Internships and Short-Term Mobility

In addition to the “traditional” option of studying abroad at a partner university for a semester or a year, there are several other opportunities to gain experience abroad as part of your studies. For example, you can complete an internship abroad or participate in a summer school program. Such stays abroad are usually shorter than a semester, but even so, you can broaden your horizons, your knowledge, and your language skills.

Internship in Europe

If your degree program includes a mandatory internship, or you would like to complete a voluntary study-related internship, or you would like to write your thesis at a partner university, you can do so not only in Germany but also abroad. Within Europe, an Erasmus internship is a good option, for which the following conditions apply:

  • Available for organizations, research institutions, and companies in Erasmus+ program countries (see Exchange in Europe).
  • Duration: two to twelve months
  • Funding available through an Erasmus mobility grant – for more information on mobility grants, see Exchange in Europe.
  • Application deadlines end one month before the start of the internship, allowing for short-term planning and implementation.
  • You are responsible for finding an internship position, planning and carrying out the internship yourself.
  • Please contact us well in advance of your stay abroad if you would like to have the internship credited for your studies or use it for your thesis.

Internship worldwide

If you have found an internship with an organization, research institution, or company outside the Erasmus+ program countries (see Student Exchange in Europe), it may be eligible for funding through a PROMOS internship. Whether it is a mandatory internship for your degree program, or you want to complete a voluntary internship related to your field of study, or you plan to conduct research for your thesis abroad, it does not matter in terms of funding or the experience you gain. Detailed information about the PROMOS internship can be found on the website of the International Office. We have also summarized the most important points here:

  • Available for organizations, research institutions, and companies outside the Erasmus+ program countries (see Student Exchange in Europe).
  • Duration: four weeks to three months
  • Three application deadlines per year; further information can be found here.
  • Upon application, language skills in the language of the internship must be proven by an official language certificate.
  • You are responsible for finding an internship position, planning and carrying out the internship yourself.
  • Please contact us well in advance of your stay abroad if you would like to have the internship credited for your studies or use it for your thesis.

Internship at University of Tsukuba (Japan)

The University of Tsukuba is one of the top ten universities in Japan and a partner university of RUB. An exchange program for a one-semester study period at the University of Tsukuba is offered centrally by the RUB’s International Office.

In addition, the University of Tsukuba welcomes master’s students from the Faculty of Computer Science for research internships through its ‘International Cooperative Education Program with EU Universities for Interdisciplinary Fields of Nano-, Quantum-, Information-, and Bio-Technologies’ (EUXP).

The application process for EUXP is described on the University of Tsukuba website; for applications for internships abroad, the information for Exchange Research Students applies. The University of Tsukuba also provides an Application Guide for Short-Term Exchange Programs. Applications for internships abroad at the University of Tsukuba can be submitted almost every month. Please note, however, that you must first apply internally to the Faculty of Computer Science one month before the University of Tsukuba’s application deadline.

For internal applications to the Faculty of Computer Science, please send the following documents to cs-international@rub.de:

  • up-to-date, verifiable transcript of records
  • Letter of motivation including a brief description of your planned research project and potential supervisors at the University of Tsukuba
  • tabular CV

In addition to the above-mentioned support options for an internship abroad, it is possible to apply for a scholarship at the University of Tsukuba. You can find more information on this on the above websites.

Short-term mobility

Short-term mobilities are a great option for students who want to gain international experience for a few weeks as part of their studies. These include summer schools, winter schools, block courses, and language courses at universities abroad. Usually, these are workshops or courses that impart knowledge in a specific area and are organized by a university abroad. The costs are normally borne by the students themselves.

Please contact us well in advance of your stay abroad if you would like to have the internship credited for your studies or use it for your thesis.

Short-term mobility: Transatlantic Ruhr Fellowships

An example for a short-term mobility abroad is the Transatlantic Ruhr Fellowships. This support program is a combination of a summer school and a seven-week internship in the New York metropolitan area, targeting high-achieving students from the three Ruhr area universities (RUB, TU Dortmund, University of Duisburg/Essen) and is financially supported. The aim of the program is to develop intercultural skills and gain business experience.