Eligibility
- 18 years of age or above
- Good academic and disciplinary standing at Penn State
- 2.5 cumulative GPA or better at the time of application
- Second Semester Sophomore standing or above at the start of the program
Program Description
An IES internship in Berlin develops your professional skills and your ability to communicate across cultures, and provides substantive work experience to jump-start your career in today’s competitive job market.
You’ll be guaranteed an unpaid placement at a local business or organization, where you’ll work for at least 25 hours per week. Placements will be conducted in German. You’ll also enroll in a 3- or 6-credit academic internship seminar with other IES interns, where you’ll gain context for your internship placement by examining cultural issues in the workplace.
Before you depart, IES will work with you to fine-tune your résumé, perfect your cover letter and hone your communication and interview skills to prepare you for working in a new cultural environment.
Dates
Summer: late May - late July
Refer to the program website for the specific dates, if available.
Location
Experience Berlin—the economic and political center of Germany. This capital city also boasts a thriving arts scene (with more than 175 museums and galleries) and some of the world’s most spectacular architecture. When you intern in Berlin, you’ll be able to walk, bike, or take a bus, tram, or train to work. Over lunch, stroll through one of Berlin’s countless parks and gardens. At night, enjoy live music or theater in this Kulturhaupstadt (cultural capital) of Germany. Interning in Berlin will boost both your résumé credentials and your cultural competence.
Education Abroad in Countries with a Penn State Restricted Travel Designation
In order to comply with Penn State’s International Travel Policy, students interested in studying abroad in countries that Penn State has designated as “restricted” for travel, a petition for a waiver must be submitted. Once a petition is complete, and if the student is approved for study on the program in question, the student may be asked to meet with the Director of Education Abroad and the petition will be reviewed by the Penn State International Restricted Travel Committee (IRTC). The necessary petition will be included in the online application process for this program. To see if your program is taking place in a restricted travel country, please visit the Global Programs website.