Road to Germany: Bangladeshi university student’s Internship in Germany

Many of us have dream to establish theirs career in Europe (like me). How many options you got? Let’s see:

1. Get a job or Employment visa.
2. Get an Internship or Student visa. (In internship period you will be considered as student)
3. Get admission in university or Student visa.
4. Family reunion visa.

There are tons of document over internet explaining student visa/higher study. So in this document I will share “personal experience” about my internship in Germany while I was pursuing bachelor study in a Bangladeshi University.

What this document is about?

This document is for those people studying in any Bangladeshi university and wants to have internship in Germany aka Land of ideas.

Why Internship?

There is some good reason to coming in Germany as intern. And reasons are:

1. There is no need of “Proof of sufficient funds” or “block account”.
2. Most internship has paid salary. So you will get minimum 700€/month. And that is enough to cover your living costs.
3. Interview process is quite simple at the German Embassy.
4. Generally company/employer will cover health insurance and taxes.
5. Some additional benefits will vary on employer. Such as air ticket, room for living.
6. There is always good chance to have full time job if your employer pleased about your internship performance.

First of all, there isn’t any information in German embassy’s website about internship. So far all you got is only this document. So I want you to pay good attention to this document (just kidding). Below I described to do things in a order with my comments. Have fun readers.

Step 1: Internship offer from a company or employer.

First and most importantly you to have an employer who wants to hire you as intern. This is a challenge guys. It is not easy to impress a German company by siting in a desk with computer from Bangladesh. Just for heads up, you have to spend a good amount of time to achieve this. In my opinion if you can pass this step, first congratulation to you!! You are pretty close to Germany already. I think technical students have good advantage here.

Step 2: Consent Letter from “Bundesagentur für Arbeit”

Secondly you need permission/consent from “Bundesagentur für Arbeit”. Some might like to call it as “Work Permit”. Good news is you have to do almost nothing about it. All you have to do is to send scanned copy of your passport and University’s student enrollment certificate to your employer. And rest should be taken care by them. It will take 21 days to get consent letter. FYI: enrolment certificate can be in any format/template as long as it can proof that you are student of a university. But I recommend pdf form which can found in “Bundesagentur für Arbeit” website.

Step 3: Appointment in Embassy

Just after you get consent letter from “Bundesagentur für Arbeit” fix an appointment. If your internship is more than 90 days then you have to apply for long -term visa. And if it is 90 days or less you have to apply for short-stay visa.

Step 4: Attend interview in Embassy

Remember to take all documents original and 2 copies. Do not need to attest/notary any documents.  There will be only one interview in document checking counter. Make sure you have all documents. There is no harm to taking extra document with you:

1. Visa application form. If intern duration is 3 month or less then fill short-term visa application form. Else long-term visa application form
2. Passport
3. Biometric photos – 2 copies
4. Consent Letter from Bundesagentur für Arbeit
5. Employment contract. Signed by both
6. Health Insurance documents/receipt
7. Internship Certificate from Bangladeshi University
8. Mark sheets from current university/study
9. Cover Letter (Optional. But I recommend to take one)
10. All the certificates, mark sheets you have collected so far

Note:  No. 4 & 5 must has to be original.

After submitting your documents you have to call embassy after 1-2 weeks later (In my opinion they supposed to call. But they won’t)

Few notable things:

1. Internship visa is also like student visa. But in embassy you will be categorized as like any other Employment visa.
2. At counter, embassy personnel might tell you that your visa application number will appear on website when they have decided anything. But it won’t.
3. So far I know. Embassy will be confused what to do with you. Cause its pretty uncommon case. Maybe you will be the second one for them.

Read with care: All the information provided above from personal experience. I can be wrong or regulation can be changed. So I am not responsible for your any kind of harm or loss. Any question? Ask me or email me ajkerfaisal at yahoo dot com. I hope you succeed with this approach. Tschüss.

[Update as of June 4th, 2016: Above information written from my personal experience in 2012. Its a long time ago. So far I know rules/regulations not changed about internship but please keep an open eye on related website by German authorities. And “Bundesagentur für Arbeit” will not give you consent letter if it is not mandatory university internship. Means: If you aren’t a university student there is low/no chance of getting consent letter from Bundesagentur für Arbeit]

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What is the maximum Internship duration?
Answer: An Internship can be up to 1 year maximum.

Question: Is it necessary to learn German Language for working there?
Answer: Its important to know German Language in Germany. Without German knowledge its really difficult to manage daily life. But is it necessary to know German to work there? Well, its completely depends on the employer. Some employer requires and some don’t.

Question: How to find an Internship offer?
Answer: This is most common asked question and there is no accurate answer for this. If you one of those who are really lazy and probably won’t make it to Germany then find below written some magic links. But if you are smart and dynamic, I give you “google” search engine.

Some-Magic-Links-to-get-Internship-in-Germay:
http://www.young-germany.de/topic/work/jobs-career/how-to-find-an-internship-in-germany
http://berlinstartupjobs.com/internships/
http://www.iagora.com/work/en/internships/for-english-speakers/germany
http://jobs.monster.de/suche/Praktikum_8?cy=de