Getting into the University of Tartu is an amazing accomplishment, but there is always more you can strive to make your experience as beneficial as possible. One option is pursuing an internship: they are (almost) always useful as a means to broaden your horizons and gain lots of experiences for your future career. One can find internships anytime, anywhere and for any profession, however, I’m going to share with you few interesting things I have learned from my experiences which can help ease the process of finding an internship.
Time
First of all, start looking internship opportunities a few months before you plan to start them. The University of Tartu offers traineeship grants for the enrolled student, but you should take into account, that there is a separate application to attain a traineeship grant. The grant application should be made approximately one month before the start of the internship, as there is a bureaucratic process which can take a quite long time. Additionally, you should choose an internship which is connected to your field of study if you want it to be recognized by your faculty and gain an extra 6 credits for it. Finally, keep in mind that the internship should last for a minimum of two months and a maximum of three months!
Documentation
Once you have found an appropriate internship and have gotten confirmation for it, you can start your application for a traineeship grant. One thing of note, the amount differs from country to country. For the grant application to be successful, you will need a confirmation letter from your hosting institution, a signed agreement between the student, home institution, and the hosting institution, your health insurance information, and a traineeship plan. A traineeship plan is essentially your description of what you will be doing while being abroad for an internship. In order to get the internship recognized by your faculty and gain 6 credits upon its completion, you should present a completed certificate (detailed description of the internship program), feedback survey (which will be sent by Erasmus+ program) and OLS language test (again sent by Erasmus+ program both before leaving and after coming back)
Financing
Financing for Internships is readily available through the University of Tartu: the University offers its students a traineeship grant through the Erasmus+ program, which will definitely go a long way toward helping you gain practical knowledge of your field of study without worrying about money! 80% of the grant is paid before leaving for the internship and 20% after your return. You should expect to receive approximately 500 euros (can be a bit more or less depending on the country of destination) every month
Cultural/language barriers
Make sure you the company/institution of internship has something for you in the languages you speak if you don’t speak the local language(s) in the country you are interning within. In any case, the Erasmus+ program offers an OLS online language course, which will help you learn the local language. Cultural differences are at once a challenge and perhaps the best part of studying/working/interning abroad, as experiencing them will give you a chance to embrace another culture and gain unforgettable experiences. Be open-minded and don’t be afraid of being in a place where no one thinks the way you do, as that is a sign of a vibrant and broad-minded community.
Enjoy and gain more
One last thing that I would like to mention is that once you are doing the internship, use your time effectively. Don’t go out and party when you are supposed to be in the office and don’t be working too much when you can make tours around the city/country and go out with interesting acquaintances. There is a time for everything, it’s just a matter of managing it!
For more detailed information on internship application follow the link: https://www.ut.ee/en/studies/studyabroad/erasmus/erasmus-traineeship-grant
