Do I have to do an internship?

2025-07-08

Without a doubt: to study on its own is no longer enough to be considered an attractive candidate on the job market. In addition to acquiring subject-specific knowledge, it is also important to reinforce these academic skills through practical experience. This is where the internship comes in.

In many degree programs, an internship is part of the curriculum. Your program’s study or examination regulations provide information on this. Follow the recommendations and requirements of your degree program and use the materials provided there.

Regardless, we recommend that all students complete at least one — ideally two or more—internships, meaning you should consider complementing mandatory internships with voluntary ones. This will give you insights into possible career fields, allow you to apply theoretical knowledge, and acquire additional skills.

Internships can be broadly divided into exploratory internships and professional internships. You should also pay attention to whether an internship is voluntary or mandatory, as this distinction entails legal differences that you should navigate strategically.

The main goal of an exploratory internship is to gain experience in unfamiliar social situations and to gain insights into the professional world. Such internships often lead through various departments or areas of a larger institution. Your own tasks will primarily be in the learning phase and offer limited independence.

Insights into the industry, the company, different work areas, and roles will help you to orient yourself, to develop ideas for your next career steps, or evaluate your existing career aspirations against reality.

Professional internships focus on applying the qualifications and skills acquired during your studies to a professional setting. It is important that at least some of the tasks during the internship are completed independently. To make the internship effective, a project aligned with the internship’s timeframe should be agreed upon, including a clear objective that can be worked on independently.

A professional internship is about acquiring in-depth knowledge of organizational structures and work practices in a professional field you are interested in. It allows you to put your academic knowledge and skills into practice. At the same time, it helps you further develop your qualifications — such as teamwork, communication, persuasiveness, and sensitivity to professional issues.

A research internship also counts as a professional internship. This is especially relevant for master’s students. The internship can take place within or outside the university. Students aiming for industrial or corporate research positions (e.g. market or opinion research) should consider doing their internship outside the university to gain experience in that environment.

Whether, when and for which duration you are required to complete an internship is defined in your study or examination regulations. These regulations also include requirements such as the task profile, timing within your studies, documentation duties, and recognition of practical experience.

Regardless of your program’s regulations, we recommend completing two to three internships during your studies. The first should be an exploratory internship to help you orient yourself in a potential professional field. The second exploratory internship can be used to reevaluate your career ideas or preferences regarding company size or internationality. By the third internship at the latest, you should complete a professional internship aligned with your program’s requirements for mandatory internships.

The overall goal of these internships is to prepare you for future employment.

Mandatory internships are compulsory and specified in the study regulations of the respective degree program. Usually content, duration, and goals are predefined. Rules and requirements are derived from the study regulations as well as possibly additional agreements. Mandatory internships are typically fully integrated into the study program, such as in the form of a practical semester, during lecture-free periods, or as a pre-study internship.

Therefore, students retain their student status during these internships. This has implications for aspects such as remuneration, vacation entitlement, permissible working hours, and social security status. Many employers prefer to offer internships as mandatory internships- which can only be realized if a mandatory internship is compulsory as per study or examination regulations.

In a voluntary internship, students can explore potential career fields and gain practical experience that will benefit them in their future careers. These internships take place during lecture-free periods or before, during, or after the study program. Voluntary internships are sometimes used as expansions of previously completed mandatory internships.

During a voluntary internship, the intern holds employee status, which changes the situation in terms of remuneration, vacation entitlement, working hours, and social security coverage compared to a mandatory internship.

If you are planning a voluntary internship, make this clear in your application. A preliminary phone call may also be worthwhile to assess whether the company is open to a voluntary internship.

Many of the following recommendations also apply to internships abroad. To consider specific and cultural differences, please refer to the brochure ?Wegweiser Auslandspraktikum?.:
→ www.uni-bremen.de/en/career-center/counselling/internship-abroad