stack of books
The Netherlands Internships
Here's how you can apply for an internship at the U.S. Commercial Service in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands Internships

Internship Program

The U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Embassy in The Hague offers internship opportunities in the spring (February through June) and fall (September through January).

What will you be doing?

The U.S. Commercial Service is the trade promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. We promote the export of U.S. goods and/or services into the Netherlands and inward investment into the U.S. Our office analyzes information on the Dutch market, facilitates contacts with Dutch businesses, promotes U.S. products in the Netherlands, and advocates U.S. business interests. 

The U.S. Commercial Service in the Netherlands is comprised of five local employees. Our activities are organized by industry sector, with each of the Commercial Specialists responsible for specific sectors. The intern will work closely with the Commercial Specialists on a variety of trade-related projects.
Interns learn from Commercial Service staff by:

  • Collecting and analyzing information for market research reports
  • Assisting with our matchmaking services that help U.S. companies find partners and distributors in the Netherlands
  • Supporting the organization of seminars and conferences
  • Helping U.S. exhibitors at trade shows in the Netherlands
  • Processing data in our Salesforce commercial database
  • Drafting responses to incoming business inquiries from both U.S. and Dutch firms
  • Assisting with day-to-day office tasks

Requirements

  1. Interns must have either Dutch or U.S. citizenship
  2. Dutch and English-language proficiency is required
  3. Basic computer skills are a prerequisite (MS Office)
  4. Interns should be available for at least four months
  5. All applicants will be subject to a detailed background security check, which takes 4-6 weeks on average, before the internship can begin
  6. Applicants must be enrolled in a full-time college level education with ‘business’, ‘trade’, or ‘marketing’ as their major
  7. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age with some work experience

For more information, please contact Office.Netherlands@trade.gov.

Payment and Insurance

This internship is a volunteer service. Federal regulations prohibit financial compensation. An official letter of recommendation will be provided. No federal government liability is assumed.

Application

You need to apply at least 3 months in advance. Your application must include:

  • Motivation Letter: Why you want to be an intern, what you have to offer, how you hope to benefit from the internship and the time frame in which you are available.
  • Resume: Future goals, computer skills, past experience, including academic accomplishments, citizenship, and years of studies.
  • Proof of student status at a university or institute of higher education.
  • E-mail your motivation letter and CV to Office.Netherlands@trade.gov.

For Your Planning

The internship will last up approximately 16 weeks, starting dates are flexible. Remember to plan up to 2 months ahead until your security check is completed (including a personal interview with an official security officer). Your work time will be Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Our offices are closed on official Dutch and American holidays.