Information for Employers

If you are interested in offering internship positions to students at the Department of Politics and Public Administration, then please email us a job announcement (as a PDF) to praktika.polver [at] uni-konstanz.de. The announcement should include the following information:

• Time period
• Application deadline
• Short description of the expected responsibilities
• Requirements for the intern
• Possible conditions
• Contact person/application address

Your offer will be uploaded into our internship database and distributed to students using the associated email mailing list. All members of the Department have access to this database (in German).

The working stay (required internship) represents the practical training phase for the future employment and is considered to be an integral component of the study programmes at the Department of Politics and Public Administration (see plan of study). The internship should provide students practical experience by giving them the opportunity to apply what they have learned in a professional context. The goal of the working stay is to develop and enhance the qualifications acquired during university study. Furthermore, students are to gain insights into potential professional fields of interest.

The bachelor examination regulations prescribe a period of six months for the internship. However, students also have the option to divide the working stay into two periods ("splitting"). Possible combinations include 3 and 3 months or 2 and 4 months. According to the normal bachelor study plan, the internship is usually carried out between 1 March (or 1 April) and the end of August (or the end of September). In exceptional cases, students complete their internship between 1 September (or 1 October) and the end of February (or the end of March). The departmental examination regulations do not prescribe a required internship for students in our master programmes. However, an internship is still highly recommended for master students.

The internship is designed to ensure the practical relevance of studies and training while providing students with the opportunity to apply their academic skills in a professional context, to acquire new first-hand experience and knowledge, to familiarize themselves with career fields and to gain professional work experience. Following a short orientation period, student interns should become as fully integrated in the work process as possible. They are to be given opportunities to carry out assigned and goal-oriented tasks, either independently or as part of a team. Interns should be able to demonstrate their ability to take on challenging and demanding jobs that provide opportunities to use and improve their professional skills. The overall purpose of the internship is to gain exeperiences that will contribute to the student's development and enhancement of skills and qualifications for further study and future career opportunities.

Students have to complete their internship within the framework of a full-time position. The tasks should be completed in the advertised working environment, with the normal workload and during regular working hours. Student interns have a right to vacation time that is customary to the respective field he or she is working in. The Department of Politics and Public Administration does not specify exact standards and expectations since the workload, working hours, and vacation requirements vary according to the professional field (and country). However, it is highly recommended that the conditions for work are clearly laid out in an internship contract.

Interns and employers should discuss and agree upon any work compensation. Experience shows that some students do not receive any compensation, while others earn up to 1500 euros per month. The Department of Politics and Public Administration does not specify any compensation requirements for employers. The representative for potential student interns can advise him or her in regards to scholarships. It is possible for students to receive BAföG (federal student aid) during their internship.

The University of Konstanz does not provide accident insurance to students during internships. Student interns are responsible for acquiring their own accident insurance if they are interested in doing so. Student interns and employers may come to an arrangement regarding insurance. Students who carry out a required internship in Germany are not subject to social insurance contributions . The Department of Politics and Public Administration can provide students with written confirmation that the internship is required. Students may request relevant written documentation from the individual responsible for the working stay. Different regulations may apply for internships abroad. Students of the University of Konstanz must demonstrate that they have health insurance in order to enrol and re-register. This also applies for the internship period. Separate supplementary insurance(s) for their stay abroad is (are) recommended, but is exclusively the responsibility of the student

The selection, performance, and recognition of the internship takes place in coordination with the internship representative. In order to have their internship recognised, student interns must complete a reporting process. This includes a preliminary report, a final report and an official internship recognition form. The employer is solely responsible for two forms: the preliminary report and the official internship recognition form. The preliminary report should be completed before the beginning of the internship and should briefly list the expected scope of the intern's responsibilites and tasks. At the end of the internship, the employer fills out the official internship recognition form in which the tasks that the intern actually carried out are described. All other documents will be prepared and submitted to the department by the student and independently of the employer.

The department will provide relevant official documentation upon request. The students are aware of this service and can have this document issued to them. The employer is not required to expend any extra time and effort regarding this matter.