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Tips on finding an internship

The International Office does not arrange internships. However, we provide the internship offers known to us in our section "Internship Exchange". We provide tips for your own search or to organizations that arrange internships and possibly also finance them with a scholarship.

 

Internet - Job market - Firm homepages

Many companies offer internships on their homepages and also German companies have branches abroad. It is worthwhile to contact them.

Also professors in your study program have contact to companies and can give tips.

Job exchanges list many internships. For example, you can find a list of free internship exchanges on the DAAD website.

The Federal Employment Agency also arranges internships abroad. The Central Placement Office (Zentrale Auslands- und Fachvermittlung, ZAV) is responsible for the international counselling and placement business of the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit, BA). The advice provided by the ZAV staff includes general initial information on job and education opportunities worldwide.

  The working group "Wege ins Ausland" (Ways Abroad) gives tips on different ways to spend time abroad. Guide to the "QualitätsCheck Auslandspraktikum" (Quality Check Internship Abroad)
     
    "Erasmus Student Network" : Portal for Erasmus internships
     
    https://www.praktikum.info/
     
  https://www.meinpraktikum.de
     
    My internship abroad: https://www.meinauslandspraktikum.de/erasmus/praktikumsplatzsuche
     
    Job exchanges list many internships. For example, you can find a list of free internship exchanges on the DAAD website.
     
 

Organizations with internship placements and scholarships

The following international organizations or student organizations offer internships, some with scholarships:

  • IAESTE
    • Free placement service
    • Placement of paid internships: IAESTE internships are funded in such a way that the cost of living in the host country can be covered from the intern's salary.
    • Support before the internship and during the internship - advice and support through IAESTE.
       
  • RISE Weltweit
    •  Worldwide research internships for German students in the life sciences, natural sciences and engineering.

    • The program is aimed at Bachelor students - duration between one and a half and three months in summer during the lecture-free period.

    • The DAAD arranges and supports the students with a scholarship.

    • Internship platform of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN)
       

  • GoEast
    • German companies in Russia provide internships.
    • it is aimed at German bachelor or master students at German universities, graduates, graduation not longer than 5 years ago, non-German students and university graduates
    • possibly monthly scholarship of 1.150 Euro for students and graduates
       
  • ESPA
    • has been offering internships in the UK and Ireland for students since 2012. They have a lot of experience and a wide network

  • Scholarship DFJW /(Deutsch-Französisches Jugendwerk)
    • The DFJW supports with a scholarship compulsory internships in France, which are recognized or at least strongly recommended by the German home university as part of the studies. Students of all disciplines under the age of 31 are eligible for funding.

    • Internship duration from 1 to 3 months.

    • The scholarship can be cumulated with an internship allowance or any other scholarship (except financial aid from the DAAD or DFH).
       

  • Carlo-Schmid-Programm
    • Program line A
      • This program line is aimed at interested individuals who have independently applied for an internship with an international organization, an EU institution, or one of the selected non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Internship duration from three to six months
      • Beginning of April: Pre-selection - Beginning of June: Final selection
    • Program line B
      • Interested applicants can apply for a maximum of two of the internship opportunities advertised on the Carlo Schmid Program website. Internship duration from four to ten months - Overview of vancancies Line B
      • Mid-March: Pre-selection - End of April: Nomination by international organizations - End of May/beginning of June: Final selection
      • Internships can be started in September at the earliest.
         
  • ASA-Programm
    •  Project internships related to global sustainable development, including stays abroad with partner organizations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Southeastern Europe are made possible. https://asa.engagement-global.de

    •  annually about 280 scholarships for students (21 to 30 years old) or graduates whose bachelor's degree was completed less than 18 months ago.
       

  • GLOBAL TALENT _ AIESEC
    •  offers the possibility to combine a paid internship with a stay abroad.

    • The internship abroad can be completed in different industries and countries.

Internship in Great Britain after Brexit

For interns, a Temporary Worker-Government Authorised Exchange visa (T5) - also known as Tier5 (GAE) - is required under the Erasmus+ program for a stay in the United Kingdom. In order to be able to apply for such a visa, participants must have a so-called Certificate of sponsorship, which is issued for Erasmus+ by the British Council. The Certificate of sponsorship is a reference number that contains information about the position and the personal data of the participant and is valid for three months from the date of issue. The application for the reference number is to be made to the British Council by the sending university and not by the sponsored person. The procedure for applying for the Certificate of Sponsorship is recorded on this website.

The visa application can be completed online after presenting the reference number from the Certificate of sponsorship and costs 244 British pounds (German citizens receive a discount of 55 British pounds).

In the Tier5 (GAE) category, there is no minimum salary requirement. However, it is also regulated that students have to prove their living expenses through the Erasmus+ funding and/or the internship salary and are not allowed to apply for public benefits.

The British Council supports students in this process and provides information on the regulations for internships in the UK from January 1, 2021.