International Internship abroad
An internship abroad allows you to apply the specialist knowledge you have acquired during your studies, gain initial professional experience and, at the same time, get to know a different culture and improve your foreign language skills.
Finding a suitable internship requires a great deal of initiative and individual planning, as there is no standardised application process for internships abroad. It is therefore important to clearly define your own ideas and expectations at the beginning of the planning process before you start looking for a suitable internship. You should note that the term “internship” has different meanings in different countries.
Internship Placement
Various information and placement agencies can help you find an internship, but private placement agencies usually charge a fee for actively placing interns. The DAAD brochure “Wege ins Auslandspraktikum” (Ways to an internship abroad) provides an excellent overview of information and placement agencies, support programmes and financing options, as well as many helpful tips and advice for applying.
Note
In other European countries (especially France, Belgium and Spain), internship providers often require an internship agreement (Convention de Stage) to be signed.
Only in rare cases are internships so well paid that all associated costs can be covered; often, only an expense allowance is provided, or the internships are completely unpaid. You should therefore clarify at an early stage whether you can receive a scholarship for your internship. Some options are listed below:
Erasmus+ Placement
This programme is aimed at students who wish to complete a study-related internship/practical study semester lasting between two and twelve months as part of their studies or immediately after graduation (max. 1 year after graduation). You can apply for a grant to cover travel and accommodation costs and, if applicable, a grant for a language course. Eligible destination countries are the countries of the EU, the EEA and Turkey. To a limited extent, internships outside Europe are also eligible for funding worldwide through ERASMUS+.
Funding, especially for worldwide internships, is very limited, so applications for the following semester are only possible within tight deadlines.
Please inform yourself in good time about the start of the application period and the documents to be submitted.
Scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis; only complete applications are eligible for funding!
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)
Travel allowances for internships abroad can be granted by the DAAD if the internship position was arranged through the exchange organisations IAESTE, AIESEC, bvmd, ZAD and DCGM.
Partial scholarships for a maximum of three months and a travel allowance are awarded for the following programmes:
- Internships at German diplomatic missions or international organisations
- Internships at German schools abroad for German teacher training students
- Internships at institutes of the Max Weber Foundation
- Internships at Goethe Institutes abroad
- Internships at the German Archaeological Institute