Internships

Basic Internship

The basic internship should be completed before you start your studies. It is an opportunity to learn about basic tasks and tools that fall under the remit of engineering. A basic internship typically involves learning about production processes (e.g. filing, drilling, milling, rolling, riveting) as well as joining and cutting processes (e.g. welding, soldering). For more information, see the internship regulations. Previous experience is generally not required. Many students say that completing a basic internship helped them improve their knowledge and motivated them in their studies. If you are looking for a basic internship, please get in touch with the relevant internship office.

Advanced Internship

The advanced internship allows you to gain an insight into the daily work of a qualified engineer. You may be expected to make use of knowledge from your studies. As the advanced internship is planned for the seventh semester, immediately before you write your Bachelor’s dissertation, you can complete tasks close to those expected of a Bachelor’s graduate. You should be involved in a specific project and gain a broader overview of an area you could work in the future. Typical tasks include construction, quality control, assembly, maintenance, or development.

All essential information and documents about the advanced internship can be found in the StudIP course Fachpraktikum AIW/ES. In addition, the Career Center provides numerous offers including company visits, information on internships abroad, or workshops on application.

In the following, you find frequently asked question. If your question is not listed, please contact fachpraktikum-aiw@tuhh.de.

FAQs on the Advanced Internship

General questions

What is the legal framework of the advanced internship?

The advanced internship is part of the Bachelor’s program Engineering Science for the students who enrolled from the winter semester 2020/2021 onwards. The legal framework for these programs can be found in the programme regulations and the Advanced Internship Regulations for your course of studies. If in doubt, these regulations are legally binding. Supplementary to the internship regulations, the companies and typical activities in the subject internship AIW/GES have been formulated by the examiners. As soon as you have found a suitable internship, register your internship via the event “Fachpraktikum AIW/GES: Vorbereitung” by handing in your routing slip for registration.

What is the purpose of the advanced internship?

The advanced internship aims to gain insight into the daily work of a qualified engineer. You may be expected to make use of knowledge from your studies. As the ES advanced internship is planned for the seventh semester, you can complete tasks close to those expected of a Bachelor's graduate immediately before you write your Bachelor's thesis. You should be involved in a specific project and gain a broader overview of an area in which you could work in the future. Typical tasks include construction, quality control, assembly, maintenance, or development.

When should I start preparing for the internship search?

The consideration of whether you would like to do an internship with a certain company or an internship abroad should be made early. While many smaller companies also offer internships at short notice, large companies may set application deadlines up to one year before the start of the internship for particularly sought-after positions. Generally, however, it is sufficient to start looking for an internship position six to three months before the planned start of the internship, in other words, during the 5th/6th semester. It is recommended to collect at least 150 credit points before the start of the internship.

When should the advanced internship be completed?

According to the curriculum, the advanced internship should take place in the seventh semester in the period from October to December before you start your Bachelor’s dissertation. Other options are possible. The committee responsible for ES recommends gaining a minimum of 150 credit points before commencing the internship.

How long should the advanced internship be?

The advanced internship should last at least three consecutive months or twelve consecutive weeks and be completed full-time.

Who is the examiner for the advanced internship?

e examiner for the advanced internship is your specialization coordinator.

Finding an Internship

What should the advanced internship consist of?

The advanced internship is meant to provide students with an insight into the organisational structures, operating procedures, organisational processes, as well as the social fabric of relevant companies or institutions. Interns should be involved in an existing project as part of their internship. The internship activities must satisfy requirements that are suited to higher semesters in the Bachelor’s program. The advanced internship must involve activities relevant to the student’s chosen specialisation. For a list of typical tasks according to your specialisation, please see the Stud.IP group Advanced Internship AIW/ES.

How do I find a company or organisation for the advanced internship?

The Career Center offers you a wide range of services to help you find an advanced internship. These include workshops to prepare you for your individual search as well as company contact events where you can inquire directly about internship opportunities. You also find an overview of regional job offers on this website.

At what organisations can the advanced internship be completed?

The advanced internship is generally to be completed in an industrial company, engineering office or a public authority. The advanced internship cannot be completed at a university or college. In case of doubt, please consult us.

Can the advanced internship be completed abroad?

The advanced internship can be completed abroad if the internship meets the requirements for an advanced internship. In many cases funding for the internship is available. Sarah Neumann is the international office’s Internships Abroad Advisor and frequently offers information events. Information on completing an internship abroad can be found on the International Office website

Can the advanced internship be completed in a student team, at a university or a major government research institution?

No. The specialist internship is intended to give students an insight into industrial practice, in particular into relevant companies or institutions as well as their organisational structures, work processes, operational processes and social fabric.

What should I bear in mind when making arrangements/contracts with my prospective internship organisation?

Essential points that you should pay attention to are described in the internship regulations. It is also relevant for you that you will still be given the opportunity to write an internship report that is not subject to secrecy, even if confidentiality agreements exist.

Can the advanced internship be linked to a Bachelor’s thesis?

This is possible. Arrangements would need to be made between the student, the company, and the prospective thesis supervisor.

Registration and recognition

How do I register my internship?

Before starting the internship you are required to fill out a registration form. This form can be found in the Stud.IP-Group Fachpraktikum AIW/ES. The form is to be handed in at the career center.

What documents must be submitted for recognition?

After completion of the advanced internship, an internship report, an activity report and the form for recognition must be submitted. The internship regulations provide exact specifications in each case. In particular, it should be mentioned that the internship report must contain proof of clearance by the internship organisation. The form for recognition is available in the Stud.IP group Advanced Internship AIW/ES.

What should the internship report look like?

Precise information about how to write the internship report can be found in the Advanced Internship Regulations. Please bind all documents with filing-stripes only.

Which language should the internship report be written in?

ES students can write the report in German or English.

What are the deadlines for the submission of the documents?

There are two possible submission dates in each semester:

Winter semester: October 1st and January 6th

Summer semester: April 1st and July 1st