Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Cerca Abroad is a business unit of Cerca Trova Ltd, a European based company (incorporation / VAT number: BG204499976), that specializes in engineering solutions and educational programs. If you want to learn more about our internships you can browse through our list of programs and reach us via our social media or email us using our Contact form.
The company started offering in 2017 medical shadowing internships to hundreds of participants from around the world and has now expanded to other specialties. Our programs are listed in reputable independent internship/study abroad portals such as Abroad101, GoAbroad & GoOverseas. Over the past years we have collaborated with great success with study abroad / internship providers around the world to include our programs and services to their portfolio.
An internship will give the opportunity to gain real-life professional experience, grow your knowledge and determine if you are in the right career field. It will also give an edge over other candidates when applying for jobs, learn about your capabilities and ultimately encourage you to have a greater understanding of your strengths and weaknesses. An international internship, whether it is in-person or remote, will expose you to cultures and different ways of thinking, broaden your horizons and build your adaptability and communication skills.
Our programs focus on seven career paths (Animal Sciences, Business, Creative Arts & Media, Environmental Sciences, Health Sciences, Social Sciences and STEM) based in several locations around the world.
The internship positions offered by Cerca Abroad do not include or imply any payment of any sort to the participants. Our programs are focused on learning and personal/professional skill development. By paying for an internship ensures that you get support and a customized professional experience to increase your skills development and fortify your resume. Learn more on: “Why should you pay for an internship abroad?”
We have teamed with companies and institutions that are experts in their field, offering top-quality internships within friendly & easy-going environments and professionals eager to help you develop new skills. Our application process is straightforward, fast and our staff are available to guide your before and during your internship. Our programs are reasonably priced with no hidden fees and no unnecessary extras, giving you a freedom to learn, gain professional experience and emerge in a different culture without over-paying or over-stressing.
You can read typical reviews from past participants in our Reviews page. Our programs are listed in reputable independent internship/study abroad portals such as Abroad101, GoAbroad & GoOverseas where you can read plenty of reviews. You can also view video interviews in our YouTube channel.
We are more than happy to discuss our program options with you and your parents. Please use the Contact Us page to reach us and we will arrange a web-call.
- All our programs are conducted in English so you will need to be proficient in it.
- Participants must be at least 18 years old by the program start date.
- In most internships it is recommended to have at least one year of undergraduate study completed
- We require all interns to present us with a clean criminal background check and pay a security deposit to cover potential damages before their program starts
- For all in-person programs interns must obtain a valid travel insurance for the entire duration of their program abroad
Browse though our website to identify the career path and the location that interest you. Then use the application button to apply and let us know what you are interested in doing, when and for how long. There is no cost to apply and no commitments at this stage. We will review your application and if we accept you on your selected internship we will assign you with a program manager and ask you to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place.
Yes! Just contact us and you can make program, destination and duration changes, free of charge, subject to availability, up to sixty (60) calendar days prior to the scheduled start date. No changes will be accepted after the program fee has been paid in full. If a participant changes onto a program that has a higher program fee, then the participant is required to pay the difference. No refund will be paid if the new program fee is lower than the original program’s fee. Full details of our change policies are detailed in our Terms & Conditions of Service.
When you search our program lists you will clearly see the fees listed for each program. All prices mentioned in our web-page are in US Dollars and should be payed in US Dollars. If we accept you on this internship we will ask you to pay a non-refundable deposit of US$350 to secure your place. The remaining of your internship fees (less your initial US$350 deposit payment) will be due no less than sixty (60) calendar days before your internship start date. Our program fees have a reasonable cost, without hidden fees and without unnecessary extras, giving the participants a freedom to learn, gain professional experience and emerge in a different culture. By paying for an internship ensures that you get support and a customized professional experience to increase your skills development and fortify your resume. Learn more on: “Why should you pay for an internship abroad?”
Our Fees page states that currently the only extra service available is to ask for a private housing (subject to availability) or to book for an activity. If you are interested in booking a private housing or an activity you can contact your program manager to discuss availability and total program costs.
We charge reasonable fees for our programs which include administrative costs, salaries, accommodation cost, marketing and partner development. Our low prices do not have any hidden fees and no unnecessary extras making it financially viable for you to get a top internship experience without overpaying.
Cerca Abroad offers each year scholarships to in-person program participants. The scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence or financial hardship. You can read all our financing options here. In addition, we are more than happy to support you by supply a letter to any grant / scholarship awarding organization to provide details of the program that you wish to participate.
In all our programs there are three transactions that take place:
- The first is to pay the non-refundable deposit of US$350 to secure your place (after we reviewed your application).
- The second is to pay the security deposit that covers any potential damages, beyond normal wear and tear, or missing items that took place at the internship apartments & host sites throughout your stay. The deposit is fully refunded upon successful inspection (within 30 days of checking-out), else you will be notified of the findings and the respective amount deducted from the security deposit.
- The third payment is the remaining of your internship fees (less your initial US$350 deposit payment). For all transactions you will receive from us detailed payment instructions.
The payment method can be via a bank transfer, where you will cover the transaction fees, or via credit/debit card.
Our program fees are designed to be fairly priced and transparent. Deposit payments cover the administrative support provided to the participants by us in advance of their program’s start date and are non-refundable in all circumstances. Program fees, less the non-refundable deposit payment, may be refunded provided the request is processed by us more than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the scheduled start date. Refunds are subject to a $350 cancellation fee to cover expenses already incurred by us on behalf of the participant, plus any additional cancellation costs such as non-refundable accommodation bookings. No refunds will be provided less than sixty (60) days before the scheduled start date. All program fees paid including the deposit may be held as a credit in the participant’s name for twelve (12) months from the earliest program start date the participant has ever been registered for, provided the request is processed by us more than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the scheduled start date. Full details of our change policies are detailed in our Terms & Conditions of Service.
For the in-person internships the full payment deadline is no less than sixty (60) calendar days before the scheduled start date.
A program manager will contact you via email to request additional information and will be available through a web-call to answer any questions that you might have. After we collect all necessary paperwork from your side we will confirm your program dates with the hosting team. No less than sixty (60) calendar days before the scheduled start date you will need to pay the remaining of your internship fees (less your initial US$350 deposit payment) and then make your travel arrangements.
No! You will need to make your own travel arrangements and at your own cost. During the program application and preparation phase your program manager will instruct you in which airport you will need to arrive and it is up to you and your travel agent to plan your trip
In order to participate in any of our in-person programs you will need to get a travel insurance (at your own cost) to cover any health related issue including admission to public or private hospitals. European Union citizens can issue, free of charge the European Health Insurance Card, which covers for free most of their health related costs in Greece. Even for EU citizens we will require you to purchase a travel insurance policy.
Yes! It is a strict requirement from our side and from our hosting institution to be covered by a travel insurance throughout your internship duration. Your travel insurance policy should include an adequate coverage for medical emergencies, travel disruptions, personal property that is lost or damaged whilst traveling, and last-minute trip cancellation (due to unforeseeable events that are out of your control).
The Ukraine conflict is a shocking and heartbreaking situation as with any conflict around the world. At this stage it remains an isolated and geopolitically targeted situation, very very far from any of our internship sites and we are monitoring it closely. We can reassure you that we have no information to suggest that there is any immediate or future threat to Greece. There is no travel advisory in place, which warns against travel to Greece due to this or any other conflict. Nor is there any state of emergency in the country.
Only in our health-related programs the participants need to be fully vaccinated for COVID prior to arrival. A rapid test may be required on your first day at the medical facility, at own cost (€10). If you are having symptoms or have been in contact with a confirmed case then there is a requirement for a PCR test, at own cost (€50). If you test positive at any stage then you are required to self-isolate for 8 days at own cost and then return to the internship site. This is due to strict government regulations and you will be notified by the hospital if any change occurs.
For all other programs there is no requirement to be vaccinated against COVID. If you are having symptoms or has been in contact with a confirmed case then there is a requirement for a PCR test, at own cost (€50). If you test positive at any stage then you are required to self-isolate for 5 days at own cost and then return to the internship site.
The dressing code in a medical facility is smart-casual. The staff will supply medical robes for the everyday use and scrubs during surgeries.
Depending on your nationality, program duration / location you might need a visa to enter the country. Please check if you require a visa here. If you have a query just use the Contact Us page to let us know in which programs you are interested and a program manager will contact you.
In all in-person programs, the participants will stay in a fully-furnished, same-sex, shared housing at a reasonable distance from the internship location and near public transportation. In our Agriculture & Viticulture, Marine Conservation and Wildlife Research programs, the housing is mixed-gendered shared. You might sleep in a single or double bed in shared rooms (subject to availability). Bedding, towels and furnishings are provided and expect to have common areas such as lounge, kitchen and laundry facilities. Participants can request for a private housing (subject to availability). The prices for this service are listed in our Fees page and if a participant is interested they can contact their program manager to discuss availability and total program costs.
Depending on which program you choose, the following services are:
| Included | Not Included |
|---|---|
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* Three daily meals are only included in the Marine Conservation program.
We expect you to arrive a day before your internship start date and depart a day after your program ends.
In our the Marine Conservation program the host site who is managing the facilities, is offering three meals per day as standard. In all other programs there are no meals provided of any type.
In the Health Science programs, during the first day of your program you will discuss with your coordinator your interests and he will design a weekly shadowing schedule for you to rotate in the hospital’s departments. Your daily schedule is from 8am to 4pm and consist of following doctors & medical staff doing rounds in clinics to check on patients, prepping for surgery and observing surgical operations next to the surgeon, discussing cases with colleagues or visiting the diagnostic labs (MRI, X-Ray etc) to gain understanding on each case. For the dental programs the daily schedule begin at 11am and end by 8pm and consist of reviewing the daily appointments and observing a range dental cases, understanding how a clinic operates, the diagnostic procedures and discussing each case step-by-step with the dentists.
Yes! Our collaborating hospitals / clinics follow the strict guidelines of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) making us fully compliant. We follow the same shadowing rules as in the US which allow you to only observe medical practices next to the doctors.
In all programs (in-person or remote) your coordinators and staff all speak English proficiently and we expect you to do so. For the in-person internships the majority of the population speaks English so you will not have any issue communicating.
In all our programs depending on the time period it is highly likely that you will intern with others.
Yes! In all programs you can ask and receive a reference letter.
Yes! Afternoons and weekends are free for you to explore your host country.
Yes! In all our in-person or remote internships we can accept Faculty-Led groups. Please use the Contact Us page to let us know in which program you are interested, the group size, duration and start date. A program manager will contact you and arrange a web-call to discuss the details of the program.
Easy! Just use the Contact Us page to let us know a few things about your business and how you can contribute. A program manager will contact you and arrange a web-call to discuss collaboration options.
Of course! Just use the Contact Us page to let us know in which programs you are interested and a program manager will contact you and arrange a web-call to discuss about a potential partnership.
Our company members have over 18 years in participating in European Union funded research projects and have experience in Erasmus+ Knowledge Alliances (KA2) projects. We are always interested in new and exciting ideas and are looking forward to discuss your proposal. Just use the Contact Us page to let us know more about your idea.
Certainly! Over the past years we have collaborated with great success with study abroad / internship providers around the world to include our programs and services to their portfolio and operate in Greece. We can also discuss about customizing our services or designing new programs depending on your needs. Just use the Contact Us page to let us know in which programs you are interested and a program manager will contact you and arrange a web-call to discuss about a potential collaboration.
For more information please Contact Us.
