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), 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 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 Tan Edgerton (tedgerton@fsu.edu) to learn more about the options.
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.
Watch the video on alumni perspectives, including interviews with Jordan Park, Chelsey Sampley, Virginia Golz, and Dr. Neil Abell, former 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 planning approximately three semesters before they are eligible to complete it. Placements require extensive advanced planning and preparation.
To start the process, please reach out to Tan Edgerton to discuss the 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 or London. Additionally, students aged 35 years or older are unable to participate in field opportunities in Canada due to restrictions by our visa partners, BUNAC.
Partner Agency: Positive East, London
Parter Agency: Extern, Belfast
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 experience and immersion opportunity.
Click on the drop-down pages to read details about the agencies we partner with. 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 vulnerable, 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.
- 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.
- 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).
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)
- FSU Global - Fellowships and Scholarships
- 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 Tan Edgerton for scholarship details.
For more information regarding international internship opportunities, please contact Tan Edgerton, tedgerton@fsu.edu