Seoul Internships with Beyond Academy

I would recommend the program to others who are thinking of interning in Korea.
The two coordinators based in Seoul are always supportive and amazing, and they helped me from the very beginning of the process, responding to all of my questions. The events and trips organized are a fun way to spend the weekends together with the other interns. I've met really kind people through the program and the company I was interning for.
The accomodation is in a really great location near to shops and the subway station.
It's a fantastic experience to grow as an individual, make new friends, network, and immerse yourself in a new culture.

The program itself was very enjoyable and the community was very good. Some confusion in the housing occured but not to the point it detracted from my time here. My company was nearby to my residence and transport was very convenient for me (Seoul). Having said that I'm a pretty self reliant person, so I haven't needed to directly get much help from BA itself, and I can't speak to that experience. However, as a first step after college, I think the experience was worth it and would recommend it.

I had a great experience with Beyond Academy. There’s nothing like having someone on the ground in Seoul who can help identify the companies that are open to English-speaking interns. It’s not easy to do. But what really shines about Beyond Academy is the community. The community managers make sure you never feel alone. They welcome you with open arms and fill your social calendar with fun, culturally-rich activities that you can share with other interns. And they’re always there when you need support or if you just want to hang out. We’re still friends to this day!

The cherry on top: my internship turned into a remote part-time job while I finish school; I seriously don’t have any complaints! The program may be on the pricy side, but it was well worth it for me. Would 100% recommend if you can swing it.

Beyond Academy made it super easy to adjust to a new city. Going to a new place, most would not have a circle of friends or support system already there but this programme helps get over the ‘scary stuff’. From beginning until the end of the programme, the BA coordinators ensured our well being, safety & fun. It was so nice to meet so many new people and gain experiences.

Through this programme, I was able to make new friends & see new places. With events & activites being held every week— there was no chance to be bored. Everything was so much fun!

Best decision I’ve ever made. Through the program I have been able to work in Seoul while also not having to worry about my social life because Beyond Academy organizes the funnest events that allow me to make the most of my time here. I feel like i have a family here and i’m well taken care of! Every person I’ve met through the program is having a better time than they expected and are really sad to have to say goodbye to everyone we’ve met. Best way to build your resume and have a great time!

If you're looking for a program to intern abroad I can only recommend Beyond Academy. The entire process has been really informative and transparent, while always making sure I was prepared for interviews, travel etc. The best thing in my opinion is the social network you are part of, making it a lot easier to find things to do and not feel lonely. The two community coordinators are absolutely amazing, doing everything they can to give you the best experience and always being available if you need help in any way.
Overall I've had the best experience and would for sure do it all over again.

Even though the other interns I met during the Beyond Program were lovely, the actual program itself was very poorly organised and very much overpriced for what it was. I have separated the issues I encountered both as part of the internship itself and Beyond academy issues below as there aren’t many reviews for Beyond Academy and I think it’s important for aspiring beyond interns to consider before spending that much money.

Beyond Academy:
The pay over time scheme isn’t actually what you’d think as you end up paying 75% if your programme fee a few weeks before you depart.Myself and a few of the other interns only had interviews with companies a a few weeks before we actually flew out.
During the application process you don’t get to pick from a range of companies a new company is only offered if you reject the one presented to you.
You don’t get much CV or interview help, you just get recommended a website (Novoresume) where they give you a template and you fill in your details
Most of the events that were held for the duration of my internship were very repetitive. The ‘welcome’ day for the new interns that arrived every week included 1 paid drink at Hongdae (already covered by the overpriced program fee you pay). So if you were there for 2-3 months chances are you won’t attend all of the events organised by beyond because they’re the same.
Some of the events were actually awful. One of the planned trips was the Hyundai mall, which I know recently has become more of a touristy attraction but as someone who’s internship company was right by it, it didn’t feel like my £5000+ ($6300) was being used efficiently.
If you don’t attend an event you don’t get your budget allocated for that Beyond Academy trip back. For example most of the interns worked regular office hours 9am-6pm (some until 8pm) so could not attend the event, however they couldn’t have their allocated event budget back (which is covered by the initial £5000 you pay them)
For £5000- I would expect the taxi back to the airport covered as well however this wasn’t.
The SIM card they recommended didn’t arrive until the third week and there was not any help on how I could get mine until the 3rd week which meant getting anywhere in Seoul was very difficult.
The two beyond academy leaders we had were lovely and helped us navigate the city and gave us recommendations as well. However when I had issues with my internship, I wasn’t made aware that I could change my internship if I had experienced issues in my first couple weeks until my 4th week- by then I couldn’t switch as many companies understandably wouldn’t want an intern for 4 weeks.

Internship Beyond Academy found for me:
As for my internship, from the second week on I had already finished all of my projects and told my beyond program leaders about this however was not told that finding a different company was an option. So I spent the next 6 weeks sitting by a desk with no work, despite raising this issue with the company I worked at. Someone at Beyond offered to email the company to ask for more work, however I think the issue is Beyond Academy as a company not researching the companies their interns work at properly.

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend Beyond Academy for aspiring interns. It was my first time abroad by myself, as most students who are contemplating on doing one of these internships, However I was disappointed at the lack of the support given in the first week to settle in and the overall poor planning of the whole internship. I would recommend either a different company or even better researching your own accommodation and making a list of places you would like to see beforehand because myself and the majority of the other interns did not see where the thousands of pounds/ dollars we were spending were going to.

I believe I could’ve seen more of Korea with the money I gave Beyond Academy if I had organised my finances myself or picked a more reputable and affordable company.

Beyond Academy is the best program to apply for when looking to work abroad and grow in your career path. I had 24/7 support from my Community Leader as well as from the rest of the staff via email if I ever had a question. I learned so much at my internship and I got to experience a lot of different things (food, culture, nightlife, daytime, etc). I even improved on my Korean language skills :). It was my first time stepping out of my comfort zone and Beyond Academy made it happen so thank you Beyond Academy! I truly appreciate this opportunity! :)