Do you get paid as an extern?

Externships are typically held for a short period lasting anywhere from a single day to eight weeks and are often held over a student's winter or spring break. In contrast, internships tend to be eight weeks long at minimum.

The major difference between externships and internships is that externships are typically unpaid, and the student usually does not receive school credit for their experience.

Even though the student is directly in the workplace, they are only shadowing the professional or group of professionals rather than having work delegated and projects assigned, such as one would have in an internship.

The top aspect to remember when deciphering the difference between an externship and an internship is that externships are used mainly to explore interests and curiosities. In contrast, internships act as the bridge between student life to professional life.