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Internships Abroad

Practical experience gained abroad not only tops off your CV and arouses interest among future employers, but also broadens your horizons. Whether you do an internship or voluntary service, you will get to know the world of work on the spot. This allows you to immerse yourself a lot deeper in the host country’s culture than is possible while studying. You will be able to enhance your language skills and to prove your intercultural competence. Those who dare to leave their comfort zone will be rewarded with many exciting experiences.

Testimonials

I completed my twelve-week mandatory internship as a research intern at the School of Psychology at the University of Cardiff. I learned programming and was given the opportunity to participate in a research project from the conception stage through to data analysis. I particularly liked the fact that I was granted a lot of personal responsibility and given many opportunities to help shape things. Even today, I am in regular contact with the research group and continue to be involved in the project. After my experience abroad, I definitely feel like doing research after completing my master’s degree, but I also realized that this career path requires a lot of flexibility.

Paul Goesmann, research internship at the School of Psychology, University of Cardiff / Credit: Anna-Lena Kiewiet

For my mandatory internship, which forms part of the bachelor’s program in Political Science, I went to Prishtina, Kosovo, where I worked in the foreign office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Being introduced to a political foundation’s international activities and to the local NGOs and political institutions the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung cooperates with to provide a broad range of political education opportunities was particularly interesting. My assignments included the preparation of events and seminars, and I was also allowed to contribute to publications. Thanks to this internship, I can imagine working in the foundation sector in the future, which I am very grateful for.

Almire Brahimi, internship at the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Prishtina / Credit: Privat

At the German embassy in Tallinn, I gained profound insights into an upper medium and higher level civil servant’s work in the Federal Foreign Office. I was treated as part of the team from day one and drafted speeches and reports, contributed to the embassy’s web and social media presence, and engaged in general research-related or administrative tasks. My assignments outside the embassy were even more thrilling, though. Shortly before Estonia took over the presidency of the Council of the European Union, I attended meetings at Estonian institutions, assisted during evening events at the residence of the German Ambassador, and accompanied German delegations which had come to Estonia to learn more about its pioneering role in digitalization. Being a diplomatic service intern comes with a variety of exciting tasks and duties. I can therefore only recommend students to intern with a diplomatic representation abroad, particularly in Estonia.

Tim Ostheimer, internship at the German embassy in Tallinn / Credit: Privat

My internship as study abroad assistant at the International Office of the University of Exeter was the most exciting part of my studies. In my bachelor’s program, I had the opportunity to gain practical and international experience at the same time. During my internship, I was granted a lot of responsibility, so that I was able to bring in many of the skills I had acquired during my studies, but also gain many new skills. For example, my business English has improved a lot thanks to my stay abroad. In addition, the internship semester helped me find out what I wanted to do after graduating from the bachelor's program. I'm already planning my next internship abroad – because you can't get to know a country and its culture in a any better way than this.

Johanna Bietenbeck, internship at the International Office of the University of Exeter / Credit: Privat

Tips for Your Internship Abroad

  • Be sure to apply in a country-specific way
    Use the career service sites of the universities in your host country as reference
  • Determine your areas of activity and tasks before your departure
    What will your introductory training look like?
  • Ask your internship provider for
    • support and advice in finding accommodation
    • funding for local transport tickets or meals in canteens
    • contact to former interns
  • Take out insurance for a work stay abroad
    (health, accident, and private liability insurance)
  • Draw up a financing plan (housing, local transport, food, telephone, leisure, travel, insurance, ...)

Exclusive Internship Offers

  • University of Exeter, International Office

    The internship at the International Office of the University of Exeter offers our students the opportunity to become part of the study abroad team (from January to July).

    This internship is exclusively for students of the School of Social Sciences.
  • University of Cardiff, School of Psychology

    The twelve-week research internship for our B.A. Psychology students is completed in one of the four working areas of the School of Psychology. The next application period for the HWS 2023 and the FSS 2024 starts in spring 2023.

    For further information, please contact international.sowi@uni-mannheim.de.

     

Internship programs

  • Internships at German Missions Abroad

  • Carlo-Schmid Program

    The Carlo-Schmid Program is designed to improve the qualifications and prospects of qualified students and graduates for later employment in the international arena.

    Program line A

    Applications of students who independently obtained an internship commitment at international organizations, institutions of the European Union (EU) or selected non-governmental organizations.

    • Duration: 3–6 months (except for the months of July and August)

    Program line B

    • Applications for specific internship offers of the respective internship advertisement
    • Duration: 4–10 months
    • Available internship positions will be advertised in December

    Graduates of a bachelor’s program are encouraged to apply if they meet the requirements of the respective job or internship advertisement.

    To the program

  • Schuman Traineeships in the European Parliament

    The Schuman Traineeship offers students the opportunity to gain an insight into the work of the European Parliament.

    • Applicants can apply for three internship offers per period
    • Duration: 5 months
    • Internship dates and application periods:
      Internships between 1 October and 28 February/29 – application period: 1 June – 30 June
      Internships between 1 March and 31 July – application period: 1 November – 30 November

    To the program

  • Parliament Internship Program in France

    The German-French Parliament Internship program is aimed at German and/or French students or graduates who are given the opportunity to combine an internship in the Assemblée Nationale (for German participants) or in the German Bundestag (for French participants) with a period of study at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris or at the Humboldt University Berlin respectively.

    • Duration: 10 months

    To the program

  • ASA Program

    Learn, experience, and move in a networked world! The ASA program is designed to support young people in their commitment to recognize global interdependencies and to contribute to sustainable global development.

    • Three-month project internship in Africa, Asia, Latin America or Southeastern Europe
    • Six-month project internship: three months at a German project partner organization are followed by three months in a country of the Global South
    • Learn – experience– move: the program offers a learning cycle consisting of training seminars, a practical phase and a follow-up phase including a global activity
    • Application period: 20 November – 10 January

    To the program

  • Internships in Israel – The New Kibbutz Program

    This program helps students at German universities to find internships at Israeli companies.

    • 2 to 6-month internships at an Israeli company or start-up in the fields of high-tech, IT, life science, or social impact
    • Additional activities including project days on politics, economy and society in Israel

    To the program

  • Scholarship Program China

    Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation – Studienstiftung (German Academic Scholarship Foundation)

    Established in 1986, the scholarship program for China is designed to support highly qualified students from all disciplines (with the exception of sinology, music, film, arts and design) during a one-year stay in the People's Republic of China. The aim of the program is to enable interested students as early as possible to acquire a sound knowledge of China and thus to strengthen German-Chinese relations in the long term.

    • One-year language stay and study visit at Chinese universities
    • Preparatory language courses
    • Study visit
    • Subsequent self-organized professional or research internships

    When planning your studies, please note that the program has a one-and-a-half-year lead time.

    Every year, 10 scholarships are awarded.

    The application deadline is 30 April.

    To the program

  • Scholarship Program Japan

    The program aims to offer German graduates the opportunity to participate in a language- and practice-oriented program in Japan. Scholarship holders are given the chance to learn Japanese from scratch and immerse themselves in the country's culture and economy. 

    Program structure:

    • Preparatory courses at the Landesspracheninstitut (LSI) in Bochum
    • Language course in Japan: from the beginning of October until the end of June
    • Internship in Japan: from the beginning of July of the following year until the end of December
    • Duration of the program: 16 months
    • Requirements: at least a bachelor's degree in science, engineering, law, politics, economics or architecture.

    To the program

     

Funding Options for Internships

Internships abroad with Erasmus+

  • Erasmus+ Internship

    • Full-time internship in a European country
    • Duration: at least 2 months (60 days), 360 days at the maximum
    • Application deadline: at least 1 month prior to the start of the internship
    • At the time of applying, a confirmation of the internship must be at hand
    • Not at institutions of the EU or at diplomatic representations
    • Health, accident, and private liability insurance via the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
    • Graduates must complete the internship within one year of completing their studies
    • Students who are about to disenroll have the possibility to send an e-mail to KOOR-Erasmus-Services-BW stating their intention to apply and submitting a current enrollment certificate before they have found an internship

     

     

  • German-American Internship Program

    • Target group: graduates of a bachelor’s program and young professionals up to the age of 26 years
    • Independent search for an internship
    • 2 to 12-month internship in the USA
    • Procurement of the J-1 visa
    • Scholarship, travel allowance and language course grant 

    To the program

  • DAAD Short-Term Fellowships for Internships Abroad

    • Duration: from 40 calendar days to 3 months
    • Funding is provided for self-organized internships abroad with the following organizations / institutions:
      • German missions abroad (German embassies, consulates, permanent representations)
      • International organizations (e. g. EU, UNO, NATO, World Bank) recognized under international law
      • German schools abroad (except for DSD and FIT)
      • Goethe-Institutes
      • German Archaeological Institutes
      • Institutes of the Max Weber Foundation
      • Selected institutions of foreign cultural policy (for more information please contact the DAAD department ST41)
    • Application deadline: the application must be submitted to the DAAD portal no earlier than 56 and no later than 14 calendar days before the start of the internship.

    To the program

  • Scholarships for Study-Related Internships in France

    The Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO) grants a scholarship to support mandatory internships in France, which are recognized by the German home university as part of the bachelor's program.

    • Duration: at least 4 weeks
    • Application deadline: at least 1 month prior to the start of the internship

    To the program

  • Anke Reese Scholarship of the Asienhaus Foundation

    With the Anke Reese scholarship, the Asienhaus Foundation wants to give financial support to young people who want to do an internship at a non-governmental organization in Asia.

    • Duration: at least 8 weeks

    To the program

  • BAföG for Internships Abroad

    An internship abroad – both inside and outside the EU – can be funded, if:

    • it has a minimum duration of twelve weeks
    • it is necessary and beneficial for the respective program of study
    • the examination committee recognizes that the intended internship meets the requirements of the examination regulations
    • you submit the application at least six months before the start of the period of study!

    This funding option is only available for a mandatory internship of 12 weeks!

    To the program

  • DAAD Scholarship Database

    Information on DAAD funding programs for German students, graduates, doctoral candidates, postdocs and university teachers.

    To the program

Or would you prefer a voluntary service? Here you can find more information.

Tips for Finding an Internship

Here, you will find a list of national and international job boards. Off you go!

Applying in English

How to write an application in English? Find out here.

Contact

Do you have any questions? We’re happy to advise you!

The international internship manager will be happy to answer any questions you may have about an internship abroad or your application documents. We also invite employers to send us any open internship positions at their company or institution.