Internships Abroad
Looking to make use of the specialist knowledge you have acquired during your studies, gain some initial career experience, hone your language skills and familiarize yourself with different cultures? Then an internship abroad may be just perfect for you!
Key facts
An internship abroad involves spending a specific length of time working at an organization or company in a different country. It gives you a way to experience a foreign setting and the day-to-day realities of professional life at the same time and thus make active preparations for embarking on your future career.
If an internship forms a compulsory part of your degree program, there is no reason why you cannot do one abroad. However, voluntary internships can be just as enriching on a personal and professional level.
The benefits at a glance
- Gain initial practical experience and boost your curriculum vitae
- Build up a professional network
- Use your foreign language in real-life situations at work
- Acquire intercultural competence
- Get to know not only new cultures but new work cultures as well
- Open up opportunities for your (international) career entry
Finding an internship
Before you can go abroad, of course, you need to source a suitable internship. There are many ways to find one besides sifting through ads on job boards or social media. The International Office at the University of Bonn can advise you on the search process and making a successful application.
Current offers
- Auslandspraktikum in Ungarn: Verwaltungspraktikum an der AUB
- Auslandspraktikum in Wales: Sprachassistenz an einer Schule
- Auslandspraktikum in Norwegen: Mitarbeit in der "Global Lounge"
- Auslandspraktikum in Spanien im International Office
- Auslandspraktika in Kanada: Schorlemer Stiftung
- Praktikum bei der Auslandshandelskammer (AHK) Spanien
- Auslandspraktikum in Uganda: Deutsch-Ugandisches Austauschprogramm
- Wollen Sie Auslandspraktika anbieten? / Would you like to offer internships abroad?
Financing
Since living abroad incurs additional costs and internships are often unpaid, you should find out about funding opportunities and grant programs at an early stage.
Fördermöglichkeiten
- Erasmus Traineeships within Europe for students and graduates
- PROMOS for internships outside Europe for students
- Programs organized by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), including short-term scholarships and travel allowances for students and graduates (only available in German)
- Special DAAD programs for students on and graduates from teaching degrees (only available in German)
- Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (only available in German)
- French-German Youth Office (FGYO)
- Auslands-BAföG (only available in German)
- Education Loan (ony available in German)
Application deadlines
Please be aware that the scholarship programs have different application deadlines. You can apply to multiple organizations at the same time to increase your chances of securing funding. Make sure that you tell the organizations of any other applications you have made and, if relevant, any funding you are receiving.
Internships abroad as part of teaching degrees
Want to hone your intercultural skills and learn how to handle diversity and difference with confidence? Use your orientation or vocational internship to gain practical experience at a school in another country. Alternatively, you could use the time that you have to spend abroad as part of your foreign language degree to do an internship in that country.
The Bonn Center for Teacher Education can advise you on your options for having internships completed abroad recognized back in Bonn.
The Center has produced a brochure and website entitled “Praktikum im Ausland” (“Internship Abroad”), which can give you more information.
Organizational matters and getting prepared
The first-hand personal reports written by past interns are particularly useful if you have any questions about organizing and preparing for an internship abroad. The DAAD’s web pages have tips and information on topics such as accommodation, visas and insurance. You can also get inspiration and a source for your own ideas from the testimonies of the DAAD Correspondents, who report live on their experiences from all over the world.
Among other things, the “Organization and Planning” web page has details about staying safe and secure abroad and getting prepared from a linguistic and intercultural perspective at the University of Bonn.
The International Office can provide a wealth of information and advice on the various ways of finding a suitable internship. Come and get answers to all your questions about getting organized, getting ready and getting funding for your internship abroad.
Internships in the United Kingdom following Brexit
The requirements for an internship in the UK have changed significantly following Brexit. You will now generally require a Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) visa to enter the country. Whether you will even be able to apply for a visa will depend on your host company.
Visa information
Raise the issue of a visa early, i.e. when you apply. You will only be able to apply for a visa if you have already been given a reference number in the form of a “Certificate of Sponsorship.” Your host company will be able to issue you with this number if they hold a corresponding government license. Alternatively, you may be able to obtain your Certificate of Sponsorship via a placement service, although there will be fees for this.
You might be able to class an internship at a university or other research institution as a “research stay,” in which case you will not need a visa. Ask whether this would be an option for you.
It is a two-stage process. Ask your host company how much time you will need to allow for it.
You will only be able to submit your application once you have received a reference number from your host company or a placement service and, in any case, no earlier than three months before your internship starts.
The UK government’s web pages explain the (online) application process and what additional documents and evidence you will need for it.
The visa fee is £298. If your internship lasts longer than six months, you will also have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge in order to access public healthcare. This costs £624 and is valid for up to a year.
You will also need to prove that you have at least £1,270 in your bank account at the time of your visa application unless your host company is acting as your guarantor for that amount.
The fees and forms of evidence required can change at any time, so please check the UK government’s web pages.
If you are not given your Certificate of Sponsorship by your host company but have to request it from a placement service, you may need to pay additional fees amounting to several hundred euros.
If your internship will last at least 60 days, you will be able to apply for financial support as part of the Erasmus+ traineeship programme.
More details are provided in the “Financing” section above.
Contact
Anne Bredendiek
0.003
Poppelsdorfer Allee 53
53115 Bonn (Germany)
Office hours
Please book an appointment via eCampus
- Monday
10:00 am - 12:30 pm - Wednesday (by phone or Zoom)
02:00 - 04:00 pm - and by arrangement
See also
Erasmus traineeships: get funding to go to another European country
The University of Bonn funds study-related internships (“traineeships”) in over 30 countries as part of the Erasmus+ Programme.
Certificate of Intercultural Competence
Earn international qualifications! Receive a certificate for your extracurricular engagement in international and intercultural activities.