Pre-Optometry and Optometry Internships Abroad
Optometry Internships for Pre-Optometry and Optometry Students
01
IMA’s pre-optometry internships take you inside a working public hospital in Mombasa, Kenya. You spend most of each weekday with the eye care team there. You see how optometrists and ophthalmologists work when time, staff and equipment are short.
Students already in optometry school join the same program as undergraduates on a pre-optometry track. Recent graduates and licensed optometrists can join too, and what you may do depends on your training. ASCO says most optometry schools see exposure to optometry as vital, and shadowing eye care teams is one way to get it.
Admission is by application and a Zoom interview. The sample schedule below shows a full program in Mombasa.
IMA was founded by two Johns Hopkins alumni, and its internship program was developed at Johns Hopkins University.
Healthcare Internship Program Philosophy
02Optometry Internships in a Hospital Eye Department
Orientation comes first. Local clinicians explain the health system, hospital routines, safety and infection control. Then your placement begins, six to eight hours a weekday, in the ophthalmology and optometry department shown on IMA’s sample schedule.
Program at a Glance
| Program at a glance | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Who can apply | Pre-optometry students, optometry students, recent graduates and licensed optometrists |
| Clinical learning | Optometry shadowing in the hospital eye department, clinical simulations and the Global Health Lecture Series |
| Beyond the hospital | Community medical clinics, health education in schools and a weekly cultural activity |
| Program length | From two weeks. Mombasa runs year-round for 2 to 12 weeks |
| Location | Mombasa, Kenya (Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital) |
| Language | English, with lessons in medical Swahili |
| Cost | From $3,995 for two weeks, plus a separate $995 program deposit. Scholarships and interest-free payment plans are available |
| Support | Hospital placement, pre-departure guidance, a gated residence, three meals a day, daily transport and staff on call 24/7 |
Discover what's included in our programs and facilities
03Clinical learning and mentorship. Hospital placement, orientation, the Global Health Lecture Series, clinical simulations and a Program Mentor.
Housing, meals and transport. A shared room in a gated program residence, three meals a day, airport transfers and private daily transport to your placement.
Preparation and support. Pre-departure guidance, $1,000,000 in travel medical insurance and staff on call 24/7 in Kenya and in the United States.
Community and culture. Weekly community outreach and a weekly cultural activity. Optional treks and safaris cost extra.
Hospital Placement
In-Country Orientation
Dedicated Clinical Mentorship
Global Health Lectures and Clinical Simulation
Gated Residence With 24/7 Security
Three Daily Meals From an In-House Chef
Airport Transfers and Daily Transport
24/7 In-Country and U.S.-Based Support
Pre-Departure Support and Flight Guidance
Travel Medical Insurance ($1,000,000 Coverage)
Weekly Community Outreach
Weekly Cultural Activities
Program offerings vary by location. For specific inquiries, please contact [email protected].
Safety, Residences and Personal Spending
04
Families usually ask about safety first, so here are the specifics. IMA’s program safety and security page has the full picture. The Parent’s Guide answers the questions families ask most.
Why Choose IMA for Your Optometry Internship Abroad?
05IMA runs supervised, ethical optometry internships that serve the host community as well as the intern. The program is the same whenever you come, but how it fits your year can change. Below, see how summer, gap year and study abroad students use it and what you take home.
IMA places optometry interns in the eye department of Mombasa’s main public hospital and in the community programs IMA runs with local partners. Your setting depends on your dates, your level of training and what the host sites can offer.
Hospital Eye Department
You follow optometrists, ophthalmologists and eye care staff in the ophthalmology and optometry department at Coast General. You watch how they examine patients and decide on care.
Community Outreach
You join IMA’s community medical clinics and health education sessions. Where IMA runs vision screenings, licensed staff lead them and decide what you may help with.
Areas of Interest
Tell IMA which areas of eye care interest you, such as pediatric eye care or low vision. What you see depends on what the host sites can offer.
Your department is confirmed in your acceptance email, and your Program Mentor builds your schedule with you.
SummerSummer Optometry Internships
IMA’s summer optometry internships for undergraduates fit between spring finals and the fall term. Applications for Summer 2027 are open now. Summer places often fill months ahead, so apply three to six months before you want to start.
Mombasa takes interns all summer, with stays of 2 to 12 weeks. Programs start every Saturday.
Most interns stay four to six weeks. A shorter stay still shows you how eye care works in a public hospital, and a longer one lets you follow more patients.
Summer optometry programs often compete with summer classes, a job or OAT study. A two- or three-week stay at the start or end of the break leaves room for both.
If you want research experience too, say so in your application. Interns can join ongoing research projects led by local medical teams, helping with data collection and literature reviews. See summer dates and fees.
Gap Year and GraduatesGap Year, Recent Graduate and Licensed Optometrist Internships
The program runs year-round, so gap year students and recent graduates can go in fall, winter or spring. Stays run from 2 to 12 weeks.
Recent optometry graduates are eligible, and licensed optometrists can join too. For licensed optometrists the program is a learning placement. It adds to your practice at home and does not replace it.
Note that you pay to attend. This is not a paid job or a funded fellowship. Pick dates that clear your exams and any job start date.
Weighing optometry as a career? IMA’s guide to optometrist pay covers what the degree leads to.
Study Abroad and CreditOptometry Study Abroad and Academic Credit
This optometry study abroad program is built around a hospital, not a classroom. Many interns have used IMA internships to meet degree requirements or earn academic credit.
Whether it counts toward your course is your university’s decision. IMA works with your school and supplies what it asks for. That can include confirmation of hours, letters that outline your duties and evaluations from site mentors.
Talk to your advisor before you enroll, so the approval is settled first. Advisors can start with IMA’s page for university and pre-health advisors.
A Typical DayA Day During Your Optometry Internship
Your day starts at the residence with breakfast from the in-house chef. A private program vehicle takes you to the hospital. Most interns are at their placement from about 8 AM to 4 PM.
You spend six to eight hours with the eye care team. You follow the clinicians, watch eye examinations and consultations and note questions for your mentor. In the afternoon you may attend a lecture, help at a community clinic or teach a hygiene lesson.
Evenings are for dinner at the residence and time with other interns. Weekends are free for treks or extra hospital time.
Keep notes as you go. Record dates, settings, who supervised you and what you learned, but leave out anything that could identify a patient.
Certificates and HoursCertificates, Shadowing Hours and Optometry School Applications
Every intern who completes the program receives a certificate of completion. Interns who show professionalism and commitment can request a letter of recommendation. Licensed healthcare professionals or senior IMA mentors write those letters.
IMA’s records list your role, shifts and total hours, validated by its U.S.-based Medical Director. Each optometry school decides how to count them.
ASCO, the association of schools and colleges of optometry, says most schools see exposure to optometry as vital. It advises applicants to get to know at least one optometrist and see what optometrists do.
The OptomCAS application lists shadowing as its own experience type, with a supervisor schools can contact. Admissions rules differ by school, so check each one before you go and tell your Program Mentor.
Support continues after you fly home. Alumni get help with graduate school applications, letters of recommendation and choosing programs. IMA alumni come from more than 1,250 universities.
Hear From Our Alumni
Don’t just take our word for it—listen to the experiences of our past healthcare and pre-health interns. Our alumni have pursued successful careers, using the skills and knowledge gained during their internships to make meaningful contributions to their communities.
Here are some of our alumni's success stories:
Tyra Dennis
East Africa [Mombasa, Kenya]
Kayla McBride
East Africa [Mombasa, Kenya]
Grace Munoz
East Africa [Mombasa, Kenya]
Ija Mumford
East Africa [Mombasa, Kenya]
Alumni Experiences & Testimonials
Five words. That’s it. The ultimate definition of short and sweet. At the end of each week during debriefing, we were asked to present the group with five words that encompassed our experience in our respective departments. Every Friday, this…
Optometry Internships Abroad in Kenya: Location and Fees
07IMA’s optometry internships abroad run in one city: Mombasa, on the coast of Kenya. The program has published dates and fees.
Where You Go
| Country | City | Main teaching hospital | Language on the wards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya | Mombasa | Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital | English, with daily medical Swahili lessons |
Mombasa is IMA’s largest and longest-running site, and the program runs in English, with daily medical Swahili lessons in clinical conversation and terminology. Interns train at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenya’s second-largest public hospital, with 750 beds.
The hospital serves more than six million people in Kenya’s coastal region. Expect a busy, under-resourced setting where you learn a lot by watching how eye care teams adapt.
Program Fees
These are IMA’s published program fees in U.S. dollars. The third column adds the separate $995 program deposit to the two-week fee. Prices checked September 21, 2026.
| Location | 2 Weeks | 2 Weeks Plus $995 Deposit | 4 Weeks | 6 Weeks | 8 Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mombasa, Kenya | $3,995 | $4,990 | $4,995 | $6,395 | $7,895 |
Every program fee is exclusive of the separate $995 program deposit. The deposit covers screening and processing, your housing reservation, confirmation of your hospital placement and your pre-departure materials.
Fees for other lengths of stay are on the program dates and fees page.
The fee does not include international airfare, vaccinations, malaria prophylaxis, visa or entry costs or travel outside the program. Optional laundry, the required IMA-branded scrubs and personal spending money are also extra.
IMA offers flexible, interest-free payment plans, and Program Mentors give specific guidance on the plans available for your program dates. IMA also offers need-based and merit-based scholarships. It points interns to outside scholarships, fundraising sites such as GoFundMe and FundMyTravel and financing through Uplift.
Considering another healthcare field? This program is one of IMA’s medical internships abroad, listed below. Students still deciding between optometry and medicine can compare the pre-med internship and the pre-PA internship.
Students still in high school can join IMA’s healthcare internships for high school students.
A comprehensive program designed for undergraduate students aiming to enter medical school. Interns gain exposure to various medical fields, participate in clinical rounds, attend lectures, and engage in community health initiatives.
Tailored for students aspiring to become physician assistants, this internship provides clinical experience across multiple fields, including primary care, emergency medicine, and surgery. Interns work under the guidance of experienced PAs and physicians.
This program offers nursing students and pre-nursing students the chance to work in diverse healthcare settings, gaining hands-on experience in patient care, medical procedures, and community health projects. Interns are mentored by experienced nurses and healthcare professionals.
Designed for students and professionals in dietetics and nutrition, this internship involves working with dietitians in hospitals and clinics to promote community health through nutrition education, dietary planning, and public health initiatives.
This program is aimed at students and professionals in occupational therapy, providing hands-on experience in helping patients recover and improve their ability to perform daily activities. Interns work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and community health settings.
Interns in this program work alongside physical therapists to assist patients in recovering from injuries and improving mobility. The internship includes clinical rotations, rehabilitation programs, and community health projects.
Focused on psychology, psychiatry, and social work, this internship allows students to work in mental health clinics, hospitals, and community health centers, providing support and treatment to individuals with mental health issues.
This program offers pre-CRNA students, graduate nurse anesthesia students, and licensed CRNAs the chance to work in anesthesia departments in hospitals, gaining hands-on experience in anesthesia administration and patient monitoring.
This program provides students and professionals in radiologic technology with experience in medical imaging, including X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. Interns work in hospitals and imaging centers, gaining practical skills in diagnostic imaging.
Aimed at pre-chiropractic students, chiropractic students, and licensed chiropractors, this program offers hands-on experience in chiropractic care, including spinal adjustments, patient consultations, and community health initiatives.
This program is designed for pre-midwifery students, graduate midwifery students, and licensed midwives/nurse-midwives. Interns work in bustling international healthcare environments, providing prenatal care, managing labor and delivery, and addressing postpartum issues under the mentorship of experienced midwives and healthcare professionals. Interns also participate in public health education and community health initiatives, focusing on improving maternal and child health outcomes.
Consult
Program Fees
The Program Fee covers accommodations, meals, in-country transportation, hospital shadowing, and cultural immersion activities. It does not include international airfare, visa fees, or personal expenses. Review the location and duration options below to determine the best fit for you.
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Preparing for Your Optometry Internship Abroad
Pre-optometry students, optometry students, recent graduates and licensed optometrists can apply. Admission is by application and interview.
Your application includes:
- The online form with short written responses
- A current resume or CV
- Unofficial transcripts
You need English proficiency, and the program is open to citizens of every country. There is no set minimum GPA. Clinical experience helps but is not required for undergraduates.
Two weeks in Mombasa costs $3,995, plus a separate $995 program deposit. Fees rise with the length of your stay.
IMA offers flexible, interest-free payment plans, and Program Mentors give specific guidance on the plans available for your program dates. IMA also offers need-based and merit-based scholarships.
Every intern needs a Kenya entry visa, which IMA processes once your flights are booked.
The program runs year-round in Mombasa, Kenya, for stays of 2 to 12 weeks, in English.
Submit personal details, resume, unofficial transcripts, and written responses online.
Participate in a one-hour interview to assess suitability.
Receive a decision within two weeks, completing the admissions process.
Apply Now
OPEN FOR 2027IMA reviews applications for its optometry internships as they arrive, and places often fill months ahead. Start with the online form.
Optometry Internship FAQs
International Medical Aid Internship Opportunity
International Medical Aid provides an exceptional opportunity for students pursuing healthcare and pre-med internships abroad. By offering hands-on clinical experience, cultural competency, and exposure to global health and healthcare policy, IMA sets its interns apart as competitive and well-rounded medical school candidates.
We encourage students to apply or contact us with any questions they may have about the program. With a commitment to safety, cultural immersion, and academic excellence, IMA offers an unparalleled opportunity for students to gain invaluable experience and make a meaningful impact in their field.
We welcome questions about our programs and respond within 24 hours.
Thank you for your request
We appreciate your interest in our program. Our team will review your message and get back to you as soon as possible. If you have any urgent questions, feel free to reach out to us directly at our contact information provided on our website.