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 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 2024 and the FSS 2025 starts in spring 2024.
For further information, please contact international.sowi@uni-mannheim.de.

Internship programs

Internships at German Missions Abroad
Mandatory internship at a German mission abroad during the program of study
Duration: 6 weeks
Online application – at least 6 months before the envisaged start of the internship

To the program
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