Erasmus+ Traineeship

Who is eligible for an Erasmus+ Traineeship?

Undergraduate students, graduates (up to one year post-graduation), and enrolled doctoral students at Viadrina are eligible for Erasmus+ funding if they meet the following criteria:

• Have not exhausted their Erasmus budget of 12 months in the current study cycle.
• Have secured an internship that meets the listed below requirements.
• Possess good language skills in the intended working language.
• Are relocating abroad for the internship.

The traineeship must take place outside the country of your primary residence. International students wishing to intern in their home country may be funded only if they can prove that they are registered as resident in Germany at the time of signing the grant agreement.

Which criteria must the traineeship fulful?

Location in the Erasmus area: Internships must be conducted in one of the following Erasmus countries: the 27 EU member states (excluding Germany) and their overseas territories, Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey. While Switzerland does not participate in Erasmus+, funding is available through the Swiss-European Mobility Programme.

Internships in the United Kingdom are eligible for funding only in exceptional cases.

Duration:

Long-term Mobility:  The Traineeship lasts at least 60 days (the 31st day of any month is not counted). Funding covers a maximum of 180 days in the current project.

Short-Term Mobility: If personal, family, health, or study-related reasons prevent you from going abroad for at least 60 days, a shorter stay (5-30 days) in the host country can be combined with a virtual component (Blended short-term Mobility). Funding applies only to days spent abroad, amounting to 79 EUR/day up to the 14th day, and 56 EUR/day from the 15th to the 30th day (as of 12/2024). Doctoral students may undertake short-term internships without a virtual phase (5-30 days).

Working hours:

The internship must be full-time (at least 35 hours/week) and the main purpose of the stay abroad.

Study-Related:

The internship should be related to your studies and ideally integrated into the degree program (not applicable to graduates and doctoral students). Voluntary study-related internships can also be funded. When deciding on the duration of the internship, please also consider the requirements of the study and examination regulations.

Exclusion Criteria for Funding

An traineeship is not eligible for funding if:

• You do not reside in the host country during the internship.
• The funding application is submitted only a few days before or after the internship begins (no retroactive funding possible).
• The internship takes place at an EU institution, other EU entities, specialized agencies, or organizations managing EU programs (e.g., EU Voluntary Services, DAAD- see full list).
• Double funding from EU sources is present.

You can submit your application for Erasmus+ funding for your internship at any time.

However, it is vital to apply at least 4 weeks before the internship begins, either by email or in person at the Career Center. Applications submitted with shorter notice may not be considered.

Required Documents:

• Completed and signed application form (see download area).
• For graduate internships, initial submission may omit internship position details.
• Letter of motivation (1/2 to 1 full A4 page in German or English).
• Your CV (German or English).
• Confirmation from the internship organization (confirmation, email, contract).
• Current certificate of enrollment.
• Declaration on travel days (see download area).
• If applicable, declaration of honor for Social Top-Ups (see download area). Lack of submission will assume ineligibility.
• Grade report/printout from ViaCampus.
• If available, proof of working language proficiency (study book excerpts for language courses from Viadrina Language Centre or other certificates if applicable).

• For international students completing an internship in their home country: Proof of main residence in Germany during studies.

 If you have questions about the application documents, please feel free to contact us. Incomplete applications will also be processed.

What Happens After the Application?

If your application meets the funding criteria, you will receive formal funding approval, along with Erasmus+ documents/agreements and further information via email.

To prepare your career entry you can also complete an Erasmus+ internship abroad after finishing your studies. The same funding and selection criteria apply as for student Erasmus+ traineehsips, but there are some special conditions:

• When you apply for the Erasmus+ Graduate Internship, you must still be enrolled but exmatriculated during the internship.
  As securing an internship abroad while completing your final thesis can be challenging, you may submit your application for the funding without specifying the internship location, duration, and country. Simply leave these fields blank in the application form.
• The internship must be completed within one year of your graduation.
• Before the internship begins, you must provide the Career Center with either a certificate of exmatriculation or proof from the examination office that all academic requirements have been fulfilled.

After submitting your application without specific internship details, you will receive a provisional informal acceptance via email. The Erasmus+ agreements will be finalized after you have secured an internship position and informed us of the details.