Winter - Spring - Summer - Fall
2012 Internships in Berlin, Germany
STUDIENFORUM BERLIN arranges
short and long academic internships
all year long in a vast variety of public and private institutions and companies in Berlin, Germany.
Placements are custom selected
and tailored to students' needs,
interests, and education.
Starting in 1999 the government of Germany was moved from Bonn to Berlin. Now, Berlin--located in the very heart of Europe--is offering vast opportunities for internships in politics, business, fine arts, law, media, health sciences, etc. More than ever before, internships are essential to become successful in one's life and one's profession. Interns in Berlin have a special privilege to get acquainted with the challenges Germany has to face: She has to overcome the shadows of the Nazi past, merge West and East, satisfy the demands of former communist societies in Central Europe, integrate Turkish and other minorities, master the difficulties of being the most important and powerful country in Europe, and adequately provide a cultural underpinning in the arts. Therefore, Berlin is the right place for internships not only in Germany but also in Europe as a whole.
The minimum duration of
internships is eight weeks.
Students in internships usually work five days a week at their institution or company
(40h/week).
STUDIENFORUM BERLIN does not grant credit or confer degrees
itself. In order to get credit students have to contact the appropriate offices of their home
universities. Grading will be based on an evaluation written by the internship supervisor. If required, STUDIENFORUM BERLIN
provides supervision and cooperates with the student's home institution with regard to the credits. The home institution will then determine the total number of credit
hours.
Due to the long preparation period, the usual application deadline is
three months prior to the start of the
internship.
Students assume responsibility for providing all necessary signatures and authorizations by the designated deadlines. Applications which are not fully completed will not be
considered.
The STUDIENFORUM BERLIN's Internship Program is open to undergraduate and graduate students in all fields of study. Students must be sophomores, juniors or seniors at the time of their internship and have a grade point average of 3.0 (B) or better.
STUDIENFORUM BERLIN is an academic non-profit institution. Thus, all internships STUDIENFORUM BERLIN arranges are
not paid.
STUDIENFORUM BERLIN's Internship Program requires some proficiency in the German language, both spoken and written.
The level required is
B1 of the language levels of the
Common European Framework of
References (CEF) or higher.
Students who have a detailed knowledge or a particular interest in a specific field should note this in the cover letter of the application. In a short essay (no more than a page) they should explain why they would like to do an international internship, make clear what the purpose of their internship is and how the internship contributes to their field of study. For the application students are also required to send
- a current résumé,
- current transcript,
- copy of current student ID,
- three photographs,
- proof of health, accident and liablity insurance coverage for abroad (these three insurance components are mandatory. STUDIENFORUM BERLIN can arrange for insurance coverage at reasonable cost upon arrival).
Attention:
Internship placements are quite competitive. STUDIENFORUM BERLIN makes strict efforts to place the interns in order of their preferences but cannot make sure that each one will get her/his first
choice.
Orientation covers all aspects of the program, with special emphasis on living, studying, and interning in Germany. Cultural and social activities are held to acquaint students with each other and the New Berlin.
Orientation does emphasize health and personal security while studying and while traveling in Berlin and Germany.
STUDIENFORUM BERLIN's staff will be available throughout the program to meet the needs of the interns. The staff will also arrange for a sightseeing tours in Berlin (included in the program fee) and make reservations for optional cultural events: theatres, operas, concerts, exhibitions. Tours to sites outside of Berlin are optional.
STUDIENFORUM BERLIN's Internship Offerings in Berlin
cover a wide variety of
opportunities. Here are some
examples:
| German Politics Internships |
Political internships are available within branches of the German government (Bundestag, Bundesrat, Ministries), the Berlin government (Abgeordnetenhaus, Senate of Berlin), party headquarters, lobby groups, national and international agencies. |
| Public Administration Internships |
In addition to political institutions Berlin hosts some of the largest public administration agencies in Germany such as the central welfare institution. Internship placements in Berlin are possible not only with the state and community but also at the federal level. |
| Business/Bank/Management Internships |
With the government's move to Berlin major companies and banks, as well as, company/bank associations have
also come to Berlin. Placements are available in a wide variety of German and multinational firms/banks as well as in the major business associations and business promotion institutions of Germany. |
| Law Internships |
Law majors can get detailed knowledge about German and European law during an intership in local national and international law firms. |
| Telecommunication, Information and Media Technology, Software Development Internships |
Berlin has become a major center for telecommunication, IT and software developments
in Germany. Internships are available,
e.g., at the science center Berlin-Adlershof - Berlin's "Silicon Valley" where dozens of small and medium-sized companies are
located. |
| Media Internships |
Major public and private TV networks have moved to Berlin and allow placements of internships. There is also a wide range of radio programs, print media, publishing houses, film studios
in Berlin and in
Potsdam-Babelsberg, etc. |
| Tourism Internships |
There are internships at travel agencies and at the official tourism office of Berlin. These are of particular interest regarding the organization of tours and trips to the Baltics as well as to Central and Eastern Europe. |
| Museum and Arts Internships |
German and history majors will find a vast array of knowledge in Berlin's more than one hundred museums and arts exhibitions. |
| Music and Theatre Internships |
Berlin is the home of dozens of orchestras, small and large, three opera houses and countless theatres which allow for interns. |
| Architecture Internships |
The reconstruction of its tortured center has made the New Berlin a playground for architects (Foster, Piano, Johnson, Libeskind) from all over the world, e.g. at the Checkpoint Charlie area and at the Potsdamer Platz. Internships are available at smaller and larger architectural bureaus which try to develop adequate buildings for meeting the demands of the new century. |
| Health Science Internships |
In Berlin there are some of the most famous and most advanced hospitals of Germany, such as the Charité. There
may also placements be
available in specialized sub-units such as the Epilepsy Center of the Elisabeth Krankenhaus and the Department of Biochemistry at the Freie Universität Berlin. |
| Social Service and Social Welfare Internships |
Berlin hosts numerous social institutions, centers for youth, elderly, and immigrants, shelters for women, etc., which accept interns. Of particular interest may be an internship at a social institution in Berlin
that deals with the
social consequences of German unification. |
|
Here are some of the internship offerings,
2001 to 2011:
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Students from these
colleges and universities have participated in internship programs provided by STUDIENFORUM BERLIN:
- Amherst College
- Ball State University
-
Bates College
-
Brookdale Community College
- Brooklyn Law School
- Brown University
- Catholic University
School of Law
- Colgate University
- College of William and
Mary
- Columbia University
- Dartmouth College
-
DePaul University
- Fairfield University
- Georgetown University
-
Goshen College
- Iowa State University
-
Johns Hopkins University
-
Kutztown University
-
London School of Economics
- Lycoming College
- Minneapolis College of
Art and Design
- Montana State University
- Monterey Institute of
International Studies
- Nazareth College
- Niagara University
- Oklahoma State University
- Oregon State University
-
Pennsylvania State
University
-
Pomona College
- Princeton University
- Rice University
- Richard Stockton College
of New Jersey
- Rollins
College
- Rowan University
- Rutgers University
- Scripps College
- Seton Hall University
-
State University of New York
at Buffalo
- State University of New York at Geneseo
-
St. Cloud University
- St. Louis University
- Smith College
- Swarthmore College
- Syracuse University
- Texas A&M University
- Transylvania University
- University of Alabama
-
University of California San
Diego
-
University of Chicago
- University of Delaware
- University of Edinburgh,
Scotland
- University of Illinois
at Urbana - Champaign
- University of Maryland
- University of New Mexico
- University of Nebraska
- University of Oregon
- University of Pescara,
Italy
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of Richmond
- University of Rochester
- University of Virginia
-
University of Wisconsin -
Eau Claire
- University of Wisconsin
- La Crosse
- University of Wisconsin
- Madison
- University of Wisconsin
- Milwaukee
- Vanderbilt University
- Virginia Military
Institute
- Washington & Lee
University
- Washington State University
- Wellesley College
- Wesleyan College,
Georgia
- Wheaton College
- Williams College
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute
At additional cost, students may take,
prior to the internship, language instruction in cooperation with a very experienced language school in Berlin, DIE NEUE SCHULE. These courses
are to improve the German
language skills to enhance students'
chances for being accepted by
attractive sites. Furthermore,
the better the language
proficiency, the higher the effectiveness throughout
the internship. Click here
for more details on the language
program and
here for more details
on the combination program.
Example:
Students can start their stay in Berlin by attending a language class over the first four weeks
(80 h) and then take an
eight-week internship. The table
below gives a price
example.
Inquire for
details!
STUDIENFORUM BERLIN does not grant credit or confer degrees itself. After completing the internship successfully students
may get certificates by Studienforum Berlin.
STUDIENFORUM BERLIN'S prices include
- internship placement,
- accommodation (in shared
apartments--"Wohngemeinschaften"--without
meals),
- orientation,
- supervision,
- health, accident and liability insurance,
- pick-up service,
- "Welcome package" (including Public Transportation Pass (A and B), a Falk City Map, the STUDIENFORUM BERLIN's Student Handbook "Discover Berlin",
several brochures etc.),
- Berlin sightseeing tour,
- organization of leisure and cultural activities (social gatherings, tickets for theatre, operas, concerts),
- administration fee.
The price of an additional
language course includes
- language course
registration
- placement test
- 20 h of language
instruction per week
- learning material
- final test
Excursions outside of Berlin
as well as cellphones are optional.
The following table gives you a price example for a typical 8-week internship
and a typical 12-week
combination of language/internship
(for longer terms prices may be
adjusted):
| |
Tuition
|
Fees
|
Accommodation
(shared apartment without
meals)
|
Total
|
Typical
8-week Summer/Fall
Internship Program |
EUR
890*
|
EUR
1,190*
|
EUR
690*
|
EUR 2,770*
|
Typical
12-week combined
Language
(4 weeks)/Internship
(8 weeks) Program |
EUR
1,160*
|
EUR
1,360*
|
EUR
975*
|
EUR 3,495*
|
*Current
Euro-Dollar exchange rates are
available
here.
For further information or questions please
email us.
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