Study and research in Germany

Let us explain some of the important facts and terms relating to internships.

Compulsory internships: Many degree programmes require students to complete internships. These are an integral part of the programme. Credits are awarded for doing these internships. Students need to earn these credits. Sometimes, they are even relevant to the final grade point average (practical semesters, for example). How many internships need to be taken, how long they have to be and when they have to be completed differs from one university to the next. The Internship Offices/Internship Centres at your university will inform you about the respective rules and regulations on internships. Furthermore, the individual departments have appointed university teachers who are responsible for supervising internships.

Pre-study internships: Depending on your university and programme, pre-study internships (Vorpraktika) may be required for admission. Please make sure that you check this early to avoid any problems at the start of your studies. 

Practical semesters: Practical semesters are an integral component of a programme, especially in the field of engineering. They generally last between 20 and 26 weeks. The procedure, timing, content and recognition of internships are defined in detail in the Study Regulations. Interns have to write a comprehensive internship report when they have completed their spell of practical training. Those who fail in the practical semester cannot be admitted to the exam. Avoid problems like these by finding out what the internship requirements and standards are before you start your studies.

Exemption from the compulsory internship: Students with proven and relevant practical experience (for example, vocational training qualifications) may, under certain circumstances, not have to complete an internship. To find out exactly what is recognised, just ask your internship coordinator.

Voluntary internships: Not all degree programmes require students to complete internships. However, even if this is the case in your programme, you should still do various voluntary internships. Because they help you gain an insight into the working world. And many employers expect applicants to have practical experience.

Work permit: Foreign students do not need a special work permit for internships that they have to complete as a part of their curriculum.

Internship agreement/contract: Please ask your internship coordinator whether there are any standard internship contracts. Using these ensures that your internship contract is incontestable as far as content and legal format are concerned. Before you sign the contract, you must make sure that you seek the advice of the Internship Office (Praktikantenamt). And please remember that you must inform your internship supervisor and the Examinations Office of changes to the contract or of any early termination of the contract.

Insurance cover: If you are doing a compulsory internship, you are covered by normal student health insurance. You do not need to pay any social security contributions (nursing care, pension, unemployment). This also applies if you are being paid for the internship. The rules are more complicated in the case of accident insurance and private/personal liability insurance (the latter covering the costs of any damage you cause to others - third parties). Please check with the Internship Office at your university whether and with which company you have accident insurance before you start the internship. If you don't have any insurance cover, you should personally take out an insurance policy for the duration of the internship.

Payment/Money: There are internships for which you are paid and internships for which you are not paid. Please check in advance with the company offering the internship, whether you will receive any payment.

What makes up a good internship

There are very good internships where you can learn a lot of useful things for your studies and for yourself. But that doesn't apply to all the internships offered. You might even be poorly supervised and only set to do menial, unskilled tasks. To prevent this, make sure that you check each internship offer carefully in advance. Ask the internship adviser in your department. And use the following check-list compiled for you by our scout Mai. She shows you which features a good internship should have. It should 

• have a training plan that specifies where and when you will be assigned as an intern to the various departments within the company and what you will learn there;
  
• have a specified contact person who acquaints you with your tasks and assists you in the event of questions or problems;
  
• let you work on concrete projects. After being thoroughly acquainted with your responsibilities, you should also be allowed to work independently on more demanding tasks;
  
• give you the opportunity to get to know various work fields and departments in the company.
  
• last at least between two and three months;
  
• provide content and learning goals that relate to your studies and your career goals.

The search for the right internship needs to be well prepared. The following tips show how you can specifically search for the right place:

1. Be clear about what you want
   
   • Where would I like to do my internship (place, industry, size and profile of the company/organisation)?
     
   • What do I expect of my internship (learning goals, tasks and responsibilities, what work fields and departments would I like to get to know)?
     
2. Searching for internships
   
   • Collect the addresses of companies/organisations (via the Internet, via job ads, via the local chamber of trade and industry – http://www.ihk.de/ –, by asking university teachers, by visiting exhibitions and fairs, via personal contacts).
     
   • Get detailed information on companies/organisations (products, core activity areas, what the internships offered actually involve).
     
   • Check application deadlines: for longer internships, applications often already have to be submitted one year before the start date.
     
3. Check offers and apply for specific places
   Before sending the applications, answer the following questions:
   
   • Do I meet the set requirements?
     
   • Can I fulfil my ideas there?
     
4. Compile your application papers
   
   • a short covering letter (1 page max.) in which you state why you are applying to the company/organisation; why you are suitable for the training post. Make sure you give precise contact details (telephone, mobile/cellular or email) to ensure you can be reached if there are any queries.
     
   • a full curriculum vitae with professional passport photo.
     
   • certificates and possibly any other papers documenting any other skills you may have (work experience, languages).
     
5. Sending applications
   
   • Before you send it, check once more whether the papers are all there and are free of errors, whether the address and contact person are correct and whether the envelope has the proper stamp.
     
   • Check by phone what happened to the application if you haven't heard anything back from the company after a while. That shows that you really are interested.

The German Education Server (Deutsche Bildungsserver) website offers a list of the main internship exchange markets: www.bildungsserver.de/zeigen.html?seite=827

Internships abroad

If you complete internships abroad in Europe or even overseas as part of an international degree programme, you should take note of the following:

• Preparations for a practical semester abroad take a long time. So start preparing at least one year before it is scheduled to begin.
  
• The same insurance cover as in Germany doesn't always apply abroad. For example, many statutory health insurance carriers only provide up to between four and six weeks of cover for a stay abroad. Find out in advance from the Internship Office or the International Office what you need to do, above all, in respect of health insurance and personal liability insurance.
  
• Find out about the passport, foreign currency, vaccination/inoculation and employment provision in your chosen target countries.