Location
  • Germany
    • Berlin
Length
8 weeks
Industry
Advertising Animal Science Anthropology Archaeology Architecture Art History Arts Business Communications Computer Science Design Economics Fashion Design Finance History International Relations Journalism Law Life Sciences Marketing Music Performing Arts Photography Psychology Sustainable Development +15

Program Details

Compensation
Unpaid
Timeframe
Summer
Housing
Apartment
Weekly Hours
40

Pricing

Starting Price
3800
Price Details
Total program cost is 3,500 Euros (excluding housing; please check our website for most up-to-date information), including:

▪ Internship placement
▪ Course materials
▪ Semester pass for public transportation
▪ Kick-off and farewell reception
▪ Official Freie Universität Berlin transcript with ECTS credits
▪ German health, liability and accident insurance

Additional costs you should keep in mind: Food, travel, leisure activities.
What's Included
Transportation Travel Insurance
What's Not Included
Accommodation Activities Airfare Airport Transfers Meals SIM cards
Feb 08, 2022
Aug 31, 2017
34 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Looking for work experience that matches your career goals? FU-BEST Internship offers an 8-week internship placement that allows you to gain valuable intercultural experience by immersing yourself in a German workplace. Check out our highlights below for what you need to know.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Full-time basis (35-40 hours per week) with organizations and companies in Berlin (Please note: Internships are unpaid)
  • Internships can be done in German or English; German language abilities are recommended but not mandatory
  • Accompanied by an internship colloquium of 2 hours each week
  • 12 ECTS credits upon successful completion that may be transferred back to your home institution
  • Can be a standalone option or subsequent to a regular FU-BEST semester

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Program Reviews

5.00 Rating
based on 3 reviews
  • 5 rating 100%
  • 4 rating 0%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Growth 5
  • Support 5
  • Fun 4
  • Housing 4.7
  • Safety 4.7
Showing 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Default avatar
Audrey
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Meaningful Internship for Social Service

I really enjoyed my internship with the FU-BEST program. I was placed working with a nonprofit that houses refugees in Berlin and I got to spend my time with children each day. I learned a lot about my needs, my desires for my future, and how I can incorporate social change into all of that. It was a really unique experience and opportunity to work alongside some amazing people and organizations who work hard to integrate and assist the many refugees in Berlin.

I gained a lot of cultural knowledge from the course that goes alongside the internship and it helped me contextualize my experience and prompt me to ask myself many personal questions about my career and personality. It was a good space to really explore those themes and it pushed me to focus on being present and engaged while abroad in an unfamiliar job setting.

I chose to do a personal photo project in my last few weeks with my internship which was super fun and rewarding for the refugee families, children, colleagues, and for myself. I took portraits of children and documented summer party events that allowed me to be involved but still observe the situations. I got to display them in the refugee shelter and give copies to the families to keep. It was a good way for me to also be of service to the nonprofit company because my German (beginning) skills were limited and thus limited some ways I could participate. However, don't let this discourage you from applying if you are up to the challenge of practicing your German skills and want to dive far from your comfort zone.

What would you improve about this program?
It would have been nice to have more support from the FU-BEST staff in terms of what kinds of fields/internships are common and suitable in Germany. My internship field worked out for me, but I would have liked to expect and know more of what to expect starting.
48 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
David
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Satisfied with my Internship Abroad

This unique experience allowed interns to develop a better understanding of the German business culture and gain experience in a German working environment. I am very grateful for the opportunity and am extremely satisfied with my experience. Through my internship I was able to perfect my German and make other personal developments. Working in a German business environment definitely strengthened my work ethic and gave me more clarity for what I wish to achieve in the future with a profession.

What would you improve about this program?
The weekly internship class became quite tedious, especially after a long work week. The distance from my residence and work made the class even less enjoyable. Although the class did provide some help and useful information, it became rather redundant.
47 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Connor
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Connor Ruby FU-BEST Internship

The FU-BEST internship was an invaluable addition to the FU-BEST study abroad program. The internship gave students the opportunity to spend 2 months interning with an organization in Berlin. For me personally, this could not have come at a better time. Having finished my undergrad studies, I had long hoped to do my masters at a German University and study in German. While the language courses that I took during the FU-BEST courses were also very helpful, the internship gave me a chance to put what I had learned into practice on a daily basis. My internship was at a German academic institute and think-tank, and most of my coworkers were German, so I was able to get a lot of practice every day. Furthermore, the internship helped me get a sense of what a German work environment was like. Because of the progress I made during the internship, I am both much more confident in my German language skills and more able to see myself not only studying, but actually working, in Germany. I would highly recommend the internship to any FU-BEST student who wishes to augment their study abroad experience or is considering additional studies in Germany.

What would you improve about this program?
I would recommend that the length of the internship be extended from 2 months to 3. 3 months is the typical length of time for an unpaid internship (Pflichtpraktikum) in Germany. I recall that one of the reasons my adviser at Cultural vistas had difficulty finding a suitable internship for me is that many companies/organizations wanted an intern who could stay on for a longer period. Even for the internship I got at CIFE, they also asked if I could stay any longer than 2 months. I ended up offering to stay an additional two weeks, making the internship 10 weeks. Increasing the length of the internship would not only make applicants more attractive to potential companies, but would likely also enhance the extent to which participants learn from the internship.
51 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

Hi Brooke, the overwhelming number of participants are current undergraduate students. However, interested graduate students who wish to participate and who, if necessary, have obtained prior approval of FU-BEST credits from their graduate director/advisor, are more than welcome to apply.