In order to keep our houses secure we only permit Work the World staff and students on site. This is a rule we apply across the board to remain fair to all staff and students. We do not believe that friends and family pose a security risk but they can, understandably, affect the dynamics of the house – particularly in a shared environment. However we are happy to recommend places for visitors to stay and places where you can meet up socially
Don’t worry – we will pick you up! You will be greeted at the airport by a Work the World representative wearing a blue t-shirt and holding one of our signs. Your flight details can be added to your MyTrip account so you don’t have to worry if you are delayed as our staff members check with the airlines on a daily basis.
There are members of Work the World staff available around the clock if you need any assistance. We can quickly intervene where necessary and our Program Managers will speak to the hospital or clinic on your behalf and sort out any problems that might have occurred in the house. If you are in need of medical assistance we will ensure you get the best care possible, travelling with you to a private hospital and providing translation where appropriate. If you need to contact your travel insurance company we can also help you with this and assist in any procedures you need to follow.
Absolutely! We cater to all nursing branches, you can find more information on the links below:
We can create tailored placements and electives suitable for those studying (or qualified in) the vast majority of healthcare degrees. If you're looking for a placement or elective that isn’t listed on our website, please get in touch using the enquiry form at the bottom of this page.
Our healthcare placements abroad are suitable for both students and recently qualified professionals. As every element of your overseas professional placement is tailored to you, we can create a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is directly matched with your clinical interests.
This is a really popular choice and each year a considerable number of students and professionals take the plunge and travel out to one of our programmes on their own. For some this can be a daunting thought, so we wrote this blog post to cover off any questions you might have about travelling solo. A massive benefit of travelling with us is that you’ll be sharing your accommodation with other healthcare students so you’ll never be on your own and you’ll make friends quickly.
Whilst the majority of expenses are covered by Work the World there are a few things you will need to arrange independently. Things such as your flights, insurance, visas, vaccinations and any travel you wish to take outside of your placement. You can find more information about what’s not included here.
The majority of participants register to secure their place on their chosen programme roughly 9 months in advance. This helps to ensure you’re guaranteed your first choice of destination and also gives you plenty of time to save or fundraise for your placement.
Taking your placement in a developing country is an amazing opportunity to use, develop and share your skills whilst gaining experience with advanced diseases and pathologies that are rare in the Western world. You’ll gain unique insight into developing healthcare systems which will contribute to both your personal and professional development.
You don’t! All we need to secure your spot and start planning your placement is your £300 registration fee. You can then spread the cost of your placement by breaking it into smaller payments and paying in instalments. You can pay in as many instalments as you wish, whenever you wish, as long as your full balance is clear 90 days prior to departure. More information on this can be found on our flexible payments page.
Once you have paid your registration fee you have a 14 day cooling off period where you would qualify for a full refund if you changed your mind.
It is possible. Get in touch with us, so we can discuss this.
Yes you can! As long as you are enrolled in a relevant healthcare degree you are eligible to travel.
Get in touch with us, using the short enquiry form and we can discuss this in more detail.
Yes you can! Our placements are educational in their nature and designed to give you experience in a low resource hospital setting under the supervision of local qualified professionals.
Students who undertake our placements travel from all over the world and each university has different criteria for recognising credits gained. However, it may be part of your university and course structure to award credits for overseas placements. We are happy to provide your supervisor or co-ordinator with the information they require in determining this, and don’t forget that it is possible to tailor your placement to suit your course requirements. Get in touch with us, so we can discuss this further.
Yes, everyone that takes part in one of our placements will need to ensure they have a travel insurance policy in place to cover them for the duration of their trip.
Visa requirements vary depending on the destination you have chosen and the type of passport you hold.
Your dedicated MyTrip portal will have all the relevant information you’ll need including online embassy application forms, visa costs, the type of visa you’ll need to apply for and most importantly the time frames in which you’ll need to complete this by. We’ve been doing this for over 15 years so we’ll be able to guide you every step of the way, should you need any further visa application assistance.
The destination you have chosen and the vaccinations you have previously received will affect which vaccinations you need and it may be that you don’t need any vaccinations at all.
Our advice is that you check with your local travel clinic or GP, who will have access to your medical files and who will be best placed to advise you on what you’ll need.
The typical working hours are about 7am-2pm but this does vary with each of our hospital partnerships and the department you are working in.
You are responsible to provide the costs for the placement but there are many ways in which you can get help and support if you know where to look! There may be grants and bursaries available to you from your home institutions and employers. Or you could look at raising funds through sponsorship. You might be surprised at how many businesses are willing to invest in this type experience.
If you’re enrolled with an Australian higher education provider as a Commonwealth supported student, you may be eligible to access an OS-HELP loan for your study overseas.
Have you checked out our funding hub? It is packed full of ideas on top tips to save and fundraise.
All placements as standard are Monday to Friday allowing you weekends off to explore the country you are living in or relax at the house. However if you do want to go to placement during the weekends that is absolutely possible and can be arranged with our in-country management team. Most working hours tend to be daytime shifts but it is also possible to work nights, again this can be arranged for you in-country.
Yes. Our expert team will have detailed conversations with you in advance of your placement starting, meaning we can guarantee exactly what department/s you’ll be based in throughout your whole placement.
Yes, you can. We involve you in the tailoring process of your placement at every stage. You choose the destination you want to travel to and the clinical departments you want to get experience in. Your dedicated placement coordinator will be in touch two to three months before departure to go through your clinical interests and help you decide which departments to rotate through in order to meet your clinical goals.
You can, but it is likely to be expensive. On your first day in-country, our local team will take you to a shop that will sell local sim cards at a very cheap price. This is a much more cost effective way of keeping communication channels open with the Work the World team and fellow housemates. If you choose to get a sim card with data, it also ensures you’ll always have access to the internet!
Yes, subject to availability. All placements within departments are limited and are very much subject to each individual's interests and objectives.
Thousands of students and professionals travel with us each year, some on their own and some in groups, meaning we can cater for everyone. There are a maximum number of placements available in each of our programmes, however, so it is advised to book as early as possible to secure your placement - especially if you are travelling as a group.
With the exception of Mexico (where we ask that all students & professionals display a basic conversational level of Spanish and enthusiasm for learning the language), you don’t need to be able to speak the local language. However, learning a few everyday phrases can really help you build relationships with hospital staff and get the most from your placement!
With years of experience tailor-making overseas placements, we’ve developed the ultimate in-country language support. Once you’ve registered with us, you’ll get access to comprehensive language guides and accompanying videos to help you find your feet.
To give you an even deeper understanding of the local language and customs, a language teacher will provide twice-weekly language lessons in our Work the World houses. Designed with your clinical placement in mind, these language lessons are an added bonus to help you get to grips with clinical words and phrases. By making an effort with the local language you’ll demonstrate your commitment to your placement and earn the respect of your hospital supervisors. Which, in turn, will help open up new opportunities and experiences during your time overseas.
In the hospitals and clinics we partner with, most senior consultants are required to study in English-speaking countries as part of their learning, so they’re likely to have a good level of English.
Staff in the Work the World houses, of course, speak English exceptionally well.
Yes. Each of our Work the World houses has the best wifi we can get within the local area. Given we work in developing countries, it can be intermittent at times but generally it works well as long as no one is streaming/downloading movies.
Typically our students and professionals are on placement on average 35 hours per week. If you need to do a set number of hours based on your university requirements we can assist with this.
Our houses depending on destination, accommodate between 22 and 39 people. Therefore in all our destinations there are a maximum number of places available, so booking as early as possible is always advised.
The costs of our placements, and what’s included, are detailed on our prices page, and they vary according to where you go and how you long you want to go for. You can also spread the cost of your placement by breaking it into smaller payments and paying in instalments. More information on this can also be found on our pricing page.
Flights, visas and insurance will need to be arranged independently. We are happy to help with this if you are not sure where to start but we don’t include these in our costs as our students travel from all over the world at different times of the year and are likely to have better access to affordable deals than we will. You should also account for money you will spend recreationally and on travel at our destinations.
Whilst food is included at the house, you might want to go for meals with other students from time to time, so you should ensure you budget for this. If you wish to take any trips during your free time, our staff will be happy to provide you with advice and information but the cost for this would be your responsibility. Equally, your day-to-day travel costs are not included in our packages. We do provide transfers at the beginning and end of your placement, and whilst our houses are located at close as possible to the placements, you may find that you need to take public transport to reach your hospital or clinic. You should budget for around $2 AUD per day. Of course, you will be shown the best way to get to and from work during your orientation session.
It really varies depending on where you go, but the cost of living is significantly cheaper than your home country. We recommend on average about $200 for every week you are in-country. This will cover travel to and from placement, weekend trips away including accommodation and spending money, as well as mid-week drinks and meals out if you decide to not dine at the house.
If you’ve not already been in touch with a Work the World staff member then completing the Enquiry Form at the bottom of the page is advised. However if you have already spoken to a team member and you’re ready to book click ‘Book Now’. You'll receive confirmation of your placement within 24 hours. If for any reason we are not able to offer you a placement, the registration fee will be refunded in full.
Our Work the World houses are large, secure shared houses that will be your home for the duration of your placement. We opted to place our students together in one location rather than taking the budget home-stay option because the feedback we received from early placements indicated that students enjoyed coming home to like-minded peers who can discuss their placement experiences in a relaxed environment. The bedrooms are all shared but split between male and female with 4-6 beds in each room.
If you are going on placement with a same-sex friend we will try to place you in the same room where possible. However, we cannot accommodate requests for private rooms or mixed-sex roomss. Bathrooms are also shared but they are kept to a small number of one per four to five students and they are well looked after to ensure they are always clean.
Your registration fee secures your placement immediately and allows us to start tailor-making your placement. You’ll receive confirmation of your placement within 24 hours and have instant access to MyTrip, your online placement planner. The planner has everything you could possibly need such as a step-by-step timeline, full details of your itinerary, access to our Information Pack which contains everything you’ll need to know before your trip; packing lists, language guides, visa requirements and so much more!
You should not book your flights until your placement has been confirmed – you may not be able to reschedule the flights if your placement dates are unavailable. When your placement has been confirmed we suggest that you book your flights no later than 3 months before your trip begins to avoid any panic or inflated prices.
The airports we recommend for each destination are as follows:
Our placements run throughout the year and are tailored to your interests, experience and abilities, as well as any course requirements you may be expected to meet. As such, they can be done at any stage of your training, including during your placement, as a summer placement, or even after you’ve become a qualified professional.
We have a minimum stay of one week, but the longer you stay the more you will gain from your experience. Most of our allied health students and professionals tend to stay for a 2-4 week period. You may also be able to split your placement between two hospitals or undertake one of our add-on experiences like the Village Healthcare Experience, Ayurvedic Medicine Experience or Intensive Spanish Course, all of which will broaden your understanding of healthcare overseas.
As mentioned above, the minimum length of stay we offer is one week. Any less and we feel there just isn’t enough time to get to grips with your surroundings and integrate into your placement hospital.
All of our placements are located in incredible, fascinating countries where you will find plenty to see and do. We suggest that you wait until you arrive before booking any trips - you may decide to travel with other students or take the advice of the very knowledgeable staff on site. You will find lots of advice from previous students on where to go and where not to go, either on our blog, in reviews on the website or even in the comments book at the house.
Our placement consultants have extensive knowledge of all our programmes—both inside the hospital and out—and can help you discover which of our destinations suit your specialism best, and create the most opportunities for you.
Two to three months before departure, we'll will be in touch to help you decide where to specialise, whether to split your placement between two hospitals and which healthcare setting best suits your needs.
We arrange placements for those who have completed or are currently studying a healthcare course anywhere in the world. We can only place students within their individual disciplines – midwifery placements are only available to midwifery students or professionals. We have lots of experience working with various large groups, for instance universities or societies, so if you have a group of 10 or more let us know and we may be able to arrange a completely tailored project just for you.
There are no paid options available with Work the World.
Unfortunately not. We carefully pick the destinations in which we operate to ensure they meet our own strict internal criteria, focused on safety and stability. We also work hard to build sustainable relationships in all of the countries we are based and as a result we only operate in the destinations listed on our website.
MyTrip is an online placement planner – effectively your own personal account – where all of the information relating to your specific placement is stored. You can access this at any time and we update it as and when the various aspects of your placement are confirmed. On MyTrip you will find all the information you need regarding your placement, including details about your hospital or clinic, your supervisor and your location. You can follow your own progress via a timeline and receive reminders about when elements of your preparation are overdue.
Unlike a number of other placement providers, you will not be staying in a homestay. You’ll stay in our private Work the World houses with all the comforts that you’re used to at home. You’ll be living with healthcare students and newly qualified professionals from all over the world, benefiting your interprofessional learning and meaning you’ll have a new group of friends to travel to placement with, share stories and experiences with after placement, and travel with on the weekends.
The amount of support and supervision students receive on placement is incredibly important to us and is an integral part of the structure of our placements. The levels of support and supervision you receive have been set out within the agreements we have with our partner hospitals and clinics. We also observe guidelines set out by professional, statutory and regulatory bodies, ensuring that every placement is designed to meet the skill level of each student to protect the safety of patients and students. It is common for universities to have particular requirements of placements according to their standards and the course of study a student is undertaking. We are happy to put additional agreements in place and provide risk assessments and audit information where necessary.
Work the World is not a non-government organisation or charity. However we are very serious about our moral and ethical responsibilities. We endeavour to provide electives that are sustainable and benefit local communities. We also work in association with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) to offer placements that will equip students for a future in international aid. They are unable to offer their own placement opportunities because they cannot afford to spare relief workers.
We strongly believe that we have a responsibility to reduce the impact and increase the benefits that our placements have in all of our destinations. We don’t ship employees over to each of our locations; we employ local people and give them the skills and training they need to improve their opportunities. We source our food and other products from the local areas and make use of public transport as long as it is safe and appropriate to do so. We also like to make donations to individual members of staff and specific wards in the hospitals and clinics we work with, over and above the standard fees we pay them for each student. Local hospital and clinic staff can also benefit from English lessons that we sponsor.
Shortly before your placement begins, your MyTrip portal will be updated to show everyone that will be living in the house at the same time as you. Their placements may not be starting on the same week as yours, however you will be living in the house together for at least some, if not all of your time overseas.
The placements we create are inclusive of accommodation and in order to get the full experience of being overseas we strongly recommend you stay in the Work the World house.
We’ve been operating for over 15 years and our in-country operation is what makes our service unparalleled. A huge part of the service we offer is the on-the-ground support from our in-country teams and they are there to provide as little or as much support as you require.
Find out more about what you can expect on our In-country Support page
Yes. The placements we offer are completely structured, so when you’re on placement you’ll be supervised every day. Once you arrive in your chosen destination you’ll be taken for an orientation of your placement hospital where you’ll be introduced to your supervisors and key department staff ready for your first day. Our local teams have strong in-person relationships with all of our partner hospitals, so you can expect 24/7 support from the Work the World team, and regular monitoring to ensure you’re getting what you want from the experience.
