Insurance
It is generally possible to do your mandatory internship in a foreign country. The Internship Office is more than happy to give you a helping hand.
Check with the Internship Office well in advance to find out which criteria must be fulfilled in order for the internship to be recognized later. The internship report which you may need to submit can be written in either English or German.
An academic leave of absence may also need to be taken depending upon the length of the internship and when exactly it takes place. In case you do plan on taking a leave of absence, please be aware that many courses are only offered once a year. Also be aware that this can influence your eligibility for financial assistance, such as state scholarship money (Bafög) and child benefits. Please get in touch with the respective persons well in advance.
A leave of absence is usually only granted for periods lasting more than 50% of the lecture period . To do so, please submit the appropriate documentation - a copy of your work contract or an acknowledgement - to the Registrar’s Office. Important: The acknowledgement or contract must contain the duration and nature of your employment.
Generally, the application must be submitted before the deadline for re-registration (summer term: 15th Feb., winter term: 15th Aug.). Should you still not have any acknowledgement from your prospective employer, it can still be submitted up until the start of the lecture period.
If a reason for taking a leave of absence occurs at a later date, the application must be submitted immediately .
With the "flexible learning semester" you can tailor your Bachelor's degree to your current study situation.
So you can do an internship while studying, or preparing to go abroad with various courses for your career. Students get up to two semesters more time for their studies. So if you want to learn more, you can have more time.
Regarding insurance during your internship, an especially important issue involves aspects of the social insurance system, such as health, long term care, and employment insurance and your pension. Also an important consideration is having accident insurance.
It is important whether your internship is mandatory, meaning it is stipulated by the study and examination regulations, or whether it is voluntary.
Social insurance components
Students doing their mandatory internship are exempt from any obligation to participate in the social insurance system. That means that no deductions are made from one’s salary for health, long term care, or unemployment insurance.
Accident insurance
Every intern is automatically covered by a public accident insurance policy. It is therefore not necessary in this case to submit an application or to register for accident insurance.
It makes no difference whether you receive payment for your employment or not, you are still covered like any other employee. You are in any case covered by your employer.
Please note that you are not automatically insured against accidents while doing an internship abroad. Get in touch with your insurance company during your preparations for your internship abroad and take out an accident insurance policy if necessary.
Social insurance components
You are also exempt from contributing into the social insurance system if you don’t receive pay for your internship. If your pay is below 400 euros, you need only to pay a minimal lump sum for health insurance.
Contributions to the social insurance system must be made if your pay exceeds the 400-euro limit.
Accident insurance
Every intern is automatically covered by a public accident insurance policy. It is therefore not necessary in this case to submit an application or to register for accident insurance.
It makes no difference whether you receive payment for your employment or not, you are still covered like any other employee. You are in any case covered by your employer.
Please note that you are not automatically insured against accidents while doing an internship abroad. Get in touch with your insurance company during your preparations for your internship abroad and take out an accident insurance policy if necessary.
What you should look for:
- Sign a contract
Always sign a written contract, so you have something in your hand in case of a conflict to which you can refer. The following things should always be governed by contract: the beginning and end of the internship, daily working hours, place of employment, duties during the internship, salary, holiday entitlement, notice periods. - Rights as an intern
For interns the same legal provisions apply as for regular employees, whether you regarding maximum working hours, night work or Sunday and holiday work etc. - Job reference
As an intern, you have the right to a job reference. This should include the time, place, a job description and an assessment of you as an intern. - Documentation of working times and duties
If you experience problems, documents can be helpful in a clarifying conversation with your boss. - Do jobs that match your skills and profile
If you have the feeling of being exploited, talk with your supervisor.
If nothing changes after repeated discussions, you should consider a termination of the internship.
Dipl.-Soz. Ulrich Krieger
+49 711 459 22465
Email