To apply for pre-nursing internships, confirm you are eligible, gather a resume and unofficial transcripts, write short answers about your goals and prepare for an interview. At IMA the process has three steps, an online application, a one-hour Zoom interview and a decision, and it usually takes about 4 to 6 weeks from start to finish.
Starting early matters because summer and winter places often fill months ahead. If you have not yet decided what a placement should look like, read what to expect during a pre-nursing internship first, then come back to this guide to plan the application itself.
Why Nursing Internships Matter in 2026
Nursing is built on compassion, judgment and skill, and it remains one of the largest professions in health care. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses held about 3,465,400 jobs in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 180,800 openings each year. The same BLS page reports a median annual wage of $97,550 for registered nurses in May 2025.
The need is global as well. The World Health Organization counts 29.8 million nurses worldwide in 2023, up from 27.9 million in 2018, and projects a shortage of 4.1 million nurses by 2030 if current trends continue. About 70% of that projected shortage falls in WHO’s African and Eastern Mediterranean regions.
Classroom learning gives you the foundation for this career. Supervised time on a hospital ward shows you what the work actually involves: how nurses assess, prioritize, communicate and teach. A well-structured internship gives you that view early, while you still have time to decide whether nursing fits and which areas of nursing interest you most.
Whether you are taking prerequisites for a nursing program or are already enrolled in one, an internship can give you clinical exposure, cultural awareness and professional relationships that help you stand out when you apply to nursing school or for your first role.
The Demand for Nurses and the Competition for Seats
Strong demand for nurses does not make getting into nursing school easy. AACN reported in May 2026 that enrollment in BSN programs rose 7.6%, or 19,830 students, bringing entry-level BSN enrollment to 283,303. In 2025, 93,176 qualified applications were not accepted, and AACN names insufficient clinical placement sites as the primary barrier.
For you, that means two things. Opportunities in nursing are real, and competition for the strongest programs and first positions is intense. Admissions committees want evidence that you understand the profession, not only that you have good grades. A structured internship gives you concrete experiences to describe, people who have watched you learn, and a clearer answer to the question every interviewer asks: why nursing?
The Global Nursing Shortage and Why Location Matters
The WHO’s State of the World’s Nursing 2025 findings describe a workforce that is growing but unevenly spread. The global shortage fell from 6.2 million in 2020 to 5.8 million in 2023, yet about 78% of the world’s nurses work in countries that hold just 49% of the global population.
That imbalance is why IMA places nursing interns in Mombasa, Kenya and Cusco, Peru. These are teaching hospitals in regions where nurses carry heavy workloads and where supervised visitors can learn a great deal without taking anything away from patients. Watching nurses work within real constraints shows you how assessment, prioritization and teamwork function when resources are limited, and that perspective stays with you wherever you practice later.
How IMA Structures Its Nursing Internships
Global Learning Environments
IMA’s nursing program runs in two cities. In Mombasa you join Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, which has an emergency ward, an ICU, operating theaters and a maternity theater. In Cusco you join Hospital Nacional Adolfo Guevara Velasco, a 250-bed teaching and referral hospital whose services include internal medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN and geriatrics.
Orientation comes first. Nurses and other local clinicians explain the health system, hospital routines, safety and infection control. Then rotations begin, usually one unit a week, for six to eight hours a weekday. Most days run from about 8 AM to 4 PM, and an optional night shift once a week may be possible.
What You Do on the Wards
Pre-nursing students mainly observe. You shadow nurses as they assess patients, give medications, plan care and teach families. Where the unit allows it, you may help with simple, non-invasive tasks such as recording vital signs, with a nurse supervising you. Nursing students work only within the scope their own program has trained them for, and for licensed nurses the role is educational and observational.
Outside the hospital you attend the Global Health Lecture Series, practice clinical scenarios in simulation sessions, help run community medical clinics and teach health education sessions in local schools. Patient education is a core nursing skill, and these sessions give you practice with it.
Mentorship and Guidance
You are matched with a Program Mentor before you leave home, and your mentor sets your rotation schedule with you and checks in often. On site, a program coordinator handles daily life, and licensed nurses and other clinicians guide you on the wards. Mentorship is not only about clinical knowledge; it is also where you build professional confidence and learn how experienced nurses think through ethical questions. Students who want to understand how international nursing internships benefit their careers usually find that this relationship is the part they value most.
Housing, Safety and Support Abroad
A common concern for students and their families is daily life during a placement. Interns share a program residence inside a gated community with security staff on site around the clock. Private program vehicles take you to the hospital, and IMA advises against public transport. Staff are on call 24/7, and post-exposure prophylaxis is available right away if you are exposed to an infectious disease on the ward. For a closer look, our overview of how housing and support systems shape your learning abroad covers the details.
Types of Nursing Internships IMA Offers
Summer Nursing Internships
Summer placements fit between spring finals and the fall term. Kenya takes interns all summer for stays of 2 to 12 weeks, and Cusco runs fixed summer sessions of two, three and four weeks. Most interns stay four to six weeks. Two weeks covers two units, and four weeks or more lets you see several. If summer does not fit your schedule, our guide to fall and winter internship timing explains how other breaks can work.
Extended and Year-Round Placements
The Kenya program runs year-round, so gap year students and recent graduates can go in fall, winter or spring for 2 to 12 weeks. A longer stay means more units, more time with the same mentors and a better chance to spend time in an area that matches your interests, such as pediatrics, maternity or critical care, where the hospital offers it.
Specialty Exposure
Nursing has many specialties. Nursing areas across IMA’s partner hospitals include medical-surgical nursing, pediatrics, obstetrics, critical care and community health. You list the units you prefer on your enrollment form, and your placement depends on the hospital, the cohort and your level of training. Early exposure to several areas can help you decide which specialty to pursue.
Who Should Apply
IMA’s nursing internships are open to:
- Pre-nursing students completing prerequisite coursework
- Undergraduates planning to apply to nursing programs
- Current nursing students who want more clinical exposure
- Recent nursing graduates
- Licensed nurses, including registered nurses, nurse practitioners and licensed practical or vocational nurses
There are no citizenship or residency requirements, and IMA sets no minimum GPA. You need English proficiency, and Cusco also needs at least two years of Spanish study. Clinical experience helps but is not required for undergraduates. High school students apply to IMA’s separate high school program.
Successful applicants are adaptable, curious and ready to learn under supervision. They understand that a nursing internship is not only a line on a resume; it is a chance to see how nurses care for patients in a different health system and to grow into a more thoughtful professional.
How to Apply: The Application Process Step by Step
IMA reviews nursing applications as they arrive and fills places in order, so there is no fixed deadline. Here is how the process works.
| Step | What you do | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Online application | Submit personal details, a current resume or CV, unofficial transcripts and short written responses | Any time; applications are reviewed as they arrive |
| 2. Zoom interview | If selected, join a one-hour interview about your goals and readiness | Usually within two weeks of applying |
| 3. Decision | Receive the admissions decision | Within two weeks of the interview |
| 4. Preparation | Work with your Program Mentor on pre-departure materials | After acceptance |
The whole admissions process usually takes about four to six weeks. Because summer and winter sessions often fill months ahead, apply three to six months before you want to start. Our guide to planning ahead for a pre-med internship abroad explains timing in more detail, and the same advice applies to nursing.
Your Admissions Checklist
Use this list to get your application ready before you open the form.
| Item | Ready? | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility confirmed | Pre-nursing, nursing student, recent graduate or licensed nurse | High school students use IMA’s separate program |
| Current resume or CV | Lists coursework, work, volunteering and any clinical exposure | One page is enough for most undergraduates |
| Unofficial transcripts | From each college you have attended | No minimum GPA is set |
| Short written responses | Specific goals tied to units or skills | Draft them offline first and ask someone to read them |
| Language readiness | English for Mombasa; two years of Spanish study for Cusco | Be honest about your level in the interview |
| Preferred dates and length | Two weeks or longer; most interns stay four to six weeks | Apply three to six months ahead |
| Advisor conversation | Credit, hours and timing questions answered | Get any school approval in writing |
| Interview preparation | Examples of how you learn, adapt and accept limits | Practice explaining why nursing, out loud |
What Strong Written Responses Look Like
Your short answers are where the reviewers meet you. Strong responses are specific. Instead of writing that you “love helping people,” describe the moment that made nursing real for you: a family member’s hospital stay, a volunteer shift, a class that changed how you think about care. Then explain what you hope to learn on the wards.
Here is an example of a learning goal that works well, followed by why it works.
| Response | Why it works |
|---|---|
| “I want to understand how nurses on a busy pediatric ward decide which child needs attention first, and how they explain those decisions to worried parents.” | It names a unit, a nursing skill (prioritization) and a communication skill, and it is something an observer can actually learn |
| “I want to make a difference for patients abroad.” | Too broad, and it implies a role a pre-nursing observer does not have |
Preparing for the Interview
The interview is a conversation about your goals and your readiness to learn under supervision. Be ready to explain why you want a placement abroad, what you hope to observe, how you handle unfamiliar situations and how you will respond when you are asked to step back. Interviewers listen for curiosity, humility and an accurate understanding of the observer’s role.
After You Are Accepted
Once you are accepted, IMA assigns your Program Mentor and sends pre-departure materials on vaccinations, visas, travel documents and insurance. Every intern in Kenya needs an entry visa, which IMA processes once your flights are booked. For Peru, citizens of the U.S., Canada and most European countries need no visa for stays under 180 days. Ask your own clinician or a travel medicine clinic about vaccines, and check the CDC’s travel health guidance for Kenya or Peru before you go.
Global Destinations
One of the most valuable parts of an IMA internship is the setting. Here is how the two sites compare.
| Mombasa, Kenya | Cusco, Peru | |
|---|---|---|
| Main hospital | Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital | Hospital Nacional Adolfo Guevara Velasco, 250 beds |
| Language on the wards | English, with daily medical Swahili lessons | Spanish; at least two years of study required |
| Schedule | Year-round, 2 to 12 weeks | Fixed summer and winter sessions, 2 to 4 weeks |
| Notable units | Emergency ward, ICU, operating theaters, maternity theater | Internal medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN, geriatrics |
Both settings ask you to adapt and to learn from nurses whose resources and patient loads differ from what you may be used to. That is exactly why they teach so much. You can compare both sites and plan your timing on the program dates page.
Benefits of a Nursing Internship With IMA
Academic Advantages
Students often draw on their internship for capstone projects, research papers and nursing school essays. Every intern who completes the program receives a certificate of completion, and IMA’s records list your role, shifts and total hours, validated by its U.S.-based Medical Director. Each nursing program decides how to count those hours, so check before you apply. Academic credit is your own school’s decision, and no program can guarantee admission to nursing school.
Professional Development
A nursing internship gives you specific stories about teamwork, communication and patient care that you can use in applications and interviews. Interns who want research experience can also join ongoing research projects led by local medical teams, helping with data collection and literature reviews. Say so in your application if that interests you.
Personal Growth
Living and learning abroad builds independence, problem-solving and cultural awareness. You return home with a clearer sense of the nurse you want to become and more confidence in unfamiliar situations. For a broader view, see our article on the value of study abroad for pre-health students.
Letters of Recommendation and References
Interns who show professionalism and commitment can request a letter of recommendation, written by licensed healthcare professionals or senior IMA mentors. A mentor who watched you learn in a demanding setting can describe your attitude and growth in ways a lecturer cannot. Our guide on how to request letters after an internship explains how to ask, and the advice applies at every level. Support continues after you fly home: alumni get help with nursing school applications, letters of recommendation and choosing programs.
The Advanced Practice Pathway: Why Early Experience Matters
Many students who begin with a pre-nursing internship later pursue advanced practice roles such as nurse practitioner, nurse midwife or nurse anesthetist. According to the BLS, these three roles together held about 399,000 jobs in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 36% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average.
For students early in their education, that long runway means the exposure you pursue now, the mentors you learn from and the settings you see all shape later choices. A structured internship does not replace the academic and clinical requirements of an advanced practice program, and IMA does not guarantee admission to any program. What it gives you is real material to reflect on and a better sense of which kind of nursing draws you.
Nursing Workforce Trends Students Should Understand
Good career decisions start with an accurate picture of the profession. These trends from the WHO’s 2025 nursing findings are worth knowing as you plan.
The workforce is young but turning over. Worldwide, 33% of nurses are under 35, while 19% are expected to retire in the next ten years. In 20 countries, most of them high-income, retirements are expected to outpace new entrants.
Nursing is still mostly women. Women make up 85% of the global nursing workforce, so support, retention and safety for women in health care shape the profession everywhere.
Nurses move across borders. One in seven nurses worldwide, and 23% in high-income countries, are foreign-born. That mobility affects staffing in the countries nurses leave as well as the countries they join, and it is one reason why nursing in Kenya and Peru looks different from nursing in the United States.
Domestic training capacity is the bottleneck. As the AACN figures above show, interest in nursing is rising faster than schools can find clinical placements. Early, well-documented clinical exposure is one way to show admissions committees that you understand the work.
Challenges and How to Prepare for Them
The rewards of an international nursing internship are real, and so are the challenges. These programs are not sightseeing trips. They place you in hospitals and communities where resources may be limited, cultural norms may differ from yours and expectations for professionalism are high. Preparing for the challenges is what lets you learn from them.
Financial Planning
One of the first considerations for prospective interns is cost. Program fees, international flights and visa expenses are each student’s responsibility, and current fees for each site and session length are on IMA’s program dates and fees page. That can feel like a lot, so treat it as an investment in your professional development and plan it early.
Many interns offset expenses through fundraising campaigns, scholarships or university-sponsored grants. IMA also offers guidance on budgeting and suggestions for financial aid opportunities, so ask the admissions team what is available. Planning ahead lets you focus on learning rather than on financial stress once you are abroad.
Planning Your Time and Logistics
Start by deciding when you can go and for how long, then work backward. Leave time for the four-to-six-week admissions process, passport and visa steps, a travel health appointment and any coursework you need to finish first. IMA’s U.S. team can help you choose flights, and your Program Mentor walks you through pre-departure materials once you are accepted.
Working Across Cultural and Language Differences
Adapting to a new culture is often the biggest adjustment. Local customs around family involvement, communication and decision-making may differ from what you know. Every IMA program includes clinical lessons in the local language: medical Swahili in Mombasa, and in Cusco the wards run in Spanish and you may pick up some Quechua. Patience, humility and a willingness to ask are what carry you through.
Adjusting to Resource-Limited Settings
You may see wards with limited supplies, older equipment and high patient-to-nurse ratios. That can be hard to watch, and it is also one of the most valuable things you will learn. Pay attention to how nurses prioritize, improvise safely and rely on careful assessment. With WHO projecting most of the remaining nursing shortage in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean, these conditions are the daily reality for millions of patients and the nurses who care for them.
Health and Safety
Vaccinations, travel health advice and attention to local guidance matter. IMA provides a secure residence, private transport and staff on call around the clock, and travel medical insurance is part of every program. Parents and family members who want the full picture can find answers in our guide to what parents ask most about medical programs abroad.
Emotional Preparedness
You may meet patients with severe illness or conditions that are rarely seen at home. These encounters can be difficult, and they also build empathy and purpose. Use your mentor check-ins and debriefs to talk through what you saw, and keep notes that leave out anything that could identify a patient.
Why Preparation Pays Off
Students who prepare as seriously as they commit arrive ready to absorb, contribute appropriately and grow. The challenges they worried about often become the moments that shape them most.
How to Decide if an International Nursing Internship Is Right for You
Not every student needs an international internship, and not every student is ready at the same point. Ask yourself these questions before you apply.
Where Are You in Your Education?
Students who have completed some anatomy, physiology or introductory nursing coursework often get more out of a placement. Pre-nursing students earlier in their studies still benefit, especially when the goal is to confirm that nursing is the right career before committing further.
What Do You Want to Learn?
A placement is most valuable when you arrive with specific goals. Do you want to see how community health education works in a low-resource setting, or how nurses manage a busy emergency ward? Clear goals lead to better questions, better conversations with mentors and better material for your applications.
Can You Handle Discomfort?
This is about flexibility, not toughness. You will meet situations where you do not know the answer, cannot communicate easily or see care that looks different from your textbook. If you respond to uncertainty with curiosity, you are likely a good fit.
Have You Spoken With Your Advisor?
Your pre-nursing or nursing advisor can help you fit an internship into your academic plan, your application timeline and your clinical hours strategy, and can tell you whether your school will consider credit. Talk to your advisor before you enroll so any approval is settled first.
What an IMA Nursing Internship Does Not Include
It is worth being clear about limits. An IMA nursing internship does not guarantee academic credit, a set number of hours that every school will accept, or admission to any nursing school, graduate program or employer. Interns do not practice independently, and they do not perform procedures outside their scope. It is a learning program, not a job placement or a route to nursing work abroad.
What it does provide is structured, supervised exposure in two teaching hospitals, mentorship from experienced professionals and a cross-cultural experience that strengthens both your application materials and your readiness for the profession.
Your Next Steps
The profession needs nurses who are clinically sound, culturally aware and ready for complexity. If you are building toward a nursing career, start with eligibility, gather your resume and transcripts, draft specific answers about what you want to learn and apply three to six months before your preferred dates. To compare options before you commit, read our guide to choosing a nursing internship abroad.
When you are ready, explore IMA’s nursing internships abroad for full details on locations, schedules and the application form.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Apply for a Pre-Nursing Internship With IMA?
Complete the online application with your resume, unofficial transcripts and short written responses. If you are selected, you join a one-hour Zoom interview, usually within two weeks, and receive a decision within two weeks of the interview.
Is There a Deadline for Nursing Internship Applications?
There is no fixed deadline. IMA reviews applications as they arrive and fills places in order. Summer and winter sessions often fill months ahead, so apply three to six months before you want to start.
Do I Need a Minimum GPA or Clinical Experience?
No. IMA sets no minimum GPA, and clinical experience helps but is not required for undergraduates. You need English proficiency, and Cusco also requires at least two years of Spanish study.
Can Licensed Nurses Apply?
Yes. IMA works with registered nurses, nurse practitioners and licensed practical or vocational nurses. For licensed nurses the role is educational and observational, and it adds to your practice at home rather than replacing it.
What Will I Do During the Internship?
Pre-nursing students mainly observe nurses on the wards and may help with simple, non-invasive tasks such as recording vital signs where the unit allows, always under supervision. You also attend lectures and simulations and help at community clinics.
Will My Internship Hours Count Toward Nursing School?
IMA logs your hours by date, unit and shift, and its U.S.-based Medical Director validates the record. Each nursing program decides how to count those hours, and academic credit is your own school’s decision, so check before you apply.
How Long Should a Pre-Nursing Internship Be?
Stays start at two weeks. Kenya runs year-round for 2 to 12 weeks, and Cusco runs fixed sessions of two to four weeks. Most interns stay four to six weeks, which lets you see several units.
Do I Need a Visa?
Every intern in Kenya needs an entry visa, which IMA processes once your flights are booked. Citizens of the U.S., Canada and most European countries need no visa for stays in Peru under 180 days.
