Finding and applying for an internship has never been easier or more competitive.
Thousands of internships are posted online every day, but the sheer number of job boards can make it difficult to know where to focus your time. Should you apply through LinkedIn? Search company websites? Use your university careers portal? Or find an international internship provider?
The reality is that the most successful students don’t rely on just one website. They use a combination of job boards, networking, employer career pages, and specialist internship providers.
In this guide, we’ll cover the best websites to find internships, explain which platforms work best for different industries, and share practical tips to help you secure an internship faster.
| Website | Best for |
| Professional networking and internships across every industry | |
| Indeed | Large volume of internship listings |
| Handshake | University students in the US |
| Glassdoor | Company reviews and internship listings |
| Wellfound | Startup internships |
| Google Jobs | Aggregated internship search |
| Company careers pages | Graduate schemes and competitive internships |
| The Intern Group | International internships with guaranteed placement and career support |
Best for: Professional networking and corporate internships
LinkedIn remains one of the strongest places to search for internships because recruiters actively search for candidates as well as advertise roles.
Pro tip: Follow companies you’re interested in before they advertise internships so you’re among the first applicants.
Best for: High-volume internship searches
Indeed aggregates internships from thousands of employer websites. Use filters for:
Best for: University students.
Handshake partners directly with universities and employers, meaning many opportunities aren’t advertised elsewhere .It’s especially useful if you’re currently studying at university.
Best for: Researching employers.
Glassdoor combines internship listings with employee reviews.Before applying, you can learn about:
Best for: Finding opportunities from multiple websites
Searching for industry and location, like this: "Marketing internships London" or "Finance internships New York" often produces Google Jobs results from several different websites simultaneously.
Best for: Startup internships.
If you’d rather work at a fast-growing startup than a multinational corporation, Wellfound is one of the best places to search. Startups often provide:
Many students overlook the most obvious source. Large employers frequently advertise internships on their own websites before they’re distributed to external job boards. Examples include:
Set reminders to check careers pages regularly during recruitment season.
Don’t underestimate your careers office. Universities often have:
These opportunities usually attract fewer applicants than public job boards.
Depending on your career goals, niche websites can outperform general job boards. Examples include:
Specialist boards often attract candidates with stronger interest and relevant skills.
Best for: International internships
Searching for internships abroad can be complicated. Students often need to organise:
The Intern Group simplifies the process by matching students with internships in leading global cities across multiple industries.
Unlike traditional job boards, students receive personalised placement support instead of applying blindly to hundreds of employers. This can significantly reduce the time spent searching while guaranteeing a meaningful internship.
Other useful platforms include:
The platform you use matters, but your strategy matters even more.
Many competitive internships recruit 6–12 months before the start date, and The Intern Group recommends applying at least 3 months before your desired start date. Don’t wait until spring to search for summer internships.
The best candidates combine:
This dramatically increases your chances of finding the best fit.
Generic CVs rarely succeed. Instead:
Many internships are filled through referrals or employer relationships before becoming highly competitive on major job boards. Attend careers fairs, connect with recruiters on LinkedIn, and reach out to alumni working in your target industry.
Some employers post internships only on their careers page. Others recruit through university partnerships or specialist internship organizations. Checking multiple sources helps you discover opportunities earlier.
LinkedIn, Indeed, and Handshake are excellent starting points for most students. If you’re looking for an international internship with structured support, specialist providers like The Intern Group offer personalized placement services rather than simply listing vacancies.
Small companies, startups, charities, and SMEs often have fewer applicants than multinational graduate programs.
Quality matters more than quantity .Aim for 15–30 tailored applications rather than sending hundreds of identical CVs.
Yes! Employers expect students to have limited professional experience. Highlight:
Finding the right internship isn’t about discovering a single perfect website: it’s about building a smart search strategy.
Use major job boards to discover opportunities, employer websites to find openings early, your university network for exclusive vacancies, and specialist providers if you’re looking for an international internship with dedicated support.
The earlier you start, the more targeted your applications and the more proactive your networking, the better your chances of landing an internship that launches your career.