Deadlines, Exams, and Scholarships: Your Guide to Studying in the USA, Europe, and Asia
Yes, but not everywhere is the same. The opportunity depends on the country of the division, the specific vacancy, the candidate’s status, the language and the right to work. Part of Samsung’s programs in the United States explicitly states the requirement to already have an American work permit-the company does not sponsor a visa for interns (semiconductor.samsung.com). Sony has historically openly recruited international students to Japan through a separate recruitment drive for STEM majors. At Tencent in China, almost all technical roles require Chinese (Tencent job descriptions, viterbicareers.usc.edu), but there are separate programs for international students outside of China.
engineers and developers — software and hardware, semiconductor;
data analysts and AI / ML specialists-research roles often require publications in specialized conferences;
designers-food and graphic design;
product and marketing specialists — product management, strategy;
researchers-R & D direction;
content and HR specialists — mostly in international offices.
Samsung does not have a single global portal-vacancies are published separately by division: Samsung Electronics America, Samsung Research America, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, Samsung Semiconductor Europe (headquartered in Munich) (semiconductor.samsung.com). each division conducts recruitment according to its own schedule — check several portals, not just one.
The basic condition almost everywhere is to actively study for a bachelor’s, master’s or PhD degree with at least one semester remaining (semiconductor.samsung.com, samsung.com/us/careers). some programs-such as Samsung Electronics America-do not accept recent graduates: student status is mandatory at the time of application. For a Samsung Semiconductor internship in the United States, the requirement is officially stated: “U.S. work authorization is required” – that is, the candidate must already have the right to work in the country, the company does not issue this visa (semiconductor.samsung.com). This should be checked separately for each specific position.Conditions may differ for other regions.
Resume screening, online testing for technical roles, and interviews with the team — the specific format depends on the department and position.
For programs in the United States and Europe-no, recruitment and work are conducted in English. For roles directly in Korea, knowledge of Korean becomes a significant practical advantage, although there is no formal official confirmation of this requirement on the English versions of Samsung’s career pages — please check for a specific vacancy.
Main channel for recruitment to Japan — sony.com/en/SonyInfo/Careers/japan. This link has been used for several consecutive years by Sony’s Global Talent Acquisition Team in official announcements for university career centers-University of Michigan, ANU, NUS (events 2022-2024). It publishes positions with R & D, PlayStation, Consumer Electronics, Imaging, Semiconductor and Biotechnology areas.
According to the same official announcement — computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, robotics, life sciences. This applies primarily to technical STEM roles in Japan; for creative and product areas (PlayStation, Sony Music), the requirements differ and are published separately on regional career sites.
Submission of a resume, an interview in English, discussion of a project or technical skills-from the description of Sony information sessions for universities.
The role of Japanese and English
According to official reports of the Sony Global Talent Acquisition Team, all positions for STEM recruitment are based in Tokyo, interviews are conducted in English, and most roles do not formally require knowledge of Japanese-interest in Japanese culture is considered a plus, but not required (materials of the official Sony recruitment, reproduced by the career centers of the University of Michigan and ANU in 2022-2024 years, with reference to sony.com/en/SonyInfo/Careers/japan/).
The company also claims financial and logistical support with a visa for employment. This wording applies to STEM programs of a specific set.For other areas (for example, Sony Music, Sony Pictures in the United States), the requirements may be different, and they need to be checked separately.
Software development, testing, front-end and mobile development, computer vision and NLP for research roles, product management, HR-the latter mainly for international offices.
Official portal careers.tencent.com. separately on the Tencent International Job Placement platform (tencent.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com there are positions that are focused specifically on international students — for example, HR internships with a possible relocation to Shenzhen and a potential offer based on its results.
Depends on where the role is based. In the official description of Tencent technical vacancies (document posted on viterbicareers.usc.edu) for most engineering positions in China, it is explicitly stated: “Chinese language fluency is required due to business necessity” – the candidate must be able to communicate with employees and partners and work with documentation in Chinese. For programs targeting international students outside of China, this requirement is relaxed.
Inside China, the company’s working language is Chinese, which is confirmed by the official job description and the feedback from interns about working in the Beijing office. Without conversational and business-like Chinese, a full-fledged internship at Tencent’s Chinese office is unlikely. For positions outside of China, Chinese is not required, but it remains an advantage.
official career websites of companies-the most reliable source of relevant vacancies;
university career portals and university partnerships with employers;
LinkedIn-direct job search and networking with employees;
career fairs and information sessions held by companies at partner universities;
recommendations from teachers and university graduates;
graduate programs, which sometimes become a continuation of an internship.
One page, in English or the job title language, with a focus on technical skills and measurable project results.
Not always required, but it is often requested separately for research and product roles.
For engineering and design roles — real projects, code, and cases.
A transcript and proof of current student status are required in almost all programs.
They are not always needed at the submission stage, but they can be requested additionally at later stages of the selection process.
How to adapt your resume for an international internship
Show your results in numbers – not “participated in development”, but “reduced loading time by 30%”. Specify the technical stack specifically: languages, frameworks, and tools. A separate block is the level of language proficiency. Put your academic projects in your specialty above formal achievements without any connection to the direction.
Application screening-checking your resume for compliance with the basic requirements;
Online testing-for technical roles: algorithms, code, specialized knowledge;
Technical or case interview-problem analysis, real-time code, or business case analysis;
Interview with the team-getting to know future colleagues, assessing cultural compliance;
Internship eligibility check-proof of student status and, where possible, the right to work in the host country.
specialized technical skills confirmed by projects;
English at the level of free communication-the minimum for most international programs;
The local language of the internship country is Chinese for Tencent in China, an advantage for Samsung in Korea;
international experience-exchange, preliminary internships, volunteering abroad;
real projects-educational, personal, hackathons;
participation in specialized student organizations.
Eligibility for an internship depends on the country, student visa status, duration and format of employment. As the example of Samsung in the United States shows, some programs directly require you to already have the right to work — without sponsoring a visa from the company. Conditions vary by country and change over time — check the current rules for your visa category and the requirements of a specific vacancy before applying, and do not rely on general ideas about the company.
Look for career centers with real partnerships-as in the case of universities where Sony’s Global Talent Acquisition Team or Samsung’s recruitment team regularly come. Industrial projects and joint laboratories are a strong signal. The Alumni network in these companies facilitates networking.
mass mailing of identical requests without adapting to the company and role
no real projects in the resume – only grades and a list of courses
lack of preparation for a technical interview-without practicing solving problems in advance
ignoring language and visa requirements is especially critical for roles in China or where you already have the right to work
What should I do if I couldn’t get into Samsung, Sony, or Tencent right away
Consider internships at startups and smaller tech companies in the region — they often provide more hands-on experience and are more lenient on visa issues. University research labs offer project-based experience that is valuable for future applications. Partner companies and suppliers of large corporations are a real way to get relevant experience and recommendations.
At SelfStartGlobal, we connect the choice of university and specialty with career goals:
If you are planning a career in the technology sector in Asia, please come for a consultation and we will analyze your profile and goals.
So, in Sony programs for Japan and part of Samsung programs, recruitment and work are done in English. Tencent almost always needs Chinese inside China, and English is usually enough for programs outside of China.
No. Sony and some of Samsung’s divisions are hiring students from universities in the United States, Europe, and other regions. But for US-based Samsung apps, you need to check your work eligibility requirements separately-some of them don’t sponsor a visa.
So, according to official data of both companies, Samsung and Sony programs are paid. Payment terms depend on the division and country — Please specify them at the offer stage.
Yes, but with caveats. Some programs (for example, Samsung Semiconductor US) require that you already have the right to work in the host country at the time of submission — this is not “apply from anywhere”, but a specific legal condition that needs to be checked for each vacancy.
A minimum of one remaining semester of study is usually required at the start of the program. Research roles are more often open to undergraduates and PhD students, product and marketing areas are also accepted by undergraduates.
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