do you have questions? we may have YOUR answers! check some out below and if your question still goes unanswered, don't hesitate to contact us.
Q : DO I COORDINATE MY FLIGHT WITH OTHER INTERNS OR DO I MAKE MY OWN ARRANGEMENTS TO THAILAND?
A : You will need to individually purchase your flight tickets to, during, and from your start destination. GEI Staff will assist and coordinate with you on the best priced tickets and routes possible. This estimate is derived from your Logistics Cost.
Once you purchase your flight tickets, you must send a complete flight schedule to GEI Staff as soon as the ticket is purchased. It is best for us to stay updated on the flights you are looking at so we can help coordinate and assist you in any way.
Q : WHO WILL PICK ME UP FROM THE AIRPORT?
A : GEI Staff will pick you up at Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) and take you to your housing.
Q : HOW ABOUT THE DOCUMENTS NEEDED TO APPLY FOR A VISA AND WORK PERMIT?
A : After 100% of your Unleashed Internship program funds have been received then GEI Staff will mail necessary invitation documents for your visa. Work Permit applications are dependent on the location of your internship. GEI Staff will work alongside you on an individual basis with your Visa and Work Permit process. We will send detailed instructions on how, where, and what kind of visa you will need to apply for. We will mail out necessary documents for your visa after acceptance by April.
*To those residing outside of the United States, GEI Staff will work alongside you to meet the required legal documents of your home country.
Q : WHAT TYPE OF VISA DO I NEED?
A : Type of Visa will be determined based on the country and the business you are working in. If you are working in Thailand, most likely, you will be applying for a 90-Day Non-Immigrant "O" Visa that will allow you to work in Southeast Asia as a volunteer. All of business internships are volunteer, non-paid, educational internships.
The cost of your visa will average between $80-$150 USD and the cost of your work permit will be around $300 USD.
Q : WHERE DO I APPLY FOR HEALTHCARE DURING MY STAY?
A : All Unleashed Interns are required to apply online for short-term health insurance and emergency evacuation insurance from International Medical Group here.
Q : WHAT ARE MY LIVING ARRANGEMENTS DURING THE INTERNSHIP?
A : You will be living with all other Unleashed interns during the first two weeks of Orientation & Training in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Then you will move to new housing for your 8-week business internship, located in the country and city of your internship. We work closely with your business to make sure you are living near the business you are working with. GEI Staff works with each business to establish customized and appropriate housing for each intern. Then for the last week of Unleashed, all interns will return to group housing for Debrief in Phuket, Thailand.
Q : HOW MANY OTHER INTERNS WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM?
A : We will only be accepting 25 interns for Unleashed Internships.
Q : HOW WILL I COMMUNICATE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY BACK HOME?
A : The best way to communicate will be via email or through an international phone app such as Skype, FaceTime, Viber or Line. You will have time during your internship to regularly communicate with family and friends back home.
Q : IS IT BENEFICIAL TO PURCHASE A CELL PHONE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA TO COMMUNICATE WITH FAMILY?
A : You will receive a cell phone and SIM Card upon arrival to use during your internship. This is included in the cost of your internship.
Q : WHAT IF I NEEDED ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT DURING MY STAY?
A : If you desire to have money for entertainment or western food, you can take out additional personal funds through an ATM. You will need to contact your bank before your travel so they do not block your bank account from withdrawing funds.
We encourage each intern to bring an additional $300-$500 USD if they prefer to eat at western-style restaurants and for leisure or entertainment purposes.
Q : CAN I TRAVEL TO OTHER CITIES BESIDES MY INTERNSHIP CITY?
A : Some Unleashed Interns will travel to other countries and cities due to their business internship outside of Thailand. All Unleashed Interns will travel to at least 2 cities including Chiang Mai, Thailand for Training & Orientation and Phuket, Thailand for Debrief. During your business internships, you are required to stay in the city of your internship so that you have time to complete local cultural opportunities and local language studies.
Q : CAN I CHOOSE THE COUNTRY I WANT TO INTERN IN?
A : We encourage all Unleashed Applicants to let us know what country and city you are interested in working and where you may have traveled before. GEI/Unleashed Staff works with business leaders to place each intern based on their marketable sills. Each Unleashed Business partner has specific needs in their business, and Unleashed works very closely with them to make sure each intern is placed with a business where they can meet a specific market need.
Q : CAN I PAY MY INITIAL DEPOSIT AFTER MY BUSINESS INTERVIEW?
A : All Unleashed Applicants will receive an Unleashed Internship Position for an Unleashed Business before they interview with a business leader. The Unleashed initial deposit is required after interns review internship position but before interns interview with the business leader.
Q : WHY DOES THE COST GO UP AFTER JANUARY 1ST?
A : We encourage all Unleashed Applicants to complete Unleashed Interest Forms, Applications, References, Resume, pay initial financial deposit, and interview with a business leader before January because it gives the intern more time to raise support, purchase plane tickets, apply for visa, and for the business leader to make plans to best prepare for interns before they arrive. The cost of the internship increases the later an applicant applies and interviews with the business leader because of increased costs owing to having less time to prepare documents and other logistics along with vetting the city of your internship before you arrive. Before any intern arrives in the city of their internship, a GEI/Unleashed Staff will have vetted housing, business, healthcare, local transportation, emergency procedures, language learning, and cultural opportunities to make sure interns are received personally and professionally by our Unleashed business partner.
Q : WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE ALLERGIES?
A : If you have allergies, be sure to check with your doctor before you leave your home country. Asia is home to many polluted cities and can cause some people to have increased allergies. Thailand has many allergy medications, but we encourage you to bring what your doctor recommends. Feel free to ask our GEI/Unleashed Staff about specifics.
Q : CAN I TAKE ONLINE SUMMER CLASSES WHILE INTERNING WITH UNLEASHED?
A : Unleashed Emerging World Internships is an intensive 11-week internship experience where you have 2 weeks of Training & Orientation; 8 weeks of business internships where you work at least 40 hours a week, take language classes, experience culture opportunities; and 1 weeks of internship debrief. Due to the intensity of the internship program and schedule, taking additional summer classes is not possible.
Q : CAN I STILL INTERN WITH UNLEASHED IF I AM NOT A BUSINESS MAJOR/PROFESSIONAL?
A : While all our internships are with startup businesses and small to medium sized businesses in developing/emerging countries, they all need interns with diverse marketable skills beyond being business majors. Some of those skills are social media marketing, graphic design, engineering, agriculture, photography, videography, web-development, teaching English, international relations, chemistry, and professional writing.