Internships in Japan vs Korea (Singapore Students) 2026: What Counts, What to Verify, and Official Starting Points
TL;DR
Japan internships (official): https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/work-in-japan/internships/ Korea industry experience (official): https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/aboutIndustryExperience.do If you’re unsure whether something counts as…
21 Jan 2026, 00:00 Z
Reviewed by
Marcus Pang·Managing Director (Maths)
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> **Q:** I want overseas internship experience — is Japan or Korea “easier”?
> \
> **A:** Don’t start with “easy”. Start with **what’s allowed under your student route**, then plan the internship step in a way that’s compliant and realistic. This guide is a source-first checklist: official starting points + what to verify before you accept anything.
> **TL;DR**
> - Japan internships (official): https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/work-in-japan/internships/
> - Korea industry experience (official): https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/aboutIndustryExperience.do
> - If you’re unsure whether something counts as “internship” vs “work”, verify with your school and the official pages above.
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*Status:* Last reviewed 2026-01-21. This is a planning guide, not legal advice. Internship and work permissions depend on your status/route and your university’s rules, so verify on official pages and with your school.
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## 1) First: define what you mean by “internship”
People use “internship” to mean many things:
* a university-approved placement
* a paid role that looks like a job
* a short “industry experience” programme
* a volunteer placement
The safest approach is to treat every opportunity as a *permission question* first:
* “Is this allowed for my student status, and what approvals do I need?”
If you can’t answer that confidently, pause and verify.
---
## 2) Japan: official starting points to read first
Start here:
* https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/work-in-japan/internships/
Then read the employment overview for context on how internships fit into broader work planning:
* https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/work-in-japan/employment/
Practical planning note:
* Treat these pages as your baseline, then use your university’s international office for “how it works for our students”.
---
## 3) Korea: official starting points to read first
Start here:
* https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/aboutIndustryExperience.do
For official job-related resources:
* https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/workInfo.do
Practical note:
* Korea routes can vary (degree vs language-first), so your “what’s allowed” checklist should always reference your exact route.
If you need to sanity-check student visa routes first:
* https://eclatinstitute.sg/blog/scholarships/Korea-Student-Visas-Singapore-D2-vs-D4-1-Degree-vs-Language-Guide-2026
---
## 4) The “before you accept anything” checklist
Use this checklist before you say yes:
### A) Permission & status
* Does my student route allow this kind of placement?
* Do I need written approval from my university first?
* Do I need any additional permission to be paid?
### B) Academic compatibility
* Will this clash with attendance rules?
* Does my programme have a minimum GPA/standing requirement for internships?
### C) Reality check (money + time)
* Am I relying on internship pay to cover core living costs?
* If yes, do I have a backup budget plan?
Budget checklist:
* https://eclatinstitute.sg/blog/scholarships/Japan-vs-Korea-Student-Budget-Singapore-Practical-Cost-Checklist-Guide-2026
### D) One email that saves you days
Email your school’s international office with this message:
* “I’m considering an internship/industry placement. What is the correct approval process for international students in my programme, and what should I verify to stay compliant?”
---
## 5) Next action (today)
Pick one:
* Read the Japan internships page and note the parts you need your school to clarify:
- https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/work-in-japan/internships/
* Read the Korea industry experience page and note what “counts” vs what needs extra checks:
- https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/aboutIndustryExperience.do
* If you’re still deciding Japan vs Korea, use the decision tree:
- https://eclatinstitute.sg/blog/scholarships/Japan-vs-Korea-Decision-Tree-4-Routes-Degree-vs-Language-First-Guide-2026
