Internship in Berlin
During your stay at ASH Berlin, you can complete an internship in Berlin if you were nominated for an internship by your home university. Please make sure to choose the corresponding option in your online application, so we can inform you accordingly. Please start planning and organising your internship at least four months before the beginning of your stay.
As exchange students, you need to follow your home university's requirements, since your internship usually has to be recognised at your home university. So if you have any questions concerning the of length, ECTS, contents or evaluation, please ask your home university before you start organising your internship.
Finding an internship institution
ASH Berlin does not organise internships for regular or exchange students, but we have an extensive contact database which we are happy to browse for appropriate contacts. If you are interested in that option, please inform us about the fields in which you would like to work (e.g. street work, care for homeless people or drug addicts, etc).
You should also search for placements on your own. For that you may use the "Erasmusintern" database which was designed by the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) in cooperation with the European Commission and where you can both search for internships as well as create your own profile.
We also have a limited (!) number of English, Spanish or Turkish placement contacts. Please e-mail us if you wish to know more about them. However, you should be aware of the fact that German language skills (at least B1 / intermediate level) will greatly enhance your chances to find an internship, since working in the field of social work, education and care often also involves communication with official institutions, filling out forms etc.
Applying for internships
Even when we scan our internship contact database for you, you still have to apply at the individual institutions on your own. The best way to do this is to call the institution directly and discuss the most important things on the phone. E-mails may end up in spam folders so we recommend calling the institution. If you feel you need help with a German application, we are happy to have a look at your application documents and proof-read them. We've assembled our tips on how to find and apply for an internship in this helpful manual. As we mention in our manual, your application should at least consist of a cover letter / letter of motivation and a CV. In the cover letter, you should already mention the requested time period and departments in which you wish to work.
In addition, some institutions (such as hospitals or kindergarten / nursery settings) may also require you to submit a police certificate of conduct or an up to date record of your vaccinations. Please note that since 15 March 2022, everyone working in patient care has to be fully vaccinated.
Supervision
Social Work students have the option of participating in a supervision during the time of their internship. Supervision at ASH Berlin may differ from supervision at your home university. A group of 5-7 students meets with an external supervisor about 10 times during the placement (each meeting being 90 minutes long). Students talk about their experiences and problems, they reflect on their role at the internship, discuss conflicts and thus develop a new understanding of what it means to work as a social worker / educator / therapist and how it might affect one's own personality. The supervisor does not belong to ASH Berlin nor does s/he belong to the actual placement. The supervisors are certified to work in this special field and have gone through a special training programme. The supervision is not graded and no extra ECTS will be awarded for it.
While you do not have to participate in ASH Berlin supervision, it is strongly recommended. Please let us know early on whether you wish to participate in a supervision group and whether the supervision should be in German or English. If you participate in the German supervision, you may be in a group with regular ASH Berlin students. The English supervision is organised for exchange students exclusively, but only if there is a minimum of 5 participants. Therefore it is important to let us know as soon as possible.
Accompanying study courses
If you are an enrolled student at ASH Berlin during your internship, you are entitled to attend courses at ASH Berlin as well. It is a great opportunity to broaden your academic and personal experiences in Berlin. If you wish to attend courses, please mention them on a Learning Agreement.
Payment and minimum wage
As of 1 January 2015, there is a Germany-wide minimum wage, also for internships lasting for more than three months. Only if your internship is compulsory in your study programme at your home university, your internship lasting more than three months may still be unpaid.