KSU Freeman Fellows Internship in Asia

KSU Freeman Fellows Application Timeline

• Application Deadline: December 1, 2025
• Acceptance Notification: you will be notified of accepted, alternate, or not selected status by December 19, 2025
• Commitment Deadline: January 10, 2026

Internship Program Application Timeline

As part of the KSU Freeman Fellows, you will be required to complete an internship in Asia during Summer 2026. You can find more information about internship program options under the "Internship Details" section on this page.

• Internship Application Deadline: January 10, 2026
• Once you are approved by Kent State to participate in your chosen internship program, you will work directly with the internship program provider to complete any necessary next steps and secure an internship. This process will take place over the course of the Spring 2026 semester.

Internship Program Dates

Program dates will vary based upon the internship program option that students select. Start dates may be as early as mid-May or as late as early July and internships must be a minimum of 6 weeks in length. You can find more information about internship program options under the "Internship Details" section on this page.

Eligibility

• Current degree-seeking undergraduate student at Kent State
• Any major
• Minimum cumulative GPA: 2.5 or higher and in good academic standing
• Must have at least one year of academic courses remaining at KSU at the conclusion of the internship abroad. Students graduating in May 2027 or later are eligible.
• Students must be willing to procure a passport to travel internationally; a visa may be needed depending upon the host country's regulations.
• Students selected for the KSU Freeman Fellows Internship in Asia program cannot use the funding for an internship in the country in which their passport was issued. 
• International students require secondary approval from the Freeman Foundation.

Interested students should click the "Apply Now" button on this page and will then login with their KSU Flashline credentials. 

There are several brief questionnaires to complete within the application, a program overview to acknowledge, and three documents to upload. Students are required to submit the following items in their online application:

• Resume
• Personal statement 
  • Introduce yourself and describe why you are applying for this program and how it aligns with your academic, personal, and future career goals.
• Service project proposal
  • KSU Freeman Fellows are expected to design a service project that will be implemented within one semester following their return to campus from the internship abroad. The service project should help to increase awareness of the KSU Freeman Fellows Internship in Asia program and to educate other KSU students on Asian cultures, customs, history, languages, etc. 
  • Students should consider their hobbies, interest areas, skill sets, and network (i.e., how you are involved on campus) when designing their service project. 
• KSU internship program preferences
  • You will list your first and second choice for internship programs in Asia. You can find more information about internship program options under the "Internship Details" section on this page.

The deadline to apply for Summer 2026 is December 1, 2025. Applications will be reviewed at that time and students will be notified of accepted, alternate, or not selected status by December 19, 2025.

Internship Programs

The internship program must be selected from this list of options that have been pre-approved by KSU; each student will be required to meet their specific program's eligibility and application requirements by the stated deadlines. 

• MALAYSIA: GAV Summer Internship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• SINGAPORE: GAV Summer Internship in Singapore
• SINGAPORE: Worldstrides Internship in Singapore
• JAPAN: WorldStrides Internship in Tokyo, Japan
• JAPAN: Beyond Academy Internship in Tokyo, Japan
• SOUTH KOREA: WorldStrides Internship in Seoul, South Korea
• SOUTH KOREA: Beyond Academy Internship in Seoul, South Korea
• VIETNAM: WorldStrides Internship in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
• VIETNAM: WorldStrides Healthcare Internship in Hanoi, Vietnam
• THAILAND: Beyond Academy Internship in Bangkok, Thailand

Program Information Session Recordings

Want to learn more about each internship program? Check out these recorded information sessions:

• GAV Internship Programs
• Beyond Academy Internship Programs
• WorldStrides Internship Programs

Academic Credit Information

To become fully immersed in the host country and internship experience, academic coursework cannot be completed simultaneously with the internship abroad. Internships must be completed in-person in the host country and cannot be done virtually. 

A transcript will not be issued for the internship experience. If you are seeking credit for your internship experience abroad, you should consult with your academic department at KSU regarding the process for obtaining internship credits and how this can be applied to your degree plan. (Note: WorldStrides internships include an internship course that you can opt to receive a transcript for at an additional cost.)

Internship Program Costs

To find individual internship program costs, please click on the links under the Internship Programs section. 

International internships are unpaid. The KSU Freeman Fellows scholarship is intended to cover a significant portion of the program cost of interning abroad, but students will be responsible for paying some costs out of pocket, including, but not limited to:

• Roundtrip airfare
• Tuition, if pursuing internship credits through KSU
• Meals
• International medical insurance
• Passport and visa fees
• Deposits for internship placement
• Miscellaneous spending while abroad (toiletries, souvenirs, weekend travel, etc.)
• Programmatic fees in excess of what the scholarship covers

Special Note About Scholarships & Financial Aid

Please note that the internship programs eligible for the KSU Freeman Fellows Internship in Asia funding are not automatically credit-bearing. This may impact use of financial aid and eligibility for other scholarships that require you to be enrolled in a course. If you are seeking credit for the internship experience abroad, you should consult with your academic department at Kent State regarding the process for obtaining internship credits and how this can be applied to your degree plan. WorldStrides internships also include an internship course that you can opt to receive a transcript for at an additional cost. 

Helpful Links for Scholarships & Financial Aid

It is possible to use your federal financial aid to go on Kent State University-approved education abroad programs that are credit-bearing. You can learn more on the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center website.

It is also possible to use some Kent State scholarships for education abroad programs that are credit-bearing. You can find education abroad scholarships on ScholarshipUniverse.

If you have any questions about using your financial aid and scholarships for study abroad, you can contact the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center.

Have questions about the KSU Freeman Fellows Internship in Asia? Check out our FAQs.