Typical Internship Relocation Package

Question

As someone who was recently offered an internship at a large international company, I'm wondering what the typical benefits package for a relocating intern is? Are relocation packages typically even offered, or do most places just expect inters to cough up the cash to travel out there?

Length: 3+ months Distance: Over 3000 miles away.

I know we're in a down economy and maybe my expectations are high, but I can't help feeling that they're totally low balling me.

Answer 1

When I last took an internship I drove myself in my own car to the border, negotiated my way into another country, drove another 1,000 miles, stayed in a single room in student housing for the summer, got a crummy wage, and paid taxes in two countries on it.

In other words, don't expect much.

Answer 2

It depends widely on the company.

Joel on an old podcast of stack overflow states fog creek gives free board, food, and a small salary (which is probably really good when you take into account all the free stuff).

IBM does similar things to this with its graduate program.

Answer 3

This is entirely dependent on the company you've applied to, something we cannot really answer. Despite this, as a student currently looking for summer work I'll provide some of what I've learned.

• If you're interviewing at an IT related company then they may be able to assist you. Unless they specify this they'll probably just refer you to someone who can help you out with finding a place to stay.
• If you're going for a large company not directly related to IT then it's down to how integral software is to them. If you're going to be a basement-dwelling code monkey for several months then you've got little chance. Typically there is a company wide relocation scheme, something you'll have to ask about before the interview.
• If you're going to a small company not directly related to IT you're going to struggle to get much, although some companies can be quite generous in other ways.

If it's still possible I would call someone at the company you wish to apply for and ask about their general policy on relocation, if they have one. As far as I am aware it's a rarity, but I haven't got as far as the interview in applying to some large firms.

Answer 4

When I interned at Microsoft (in 1995, just before Windows 95 was released), they paid to fly me out + ship a bunch of boxes + taxi to/from the airport.

There were subsidized, furnished apartments right across the street. I think it was $400/mo with a roommate, $500/mo solo.

I think you could rent a car at a discount. You also got 7 days of car rental for free. Some people got together and shared a rental car, each person contributing their 7 days at first, then sharing the costs after that.

I think there were health benefits, but I don't remember for sure. I seem to remember you could participate in the Employee Stock Purchase Program, buying MSFT at a discount, but again, I'm not sure.

I don't remember what it paid, but it was a lot more than the small, local software shops near my home, and not as much as some of the companies that were extravagant with their internship offers. (Joel makes a good case for using internships to make great hires, so those companies may have been doing the right thing.)

At the time, Microsoft had about 400 interns at a time.

Answer 5

Cisco pays around $3k for relocation for internships(if you're from the east coast...reducing as you get closer to Cali).