Are you looking for financial support for your internship? Here, you can find a list of scholarship programs offered by different organizations.
Please note: Internship offers that automatically include funding are listed in the section Support in Finding an Internship.
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.
At present, all 28 EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey, and North Macedonia participate in the program. The database of partner universities gives an overview of those European universities that have already concluded an exchange agreement with the University of Mannheim. Yet, stays abroad in countries participating in the ERASMUS program can also be funded if you decide to go to an institution other than the partner universities; this applies, in particular, for staff members going abroad with ERASMUS.
Though, at present, Switzerland does not take part in the ERASMUS program, funding terms for stays abroad in Switzerland are similar to the ERASMUS exchange program as the country finances a similar program with national funds.
Information on exchange programs with the United Kingdom:
The UK will most likely continue to participate in the Erasmus program in 2021/22. If the Uk will participate from 2022/23 is uncertain and will be determined by future UK-EU negotiations.
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 400 to EUR 520 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/
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.
The Erasmus mobility grant does not include insurance coverage. Read more about what kind of insurance coverage you need. You'll need to provide proof of these for your Erasmus grant application.
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/
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.
Corona update: To allow short-term applications, the application deadline is now only two weeks pior to the start of the 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 German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has set up a tailor-made, two-line scholarship program in teaching education for individual funding of internships at schools abroad. The program focuses on students who are pursuing a degree to become primary school teachers.
You can find further information, tips and experiences from students in teacher education programs studying abroad on this website of the campaign “Studieren weltweit - Erlebe Es!”of the DAAD.
Please note, all information on this program provided by the DAAD is currently only available in German.
Applicants have the possibility to either search for an internship on their own and then apply for a corresponding scholarship or to directly apply for one of the numerous internships advertised as part of the program.
Participants of the program receive a monthly grant for subsistence expenses and fixed-rate grants for travel expenses.
In addition to financial support, participants are offered a program of activities such as seminars and meetings abroad.
- Option A: Applying for a scholarship for an internship at an international organization or EU institution or at selected NGOs that the applicant has found on his/
- Option B: Applying for a specific internship advertised as part of the program
Franco-German Youth Office (Deutsch-Französisches Jugendwerk)
The Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO) was founded in 1963 as part of the Élysée Treaty between France and Germany in order to foster collaboration between the two countries and promote exchange.
Among other things, the FGYO offers:
For more information about funding for internships in France please visit the website of Campus France (only available in German).
Scholarship program of the German state parliaments for Israeli and German students
The scholarship program of the German state parliaments (PDF available in German only) supports and funds stays abroad for Israeli and German students, early-stage researchers, and interns who want to study or complete an internship in Israel. The application deadline will probably be in November for stays abroad in the following year.
If you are interested in completing an internship in Israel, we recommend checking the projects offered by the New Kibbutz program. You may combine participation in the New Kibbutz program with a scholarship of the German state parliaments.
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.
The DAAD arranges internships in Russia and funds them with a generous scholarship program. In a first step, interested students can apply for an internship, and, in a second step, for corresponding funding. For information on the application procedure and further information please see the website of the DAAD (available in German only).
If you aim to work in your career as a civil servant on Europe-wide partnerships that deal with topics wich are of relevance for the future, the Walter-Hallstein-Programme as part of the Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM is the right scholarship for you.
The Walter-Hallstein-Programme as part of the Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM provides students at the final stages of their Bachelor‘s or during their Master’s study with scholarships for international working stays in public services. As part of the working experience, the scholarship holders work on specific topics that are of particular relevance for the future. By contributing to international networking, the programme aims at strengthening the European idea and European-wide cooperation.
Students from Baden-Württemberg, who plan to do internships in civil service organizations in European countries towards the end of their Bachelor‘s or during their Master’s study.
Applications can be handed in until the 30th of April 2019. For the specifications of terms, application requirements, and further information on the program please see the Website of the Walter-Hallstein-Programme.
Further information is available on the BAföG for stays abroad page.
Find out more on the student loans page.
