International Interns at Saarland University

How can I find an internship?

The search for an internship at Sarland University is a process that each student may tackle differently. It is possible that you can find internships advertised online, either on the websites of different faculties, or for example on the blackboard of Saarland Student Services.

Unfortunately, it is not possible that we, as the Welcome Center, can search for an internship for you. You will need to research internship positions yourself and it is also your responsability to submit the application.

We recommend that your application should contain a letter of motivation and your curriculum vitae.

Choose a topic: think about the field in which you would like to pursue an internship.
Do the research: find out about suitable departments/chairs, research institutes, or administrative units.
Get in touch: send an email with your CV and a cover letter to the institution of your choice.

There are various options available to you, such as a research internship at a department or research institute, a clinical internship at a university hospital on the Homburg campus, or an administrative internship within the central administration.

Further information:

What is there to know?

Saarland University does not offer paid internships. Depending on where you want to pursue your internship, the hosting chair might be able to offer you student employment contract, but this is not automatically guaranteed.

DAAD-Scholarships: the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers numerous scholarships for international students that want to pursue an internship in Germany. These scholarships usually cover living expenses and/or travel costs.
Scholarships from Foundations: various German foundations offer scholarships for international students, e.g. the “Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung”, the “Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung” or the “Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung”. These are often connected to certain fields of studies or home countries.
Under the Erasmus+ programme, students can pursue both compulsory and voluntary internships abroad whilst receiving financial support. Students are responsible for finding a suitable work placement in one of the participating countries themselves. They can then apply for Erasmus+ funding at their home university. Please check with your home university in advance, for example with the International Office, to find out about funding opportunities.
Some organizations and programmes offer direct financial support for work placements, such as IASTE (International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience) and AIESEC (Association Internationale des Étudiants en Sciences Économiques et Commerciales).

The language of communication in research groups at Saarland University is often English. However, there are situations in which you will need a good knowledge of German (at least B2 level), for example if you wish to work with patients in a hospital. Even if no knowledge of German is required, it is advisable to have a basic understanding of the language such that you can get by in everyday life.

Depending on the nature of your internship, when it takes place and how long it lasts, it may be advisable for you to enroll at Saarland University. For internships lasting less than three months, an internship agreement from the HR department ("Dezernat P") will usually suffice. Please feel free to contact the Welcome Center so that we can discuss the best course of action with you.

Students from EU-countries do not have to follow any specific regulations – they do not need a visa.

Students from non-EU-/EEA-countries usually need a visa for their internship in Germany. Please contact the German Embassy or Consulate in your home country well in advance to find out what steps you need to take. Please note that special regulations may apply in the case of compulsory internships.

In Germany, a statutory minimum wage generally applies. However, there are some exceptions for internships:

Compulsory Internships: if the internship is a compulsory part of the course of study (e.g. required by the study regulations), there is no entitlement to the statutory minimum wage.
Voluntary internships of up to three months: for voluntary internships with a duration of up to 3 months, there is also no entitlement to the statutory minimum wage.
Voluntary internships lasting more than three months: for voluntary internships lasting longer than three months, the statutory minimum wage must be paid.

Exception: If the internship serves as an orientation for an apprenticeship or for a course of studies, and it is the first three months, then there is no entitlement to the statutory minimum wage either.

Further information concerning this is available at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales).

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You can find information concerning this and current vacancies for FSJs on the website of the HR department (Dezernat P): Information on FSJ

What should be included in the letter of motivation?

The letter of motivation should explain why you wish to pursue this internship. You should address the following points, amongst others:

What subject area would you like to focus on during the internship?
Is this a compulsory internship required for your degree?
Do you wish to write a dissertation as part of a research placement or is this internship meant to get you practical experience?
When should the internship begin and how long should it last?
Information about your studies to date

How should I write my CV?

If you need help creating your CV, we recommend using Europass to make the process easier.
Europass is free to use and provides a standardised template that allows you to present your skills, qualifications and experience clearly and concisely.

Finding an internship abroad

Are you already studying at Saarland University and would like to do an internship abroad? If so, you’ll find plenty of information on the website of our GoOut! Service Center:

An internship abroad