FAQ - Frequently asked questions about the internship

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The most frequently asked questions about the internship are answered here. Your question is not here or you need general advice?

Get in touch with me! Tamara Schmitt,  Practice Coordination FB 02

You fill out the registration form and get approval from the internship supervisor responsible for you at your institute. You then submit the signed form to the internship coordinator. If you meet the requirements of your examination regulations for the internship, the internship will be registered with Hispos.

If the internship meets the requirements of your examination regulations in terms of type and time scope and the activities are classified as relevant to the course of study, the internship may also be recognized in advance without registration. Please contact the internship coordination.

The examination board responsible for you decides on the crediting of practical experience as a substitute for the mandatory internship. You must submit a corresponding application.

Contact the internship coordination with detailed information on the practical experience and, ideally, with the corresponding evidence (e.g. work references, internship confirmations). They will tell you whether an application is worthwhile and what steps you need to take further on.

A part-time job or a working student activity usually has no chance of being recognized if you work less than 20 hours per week and the activities do not prepare you for a profession after graduation.

Supervision Internship Bachelor

Institute for English/American Studies

Institute for German Studies

If you do not remember who was assigned to you as a mentor:in at the beginning of your studies, please inquire at the German Studies office.

Institute for Philosophy

Institute for Romance Studies

An internship contract is only concluded between you and the internship site.

For an internship abroad, you can also contact the International Office. Sample contracts will be made available to you there. The Erasmus University Coordinator is authorized to sign the contract. You can find the contracts under the downloads and links of the International Office.

Some companies/institutions require proof that you are enrolled and have to complete a compulsory internship as part of your studies. A corresponding certificate of the compulsory internship can be issued to you at the internship coordination or at the examination office FB 02 for submission to the internship office.

The internship is usually full-time. Full-time is defined as between 37.5 and 40 working hours per week. For an eight-week internship, this results in a workload of 300-320 hours, for a six-week internship (BA Philosophy) a workload of 225-240 hours. The total workload of the module is higher because you will also be granted time for the organizational issues surrounding the internship.

By arrangement, a part-time internship is also possible. In part-time, an internship should comprise at least 20 hours per week, so that you get a good insight into the daily work routine. In order to achieve the workload of a regular full-time internship, the internship will be extended accordingly.

You can pass on the new data to the practice coordination. Provided that you still comply with the time requirements for a compulsory internship, a subsequent change is possible without any problems. The confirmation from the internship site should match the information.

Students are covered by statutory accident insurance, according to which they have insurance protection during their education and training and on their way to and from the university. The insurance carrier is the Unfallkasse Hessen.

During an internship - regardless of whether it is a compulsory part of your studies or is completed voluntarily - you are insured through the insurance carrier of the internship company. Clarify with your internship company whether you are also insured against accidents via the statutory accident insurance (accident insurance fund in the respective federal state) or via another insurance carrier (e.g. via a federal cooperative).

Further questions in this regard can be answered by the Unfallkasse Hessen.

In the case of an internship abroad, it is advisable to find out about private accident insurance.

The Minimum Wage Act has been in force in Germany since January 1, 2015 . However, compulsory internships as part of a course of study are exempt from the minimum wage. The same applies to voluntary internships that serve as career orientation or are completed during studies, if the internship does not last longer than three months.

Further questions on the minimum wage can be answered by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

Mindestlohn-Hotline: 030/60280028

A compulsory internship is a legal relationship between you and the internship site. Nevertheless, during a compulsory internship you are enrolled as a member:r of the university with all rights and obligations. However, this also means that you have no legal claim to remuneration or leave.

If the internship site offers you such, you should record this in a written agreement.

However, you should only take leave in the case of an internship that exceeds the length specified in the examination regulations.

If you receive BAföG, an internship salary is normally completely credited in the case of a compulsory internship . The tax-free allowance from income from gainful employment does not apply here. You can obtain further information from a consultation at the Studierendenwerk Kassel.

If you become ill during the internship, submit a sick note to your internship office. Further, be guided by the company's policy.

If you are sick for more than 3 days, you should make up the sick days accordingly so that you can fulfill your workload, which is relevant for the recognition of the internship.

Even as an intern, you are entitled to a reference. Normally, you should receive at least a simple certificate (proof of the type and scope of activities). However, there is no obligation for the internship site to issue a qualified reference. If possible, however, you should ask for one, since a reference with an evaluation of performance and behavior says more than a list of activities.