International Volunteering

The programme is aimed at all current Università Cattolica students and recent graduates (within 12 months of graduation).

Previous volunteering experience is not required.

You just need to be able to show a good level of English. You don’t need to have a language certificate or take an English test: your language level will be assessed directly by our partner organisations when applications close.

Applications close on 10 December 2024

The volunteering projects last either 2, 3 or 4 weeks – to be decided by participants - with departure as follows: 

• Option 1: departure mid-July
• Option 2: departure end July 
• Option 3: departure mid-August

See the destinations pages (links below) to check exact departure and return dates for each destination. 

Costa Rica Guatemala Indonesia Peru Portugal Sri Lanka South Africa Tanzania - Arusha Tanzania - Zanzibar Thailand Vietnam Zambia

A number of scholarships are available:

• 20 scholarships of € 1,350 for destinations in partnership with World Endeavors 
• 20 scholarships of € 300 for destinations in partnership with International Volunteer HQ

Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of academic merit and will be awarded as a refund upon return from the programme. Your application for the programme is also automatically an application for a scholarship. The scholarships will be awarded after applications close, on the basis of academic merit (grade average, credits, and Bachelor degree grade if available).

Priority in the assignment of scholarships will be given to current UC students over recent UC graduates. 

The total cost of the programme will depend on the destination and the length of the volunteering project.

The cost includes

• orientation and support from Cattolica International during application
• support leading up to departure 
• emergency number, active 24/7 during your stay abroad 
• local contact person for the programme
• airport pick-up service on arrival 
• volunteering activities for 20 or 30 hours per week
• accommodation in apartments, apartment hotels or with local families 
• meals, where specified
• health insurance cover during the programme and Student Safety Package
• certification of participation with a description of activities undertaken
• "Welcome Back: unpack your experience!" session by Cattolica International on return from the programme

The following are not included in the cost of the programme: 

• return flights
• visa costs where necessary
• costs of vaccinations, if applicable 
• anything not specified in the preceding list 

The following costs regard all destinations:  

• Application fee: €35 (this is non-refundable and is paid during the application process) 
• Deposit fee: €200, payable after applications close, as confirmation of wish to proceed with application 
• Cost of the programme  to be paid directly to World Endeavors or HQ, once your entry requirements have been approved 

See the destination pages for details about costs 
 

All students who participate in International Volunteering as their first experience abroad will receive, upon returning from the program, 1 extra ECTS credit for International Activities.

Additionally you can contact the internship tutors of your Faculty to verify if the experience can be  recognized as a curricular internship. 

The contacts of the internship tutors are available online in the section of the website for your Faculty.

For students of the Faculty of Linguistic Sciences, it is also possible to check if the ECTS credits for Training/Other Activities can be recognized. Any other recognition possibility must be evaluated before departure with the academic representatives of your Faculty.

Activation of the Student Safety Package is included in the programme. This includes:

• health insurance cover valid for the total period of the programme abroad    
• activation of the Saftery app, which supports dealing with emergencies. 

Read details

Roughly one week after applications close you will receive email notification about the outcome of scholarship assignments.
Meanwhile, Cattolica International will send your application and supporting documentation to the provider for the destination you have selected. You will then be invited by the provider to take part in an initial introductory call, in English, during which your language proficiency will be checked and you will be able to ask for further information on the project and the destination you have selected.

We suggest you take part in the introductory call as soon as possible. 

Students who have submitted confirmation of their application will be invited to an initial orientation meeting. This will take place in the weeks following the closing of applications. By the date of the meeting it is essential that you have chosen your destination and the volunteering project you wish to apply for. Participation to the orientation session is mandatory.

In the weeks following the closing of the registration, you will receive final confirmation regarding the volunteer project you will join. Only then should you proceed with purchasing your flight ticket. 

About a month before the scheduled departure date, you will receive further details about accommodation.