Financial Support for Internships Abroad

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.

  • Funding for internships abroad through the ERASMUS program

    Who is funded?

    The European Union supports internships during and after studies in one of the 33 participating program countries or worldwide within the framework of the ERASMUS+ program. 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, and, if applicable, the enrolment must remain in place for that time. If you are interested, make sure to contact the International Office in good time.

    Currently, all member states of the European Union (EU) as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Northern Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey participate in the program. Applications for Erasmus+ internship funding outside the EU (e.g. UK, Switzerland, USA) are also possible, but the budget for these countries is smaller and therefore not always available. Details can be found on the website of KOOR – Erasmus Services BW, the central coordination office at Hochschule Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences

    What is funded?

    The program offers financial support for internships abroad in order to compensate for low amounts or lack of payment.

    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.

    Application deadline

    Please submit your application for funding to KOOR – Erasmus Services BW, the central coordination office at Hochschule Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences  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. Further below you will find your contact persons for signatures at the University of Mannheim.

    What is not funded?

    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 excluded from funding. For these internships, funding is available through the Carlo Schmid Program.

    Where can I find more information about funding and apply for funding?

    Financial support for Erasmus placements is not awarded by the University of Mannheim itself, but by KOOR – Erasmus Services BW, the central coordination office at Hochschule Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences. The entire application process is therefore handled by the liaison office. Please find here further information and the access to the online application: KOOR – Erasmus Services BW

    Mandatory Insurance

    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.

    Special funding for students with fewer opportunities

    Students with fewer opportunities can find more information on special funding options on the website of KOOR – Erasmus Services BW.

    Receiving funding for more than one internship

    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.

    How likely am I to receive funding?

    If the scholarship application for an internship within the EU is submitted correctly and in due time, you are very likely to receive funding. Your chance of success for an internship outside of the EU depends on the available budget.

    Signatures from the University of Mannheim for ERASMUS internships

    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 (usually by Ms. Ossandon, see below), the other two forms by your department. Your departmental contact persons are either the persons named here for outgoing students, or in the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Humanities the respective internship managers. Please enter the correct contact persons, i.e. if a contact person in the department is required, please do NOT enter the International Office!

    #inanutshell: Internship abroad with ERASMUS+

    Jane Ossandon-Schönfeld

    Jane Ossandon-Schönfeld (she/her)

    Scholarship Administration ERASMUS, Baden-Württemberg scholarship, PROMOS
    University of Mannheim
    Division II – Student Affairs
    International Office
    L 1, 1 – Room 103
    68161 Mannheim
    Office hours:
    Mon-Fri 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Funding for internships abroad in combination with an ERASMUS stay abroad

    What is funded?

    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.

    What is not funded?

    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.

    Where can I find more information about funding and apply for funding?

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

    Jane Ossandon-Schönfeld

    Jane Ossandon-Schönfeld (she/her)

    Scholarship Administration ERASMUS, Baden-Württemberg scholarship, PROMOS
    University of Mannheim
    Division II – Student Affairs
    International Office
    L 1, 1 – Room 103
    68161 Mannheim
    Office hours:
    Mon-Fri 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • DAAD short-term scholarships for internships

    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).

  • DAAD grants for travel expenses for AISEC internships

    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).

  • DAAD Lehramt.International: scholarships for internships abroad

    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.

    • Program line 1 supports short-term internships abroad (1 to 6 months) for students in teacher education programs of all subjects and types of school for self-organized internships at schools abroad. Please find the complete scholarship advertisement, application requirements and further information on the website of the DAAD
    • Program line 2 is designed for graduates of teacher educationprograms and aims at closing the gap between the first education period (studying) and training during the preparatory service with a stay abroad. The program supports internships (travel expenses and costs of living) of 6 to 12 months between the first and the second state examination or after obtaining a master’s degree. Please find the complete scholarship advertisement, application requirements and further information on the website of the DAAD.

    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.

  • Carlo Schmid Program: internships at international organizations and EU institutions

    • What is funded?
      The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes), and the foundation Stiftung Mercator cooperatively organize the Carlo Schmid Program (website only available in German) providing scholarships and internships at international organizations and EU institutions.

     

    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.

     

    • Who is funded?
      The program is open to all students and graduates from both bachelor’s and master’s programs regardless of their respective subject area. In order to be admitted to the program you need to hold German citizenship. Applicants can chose between the following two program options:

                        – 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/her own

                        – Option B: Applying for a specific internship advertised as part of the program

     

    • Application deadline
      As a rule, each year in February.
      For the specifications of terms, application requirements, and further information on the program please see the website of the DAAD.
  • Franco-German Youth Office (Deutsch-Französisches Jugendwerk)

    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:

    • scholarships for mandatory exams in France that are recognized by the German home institution as part of the bachelor’s program
    • scholarships for prospective teachers in order to allow them to become acquainted with the French school and education system
    • financial funds promoting exchange in the occupational fields of arts and culture
    • the internship program PRAXES for the period following your degree
    • If you are interested in applying please contact either the International Office of the University of Mannheim or the respective internship manager of the School of Social Sciences and the School of Humanities to have the scholarship application signed.

     

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

  • Scholarship programs of the German state parliaments for Israel

    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.

  • German-American Internship Program (DAP)

    The German-American Internship Program (DAP) offers young graduates and students the opportunity to gain a transatlantic experience abroad beyond compulsory university internships. The program supports special self-organized, voluntary internships between 2 and 12 months in the USA.
    The funding provides a partial scholarship of 600 euros per month as well as a travel allowance up to a maximum of 800 euros. To be eligible, scholarship holders must be no older than 26 years of age at the time of application and must be German citizens.

  • DAAD Go East program „Russland in der Praxis“ for internships in Russia

    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).

  • Walter-Hallstein-Programme: scholarships for working stays in public services in Europe

    • What is funded?

    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 (available in German only) 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.  

    • Who is funded?

    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.

    • Application

    For the specifications of terms, application requirements, and further information on the program please see the Website of the Walter-Hallstein-Programme (available in German only).

  • BAföG for stays abroad

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

  • Student loans

    Find out more on the student loans page.

More information

Finding an Internship

We provide useful tips and links to internship offers to help you find an internship abroad.

Internships at Schools

There are interesting internship programs at schools providing prospective teachers the opportunity to become acquainted with another education system. Of course, you can also organize a stay by yourself.

Insurance and Internship Agreements

Find out more about the most important insurance issues regarding your internship. Also see this section if the university needs to be involved in your internship agreement.

We are happy to help you: