Legal Framework

When completing an internship during your studies, there are several important aspects of social insurance to consider.

Mandatory Internships
Students who complete a mandatory internship (often in the form of a practical semester) during their studies, as required by their program¡¯s curriculum, examination or study regulations, are exempt from all branches of social insurance during this time ¨C regardless of their weekly working hours.

BUT: The amount of income earned can affect your eligibility for family health insurance. Please check with your health insurance provider for the current income thresholds.

Voluntary Internships
Different rules apply to internships that are not required by the curriculum. Students completing a voluntary internship are generally exempt from health, nursing care and unemployment insurance as long as their studies remain their primary occupation.

Exemption from pension insurance applies only if no remuneration is paid or the earnings do not exceed the so-called mini-job threshold (as of 2025: €556/month). The same rules apply as for student jobs during the semester or semester break.

Please consult your health insurance provider to find out how a voluntary internship or employment might affect your current insurance status.

Pre- and Post-Study Internships
People completing a mandatory pre-study internship (as a requirement for admission to university) or a post-study internship (after completing their studies) are subject to health and nursing care insurance contributions if the internship is unpaid. The duration of the internship does not affect this rule. In such cases, interns are responsible for their own health and nursing care insurance contributions.

If you are covered by family insurance, it takes precedence, and no personal contributions are required.

If you are not covered by family insurance, you must pay contributions yourself, at the same rate as student insurance.

If the internship is paid, health and nursing care insurance is also mandatory. In this case, however, the employer is responsible for paying the contributions.

During a mandatory pre- or post-study internship, pension and unemployment insurance are mandatory regardless of remuneration. If no payment is made to the intern, the employer alone is responsible for these contributions. A fixed contribution amount is calculated based on an assumed income: the monthly basis is 1% of the monthly reference value in pension and unemployment insurance. These reference values are published by the Federal Ministry of Labor in the Federal Gazette.

Always consult your health insurance provider before starting a pre- or post-study internship, as the social insurance assessment can be quite complex in these cases.

Other Information
In addition to the employment types already mentioned, there are several special cases where the previously outlined regulations only partially apply or do not apply at all. These include:

• Employment during a leave of absence (semester off)

• Suspended employment arrangements in which your previous employer continues to pay you during your studies

• Vocational training as part of company-based apprenticeships

Are you from a European Union member state and studying at the University of Bremen? If so, you do not need permission from the immigration authority to complete an internship.

International students who are not from the EU or the EEA and who are studying at the University of Bremen may work alongside their studies if their residence permit allows it. This permit is issued by the local immigration authority (Ausl?nderbeh?rde). For questions, please contact the BSU ¨C City Office Campus:
¡úwww.uni-bremen.de/en/bsu and www.uni-bremen.de/bsu
¡ú www.uni-bremen.de/career-center/angebote/bremen-braucht-alle-koepfe 

Internships completed alongside your studies do not count as employment time, as long as you remain enrolled as a student at the University of Bremen or another university. In that case, the internship is considered part of your academic program.

If you have questions about research, applications, or interviews, we recommend using the open consultation hours of the Career Center:
¡úwww.uni-bremen.de/en/career-center/teams and www.uni-bremen.de/career-center/angebote/team-career-center

An internship does not necessarily require a written contract, especially if it is unpaid. A verbal agreement is also considered a valid contract under the German Civil Code (B¨¹rgerliches Gesetzbuch). However, in practice it has proven useful for both parties to sign a written internship contract for mutual protection.

In line with the Vocational Training Act (Berufsbildungsgesetz), an internship contract should include the following elements:

Your working hours during an internship are generally based on the regular working hours of the company employing you. However, these must comply with the applicable Working Hours Act (Arbeitszeitgesetz). According to ¡ì 3 of the Working Hours Act, interns may not exceed an average of 8 working hours per weekday over a six-month period or 24 weeks. The maximum number of hours worked on any single workday may not exceed 10 hours. Work on Sundays and public holidays is not permitted.

Exceptions to this are allowed under ¡ì 10 of the Working Hours Act but only in limited cases, such as in healthcare, event management, or the media industry.

These regulations apply analogously to mandatory internships. This essentially means that you are not required to work overtime, regardless of whether your internship is voluntary or required by your degree program.

That said there may be situations where it makes sense to work more than 8 or even 10 hours on a particular day ¡ª especially if you're contributing to an important project with a tight deadline and have the opportunity to gain valuable experience. We therefore recommend that you do not strictly rely on legal limitations but assess on a case-by-case basis whether the extra effort provides personal or educational benefits.

If you are employed as a full-time intern, your weekly working hours will typically range from 37.5 to 40 hours. These hours may fall within a fixed schedule (e.g., 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily) or under a flexitime arrangement.

If flexitime is available, your internship provider will usually define a core working time during which you must be present (e.g., 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.). You can schedule the remaining hours flexibly.

Since internships usually last only a few weeks, it is advisable to create a plan outlining your tasks and associated learning goals, the department(s) you will be working in, and your assigned supervisor¡ªall within a defined time frame. This ensures that your training period is used effectively and prevents idle time filled with tasks like making coffee.

As the saying goes: ¡°Where there's planing, there are shavings.¡± In other words, mistakes can happen. If you make an error during your internship that results in damage to the company, it¡¯s recommended to include a liability clause in the internship agreement, such as:

¡°The intern is liable for damages to the company only in cases of intent or gross negligence.¡±

This means that as long as you act to the best of your knowledge and ability¡ªand in a manner any reasonable person would¡ªthere¡¯s nothing to worry about.

However, if you intentionally cause harm or act with gross negligence (e.g. disregarding basic standards of care) you may be held liable for the resulting damage. In such cases, a private liability insurance policy usually will not cover the damages. Still, we strongly recommend obtaining such insurance before starting your internship to at least be protected in the event of a well-intentioned mistake.

As for clients or third parties, you are not personally liable for damages, as interns are considered vicarious agents (Erf¨¹llungsgehilfen) of the company under the German Civil Code (BGB).

If you become ill during your internship, it is advisable to follow the same procedures as regular employees. Notify the appropriate office (HR department or your supervisor) of your illness as early as possible on the first day of your absence.

According to ¡ì 5 of the Continued Remuneration Act (Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz, EntgFG), the employer must be informed of your incapacity for work ¡°without delay¡±. If your illness lasts longer, you should submit a doctor¡¯s note latest by the third day of your absence.

If the company has internal policies that differ from these general rules, your employer is obligated to inform you of them.

In some cases, there may be valid reasons to consider terminating the internship ¡ª especially if, after two or three weeks, it becomes clear that meaningful training in line with your expectations or with your university's internship requirements is not being provided. However, you cannot simply stop showing up at your internship without consequences.

If you have a legitimate reason to resign, the relevant rules depend on whether your internship status is closer to that of a student or an employee, and whether specific notice periods have been defined in your internship contract.

If your internship qualifies as employee status and no contractual notice periods are defined, the following applies:

• Under ¡ì 622 BGB (German Civil Code) and ¡ì 26 in conjunction with ¡ì 22(1) of the Vocational Training Act (BBiG), the internship can be terminated at any time without notice during a probation period, if one has been agreed upon.
• After the probation period, the internship can be terminated (¡ì 22(2) BBiG):
  • By the intern with a notice of four weeks, for the purpose of giving up the internship or starting different training.
  • By either party without notice for good cause.

These rules apply only if no different arrangements were made in the contract and if no exceptional circumstances (e.g. misconduct) justify an immediate termination.

Your internship provider may also have valid grounds for termination. Examples include:

• Long-term illness, making it impossible to continue the internship meaningfully.
• Lack of required skills or performance (termination on grounds of personal capability).
• Repeated tardiness, unreliability, or violation of confidentiality (termination for reasons of conduct).

Note: If you are completing a mandatory internship as part of your studies, you do not benefit from statutory employee protection against dismissal.

However, during the probation period¡ªif one is agreed upon¡ªeither party may terminate the internship at any time and without giving reasons.

According to ¡ì 2(1) of the German Social Code Book VII (Sozialgesetzbuch VII), all students who are properly enrolled at a university are legally covered by accident insurance during their academic studies and training¡ªprovided that their studies are their primary occupation.

So, for example, if you have an accident on university grounds ¡ª such as slipping on the stairs¡ªyou are insured.

However, if you are doing an internship and something happens to you on company premises, you are not covered by the university¡¯s insurance. Instead, in most cases, you are protected through the statutory accident insurance of the internship provider.

This is based on ¡ì 7(2) of the German Social Code Book IV (SGB IV), which classifies internships¡ªregardless of their duration or whether they are paid ¡ª as a form of company-based vocational training (betriebliche Berufsausbildung).

Important condition: You must not be at the company by chance. Your presence must be due to an assignment or your involvement in a work-related process.

Every employee in Germany ¡ª including interns ¡ª is legally covered by accident insurance. If an employer fails to pay the required contributions, they are liable to make retroactive payments to the accident insurance provider.

As a point of contact for further information regarding accident related protection you can contact the Unfallkasse Bremen:
¡ú www.ukbremen.de 

Vacation Entitlement
Your entitlement to vacation during an internship depends on whether your status is closer to that of a student or an employee.

If you are completing a mandatory internship as required by your study or internship regulations, the primary focus is on acquiring professional knowledge, skills, and experience. In this case, you are not entitled to vacation.

However, if your internship is more similar to an employment relationship as defined by labor laws, then you may be entitled to vacation under the Federal Vacation Act (Bundesurlaubsgesetz).

According to ¡ì 4 of the Federal Vacation Act:

• An employee who has been employed for at least six months is entitled to 24 working days of vacation per year (based on a 6-day workweek).
• If the employment lasts less than six months, you are entitled to 2 working days of vacation for each full month worked.

In some cases, vacation entitlements may also be governed by applicable collective bargaining agreements or internal company policies.

Interns are generally regarded as employees and therefore subject to minimum wage regulations. However, exceptions to the minimum wage requirement apply to the following types of internships:

• Internships that are mandated by school, training, or university regulations (mandatory internships)
• Internships undertaken for career or study orientation purposes, but only for up to three months
• Internships lasting up to three months that accompany a course of study or vocational training, provided no previous internship of the same kind has been completed with the same employer

For the following types of internships, the minimum wage applies starting from the fourth month:

• Internships for career or study orientation (orientation internships)
• Internships that accompany studies or vocational training but are not required by the respective regulations

Current minimum wage regulations and updates can be found at:
¡ú www.bmas.de/DE/Arbeit/Arbeitsrecht/Mindestlohn/mindestlohn-praktikum.html and www.bmas.de/EN/Labour/Minimum-Wage/minimum-wage.html 

The brochure ¡°Mindestlohn f¨¹r Studierende ¨C Fragen und Antworten¡± (Minimum Wage for Students ¨C Questions and Answers) from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs offers a concise overview of frequently asked questions. It is available for free download or postal order:

¡ú Mindestlohn f¨¹r Studierende ¨C Fragen und Antworten

Practical experience shows:

• Internships in public service or with nonprofits/social and cultural organizations are often unpaid
• Internships in private sector companies are more likely to be paid

Whether an internship is paid often depends on how much economic value the intern provides to the organization. In some cases, even in unpaid internships, it may be possible to receive a small honorarium for specific tasks.

In any case, the question of payment should be clearly defined in the internship contract. This also applies in the reverse situation: if the internship is unpaid, the explicit waiver of remuneration should be stated in the contract.

Ultimately, you should carefully evaluate the personal value of the internship ¡ª even if it is unpaid.

According to ¡ì 109 of the German Trade Regulation Act (Gewerbeordnung), employees are entitled to a written employment reference. Similarly ¡ì 630 of the German Civil Code (BGB) states that the obligated party may demand a certificate about the nature and duration of the service relationship.

However, a short-term internship (usually a few weeks) is not considered a permanent employment relationship, so this general right may not always apply automatically.

Nevertheless for all students who complete an internship in employee-like status, ¡ì 16 of the Vocational Training Act (Berufsbildungsgesetz, BBiG) applies. It requires the company to issue a certificate at the end of the internship, which must include:

• The type, duration, and objective of the training
• Information about the skills and knowledge acquired

Upon request, the certificate must also include details about the intern's:

• Conduct
• Performance
• Special professional competencies

In all cases, as an intern you should get a qualified or simple internship certificate from the company. Our recommendation would be to request this to be included in the internship contract.