International Field Placements
International field placements are offered to BSW and MSW students completing their final, full-time placement in the United Kingdom (London, England, and Belfast, Northern Ireland), the Republic of Ireland (Dublin), Canada (Vancouver, British Columbia). Placements include clinical, case management, and administrative opportunities. Through these experiences, students become familiar with host cultures and communities and learn how social welfare services are interpreted and provided abroad. Each of our partner agencies provides a unique cultural experience and immersion opportunity.
Though these internships are often once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, they can also be bridges to future involvement with non-governmental organizations, Peace Corps or Fulbright proposals, advanced academic study, or a major transformation in one’s capacity to work with international clients in the U.S.
International field placements are offered to both MSW and BSW students. Interested students should contact Dr. Neil Abell (nabell@fsu.edu) or Tan Edgerton (tedgerton@fsu.edu) to learn more about the options.
NOTE: In the time of Covid-19, "normal" international program processes do not always apply. The health and safety of students and faculty are our primary concern, and governments worldwide are in states of flux regarding their immigration policies and capacity to host travelers from abroad. Please stay in touch with program administrators to learn the latest information regarding applications and the status of future events. We are eager to work with CSW students and look forward to finding pathways to these great opportunities.
Partner Agency: Positive East, London
Parter Agency: Extern, Belfast
Alumni Perspective
Completing an international field placement is a life-changing experience for CSW students. Our program alumni come away from their field placement more aware of and passionate about social work in a global context.
To hear our alumni's perspective, please watch the following interview with Jordan Park, Chelsey Sampley, Virginia Golz, and Dr. Neil Abell, Program Director. You will find additional content from our alumni in the drop-down pages for our different internship locations.
Timeline and Process
Students interested in an international field placement should begin the planning process approximately three semesters before they are eligible to complete their field placement. Placements require extensive advanced planning and preparation. Due to Covid-19, numerous travel restrictions apply, please stay in touch with program administrators as we navigate these challenges. For more information about the planning process, please review the:
International Field Placement Timeline
To start the process, please reach out to Dr. Abell or Tan Edgerton to discuss first steps.
Visa Guidelines and Restrictions
Due to stipulations beyond our control, UK and Republic of Ireland visas will only be issued to students enrolled full-time up to and during the semester immediately prior to the placement. (NOTE: visa and immigration policies are all subject to change, on short notice. Watch for updates and track closely with your advisors.) Unfortunately, part-time students are not eligible to intern in Belfast, London, or Dublin. Additionally, students aged 35 years or older are unable to participate in field opportunities in Canada due to restrictions by our visa partners, BUNAC.
Field Placement Locations and Descriptions
The CSW International Programs is happy to have established partnerships with social work and social welfare agencies worldwide. These agencies offer various services to different service-user populations, providing a range of internship opportunities for CSW students. Interns work with local agency staff and supervisors to get hands-on experience to learn how social welfare services are interpreted and provided abroad. Each of our agency partners also provides a unique cultural experience and immersion opportunity.
Click on the drop-down pages to read details about the agencies we partner with in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago, and Canada. Sites and locations are subject to change and vary by type of placement supported (BSW, advanced MSW Clinical or Social Leadership), online or on-campus status, and by semester offered.
Current field placement opportunities include:
- Positive East: HIV/AIDS prevention, case management, and support. Open to BSW and (occasionally) to clinical MSW students during fall, spring and summer semesters.
- Doctors of the World: Doctors of the World is an independent humanitarian movement working at home and abroad to empower excluded people to access healthcare. We strive to give a voice to the most marginalised, reporting on violence, injustice and unmet health needs wherever we find them.
- Extern
- Dismas House: Residential unit for high/medium adult male offenders. Placements available to clinical BSW or MSWs during the spring, summer, and fall semesters.
- Innis Centre: Criminal justice and adult services offered to service users with mainly sexual offenses. Placements available to clinical BSW or MSWs during the spring, summer and fall semesters.
- Multi-Disciplinary Homeless Support-Team: Provides services to adults and families experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness. Placements available to clinical BSW and MSW LEAD students during the spring, summer and fall semesters.
- Pathways Project: An alternative education program for young people, aged 15-16, at risk of being excluded from mainstream education and who may also be at risk of offending, or entering care of custody. Placements available to BSW or MSWs during the spring, summer, and fall semesters.
- Moving Forward, Moving On Project: Working with young people, aged 16-24, who are not in education, training or employment (NEET) and/or have a history of offending behavior. It is a research and evidence-based model of working with young people, which provides support and the tools they need to make a successful start in the world. Placements available to BSW or MSWs during the spring, summer, and fall semesters.
- St. Dominic's Children's Home: a residential child-care facility that serves children and youth who are deemed in need of care and protection. Placement is open to BSW (preferred) and MSW (with special consideration) clinical and social leadership students.
- Touchstone Family Association: a non-profit community service organization that provides a wide array of counseling and therapeutic services to families and children (emphasis on adult services). Placements available to MSW clinical students starting summer semester 2020.
- Atira Women's Resource Society: a not-for-profit organization committed to the work of ending violence against women through providing direct service, as well as working to increase awareness of and education around the scope and impact of men's violence against women and children. Atira's programs are accessible to anyone who identifies and lives full-time as a woman and who experiences gendered violence and misogyny. Placements are available to BSW and MSW interns.
- Multi-Cultural Family Base: Promoting the well-being and life opportunities of vulnerable and disadvantaged children, young people and families. To learn more, especially regarding their work with immigrant families, see this. Placements may be available to BSW and MSW Clinical students during the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters.
- Our Lady's Hospice & Care Services: Master’s level clinical interns work to provide bereavement support for family members and others whose loved ones have passed. Palliative care and other services for those who have not yet passed away are not included. Counseling sessions require providers to be aware of and professionally manage any personal grief issues that may arise. OLH provides exceptional support and training for this work.
Financial Assistance for International Field Placements
The University and College offer financial aid and scholarships for students wishing to participate in international field experiences. Explore options linked below and note applicable workshops and deadlines.
- Campus Resources (Includes financial aid workshops)
- University Financial Assistance
- FSU International Programs
- College of Social Work Financial Assistance
CSW International Programs offer MSW and BSW students limited, competitive scholarships for international field placements (including the Hurrle Trust International Scholarships and Paschal Fund). Please contact Dr. Neil Abell or Tan Edgerton for scholarship details.
For more information regarding international internship opportunities, please contact our Director of International Programs, Neil Abell, Ph.D., LCSW at (850) 644-9753 or nabell@fsu.edu.