Nursing Volunteer Abroad Projects for Students & Professional Nurses

Updated for 2025-2026. 

Now includes nursing internships abroad!

Many of you have heard of Doctors Without Borders, an organization where doctors volunteer their time to help patients in medically underserved areas around the world. However, did you know that nurses are a critical component of these medical teams and that numerous international volunteer organizations worldwide need nurses? Even if you are currently a nursing student or aspiring to attend nursing school, you will see that there are ample international opportunities to develop your nursing skill set while helping those who regularly lack access to healthcare.

Nursing students and professionals: ready to make a real difference by volunteering abroad? Worldwide, there is an urgent need for quality healthcare and health education among impoverished, remote, and underserved populations–and that’s where you’ll step in as an overseas healthcare volunteer or intern. 

By combining your skills with a desire to serve, you can build your expertise, learn about healthcare practices in different communities, and above all, help those who need it the most.

What’s involved?

One thing that ties together many nursing volunteer abroad and intern abroad programs is that the clinics and hospitals you’ll work in are often understaffed and in need of assistance with basic activities and daily tasks. As a volunteer or intern, your work may include:

• Assisting with basic medical tasks such as first aid or administering vaccines
• Taking vitals and building patient histories
• Performing day-to-day activities such as sterilizing instruments, completing paperwork, or readying clinics for intake
• Observing local medical staff to learn healthcare practices in developing countries or communities
• Conducting home visits and surveys to understand the most common or priority medical needs facing the community
• Educating individuals, families, and communities about hygiene, family planning, and other healthcare issues

Nursing volunteer and internship placements, such as those with organizations such as  International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ), GoEco, Maximo Nivel, Volunteering Solutions, and Involvement Volunteers International, offer one-week programs, while others, such as those through African Impact, usually start from two weeks. GoEco is another volunteer program that welcomes nursing students to their medical projects in 4 countries as of right now. Projects Abroad also offers nursing internships abroad in 13 countries. 

Nursing volunteer abroad projects can vary from intensive, hands-on work in a large, urban hospital to basic observation and education in a rural clinic. As a volunteer with a skills-based program like nursing, the tasks you’ll take on are dependent on your skillset and the needs of your host community.

Who can go?

Depending on the program, volunteer/intern opportunities are open to professional nurses, to nursing students, and even to those with no healthcare background, but who’d like to learn more or volunteer in support of their nursing school applications. For example, IVHQ’s nursing programs are open to both nursing students and professionals. GoEco has practical programs for experienced professionals as well as health promotion programs for those without any experience. An overseas volunteer experience can even serve as a powerful story for your essay for nursing school scholarships (check out this example nurse essay). For those interested in nursing, but who do not have any background yet, Catheyy also looks at African Impact, who offer observational placements for volunteers and interns who would like to learn about medicine and healthcare.

Nursing professionals can put their expertise to great use overseas through organizations like Maximo Nivel, which offers nursing placements in Latin America. If you’re interested in affordable volunteering options, we recommend checking out Volunteering Solutions, which desperately needs nurses and nursing students in Sri Lanka.

Ready to go?

Here are just a few organizations providing much-needed healthcare to medically underserved communities worldwide–read on to find the right nursing program for you!

International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ)

International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) runs 300+ affordable volunteer projects across 40+ countries, with flexible start dates and typical durations from 1 to 24 weeks. Since 2007, IVHQ has been trusted by 150k+ volunteers worldwide. 

About IVHQ’s Nursing & Medical Placements

For nurses and nursing students, IVHQ coordinates supervised placements in hospitals, clinics, assisted-living, and community settings. Most roles are observational or basic clinical support, with responsibilities adjusted to your training, local regulations, and language level. (Examples below reflect the current scope in each destination.) 

Where You Can Go

• Córdoba (Healthcare & Medical): Serve in community clinics that anchor primary care for underserved neighborhoods. Volunteers begin by shadowing local staff; tasks are tailored as you acclimate and may include taking blood pressure, weighing infants, treating minor wounds, recording measurements, and assisting around the clinic. Students must work under supervision; qualified professionals may engage more directly with patient care. 
• Buenos Aires (Healthcare): A good fit if your Spanish is up to an intermediate level. Volunteers rotate through departments such as primary care, pediatrics, and infectious disease, support hospital staff, and join community health rotations. Typical duties include checking vitals, organizing records, assisting with materials, and shadowing nurses and physicians.
• Guatemala – Antigua (Medical & Healthcare):  Placements span low-income clinics, elderly homes, and facilities for people with disabilities. Newer students focus on companionship, feeding/bathing support, basic vitals, and medication distribution; advanced students and licensed professionals (or 3rd+ year students) may assist with check-ups, triage, wound care, injections, sutures, vaccinations, and phlebotomy  —  always under local supervision. 
• Peru – Cusco (Medical & Healthcare): Learn the Peruvian system while assisting in clinics, hospitals, and assisted-living facilities that are often understaffed. Duties vary by Spanish level and training: from routine patient care (vitals, medication distribution, feeding, hygiene, patient companionship) to, for licensed professionals and upper-year students, more hands-on support like wound cleaning, injections, suturing, drawing blood, and physiotherapy. 
• Nepal – Medical Elective: An observational hospital-based elective in Kathmandu, Chitwan, or Pokhara. Best suited to medical/health students (including pre-nursing), you’ll shadow doctors and nurses across departments and may observe operating rooms, emergency rounds, maternal/child health, and outreach. 
• Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City (Medical): Designed primarily for medicine/nursing students, this placement is largely observational due to local regulations. Expect exposure to multiple specialties while assisting with basic triage, wound care, and rehabilitation alongside English-speaking coordinators. 

Across all IVHQ healthcare projects, the scope of practice is set by host-country rules and your credentials. Expect close supervision, clear role boundaries, and meaningful cross-cultural learning  —  ideal for pre-nursing and nursing students seeking global clinical exposure within an ethical framework. 

What Volunteers Say:

“I recently volunteered in Ghana through IVHQ, and it was truly an experience of a lifetime. As a third-year nursing student, I took part in the Ghana medical program. From beginning to end, the local team was incredible. IVHQ was organized in every aspect. I was also able to express what I wanted to get out of this experience to the local team. They worked with me directly so that I could make the most substantial impact while still focusing on my requests. Thank you, IVHQ, for an amazing experience. I look forward to planning my next volunteer experience through IVHQ. – Elyse Ryan from the USA

Intern Abroad HQ

Intern Abroad HQ offers affordable, fully hosted healthcare internships with flexible weekly start dates and clear, supervised roles—ideal for pre-nursing and nursing students seeking ethical, real-world exposure. Programs typically run 2 to 24 weeks (varies by site) and include placement coordination, accommodation, orientation, and 24/7 in-country support. 

• Bali – Nursing (Denpasar area): An observational, hospital/clinic-based placement where you’ll shadow local nurses and gain insight into common conditions and care pathways in Indonesia. Expect close supervision, department rotations where possible, and structured learning focused on cultural context and patient flow. 
• Belize – Medical & Nursing (San Ignacio): A great English-speaking option. Interns support local healthcare teams via supervised shadowing and basic patient-support tasks aligned to training level. The experience is fully hosted in San Ignacio with accommodation included.
• Spain – Nursing in Seville: Designed for students with Spanish skills, this hospital-based internship emphasizes department rotations, observation alongside multidisciplinary teams, and guided skill development under qualified nurses — excellent for strengthening clinical Spanish in context. 
• Tanzania – Nursing in Arusha: Work closely with local nurses across specialist departments in busy hospitals and clinics. Activities are primarily supervised shadowing with opportunities for skills-appropriate support — excellent exposure to resource-limited settings and interdepartmental care. 

GoEco

Since 2006, GoEco has offered affordable volunteer programs and internships across dozens of countries, with 24/7 in-country support and a wide range of humanitarian, wildlife, marine, and medical options. The organization has been recognized by publishers like GoAbroad and others for its ethical, high-impact programs — and it frequently features a “3rd Week Free” grant on select placements. If you’re a nurse or nursing student seeking structured international exposure, GoEco is a solid place to start. 

Medical & Nursing in Sri Lanka (Galle) 

GoEco rates its Sri Lanka placement among its most comprehensive healthcare options for pre-nursing and nursing students, recent graduates, and licensed professionals. Based in and around Galle, volunteers are placed in local hospitals, clinics, and rehabilitation centers — often including a renowned teaching hospital — where learning is primarily observational with supervised, skills-appropriate support. Depending on your training and the department, you may rotate through different wards, observe common and tropical conditions, assist with basic tasks (e.g., vitals, patient comfort, records), and gain insight into local nursing practices and care pathways. A dedicated pre-medical/observership track is also available for those early in their studies. Weekends typically include organized cultural activities, and housing is arranged near world-class beaches. 

Healthcare & Medical in San José, Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, GoEco’s San José program offers distinct tracks to match your background. The healthcare track suits students in nursing, pre-med, physical therapy, or health sciences and focuses on patient support and community health  —  think vitals, companionship in elder care, health education, and clinic organization. The medical track is geared toward advanced students and licensed professionals who, subject to local supervision and setting, may assist with basic triage and clinical support while learning the Costa Rican healthcare system from the inside. Spanish skills are a plus, and many volunteers stay with host families for deeper immersion. It’s a strong choice if you want meaningful exposure in a metropolitan setting with structured duties aligned to your training. 

Maximo Nivel

Founded in Peru in 2003, Maximo Nivel offers volunteer and intern abroad programs, TEFL certification, and Spanish language programs in Peru, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Since its start, 25,000 travelers have taken part in Maximo Nivel’s affordable programs in Latin America. Maximo Nivel provides a variety of placements for those interested in health care and medical work, including programs for nurses and nursing students.

Medical and Healthcare Volunteering

Maximo Nivel offers medical care and non-medical healthcare placements to volunteers who’d like to work in hospitals, clinics, assisted living facilities, and other healthcare facilities.

Healthcare projects are open to year 1 and 2 med school students, as well as pre-med, nursing, and other healthcare science students, while medical programs are open to year 3 and 4 medical school students and licensed professionals, including nurses.

Depending on your background and Spanish language level, you may shadow doctors or nurses, assist with checkups, take vitals, organize patient records, and much more. To learn more about opportunities for nursing students and professionals, visit: http://www.maximonivel.com/volunteers/medical-healthcare/

Medical and Healthcare Internship

Through Maximo Nivel’s medical internship, you can visit Peru, Guatemala, or Costa Rica and help communities in need. As an intern, you’ll work for four weeks or longer in a hospital, clinic, private practice, or assisted living facility while gaining practical nursing experience by partnering with a local medical professional and learning about healthcare and medical practices in a developing nation.

Depending on your experience and qualifications, you can assist with patient consultation, check-ups, elderly care, health education, triage, and administrative assistance. To apply, you must have intermediate Spanish language ability, and you must be enrolled in a nursing program or be a licensed medical professional. Learn more about Maximo Nivel’s medical internship at: http://maximonivel.com/internships/medical.

Projects Abroad

Kickstart your nursing career with international experience on a Projects Abroad Nursing Internship. These placements are designed for pre-nursing students, nursing students, and professionals who want structured clinical exposure and mentorship. You’ll primarily learn by shadowing nurses and doctors in hospitals and clinics, with responsibilities aligned to your training and local regulations. 

Many sites also include supervised community outreaches where you’ll help with basic health checks (e.g., blood pressure or glucose screening) and health education  —  valuable insight into different healthcare systems and public-health needs. 

Projects Abroad tailors elective and professional placements so you can rotate through relevant departments, build cultural competency, and meet academic goals — while staying within clear scope-of-practice boundaries. 

Nursing projects to look out for include:

• Vietnam – Shadow nurses in hospital departments you’re interested in; broaden your understanding of local practice and learn about traditional medicine alongside modern care. 
• Nepal – Rotate through multiple hospital units and join practical health outreaches that bring basic services to communities. 
• Mexico – Observe nurses and doctors on rounds, rotate between specialties, and support rural/outreach checks that increase access to care. 
• Tanzania – Gain experience by shadowing across departments and assisting with community health screenings during supervised outreaches. 
• Kenya – Based in Nanyuki, shadow clinicians on the wards, rotate through departments, and immerse yourself via a vetted local host family. 
• Ghana – Learn from nurses and doctors in a hospital environment and help deliver basic checks and prevention messaging in underserved areas. 
• Sri Lanka – Observe across wards (with options to learn about Ayurvedic medicine) and contribute to community screenings under supervision. 
• Peru – Rotate through hospital services in Cusco, learning procedures and care pathways while strengthening your Spanish in a clinical context. 

What Interns Say:

“The placement enabled me to enhance communication, develop new nursing skills, gain a trans-cultural awareness, experience a managerial role, and, most of all, it was very rewarding. I thoroughly recommend that anybody who can participate in an international elective during his or her program. Not only has it enhanced my career prospects in finding employment as a nurse at home, but it was also an eye-opening, life-changing, and life-affirming adventure!” – Michael, Nursing in Ghana”

African Impact

African Impact offers responsible, long-term volunteer and internship opportunities across Africa with measurable, community-driven outcomes. Healthcare participants are placed where their education, experience, and interests align with local priorities  —  welcoming everyone from nursing students to experienced professionals. 

Note: African Impact places each participant in a healthcare setting that suits their background and the community’s needs, with clearly defined, supervised responsibilities. 

Hospital & Clinic Support in Kenya

Based in Limuru  —  just outside Nairobi  —  this medical volunteer project places you alongside local nurses and doctors in public and private hospitals and clinics. Expect a primarily supervised support/observational role that can include basic patient care, vitals, records support, home-based care in the community, and health-education workshops. When you’re off duty, weekend trips to the Maasai Mara and other highlights are popular. 

Medical & Nursing Internship in Kenya (Hospital)

Also in Limuru, this structured hospital internship is designed for pre-nursing, nursing students, and qualified professionals seeking broad clinical exposure within Kenya’s public-health context. Under local supervision, interns rotate through relevant departments — such as obstetrics & gynecology, ICU, emergency, radiology/imaging, oncology, general wards, anesthesia, and operating theatres — to deepen clinical insight while supporting day-to-day care. The program combines hospital experience with community-based home-care and health-education activities where appropriate. Intern housing and daily support mirror the volunteer program; placements run from two weeks and up. 

Public Health & Community Healthcare in Zambia

In Livingstone, this public-health volunteer project blends clinic assistance, home-based care, and health education to improve access and outcomes in underserved neighborhoods. Volunteers may help with patient flow and vitals in busy clinics (e.g., outpatient, maternity, HIV/TB services), accompany local caregivers on home visits for wound checks and monitoring, and co-facilitate talks on topics like HIV awareness, nutrition, cervical-cancer screening, and women’s health. 

Involvement Volunteers International (IVI)

Searching for a transformative volunteer-abroad experience? Since 1989, IVI has placed healthcare volunteers and interns across Asia, Africa, and Latin America with an excellent safety record, 24/7 in-country support, and clearly defined roles aligned to your training and local regulations. Most medical placements welcome nursing students and licensed professionals; the scope of practice is supervised and varies by site.  

• Medical Hospital Internship – Goa, India: Based in a government hospital, this internship suits nursing students and professionals seeking structured clinical exposure in a busy, multi-department setting. Expect an orientation with English-speaking staff, shadowing to start, and progression to skills-appropriate support (e.g., vitals, basic triage, wound care) as permitted. 
• Medical & Backpack Nurse – Nakuru, Kenya: Rotate through a local hospital/clinic and, where scheduled, join outreach with a “backpack nurse” team serving rural communities. Typical activities include shadowing nurses and physicians, basic patient checks, records support, and health talks—always under local supervision. 
• Medical Internship – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: An in-hospital placement focused on observation and supervised support across selected departments—ideal for nursing students wanting insight into Vietnamese healthcare pathways. 
• Hospital Internship – Kandy, Sri Lanka: Shadow nurses and doctors in a hill-country teaching environment; learn procedures and patient flow while assisting with permitted basic tasks. 
• Medical Internship – Tacloban, Philippines: Work alongside local teams in a rural health context—observational with supervised, skills-appropriate duties that deepen understanding of primary care and community health. 
• Hospital Internship – Kathmandu, Nepal: A structured hospital rotation for nursing/medical students and professionals seeking comprehensive exposure in a major city setting; placements emphasize observation with defined responsibilities. 
• Medical Volunteering – San José, Costa Rica: Suitable for final-year students and healthcare professionals, this program blends observational learning with supervised clinical support where appropriate. 

What Volunteers Say:

At the clinic, I was taught different nursing techniques UNDER SUPERVISION (placing IV lines, vaccinating, suturing, taking vital signs…). This was truly useful when going to rural areas where access to hospitals does not exist. We mostly cared for newborns, children, and pregnant women. We also treated and gave talks on hypertension and diabetes, focusing on both treatment and PREVENTION. During this volunteer experience, I realized how crucial prevention is to avoid hospitals from collapsing. In terms of my training as a medical student, I learned and practiced as a family doctor UNDER SUPERVISION, dealing with respiratory problems (pneumonia, asthma…), lower-risk illnesses (fever, digestive issues…), medical check-ups, and minor injuries (animal bites, burns…). The Philippines was a constant journey of contradictions. It showed me that there is beauty in simplicity, resilience in poverty, and freedom in music. I feel that I leave a part of myself in that place, but at the same time, I have carried its essence with me in every moment lived, kept in the form of memories of a medical student. – Daniela from Spain

Volunteering Solutions

Founded in 2007, Volunteering Solutions runs affordable, well-supported programs across Africa, Asia, and Latin America— including structured medical placements designed for pre-nursing and nursing students, as well as licensed professionals. Clinical activities are tailored to your credentials and local regulations, with clear supervision and a defined scope of practice. 

• Kenya – Medical Volunteer Program (Nairobi): Gain exposure to public healthcare in Nairobi while supporting local nurses and physicians in clinics and hospitals. This placement welcomes pre-medical and nursing students (as well as CNAs, midwifery students, and qualified clinicians) and emphasizes supervised tasks—such as basic patient checks and records—alongside shadowing on the wards. 
• South Africa – Medical Volunteer Program (Cape Town): Work under professional guidance in community clinics and hospitals around Cape Town. Volunteers assist staff with day-to-day patient flow and learn how teams deliver primary care in resource-stretched settings—an excellent fit for nursing students seeking ethical, real-world observation with skills-appropriate support. 
• Philippines – Rural Medical Volunteering (Tacloban area): Serve in under-funded rural clinics outside Tacloban City, where you’ll shadow local practitioners and help with basic, supervised tasks that keep the clinic running. This program offers meaningful insight into community-based care and the realities of rural health access. 
• Tanzania – Medical Volunteer Program (Zanzibar): An observational hospital placement with opportunities—where permitted by policy and training—for basic assisting under the guidance of doctors and nurses. Expect multi-department exposure and a strong focus on learning pathways within Zanzibar’s healthcare system. 

MedTrips 

MedTrips, VolSol’s Medical Internships division, specializes in affordable, fully hosted medical electives and internships designed for medical and nursing students. Programs include placement coordination, housing, local orientation, and year-round start dates, with roles set to your training and host-country rules. 

• Thailand – Medical Elective (Chiang Mai): Shadow Thai clinicians in international-standard hospitals across Chiang Mai. Typical schedules run Monday–Friday (about 8:00–16:00), with placements arranged by department and length of stay. Expect strictly observational learning with guided exposure to patient flow and unit routines; shared accommodation is provided in central Chiang Mai. 
• Nepal – Medical Elective (Kathmandu): Gain practical insight into Nepal’s healthcare system while observing in local hospitals and clinics. Under close supervision, interns shadow doctors and nurses across departments and learn how teams deliver care in a busy urban setting. 
• Ghana – Medical Elective (Accra): An observation-focused placement in established hospitals where patient demand often exceeds staffing. You’ll learn directly from doctors and nurses as they manage diverse cases and resource constraints—valuable context for anyone training in nursing or midwifery. 
• Morocco – Medical Elective (Rabat): Based in Rabat with starts all year and flexible durations (4–24 weeks), this elective places you alongside local teams to observe general medicine and other specialties, building clinical Spanish/French-adjacent communication and cross-cultural confidence. Certificate issued on completion. 

GVI (Global Vision International)

GVI runs ethical, community-led programs with in-country staff, accommodation, and 24/7 support—great for nursing students seeking supervised, real-world exposure. Fiji is a standout hub, with healthcare projects built alongside local partners and aligned to host-country guidelines.

• Volunteer Healthcare Project – Dawasamu (Fiji): Live on Fiji’s main island and support community public-health goals in Dawasamu. You’ll collaborate with district nurses and community health workers to gather health data and co-deliver interactive workshops using official government materials—covering hygiene/WASH, nutrition, and preventive care. 
• Global Health Research Fellowship – Fiji:  A mentored research track based out of GVI’s Dawasamu base (Silana village), where you’ll work with local partners on applied studies addressing community health challenges. Expect guidance from experienced supervisors, opportunities to contribute to ongoing hub research, and scope to align projects with academic requirements (e.g., capstone or dissertation). 

To Sum It Up

As you can see, nursing programs abroad can be excellent opportunities to expand your skill sets — no matter where you are in your nursing career — to travel the world, and to serve those individuals and families that otherwise might not have reliable medical care. From observation to direct care to education, there’s no shortage of nursing programs worldwide to choose from.

Ready to go? Create a profile, find the perfect program for you, and start fundraising for your experience abroad! Big heart, but little wallet? Check out our list of affordable volunteer placements around the world!

P.S. If you’re still looking for a volunteer opportunity, check out our list of the best volunteer abroad programs and recommended volunteer projects in Africa, Central America, and Thailand. You can also read about 7 Great Medical and Veterinary Volunteer Abroad Projects, 10 Dental Volunteer Abroad Programs, Medical Mission Tips for Pre-Dental Students, and nursing volunteer abroad projects for students and nursing professionals. Or, if medical volunteer projects aren’t for you, be sure to read about our sports and coaching volunteer abroad, wildlife conservation and veterinary abroad, teach abroad, and intern abroad programs. Lastly, if you’re under 18, you may be interested in a teen volunteer abroad program from one of our many great partners.