Absolute Internship
Absolute Internship is a Barcelona-based private company, founded in 2009, that places university students and graduates into international internships across 12 cities in Europe and Asia through all-inclusive programs, remote project studios, and custom faculty-led offerings, supported by 85+ university partnerships and 1,500+ host companies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersBarcelona, Spain
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Absolute Internship does
Absolute Internship is a Barcelona-headquartered, privately held international education company founded in 2009 that places university students and recent graduates into internships across 12 cities in Europe and Asia (Bangkok, Barcelona, Hong Kong, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Paris, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Stockholm, Tokyo). The company runs both all-inclusive in-person programs and a Remote Project Studio, with program fees ranging from €4,899 to €6,995 covering housing, transportation, cultural programming, visa assistance and 24/7 on-site support; add-on offerings include a placement-only service, custom and faculty-led programs for institutional buyers, and an academic credit pathway. Its core technology is an in-house digital platform that handles online applications, interview scheduling, internship matching against the student's chosen industry and remote program delivery.
The business operates a three-sided network: a B2C direct-application funnel for individual students, a B2B2C channel through 85+ university partners (Boston College, UC Berkeley, University of Oregon, Hong Kong PolyU, York University and others), and a free-to-host B2B supply channel of 1,500+ companies (startups through multinationals such as Goldman Sachs, Google Cloud, EY, Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank) that absorb no sourcing or screening cost. Revenue is one-time program fees paid by students, with scholarships (€300-€800) layered for accessibility. The co-founders, Aurélie Chouaf (France) and Fredrik van Huynh (Sweden), remain in operational leadership and the company is bootstrapped with no external funding rounds disclosed.
Over 16 years Absolute Internship has placed more than 12,000 interns from 60+ nationalities, built operations support offices across each destination city, and earned sustained brand recognition including coverage in The New York Times, BBC, Bloomberg, Forbes and the Financial Times, plus 9/10 program satisfaction and 10/10 GoAbroad ratings. The current product portfolio, university partnership depth, and host-company network together constitute the principal sources of differentiation, with the company positioning itself on guaranteed field-of-choice placement rather than requiring backup options.
Absolute Internship firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Absolute Internship
- Legal name
- Absolute Internship
- Website
- https://absoluteinternship.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Absolute Internship is a Barcelona-based private company, founded in 2009, that places university students and graduates into international internships across 12 cities in Europe and Asia through all-inclusive programs, remote project studios, and custom faculty-led offerings, supported by 85+ university partnerships and 1,500+ host companies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Absolute Internship industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Internship Services
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Provider-Run International Internship Programs (Multi-Country/Multi-Industry) (EDAIAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- University-Sponsored International Internships & Co-op Placements (EDAIAFAB), Internship Program Provider Housing (3rd-Party Placement Programs) (THAMAGAF)
Keywords
Where Absolute Internship is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Barcelona
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices14 records
Markets served
Absolute Internship business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- International Internship Program Fees: Students pay program fees that vary by destination city. All-inclusive packages cover housing, transportation cards, city excursions, weekend trips, welcome dinner, orientation, airport pickup (some locations), and 24/7 on-site support. Duration options typically include 4, 6, 8, or 12 weeks.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Bangkok program starting from €4,899 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Barcelona program starting from €5,195 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Hong Kong program starting from €5,995 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | London program starting from €6,245 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Madrid program - price varies |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Paris program starting from €5,795 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Seoul program starting from €5,495 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Shanghai program starting from €5,595 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Singapore program starting from €6,345 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Stockholm program starting from €5,745 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Tokyo program starting from €6,995 |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Diverse Community Fund Scholarship |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Financial Need Based Fund Scholarship |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Absolute Internship product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Absolute Internship provides international internship placement programs for university students and recent graduates, placing participants in host companies across 12 cities in Europe and Asia. All-inclusive program packages cover housing, transportation cards, visa assistance, cultural excursions, and 24/7 on-site support, with durations ranging from 4 to 12 weeks across 30+ industry specializations including Finance, Marketing, Engineering, IT, Business Development, Fashion, Legal, and Non-Profit.
Product overview
Absolute Internship offers a portfolio of international internship placement programs. The core offerings include the Onsite Internship Program for in-person placements across 12 global cities (Bangkok, Barcelona, Hong Kong, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Paris, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Stockholm, Tokyo) and the Remote Project Studio for project-based remote work. Additional offerings include the Internship Placement Service (placement-only), Custom and Faculty-Led Programs for universities, and an Academic Credit option. Programs cover 30+ industry specializations including Finance, Marketing, Engineering, IT, Business Development, Fashion, Journalism, Legal, Non-Profit, Sustainability, and more. All programs include housing, on-site support, cultural activities, and visa assistance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Onsite Internship Program In-person international internship placements across 12 global cities (Bangkok, Barcelona, Hong Kong, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Paris, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Stockholm, Tokyo), including housing, transportation cards, city excursions, weekend trips, 24/7 on-site support, visa assistance, and airport pickup. Designed for university students and recent graduates seeking international work experience in their chosen industry.
- Remote Project Studio
Quantifiable outcome
- 9/10 overall program satisfaction (2024-25)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Absolute Internship
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Absolute Internship technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Absolute Internship partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Boston CollegecoreUniversity partnership for international internship program. Students from Boston College participate in Absolute Internship programs in various global destinations.
- University of California BerkeleycoreUniversity partnership providing international internship opportunities for UC Berkeley students across Absolute Internship's global network.
- University of OregoncoreUniversity partnership sending students to Absolute Internship programs for international work experience.
- Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversitycoreUniversity partnership for internship placements in Asia-Pacific region.
- York UniversitycoreUniversity partnership for Canadian students seeking international internship experience.
- University of Tennessee KnoxvillecoreUniversity partnership with Programs Abroad Office, including hybrid internship program development.
- George Brown CollegecoreCanadian university partnership providing international internship opportunities for students.
- Butler UniversitycoreUniversity partnership for international internship programs.
- California Lutheran UniversitycoreUniversity partnership for study abroad and internship programs.
- Università Cattolica del Sacro CuorecoreItalian university partnership for international internship placements.
- Inkonova ABminorEngineering company that hosted Absolute intern for product development, including drone documentation and process improvements.
- EdTechXminorEducation technology company hosting Absolute intern for international event execution and research.
- Lexidy LawminorLegal services firm where Absolute intern later stayed for several years due to outstanding performance.
- Embassy HouseminorProfessional services company hosting Absolute intern with exceptional creativity, strategy, and dedication.
- Freeman AsiaminorScholarship program placing hundreds of awardees through Absolute Internship for international experience in Asia.
- Benjamin A. Gilman ScholarshipminorU.S. State Department scholarship program with students placed through Absolute Internship.
- The Fung ScholarsminorScholarship program with awardees participating in Absolute Internship programs.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Absolute Internship competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Intern Group: The Intern Group offers international internship programs across multiple destinations (Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa) for students and graduates, with a similar bundled housing, visa, and placement model. Directly comparable provider-run multi-country international internship programs.
- Global Experiences: Global Experiences provides international internship placements in Europe and Asia for American university students, matching hosts in career fields with housing and on-site support. Directly comparable in structure, geographic focus, and student segment.
- CRCC Asia: CRCC Asia delivers international internship programs focused on Asia-Pacific destinations, partnering with host companies and universities to place students. Comparable provider-run multi-country international internship programs with similar host-company sourcing model.
- Global Internship Program (GIP): GIP provides international internship placements in Asia, Europe, and Latin America with bundled housing, visa, and cultural programming. Directly comparable multi-country provider-run model with similar student persona.
- Study Abroad Association: Study Abroad Association offers international internship and study abroad programs across multiple destinations with university partnerships and housing coordination. Comparable multi-country provider-run international internship offerings.
Broad incumbents
- CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is a large, established nonprofit offering study abroad and international internship programs across many countries and academic disciplines. Broader incumbent with wider portfolio (study abroad, language, faculty-led) but overlapping international internship placement category.
- IES Abroad: IES Abroad is a long-established study abroad and internship provider with programs across multiple cities and continents, often partnering with US universities. Broad incumbent with comparable multi-city international internship offerings.
Others
- GoAbroad.com: GoAbroad is a leading directory and review platform for study abroad and international internship programs. Adjacent ecosystem participant - not a direct competitor but a discovery and review channel used by prospective students.
- GoOverseas: GoOverseas is a reviews and listings platform for international education and volunteer programs. Adjacent ecosystem participant providing discovery, reviews, and lead generation for program providers like Absolute Internship.
Emerging players
- World Internships: World Internships is an emerging platform connecting students with international internship opportunities across various destinations and industries. Partial overlap with Absolute Internship in placement focus but with a lighter-touch marketplace model rather than fully bundled programs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Absolute Internship social profiles
Digital presenceAbsolute Internship financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Absolute Internship leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Absolute Internship funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Absolute Internship M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Absolute Internship
What does Absolute Internship do?
Absolute Internship provides international internship placement programs for university students and recent graduates, placing participants in host companies across 12 cities in Europe and Asia. All-inclusive program packages cover housing, transportation cards, visa assistance, cultural excursions, and 24/7 on-site support, with durations ranging from 4 to 12 weeks across 30+ industry specializations including Finance, Marketing, Engineering, IT, Business Development, Fashion, Legal, and Non-Profit.
Is Absolute Internship a public or private company?
Absolute Internship is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Absolute Internship founded?
Absolute Internship was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Absolute Internship based?
Absolute Internship is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does Absolute Internship make money?
One revenue line is on record: international Internship Program Fees.
Who are Absolute Internship's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Intern Group, Global Experiences, CRCC Asia, Global Internship Program (GIP) and Study Abroad Association. Broad incumbents are CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) and IES Abroad. Others are GoAbroad.com and GoOverseas. World Internships is listed as an emerging player.
Does Absolute Internship have an API?
No public API is recorded for Absolute Internship.
What industry is Absolute Internship in?
Absolute Internship's product category is International Internship Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAFAA, Provider-Run International Internship Programs (Multi-Country/Multi-Industry), with a secondary code of EDAIAFAB, University-Sponsored International Internships & Co-op Placements. Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.