noun phrase · neutral
unpaid internship
UK/ʌnˈpeɪd ˈɪntɜːnʃɪp/US/ʌnˈpeɪd ˈɪntɜːrnʃɪp/un·PAID IN·TERN·SHIP
A work placement where the intern is not paid but gains practical experience.
Examples
“She took an unpaid internship at a charity to build her CV.”
“Some students criticise firms that rely heavily on unpaid internships.”
“Unpaid internships can be valuable, but they may exclude candidates who cannot afford to work for free.”
Band 8 sentence
“Although an unpaid internship can provide valuable experience, it often favours applicants who can afford to work without pay.”
Collocations
- do an unpaid internship
- offer unpaid internships
- summer unpaid internship
Word family
Common mistakes
do internship→do an internship
have unpaid internship→have an unpaid internship
Say it for a higher band
5work placement→6internship→7+unpaid internship
Synonyms
voluntary internship
work placement
Easily confused
volunteer work
“She did volunteer work at the hospital but not a formal internship.”
Related words
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In Work & Career
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