Internships in EU countries – Erasmus+ Student Mobility for Studies SMP

• Full-time enrolment at THWS
• Full-time study-integrated internship (at least 35 hours/week) in one of the countries participating in the programme (EU)
• Practical stay after the first semester
• Length of internship: 2 months (60 days) at least, 12 months (360 days) at most
• International health insurance, liability insurance, accident insurance
• Compliance with the application deadline (all the application documents!)
• The following applies to THWS students: Internships with a monthly payment of more than EUR 800.00 will not be considered when grants are awarded.

The Erasmus+ programme also offers funding for a graduate internship. This option is an excellent opportunity to practically apply the contents of the degree programme and to gain experience in the international world of work.

The graduate internship is particularly interesting, for example, for anyone who did not have the opportunity to gain international work experience during their studies, who have to bridge a waiting period between their bachelor’s and master’s programme or who are aiming to start a career abroad.

When you apply for graduate funding, you must be enrolled at the THWS, the internship starts after de-registration!

The following information on the Erasmus+ internship also applies to graduate internships under Erasmus+.

• Higher education institutions with or without ECHE or any institution established in a programme country and active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training or youth, e.g. public and private small, medium or large enterprises
  schools, institutes, training centres
  non-profit organisations, associations, non-governmental organisations
• Internships in EU institutions and other EU bodies, including specialised agencies, and bodies managing EU programmes are not eligible for funding (see https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/institutions-bodies_en ). There are separate DAAD funding programmes for these kinds of internships.

A special focus is placed on digital skills, as these are becoming increasingly important for all occupational profiles across the labour market. The following activities, for example, can be funded under digital skills:

• Digital marketing (e.g. social media management, web analysis)
• Digital graphic, mechanical or architectural design
• Digital application development, website design
• Installation, maintenance and administration of IT systems
• Cybersecurity
• Programming and training of robots and artificial intelligence

The “digital skills” category does not include general customer support, order processing, data entry, office work.

You will receive a grant for living expenses, which varies depending on your country of destination.

When calculating the amount of the grant one month corresponds to 30 days. The grant is calculated on a pro rata basis by day.

The Erasmus+ grant is paid out in two instalments: You will receive 80% before the stay abroad, and the remaining 20% after the stay abroad.

• The minimum length of an internship is 2 months (60 days). An extension is possible, but must be applied for in writing to the International Office at least 4 weeks before the originally planned end date.
  If the internship ends before 60 days have elapsed, the Erasmus+ grant must be paid back.
• Erasmus+ funding is possible several times, up to a maximum of 12 months (360 days) for each part of studies (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral degree, Ph.D).
  Periods with and without funding (so-called zero grant periods) are deducted from this time allowance.
  Example:
  A student spent a period of 6 months and 4 days abroad for studying and doing an internship, so there is still a period of 5 months and 26 days left of the Erasmus+ time allowance.
  In case of another application for Erasmus+ funding in the same cycle of study, the student has to make sure to not exceed the remaining time allowance.
• For THWS students, funding for an internship in an Erasmus+ programme country is limited to a maximum of 4 months (120 days). Periods above this limit are recorded as zero grant periods (i.e. periods without funding).

1. Green travel

Student mobility can be made low-emission, especially within Europe - why not take the train, carpool or bus instead of the plane if possible? The journey to the semester abroad is part of the experience, makes the departure feel real. 

The Erasmus+ programme promotes green travel in particular. "Green travel" refers to trips where low-emission means of transport such as bus, train or carpooling are used for the majority of the journey.

Your journey will be low-emission? 
Then you have the opportunity to receive additional funding for a „Green Travel" within an Erasmus+ grant.

This is what the additional financial support for "Green Travel" looks like:

• For grants from THWS Erasmus+ funds of the 2022 and 2023 projects*: Possibility of a one-time EUR 50 or increased travel allowance if you are entitled to a travel allowance and funding for up to 4 additional (travel) days
• For grants from THWS Erasmus+ funds from project 2024*: Increased travel allowance if entitled to a travel allowance and up to 4 additional (travel) days

*Your HSIN contact person can tell you from which project your mobility can be funded.

The additional financial support for sustainable travel is regulated by the Erasmus+ grant agreement. The Declaration on Honour „Green Travel" explains all the details regarding the amount of the grant as well as the qualification criteria. The document must be filled in, signed and submitted via email to the International Office before the grant agreement is drawn up if you are interested in applying for this additional funding.

Your journey will be low-emission?

The initiative Erasmus by train e.V. offers tips and planning aids: https://erasmusbytrain.eu https://www.interrail.eu/de/interrail-passes 

The ESN Green Erasmus toolkit for ideas on how to implement sustainability before, during and after mobility: https://www.greenerasmus.org/

2. Funding for travel days (from winter semester 2025/26)

The Erasmus+ mobility grant is calculated to the day and takes into account the days on which you are required to be present at the host institution. Days spent purely travelling are not usually included. If, for reasons of programme scheduling, you are travelling for additional days for your stay abroad for which you require financial support, you can apply to the International Office for funding for up to two additional (travel) days (e.g. if you have to arrive one day before the start of the programme or can only leave one day after the end of the programme).

If you require funding for additional days to cover your costs, please report this via the Declaration on Honour for Travel Days / Green Travel. The document must be filled in, signed and submitted via email to the International Office before the grant agreement is drawn up if you are interested in applying for this additional funding.

„Fewer Opportunities“ – Erasmus+ for inclusion und diversity 

For study-related stays abroad of students with "Fewer Opportunities" there will be the possibility to receive a "Fewer Opportunities" top up starting in winter semester 2022/23 under certain conditions. This additional funding opportunity is offered by the THWS International Office in addition to the regular Erasmus+ monthly grant for student mobility.

- First-time students 

- Employed students

- Students with child(ren) during international mobility

- Students with disabilities or chronic illnesses

For explanation of each target group, the exact requirements for receiving the top up, and the funding amount, please check the Declaration of Honor "Fewer Opportunities" for details. The document represents at the same time the application for the granting of the Top Up as well as a contractual annex of the Erasmus+ grant agreements.

If you are interested in applying for the top up, you have to fill in, sign and submit the declaration on honour via email to the International Office before the grant agreement is drawn up.

The Learning Agreement is a central part of the Erasmus+ grant agreement and consists of three parts. Please keep this document in a safe place!

Part 1 Before the Mobility must first be completed and signed by you and the receiving organisation (enterprise) prior to the stay abroad, completed and approved by signature by your faculty’s internship coordinator.

Part 2 During the Mobility contains changes to the internship programme or internship period and, like Part 1, must be completed by you and confirmed by the responsible parties’ signatures at least four weeks before the originally planned end of the internship.

Part 3 After the Mobility is completed and signed by the receiving organisation/enterprise at the end of the internship.

Please note the information in the documentation about completing Learning Agreement forms.

(except graduate internships)

To have the internship (including diploma supplement) accredited, please contact your faculty’s examination committee with your application for accreditation, the complete Learning Agreement (Part 1, 2 and 3), and the qualified work certificate on your return to THWS. If you have questions on the procedure for the recognition of credits within your degree programme, please contact the responsible member of staff at the Department of Student Affairs.

Optional or compulsory internships as part of the degree programme must always be recognised by higher education institution lecturers. Optional recognition means that your internship is deemed worthwhile as part of your studies, but the internship does not necessarily have to count towards ECTS credits.

With the exception of native speakers, Erasmus+ students must take an OLS (Online Language Support) language test (self-assessment) in the main working language. The language test is taken before the start of the mobility. The purpose of this compulsory language test is to measure and document the development of language skills. It is important to note that it does not serve as a selection criterion for Erasmus+ funding.

The OLS language course

After the language test, you can take further language courses, e.g. in the national language, in addition to the language course in the working language if you are interested. Language courses can be taken in any of the languages available on OLS with no limit on the number of languages and learning units (currently 24). Online language support is available to students for three years, giving you the opportunity to improve your language skills before, during and after your stay abroad.

This charter informs students about their rights and obligations and explains what students can expect from both their home and receiving organisation/enterprise in the course of the Erasmus+ funding period.

Erasmus+ charter for students

When the selection criteria set by your faculty are met, you can be funded through Erasmus+, if the programme requirements are met and funds are available.