Financial Support for Internships Abroad

As part of the ERASMUS+ program, the European Union provides funding for internships abroad within Europe both during and after your studies. Students in bachelor’s, state examination and master’s programs as well as enrolled doctoral candidates and graduates in their first year after graduation are eligible to apply. In order to take advantage of this kind of funding as a graduate, you will have to submit an informal application before the end of your studies, i.e. before disenrollment. If you are interested, make sure to contact the International Office in good time.

The program offers financial support for internships abroad in order to compensate for low amounts or lack of payment. Depending on the country, funding amounts to EUR 320 to EUR 420 per month.

The minimum duration of an internship to be funded is two months, the maximum funding period is 12 months per phase of study (bachelor’s/master’s/doctorate). If you have already received Erasmus funding for studying abroad during the same phase of study, this will be counted towards the maximum funding period.

Applicants who receive a salary of EUR 1,000 after tax per months or more from the receiving institution or company cannot be considered for funding.
Internships at institutions of the European Union (such as a political party or a member of the European Parliament) as well as at institutions governing EU programs are also excluded from funding. For these internships, funding is available through the Carlo Schmid Program.

Financial support from the two programs is not awarded by the University of Mannheim itself. Instead, it is awarded by the liaison office for integrated traineeships for Baden-Württemberg situated at the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences. The entire application process is therefore handled by the liaison office.
All information on the program and the funding criteria as well as the online registration and the application documents can be found on the website of the liaison office „KOOR-BEST“ of the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences.

Students with a disability or students who want to take their child or children with them when going abroad can find more information on special funding options on the website of the liaison office.

It is possible to receive funding more than once if the total funding period (including Erasmus funding for studying abroad) does not exceed twelve months per phase of study (bachelor’s/master’s/doctorate). The maximum funding period for programs without bachelor’s and master’s phases (for example state examination programs) is 24 months.

If the application is submitted correctly and in due time, you are very likely to receive funding.

Please submit your application for funding to the liaison office as soon as possible, no later than one month before the beginning of your internship.

Please note: The application requires a number of documents and signatures, including the signature of the company offering the internship! If your application is not complete by the application deadline, funding will not be granted. Unfortunately, it is not possible to submit missing documents later.

For an ERASMUS internship, you will need three signatures from the University of Mannheim: the application form needs to be signed by the International Office, the other two forms by your department. Please always indicate the correct contact person when being asked for a departmental contact person. Please do NOT indicate the International Office. If you are unsure about the correct contact person, please ask Ms Wittenberg at the International Office.

If you are planning on studying abroad at an Erasmus partner university and want to combine this stay with an internship of up to two months, your Erasmus funding for studying abroad can be extended for the respective period.

Requirements:
- internship in the same country as the semester abroad
- immediately before or after the ERAMSUS semester abroad
- duration of two months or less
- supervised by the host institution, i.e. the internship has to be included in the Learning Agreement.
The total ERASMUS funding period (i.e. for both studying abroad and the internship) must not exceed twelve months.
If the internship lasts more than two months, please apply for the Erasmus funding described above.

Internships at institutions of the European Union (such as a political party or a member of the European Parliament) as well as at institutions governing EU programs cannot be funded.

Please contact Ms Wittenberg at the International Office for information on combining an ERASMUS stay abroad with an internship.

The DAAD provides funding for internships abroad at specific organizations and institutions, such as institutions of the EU or UN, German representations abroad, international German schools or Goethe institutes, that are organized by the interns themselves and independently of any internship programs. The maximum funding period is three months. Funding includes a grant for travel expenses. More information can be found on the website of the DAAD(only available in German).

The DAAD offers grants for travel expenses for subject specific AIESEC  internships outside of Europe. More information can be found on the website of the DAAD  (only available in German).

For more information about funding for internships in France please visit the website of Campus France(only available in German).

The GIZ German-American internship program affords young graduates and professionals the opportunity to gain professional experience in the USA by funding internships with a duration of two to twelve months that are organized by the interns themselves. Interns receive a scholarship of EUR 600 per month if the internship is unpaid as well as grants for travel expenses and language courses.

Further information is available on the BAföG for stays abroad page.

Find out more on the student loans page.

Contact persons at the Career Service

Contact persons at the schools