What you should know to obtain an internship
Please check the frequently asked question on the corona page: Can I do an internship or a graduation project abroad in the first semester of 2020-2021?
Already doing an internship? Go to During your internship.
Doing an internship has a lot of benefits:
Employers in the Netherlands feel that it is important for you to have study-related practical experience in addition to your degree. An internship is able to provide that experience. In addition, a study by Allen and Van der Velden (2011) showed that the employability (the degree to which someone is able to obtain and keep a job) of graduates increases if they have already gained professional experience before taking up an entry-level position.
There are essentially two types of internships: research internships and work-along internships.
Some internships contain elements of both types.
In some countries an internship is called a traineeship. This is confusing, because in the Netherlands this term is used for a graduate job.
Some study programmes have an obligatory internship, some have the possibility to to do an internship to collect data for your thesis and some of our programmes offer the opportunity to do an internship as an elective course. Check your studyguide for more information or go to www.student.uva.nl, type in your study programme and click on A-Z in the upper menu. Then choose Internship in the list.
The faculty of Economics and Business has it's own career centre to help you find an internship.
There are several ways to find an internship. In order to get an idea of what exactly you are looking for, you could:
You can even ask family members, friends and colleagues to help you explore the possibilities. They will undoubtedly know people that you do not yet know and who can help you move forward.
The UvA Job board also lists internships, some of which may align with your field of interest. The Job board includes a variety of search filters.
Factor in at least four months from the moment you start exploring your options and approaching organisations until you sign your contract.
If you come across a vacancy for an internship that aligns with your programme and field, then the next step comes down to your application skills. You can find more information about drafting a CV, writing an effective cover letter and conducting a job interview under Application tips.
Doing an internship abroad is a unique way of gaining work experience and experience abroad. Go to the internship page at studyabroad.uva.nl for more information on the various options.
Please note: Internships are often referred to as ‘traineeships’ abroad, whereas an ‘internship’ may often just refer to an entry-level position. Make sure to check what the vacancy means.