Where to find your internship in Europe as an English speaker?

 

When you're a student, finding an internship is one of those things that people almost ignore. You don't have too much time to search for one as you are trying to keep up with your studies and at the same time find a part-time job. However, if you really want to gain some professional experience in Europe, it would be best to land yourself an internship before actually going abroad. Even though you still need to go through the process of sending out your resume and cover letter like everyone else, this way, you already have a foot successfully in the door before even starting on your new adventure.

But where can you go? As mentioned before, we are here talking about internships, which means you will probably need to work for a private business or other organisation. Unlike some countries, they don't offer student internships in the public sector, meaning you'll have to think about this beforehand. You will also want to take your location into consideration as it would be silly if you applied only for jobs near your country of origin and not look further abroad (which is exactly what most students do).

As an English speaking student, you can pretty much go anywhere, but here we are highlighting the best European countries where finding an internship wouldn't be so hard on you:

France

France has been a growing market for international students in the past few years. The country offers you everything from history and architecture to modern arts and culture. On top of that, you can also find quite a few courses there being taught in English as well. To qualify, you must have at least 2 years of university studies behind your back (it is possible with just one, but it would be more difficult). If you manage to start an internship during your second year (which is the easiest), then all French universities will give you 4-5 months off to complete your adventure; however, any university refuses this much time for an internship.

If possible, try to get an internship there that will give you work experience in the finance, marketing, or management sectors.

You won't be expected to speak French, but neither would you face any major problems if you do since everyone speaks both languages here.

Germany

In Germany, internships are known as " Praktikums", which literally means practical training. Internships in Germany can last anywhere between 3 and 6 months while also being paid by law. This means that as long as you have found something within this timeframe and it pays at least 210 EUR/week, then you're all set. Small- and mid-sized businesses usually offer internships in Germany. Small- and mid-sized businesses usually offer internships in Germany, so it would be best if your experience will help you advance to the next level of management or entrepreneurship.

However, things can get complicated relatively quickly as even though you have a legal right to 210 EUR/week, some companies try not paying at first (or try to get around the law). The only way for them is to make sure they offer a mutual exchange program between their company and yours back home. In this manner, they won't have to pay anything as they don't technically employ you but instead, offer you support through internships. This is done most often through universities looking for opportunities like these. If you'd like to learn more about the laws of internships in Germany, this is a pretty good website to check out.

The Netherlands

In The Netherlands, most businesses tend to offer summer internships during July and August, so keep your eyes open!

The Netherlands is another country that has a lot to offer for those looking to study in Europe. Not only are there relatively cheap student housing, but the local currency will also go quite far with you here. Students studying in The Netherlands can expect their internships to be short-term (3 months maximum) if during the summer or longer if it's during the rest of the year.

In the Netherlands, the most popular internships are available in marketing and sales (with some engineering thrown into the mix). If you're coming from an English speaking country, then a career in HR or public relations is also ideal.

The best places to find summer internships in The Netherlands are Amsterdam and Rotterdam. However, if you're here for just 2-3 months, this might be too short for living expenses alone (or maybe not if you have enough saved up). You should really check out those two as there will be plenty of internship opportunities for you within them.

As with all other countries listed here, The Netherlands offers legal protection regarding intern pay, so don't worry about falling into any traps.

Italy

Internships in Italy are a little harder to come by, and you will probably have to do some extra legwork here. Many of the best internships in Italy, especially for English speakers, can be found in Rome (and surrounding areas), so that should be your starting point.

Italy is beautiful but also one of the most expensive countries to study abroad. If you're planning on studying there, even more money will need to go towards accommodation costs alone. Luckily, this can be solved as many hostels offer lowered rates during the summer, making it slightly cheaper than other periods.

It's relatively simple to find yourself an internship in Italy since every company needs interns at some point. Of course, what you'll need next is Italian experience, as most interviewers will expect at least intermediate knowledge of the language. If you're good with languages, it would be good to brush up on some Italian, and if you need help, there are plenty of resources online for free.

The best places to find internships in Italy are Rome, Florence and Milan. One thing that also needs mentioning is that unless they have a few requirements regarding language level or what not, most firms hire anyone, so don't feel bad about going after low-level positions either!

Switzerland

In Switzerland, internships are a little more difficult to come by as there aren't many opportunities. This is not necessarily the case if you're already studying in Switzerland and have made some connections beforehand since they will help you find an internship. Other than that, though, it's simply word of mouth or, even better – apply to everything! The Swiss economy is one of the strongest in Europe, so there will always be something available for everyone despite your language level (English speakers should do fine here). Like in other countries listed here, internships in Switzerland offer great benefits such as salary, accommodation and transportation expenses. If you get contracted, your employer can also help extend your stay here, so it's possible to work as long as you want legally.

The best places to find internships in Switzerland are Zurich, Geneva and Basel. Before looking for an internship, you should consider if it's worth spending all that money to live here during a short three-month period. Getting housing and working legally here can get quite expensive despite the cheapness of everything else.

Spain

In Spain, finding internships is much like elsewhere on this list – lots of networking is needed! The big difference between Spain and Italy is that they have a national agency that offers assistance with finding your next Spanish internship. Finding such positions will be way easier thanks to them (as well as having some legal protection). If you're good at speaking the language, getting an internship in Spain will be a breeze. Even if you don't have any previous experience in the field you want to work in, it's still possible thanks to all the companies always looking for new people.

One of the biggest perks of interning in Spain is that you can easily extend your stay with a student visa (which offers the same benefits as an internship) for up to 2 years. As far as cost goes, everything here is relatively cheap, so this might be an option for those who didn't save too much during their first year of study abroad.

Sweden

Internships in Sweden are fairly similar to other countries on this list – lots of networking is needed! The only difference is the availability of internships. If you're a native English speaker, the Swedish market is your oyster as they are always looking for people who can speak their language. It's often best to check out expat sites for internships in Sweden since many have jobs posted (and if you do them right – free housing!).

The cost of living in Sweden is pretty high, so it might not be affordable for someone who didn't save enough money during their first year abroad.

 

Luxembourg

 

Luxembourg is a tiny place, and as far as I can tell – it's the only European country that offers paid internships for those who come to study abroad. The majority of these positions are in English, so if you're looking to work in this country, studying there could be a good idea, especially since they have such an abundance of jobs! It would be best if you kept in mind that virtually everyone speaks French here, so even though the coursework will be taught in English, knowing French will help out greatly once you start searching for an internship.

 

Luxembourg is a great country to intern in; there aren't many people (or English speakers) here, so finding an internship here as an English speaker will be much easier. The majority of companies hire based on academic merits and not experience, which means that if you're up for it, then going for the lowest level internships will work fine in Luxembourg! Other than that, things are very similar to the rest of Europe – lots of networking is needed!

 

Finland

 

Finland is a great country in Northern Europe where everyone speaks English. It's much easier to find an internship here than anywhere else on this list; the best places are Helsinki and Tampere. They have a huge variety of internships available, so finding one shouldn't be too hard for people who already have some experience! If you don't know what you want to do after university, coming here as an English speaker will help you figure out the field before entering it. Another benefit of studying abroad in Finland is free Finnish classes which can get you fluent more quickly.

 

Denmark

Internships in Denmark are similar to Switzerland – lots of networking is needed! The big difference between these two countries is that the job market here is way easier to break into. For example, the largest company in Denmark (Danish Handelsbanken) accepts those with no experience but that have a degree from a respected academic institution. It's great to go for internships in Denmark since most of them are only based on merit rather than previous experience.

You need to keep in mind when planning your internship adventure that Copenhagen has one of the highest costs of living here, so this might not be an option for someone who didn't save enough money during their first year abroad!

 

Norway

 

Norway is a great country for internships – there are many companies with offices in the capital even though it's fairly isolated. If you're from Canada, it'll be extra easy to find an internship in Norway. Many Canadian students take just about every available job here (the reason I know this is because one of our friends has been here for over 2 years!). The majority of internships will be based on merit (i.e., not experience), so don't let this deter you if you're looking for your first internship! It's also worth noting that if you find a company willing to hire you and require some "office work" experience, then doing them will help develop your professional skills that are very important in the future.

 

In terms of finding an internship as an English speaker, most companies won't require knowledge of Norwegian, but some might ask for it (the small ones that need someone to do administration work). If you want to improve your language skills, luckily Norway offers courses free of charge, and they're also great if you want to get better at speaking with people! The only other thing I can say is that some internships are based entirely on merit, so make sure to research each company properly before applying!

Belgium

 

Working abroad in Belgium will be a lot easier than anywhere else in Europe since practically everyone speaks English. You'll have many options available, and no employer will discriminate against you based on your level of language skills. The best option, in my opinion, is to get a job at an international company here (e.g., Deloitte, Ernst & Young) as they're very open and will hire anyone with experience; the only requirement is that you speak English! If that's not what you want, then it'll still be easy – there are lots of internships available for all levels, and most of them require less than three months' worth of experience.

Final Thoughts

 

Europe is a great place for finding an internship if you speak English and speak French and Spanish. If none of these applies to you, I'd advise against going here since finding an internship will be really difficult. There are many networks out there that can help – two of the best ones are Linkedin and Meetup! Finding internships in Europe is similar to North America (they're usually based on merit rather than previous experience), so make sure to check all the "internship" type jobs before applying.

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