ERASMUS+ Internships abroad

• Regular enrolment at a German higher education institution
• The home institution holds a valid ERASMUS+ University Charter (ECHE)
• Internships in European institutions or organisations, as well as organisations that manage EU programmes, are not eligible for funding

• Funding for internships abroad is possible from the first semester onwards.
• Enrolment at the home institution (for internships during your studies).
• For graduate internships: application via the International Office while you are still enrolled at HAWK.

The application criteria are the applicant’s previous academic performance, the subject-related justification for the internship abroad and its integration into the study programme, as well as existing language skills in the working language at the internship location.

The financial support for ERASMUS+ stays for students is based on the varying cost of living in the host countries (“programme countries”). The amount of the monthly basic grant depends on the respective host country. For the allocation of funding rates within the ERASMUS+ programme, three country categories are distinguished, based on the corresponding cost of living.
 

From 01.12.2026, the following SMP funding rates for the project year 2026 will apply, as standardised by NA DAAD for all German higher education institutions (per month = 30 days):

Group 1: € 750,-
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Sweden

Groups 2 and 3: € 690,-
Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Czech Republic, Hungary, Cyprus

Through ERASMUS+ International, internships in Switzerland can also be funded in project year 2026. The funding rates of Group 1 apply.

Important information for the project year 2026: In order to enable funding for all students, HAWK is unfortunately obliged to limit the duration of funded mobilities for the project year 2026.

Limitation for the project year 2026: Internship stays of less than 5 months are funded on a day-by-day basis. Study and internship stays of more than 5 months (more than 150 days) are funded at a flat rate for 5 months (150 days); any mobility period beyond this is treated as a zero-grant period. “Zero-grant days” are days or periods of stay during which students participate in the ERASMUS+ programme, but for which no mobility grant is paid. As a rule, an internship allowance is not offset against the ERASMUS+ grant; however, at present, no funding can be approved for allowances exceeding 1,000.00 €.

To receive ERASMUS+ funding for an internship abroad, students must have at least B1 level in the working language. The working language can be agreed individually with the host institution and does not necessarily have to be the language of the host country. The OLS placement test, for example, can be used as proof of sufficient language skills. Students completing their internship in their mother tongue are exempt from this requirement.

Participants in the ERASMUS+ programme receive access to the EU Academy, where the European Commission’s new platform for Online Language Support (OLS) can be found.

Through EU Login, participants can use the language assessment offers and online courses in the respective programme languages. The platform is continuously being expanded.

In addition, the HAWK Language Centre and its cooperation partners (such as the adult education centres, VHS) offer foreign language courses to help prepare for a stay abroad.

The rights and obligations of students in the ERASMUS+ programme are set out in the “ERASMUS+ Student Charter”, which students receive before the start of their stay abroad.

An essential component of the new ERASMUS+ programme is social participation. ERASMUS+ aims to promote equal opportunities, inclusion and diversity. A key instrument is the additional funding for students with fewer opportunities. This is intended to provide special support for students for whom a stay abroad may be a greater challenge. At HAWK, students with children, students with disabilities or chronic illnesses, working students and first-generation students can apply for this additional funding. 

At HAWK, students with children, students with disabilities or chronic illnesses (provided that the illness leads to additional financial needs abroad), and first-generation students can apply for supplementary funding. Due to limited funds, from the 2026 project year onwards, we are no longer able to financially support students in the “employed students” category through a social top-up.

The additional funding amounts to €250 per month abroad.
 

Realkostenanträge Real cost applications

Students with chronic illnesses or disabilities, as well as students who go abroad with a child, also have the option of submitting a so-called real cost application for costs abroad that cannot be covered by this top-up (e.g. assistive devices, personal assistants, childcare costs). Through a real cost application, additional costs of up to €15,000 per semester can be reimbursed. Applications are submitted via the International Office and require a lead time of 6–12 months.

All information on travel cost support can be found in the information sheet “Travel days and environmentally friendly travel”.

ERASMUS+ students now also have the option of purchasing an Interrail Pass, which allows them to use both the outward and return journey to the host country as well as train journeys during the stay abroad. Further information is available on the “Interrail Pass for ERASMUS+” page.

Beyond travel itself, HAWK also encourages students to make sustainable choices locally during their stay abroad, for example in relation to their consumption habits or urban mobility. Students can find further information on the topic of sustainability in the ERASMUS+ programme on the Green Erasmus Portal.

All funded participants who have taken part in an ERASMUS+ mobility measure are obliged, after completing the stay, to complete an online report (EU Survey) via the Beneficiary Module and to submit it, together with further evidence (Traineeship Certificate = “After the Mobility” of the Learning Agreement for Traineeship, experience report), to the International Office at HAWK.

Recognition and credit transfer of academic achievements completed abroad at HAWK only take place once the student has submitted an application for recognition/credit transfer, including the relevant evidence (such as Learning Agreement, Transcript of Records, internship certificate, grading system of the host institution), to the Examination Office of the respective faculty.

Applications for ERASMUS+ funding for an internship abroad are submitted online via MoveON.

Applications must be submitted no later than two months before the start of the internship; early application is recommended. An internship placement offer must already be in place.

• Checkliste für die Beantragung von ERASMUS+ SMP
• Learning Agreement for Traineeship
• Zeichnungsbefugte Personen für das Learning Agreement
• Versicherungserklärung SMP
• Ehrenwörtliche Erklärung Zusatzförderung "geringere Chancen"
• Infoblatt zur Zusatzförderung für Studierende mit geringeren Chancen
• Ehrenwörtliche Erklärung Zusatzförderung Reisetage und umweltfreundliches Reisen
• Infoblatt Reisetage und umweltfreundliches Reisen
• Anerkennung von Erasmus+ Auslandspraktika
• Antrag auf Anerkennung/Anrechnung
• ERASMUS+ Student Charta
• ERASMUS+ Fördersätze SMS und SMP (PJ 2026)