Information on Organizations and Funding Opportunities
Participate and win
Internship abroad, study or research abroad as a free mover or organized by the faculty?
A host of organisations provide students with international placements and internships abroad - often for a fee.
Extensive information on international placements can be found on the website of the German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD for short, which provides lists of useful links for a large number of countries and fields of study.
(Study and Research Abroad - Links).
The DAAD itself offers several internship abroad programmes, such as the Taiwan Summer Institute Programme.
The non-profi organisationt Wege ins Ausland ("Ways to Go Abroad", link in German) also provides a useful list of links, a helpful brochure as well as a quality check for international internship providers.
Funding Opportunities
DAAD Scholarships Database
The DAAD Scholarships Database offers the most comprehensive database on all kinds of scholarships and international placements. In many cases, travel allowances are also available.
DAAD Program RISE Worldwide
RISE worldwide offers summer research internships across the world at university and non-university research institutions to German Bachelor's students in natural sciences, geosciences, engineering, medicine, psychology, or closely related fields.
German applicants in Bachelor's program can thus become research interns anywhere in the world.
You can find further information about the program and the application at RISE worldwide, in the program flyer, and in the call.
BAföG Study and Work Abroad Allowance
Students eligible for funding according to the German Education and Training Assistance Act (BAföG) may, under certain conditions, receive a special allowance for internships abroad. For further information, please get in touch with the local BAföG Office / Student Services.
Educational Loan – “Bildungskredit”
Students who embark on an internship in Germany or abroad at an advanced stage during their studies may apply for a low-rate loan of limited duration, the so-called educational loan or Bildungskredit (de). Students can apply for the educational loan even if they are BAföG recipients – the loan can be obtained in addition to BAföG funding. However, there is no right to obtaining this loan, as the budget is limited.
Since April 2019, the Darlehenskasse der Studierendenwerke e. V. (de), Daka for short, has been granting interest-free loans for study-related stays abroad.
Internships Abroad – Selected Organizations and Programs
All Subject Areas
GIZ - German Society for International Co-Operation (formerly DED/GTZ/InWent)
GIZ is a non-profit organisation dedicated to human resources development, helping young people to gain work experience abroad and to get in touch with foreign cultures and the international job market. The exchange programs and scholarships are to broaden young people's horizons, develop their intercultural competence, and enhance their foreign language skills.
ASA Programme
Students and young professionals who wish to abroad in the context of developmental work are referred to the ASA programme, which provides short-term scholarships (typically during the summer months) which allow students to participate in projects conducted in developing countries. These programs are also open to students from developing countries who are enrolled in a degree program at a German university.
Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH
Students who have completed an undergraduate degree can apply to GTZ to participate in the internship or project programs. Applicants should preferably be students in the fields of agricultural sciences / forestry, environmental engineering/environmental economy, medical studies (practical training year students are not eligible), economics, social sciences, administrative sciences, geography and industrial/corporate pedagogy.
World University Service (WUS)
Students with a special interest in North-South Cooperation may apply for unpaid internship placements arranged by the World University Service, WUS for short.. Placements are available at external WUS branches as well as partner organisations.
Carlo Schmid Programme
Carlo Schmid-funded internships are to introduce outstanding students and graduates to problems and working strategies in the international administration sector and enhance their intercultural competence. The programme is to improve participants' career opportunities in the international sector. The Carlo Schmid programme is largely financed by funds from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and also receives support from the Robert Bosch Stiftung. Further Information: Carlo Schmid Programme / DAAD.
Singapore Work Holiday Programme
The Singapore Work Holiday Programme offers students and graduates between the ages of 17 and 30 to live and work for up to six months in Singapore.
Advanced Bachelor's or Master's students in natural science or engineering also have the option of completing research internships in Singapore.
KOPRA Coordination Centre for Internships
The Coordination Centre for Internships, KOPRA, promotes intern exchange opportunities between Europe and Eastern Asia by providing a web-based information platform which is to bring together international companies and their prospective interns.
Heinrich Hertz Foundation
The Heinrich Hertz Foundation provides scholarships for research abroad projects. For further information, please visit the web pages of the Heinrich Hertz Foundation.
Heinrich J. Klein Foundation
The Heinrich J. Klein Foundation promotes scientific exchange between international educational and research institutions by providing scholarships for students who wish to embark on short- or medium term research abroad projects. Eligible for funding are students from all disciplines who can demonstrate that they have been promoting international exchange in the past, e.g. through extracurricular activities. For further information, please visit the website of the Heinrich J. Klein Foundation.
Vulcanus
The Vulcanus in Japan training program provides scholarships for EU students in the natural and engineering sciences who wish to undertake an internship at a Japanese company. At the time of application, the students must be at least in their third year of studies at a University within the EU. In the period between September 2018 and August 2019, followship winners will complete
- a one-week seminar on Japan,
- a four-month intensive Japanese language course,
- and an eight-month internship at a Japanese company.
Applications must be submitted to the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation. The deadline for applications is January 20, 2018.
Medical Studies
Deutscher Famulantenaustausch (DFA) e.V.
General information on internship opportunities as well as application forms are available at website of the National Association of all Medical Students’ Representations (bvmd, link in German). The application deadline is 1 February for the second semester and 1 October for the first semester.
An English-language website is currently under construction: bvmd international
Institut für Tropenhygiene und öffentliches Gesundheitswesen (ITHÖG) – Department of Tropical Hygiene and Public Health
At the ITHÖG, students of medicine from developing countries may apply for financial aid for their period of clinical internship or for their practical training year ("PJ") abroad.
Dentistry
Zahnmedizinischer Austauschdienst (ZAD)
Information and application forms are available at ZAD for Incomings - English Website and Students of Dentistry Aachen.