Internship Program

Ripples interns must be 18 years of age prior to the start of the internship program. They must also be either enrolled in or have recently graduated from an accredited college or university, have good grasp of English and possess a laptop or tablet. Additionally, they must be able to fund internship costs on their own (either via fundraising efforts or through their own means).

Internships are offered three times a year, starting in March, June and October and applications are due a minimum of 6 weeks prior to program start date.

Ripples internships are available for four to ten weeks durations and can be customized based on intern needs and availability. In order for interns to get the most out of their experience we recommend a minimum duration of four weeks in the field which can be supplemented with research conducted in the country where students are attending college/university.

All Ripples internships are unpaid, volunteer positions.

There is a nonrefundable $30 application fee. Additionally, there is a program fee (due in installments) which includes local transportation, food and accommodations. The first installment of 25% will be due 30 days after you’ve been accepted to the program.

The remaining 75% of the program fee is due 30 days prior to the designated departure date as listed on the website for your program month. This means that if you have an alternate arrival date for any given month, you will still be responsible for paying by the same deadline as those starting on the regular date for that month. You are welcome to submit as many payments as necessary leading up to this deadline if the program fee is paid in full on or before the deadline.

Students will be responsible for arranging their own flights to and from the destination country/city as well as researching and applying for visas. Additional travel opportunities sought by the intern (outside of program requirements) will result in additional out-of-pocket expenses.

Cost includes local in-country transportation, room & board, security, on-ground support, coordination and basic access to wi-fi. (Cost of flights, including in-country flights, are  not included.)

Once approved, you will receive an email from Ripples allowing you to make a secure payment online.

Interns will need to research visa requirements for the country/city they’re traveling to.

Ghana interns (currently only destination offered) can visit the Ghanaian embassy website here:   https://www.ghanaembassydc.org/visas

Ripples will provide an invitation letter for you to include with your application to the Ghanaian embassy.

Travel insurance is mandatory for Ripples interns and interns need to research and arrange for travel insurance on their own. Ripples staff will provide suggested travel insurance options for you to consider.

Interns are required to have health insurance that is covered in Ghana. You will be responsible for arranging your own health insurance and covering any applicable medical expenses while you are enrolled in a Ripples Internship Program. Ripples staff will provide suggested health insurance options for you to consider.

We highly value an international culture at Ripples and encourage applicants from all countries.

Our prior interns have ranged from new international travelers to more experienced travelers. While prior travel experience is not a requirement for the Ripples internship, those that have some experience living in another country are likely to adjust more easily to the local culture. With that said, the shorter timeframes for Ripples internships (starting from four weeks) lend themselves to an ideal first immersion experience abroad.

Ripples internships are currently offered in Ghana only. While we have offices in Madagascar and Nigeria we’re not yet offering internships at these locations. Please know Ripples follows a security policy to determine whether or not we feel comfortable sending interns to certain locations given current events. However, we encourage you to research extensively to determine whether you feel comfortable going to a particular country, region or city. Ripples will never send you somewhere you are not comfortable. We want this to be a great experience for you!

Your first priority as a Ripples intern is to fulfill your duties as described in your work plan. Ripples has generally been flexible regarding short breaks for travel and sightseeing after the program duration has ended.

The program contacts at the Ripples office in Ghana will serve as your main contacts.

Housing is part of the program cost and is arranged for by Ripples to ensure interns have ample opportunities to connect with one another. All interns live in the community they serve which helps foster ties and helps create the ideal cultural immersion experience.

You will most likely need a visitors visa for Ghana but please feel free to research the type of visa appropriate for your stay. Ripples can provide a letter of support to support your visa application.

Vaccination requirements vary from country to country. In addition to completing basic research on this topic, you will need to contact your local travel clinic for more information on their recommendations for vaccinations.

We wish we could hire all of our amazing fellows, but it’s just not possible. Internship positions do not turn into staff positions at Ripples, but if there is a position that becomes available we would consider current or former interns as we would any other applicant applying externally.

Ripples can provide letters of recommendation that reflect the scope of your contributions.

Internship alumni are highly encouraged to stay in touch with us and keep abreast of the projects they worked on. Please reach out to internshipalumni@ripplesfoundation.org to stay connected with us!