, taking public transportation vs. taxis) and recreational spending (travelling on days off, hobbies, etc.).
Sage Corps will either provide interns with room and board as part of the host site fee or assist students in identifying furnished short-term housing in the program city prior to arrival.
"I had a great time in Portugal, both in the internship and with my cohort. I would strongly recommend anyone who had the means to test-run working abroad, as I think it's an unforgettable experience and something that's a lot harder after college."
Elena E. | Sage Corps Alumn
"The people I was competing with for the jobs had other summer internships too, but working for a startup abroad was super interesting to everyone that I interviewed with."
Maggie E. | Sage Corps Alumn
Summer:
- Professional communication in a multicultural workplace
- Critical thinking and problem-solving
- Cross-functional collaboration and project management
- Cultural agility and global business acumen
- Industry-specific technical skills (by track)
- Resume building and interview preparation
- AI skills and tools