If travel isn’t financially feasible, start locally. Reach out to nearby country parks, National Trust sites, zoos, ecological consultancies, or environmental education programs to ask about volunteer roles or internships. These experiences help build your resume, skills, and professional network without the cost of going abroad. You can also support conservation organisations remotely through tasks like social media, research, or data work.

A degree is definitely helpful as it can strengthen your employability. However, there are paths into conservation that don’t require a degree. You can start with the foundation you have (be that a certificate or diploma) and build on that with fieldwork, internships, volunteering, and short courses. Practical experience – especially with animals, habitats, or data –  is very valuable when applying for certain roles.

Absolutely. Many conservation internship programs, including those offered by GVI, welcome participants from diverse academic backgrounds. These internships provide hands-on training, leadership development, and exposure to techniques used by conservationists worldwide. You can also look for local or remote roles that build transferable skills such as communication, project management, or public outreach – all of which are valuable in the conservation sector.

A bachelor’s degree is sufficient for many entry-level roles, especially in fieldwork, data collection, or education. However, roles in research, policy, or species recovery planning may require a master’s or PhD. It’s best to gain some practical experience first and decide if postgraduate study aligns with your long-term career goals.

For many marine conservation internships (including those offered by GVI), scuba training is included as part of the program, though you need to be a confident swimmer. In some cases, prior dive certification (such as PADI open water) may be preferred, but it’s not always a requirement. You can set up a call with an Enrolment Manager to discuss marine conservation programs here.

Many conservation internships, including those run by GVI, offer additional qualifications such as certificates, training in field techniques, and mentorship to help support long-term career growth. These can strengthen your CV/resume and improve job prospects in the conservation sector.

GVI’s virtual internship program offers a certificate of completion, as well as an online course, mentorship, and a reference. Virtual interns work remotely on real projects – it could be supporting data analysis, communications, fundraising, or research, etc. You can gain transferable experience remotely, and will be supported throughout your program by your Virtual Internship Supervisor.

Yes. Many GVI programs allow students to carry out independent research as part of their academic work, provided it aligns with the site’s objectives. The best fit would be our Research Fellowship programs. During your research fellowship, you’ll get the opportunity to author or co-author your findings in a scientific paper and get published. You can also use your research fellowship to complete your thesis or dissertation by accessing unique data sets and utilising the expertise on base. Not only will this raise your academic profile, but you’ll contribute to real research projects that will inform and guide sustainable nature conservation projects in vulnerable habitats around the world. 

At GVI, we’re actively working to reduce financial barriers through need-based grants that can cover up to 80% of program fees via the GVI Foundation. We also offer structured internships with mentorship, job-readiness training, and alumni support to help participants move into paid roles.

The key to transitioning into paid roles is consistency, networking, and skill-building. Treat every volunteering opportunity like a job – be reliable, seek feedback, and ask to take on responsibility. Build relationships with staff, stay in touch, and look for internal vacancies. Highlight your experience in your CV/resume as if it were paid, focusing on the skills gained and outcomes achieved. Set alerts on job boards such as Environment Jobs, and look at the LinkedIn profiles of people in similar roles to those you want, to identify any key skills you may currently be missing. Persistence is key!

They’re more common than people think. Conservation needs project managers, policy analysts, fundraisers, grant writers, GIS technicians, communicators and more – many of which are primarily office-based. These roles are critical in supporting and scaling conservation work, and often come with more long-term employment opportunities.

Yes. Youth conservation opportunities are growing, especially through schools, local wildlife organisations, local community organisations and zoos. Try writing directly to organisations  and see if they have any opportunities – they often love to hear from young changemakers. GVI offers award-winning teen volunteer programs in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, focusing on wildlife, marine, and environmental conservation. These programs are designed to empower young people to make a difference. You can set up a call with an Enrolment Manager here to discuss these opportunities.

To strengthen your university/college application, try to gain experience through volunteering at wildlife centres, zoos, aquariums, or local conservation groups. Participating in relevant extracurricular activities, online courses (e.g., from FutureLearn or Coursera), and reading scientific literature can also help demonstrate your passion and commitment.