What is an internship?
An internship is an opportunity for a student to work in a company or organisation in conditions similar to those of the employees who work there. The objective is to gain social and professional skills and learn about the technical, social and economic aspects of the job. The internship also fuels motivation and imparts essential qualities such as organisation, adaptability, initiative, responsibility and affability.
When it takes place as part of the student’s studies, the internship is an apprenticeship in documentary research and academic writing that calls on the student’s abilities to analyse, think critically and summarise.
UCL student internships
There are four types:
- Teaching internships: these are a required component of teaching-focused master’s programmes and teacher trainings and take place in school/educational environments.
- Clinical internships: these take place in a hospital, medical or paramedical environment.
- Socioprofessional internships: oriented toward the business world or organisations in the broad sense of the term.
- Research internships: prominent in research-focused master’s programmes.
UCL students can also do an internship in the framework of the Erasmus programme.
Finally, it is possible to find an independent internship, and financial support, on your own, either in Belgium or abroad. For more information, consult the Orientation and Information Centre’s information sheet entitled ‘How to find a professional internship in Belgium or abroad’ (‘Comment trouver un stage professionnel en Belgique ou à l'étranger’).