Erasmus+ Internships

Erasmus+ internships are part of the mobility opportunities offered by universities and aim to allow students to have international experience in a practical work context.

There is the possibility of doing 12 months abroad through in Erasmus+ for each cycle of studies. This means that you can divide your period abroad as you wish: two semesters to study, one semester to study and another to internship or 12 months doing an internship. Some universities do not allow this period, as they do not have sufficient funds, so it is important to contact them before planning your experience abroad.

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Requirements

To do an Erasmus+ Internship you need be enrolled in a higher education institution holding an Erasmus+ Charter for Higher Education. If you are not sure if your university has it, you should contact them to confirm!

It is not possible to do more than a 12 months mobility period through Erasmus+ for each cycle of studies – Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD – and it is possible to do an internship no later than one year after finishing your degree. This means that if you finished you degree in June, your internship has to end in June of the following year. Overall the internship must be relevant to your study area or studies you want to do next.

Duration

The internship must have a minimum duration of 2 months and a maximum duration of 12 months. The number of hours of work is optional and must be agreed between the company/ organisation and the intern. The grant doesn’t vary according to the number of hours worked, but the months you stay in the hosting country.

Destinations and Internship Locations

Erasmus+ internships can be carried out in the programme countries, which include the Member States of the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia, Turkey and the United Kingdom (until December 2020).

There are several options for finding an internship placement, depending on personal and professional goals. Your university might have a list of institutions that have accepted interns in the past and they can support you, but you can also search on websites or directly contact companies and associations you would like to work with.

We believe this last option is the best, since it allows you to choose in detail the location and the internship programme, without taking risks of ending up doing something you didn’t want. It is very important to contact several institutions, since many might not answer.

Support

The Erasmus+ internship programme provides a monthy grant to support with travel and accommodation costs in the hosting country. Before beginning the internship, your university will transfer 70% of the scholarship and the remaining 30% after the final evaluation. The value of the grant depends on several factors, such as, cost of living in the country of internship, number of students applying and financial availability of the sending institution.

It should be added that the programme also provides the possibility of doing an internship without receiving an Erasmus grant or receiving an lower grant than the standard one. When the Erasmus+ grant is not enough, it may be necessary and beneficial to look for a paid internship option or one that offers some support, for example, doing an internship in an association that offers accommodation to volunteers or a company that has an apartment.

The trainees are also covered by an insurance purchased by their sending institution, however it is essential to have the European Health Insurance Card. The EHIC allows you to go to public hospitals like you are a resident of the hosting country. If the internship is carried outside the European Union, it is highly advise to purchase an extra insurance.

Finally, all students have access to language support through the OLS online platform to learn and improve languages.

Application

To apply it is necessary to contact the mobility office of your university. They will inform you about the procedure, application dates, learning recognition and financial availability for your stay abroad. You should start contacting host companies/ organisations some months in advance, as the process can take a while.

Before departure, it is necessary to complete the learning agreement to be signed by all parties involved – you, your university and the hosting. By then you will receive the initial 70% of the grant and you are ready to start the mobility period!

At the end of the internship, the learning agreement has to completed and signed again. After this, the rest of the grant will be transferred to you.

F.A.Q. Erasmus+ Internships

I finished my degree in June, can I do an internship until September of the following year?

No, you can only do an internship until June of the following year. The internship can only last up to 1 year after the end date of your the degree.

Can I do two Erasmus internships?

Yes, as long as you do not exceed 12 months in Erasmus+ mobility for each cycle of studies.

Can I do an Erasmus + internship at an EU institution?

No, the EU institutions have their own internships, check our page.

Can I have a job, while doing an Erasmus+ internship?

Yes, you can have a complementary job.

Can I do my internship at an association that already receives volunteers?

Of course, as long as the association agrees on signing the learning agreement.

Can I carry out an internship at a university?

Yes!

Can I give up in the middle of the internship?

Yes, but in that case you will have to return part of the grant.

Nobody answers to my applications, what should I do?

Usually it necessary to contact several companies and associations. Maybe you will not get many answers, but that is not a reason for alarm, you should keep on trying!