This section summarizes which documents and evidence is required for an internship and what you have to do to prepare beforehand.
Important steps to take before starting your internship
Before applying for an internship, whether it is a speculative application or whether you are applying for an advertised position, you should check that you meet the requirements for an internship at FAU. You must also decide whether you would like to do a subject-related internship or take part in a visiting program. No matter what you decide, you must ensure that you have the required information about how to find a supervisor, required formalities, and the documents and evidence you have to submit.
Required documents
The following documents are required from the host institution:
- Confirmation of supervision
- If required, please provide information on the organizational unit at FAU in the application for IdM identification.
- The invitation letter to the intern or visiting student (if available)
- Confirmation showing the basis for the intern’s or visiting student’s stay. This basis may be either a visiting program, an academic exchange or confirmation that the student’s supervisor at FAU is the secondary reviewer for their thesis. International Affairs will gladly advise you on how to structure such a confirmation.
- Copy of the Mobility Agreement for Traineeships which Erasmus trainees must conclude with the host chair.
The following documents are required from the intern:
- Online registration form for international FAU student visitors
- International certificate of enrollment
- Copy of your passport
Please send the documents by email to International Affairs.
In order for International Affairs to begin carrying out the necessary administration, we ask that the chair, institute or supervisor inviting the student register them as early as possible. Submitting the registration too late may delay the stay or even make it impossible.
Additional documents
Under German law, an internship is classed as employment. Certain formalities have to be complied with, depending on your country of origin. The following explains which these are.
An internship is classed as a form of employment according to the German Employment Regulations (Beschäftigungsverordnung) and the German Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz). Students who are not from the EU or EEC must apply for a certificate exempting them from the work permit requirement at the Zentrale Auslands- und Fachvermittlung (ZAV – International Placement Services) at the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency). This certificate is proof that the work activity in the context of the internship has been approved by ZAV. The certificate is also required in order to apply for a residence permit. You cannot start your internship before you have obtained approval from ZAV.
Students from EU states, EEC countries and Switzerland
Students who are citizens of an EU member state and students who are citizens of an EEC state or Switzerland do not need a permit from ZAV for an internship. This means that they do not have to apply for a certificate confirming their exemption from the obligation to have a work permit.
Interns who are not citizens of an EU or EEC state
Citizens of a non-EU or non-EEC state who want to do an internship in Germany require the approval from ZAV and a visa.
Several aspects are important with respect to the exemption from the obligation to have a work permit:
General
Interns who are older than 35 are not eligible for a certificate of exemption.
The certificate confirming exemption from the obligation to have a work permit is required for the visa application. We therefore ask you to apply for the certificate in good time.
ZAV usually needs approximately three to four weeks to process the certificate of exemption. Therefore, we recommend that you plan your internship well in advance and submit the documents to International Affairs or ZAV as soon as possible.
Who applies for the certificate of exemption?
If your internship is part of an Erasmus scholarship program or an exchange program or you are from one of FAU’s partner universities, International Affairs applies for the certificate of exemption from the work permit requirement. Once you have been registered with International Affairs as a future intern, we will contact you and ask you for the required documents. International Affairs also depends on support from the host institution.
In all other cases, the certificate of exemption must be applied for by the chair or institute inviting the intern. Please see information provided by the Federal Employment Agency for further details.
Issuing the certificate of exemption from the obligation to have a work permit
Several copies of the certificate of exemption are issued and sent to International Affairs or the institution which applied for it. One copy is for the student, one is for the employer and the third copy is for the local immigration authorities. International Affairs or the host institution forwards the certificates to the appropriate authorities. Students need their certificate for their visa application.
Internships without remuneration
Internships without remuneration are considered a form of employment under German immigration law. Therefore, they require a certificate of exemption to be obtained from ZAV.
Extension of the internship
If you have to extend your internship please note that not only your residence permit but also your certificate of exemption from the obligation to have a work permit from ZAV must be extended. Please submit an application for extension as soon as possible.
Please also find out prior to your arrival whether your residence permit in Germany may be extended as it depends on the nature of your residence permit or visa whether the local immigration authorities can extend it. If in doubt, please inquire with the German immigration authorities where you have applied or will be applying for your visa or residence permit.