Most internships are for a period of three months, beginning during the summer or early fall, although some are as short as two months, and some can continue for 6-9 months.
Students are responsible for their own round-trip airfare.
Sponsoring companies pay a modest salary or stipend which covers basic living expenses. Specific responsibilities vary with each organization. Some companies try to give the student a general understanding of operations within the organization, which might involve rotating through different departments. In other instances the student might work in only one environment. In almost all cases, details are finalized once the intern arrives, and flexibility is a requirement of this program.