Students of all fields of study who want to take an internship abroad (compulsory or recommended by the university), can apply for a traveling allowance provided by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). The internship should have a minimum period of 6 weeks and should not exceed 12 months. However, the traveling allowance can not be granted for internships in EU countries, Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein. The current rates for the allowance are available here (2010).
Necessary documents
The application papers for a traveling allowance can be downloaded here (only in German). These include:
1. Application form for the traveling allowance
This form has to be completed and signed by the applicant and to be stamped by a member of our Local comitee. You will get the stamp, if you show us all necessary documents, your student ID card and your passport.
2. Certificate of the faculty / department of university
This form has to be completed, signed and stamped by a responsible person of the faculty / department of the university. It states that all requirements for an approval of your internship are fulfilled. Usually this is subject to the condition that the internship is compulsory for your field of studies.
3. Language certificate
This document certifies your language skills. Usually you have to proof at least your English language skills, depending on the internship. The form has to be completed and signed by a professor or university lecturer. You can agree about an appointment for a language test at the Technische Universität Dresden Institute of Advanced Studies.
Please always use the form provided with our application papers for your language certificate!
TOEFL test, Cambridge Certificate, IELTS, UNI-Cert, UCLES or TOEIC are also accepted, if they are not older than 2 years.
4. Confirmation of employer
The confirmation of your employer must contain details about the exact period and the contents/tasks of your internship. It must also provide information about the required language skills. The form has to be signed and stamped by your employer. IAESTE-trainees can use the form N5/a.
5. Proof of study progress
Diploma students have to proof their study progress by handing in an accredited copy of the pre-diploma certificate (accreditations can be done in our office).
Bachelor-/Master students have to proof their study progress by handing in a performance record containing all previous exams (available at the ZPA) and an accredited copy of last school’s graduation certificate (accreditations can be done in our office).
6. Motivational letter
For granting a traveling allowance the DAAD expects a motivational letter of about half an A4 page. You should explain some details about your internship and the relevance for your studies.
7. Confirmation of enrollment and copy of passport
The confirmation of enrollment stating that you are registered at the university and your passport have to be valid for the period of your internship. An updated confirmation of enrollment can be handed in later, if necessary.
8. For Non-German citizens: Certificate of entitlement according to § 8 BAföG
This certificate is available at the BAföG office.
As soon as all necessary documents are complete, you have to come to our office during the office hours in order to get a stamp on your application form. Afterwards you have to send the complete application papers to the DAAD by post, at latest two months before you start your internship. If your internship starts very soon, you may send the application papers later after coordination with a member of our local comitee.
More information about the traveling allowance can be found on the webpage of DAAD.