Erasmus+ internships

Erasmus+ Internships – departures

If you are planning your internship under Erasmus+ program outside Poland, please contact the International Relations Office of the University of Warsaw

Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28

00-927 Warszawa

Pałac Kazimierzowski

tel. +48 22 55 24 008

 

Erasmus+ Internships – visits

Visiting students should contact the Careers Office when they have been accepted to an internship at the University of Warsaw. Then we provide formal verification.

You can find the instruction below:

Erasmus+ internships at the University of Warsaw – step by step guide

 

What differentiates internships from studying within the Erasmus+ program?

The visit is required to have a duration of minimum of 2 months to maximum of 12 months. Each student can spend a total of 12 months abroad for one cycle of their studies (bachelor’s, engineering and master’s studies), using them freely for studies and internships.

Contrary to a student exchange, in which the list of available universities is given in advance, a student interested in an internship finds the company they want to work for by themself. They must contact the company and ask about the possibilities of completing an internship as part of Erasmus+ internships (and about issues related to the signing of the required documents). Additionally, a student may have to undergo a job interview. If the recruitment process is completed, the interested person confirms the internship, duties and duration of the visit, and then completes the documents required by the university.

 

In which institutions can one pursue an internship?

Internships within the Erasmus+ program can be carried out in companies, scientific and research institutions, non-profit organizations, universities (e.g. on a project or in a laboratory), in public administration units or in other institutions such as hospitals, libraries, museums, etc.

Internships cannot be completed in EU institutions, institutions responsible for managing EU programs and Polish diplomatic missions abroad.

 

Which countries can one visit for Erasmus+ internships?

One can go to 27 European Union countries, as well as to the European Economic Area countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and to North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.

 

What does the recruitment and Erasmus+ internship procedure look like?

Recruitment of candidates, for the previously mentioned trips, is carried out by the university and all other obligations are likewise organized by it. Recruitment may be conducted centrally at the university or at individual faculties and usually takes place in the academic year that precedes the start of the internship.

1. First, the student finds a university where they want to pursue an internship and initiates the contact themselves.
2. If the university offers internships, the details of the visit should be arranged (dates, duties, number of working hours, etc.),
3. The next step is to contact the university/faculty internship coordinator to complete the appropriate documents.
4. After signing the internship agreement by three parties  (the student, the university and the host institution) as well as other required documents, the student signs a mobility agreement specifying all the details.

 

What obligations must be completed before departure?

The basic document related to an Erasmus+ internship is the Learning Agreement for Traineeships (LAT), which must be completed and signed by the sending-out institution, host institution, and student. The agreement specifies time of the student’s stay abroad, their responsibilities during the internship, and provides information about the host company (including the supervisor’s details). The LAT serves as the basis for the university’s acknowledgement and the crediting of the internship.

Before departure, the student must additionally sign an agreement regarding the internship and the payment of the scholarship. This agreement specifies the grant amount, the method of payment, and the deadline for delivering the documents to the home university upon return. Internships can also be undertaken without a financial grant or with partial funding (e.g. the student receives a grant for part of the internship, and a zero-grant for part of the internship, however on the account of the university’s recruitment process, they have the opportunity to travel under the program).

Before starting one’s internship, one must also purchase Personal Accident Insurance (NNW) and Third Party Liability (OC) insurance (ISIC or Euro26 are often chosen options), as well as health insurance. National Health Fund (NFZ) branches issue a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), allowing students to access basic healthcare abroad, just as they would if they were using NFZ services in Poland.

 

Mandatory vs. Optional Internships

Depending on the requirements mandated by the university, internships under the Erasmus+ program can often include both mandatory internships (defined by the study program and the appropriate ECTS credits, included in the course grid on the university website) and optional internships (not required by the study program). Completing a mandatory student internship at a Polish company does not exclude a student from recruitment for an Erasmus+ internship.