EU Internship Program

EUS20232023 EUSTIP group photo


The Network also has an EU Internship Program (EUIP), which is only offered to EU Study Tour students. The internship opportunities are with the European Commission (Brussels) and several other organizations (in Brussels and elsewhere in the EU). Internships normally start immediately following the EU Study Tour and typically end in the first week of August. The internships of the 2027 EUIP will start on Monday, May 31 and will end on Wednesday, August 04. The EUIP involves a $1100 fee, while internships are unpaid.

The internships build on the EU Study Tour experience and offer a unique opportunity to live and work in Europe for a summer! Many internships are at the EU or with civil society organisations or consultancies that interact with the EU.

The aim of the EUIP is to allow students to gain hands-on experience with the inner workings of policymaking and governance in the EU. Students in the EUIP contribute their own skills and learn from operating in an international work environment. The exact nature of the work will often be established during the first two weeks of the internship and can involve research, policy development and analysis, report writing, media updating, and attending meetings. Most interns are quickly absorbed into the work of their host institution.


Academic Credit for EUIP Participation

Receiving academic credit for placements is wholly at the discretion of your home university. If you are interested in exploring options to receive credit for your internship, please inquire with your home department as soon as possible. Co-op accreditation is not necessarily a simple matter to navigate, though some institutions have worked out standard arrangements with the EUIP. For example, at UVic, students must participate through UVic International Co-op (even if students are not in the Co-op program at the time of registration).


How to Apply

Students indicate their initial interest in the EUIP when they apply for the EU Study Tour. Students then confirm their interest when they register for the EU Study Tour on Friday January 15, 2027 (see the “Registration” tab for more details).

If admitted, students cannot assume that they will receive an internship placement. Students also cannot select the specific internship that they receive if they are placed. Instead, students will submit a list of preferences in terms of type of host organization. As for location, the assumption is that all EUIP students accept to potentially work in a Brussels-based organisation. When they express their interest in the EUIP, students indicate whether they are also willing to work in a city elsewhere in the EU.


After Admission

After being admitted to the EUIP, students pay the EUIP fee ($1100) and complete the associated EUIP documents (including registration forms and placement preferences) by Friday, January 29 2027.

In February, EUIP students will work on drafting a generic cover letter and CV (in Europass format) under the guidance of the program organizers. These documents will serve as the basis for us to engage with potential internship organizations on your behalf.

We endeavour to provide applicants with an internship offer by Friday, April 09 2027 at the latest. However, each host organization has its own selection procedures which can cause delays. Some internship offers may therefore come relatively close to the start of the EU Study Tour.

If the completed documents (including cover letter and CV) and EUIP fee are received but no placement offer can be made by April 09, then you may request to withdraw from the EUIP and receive a full refund of the EUIP fee. However, there is no refund of the EUIP fee if a placement offer is made to you and you decline it.

In sum, students commit to participating in the EUIP with the understanding that the EUIP organizers will do their best to place the students in an internship which fits their interests, skills, and previous experience. Please note that while we have had incredible success with placements in the past, there is not guarantee that we will be able to offer you a placement.

As with the EU Study Tour, it is not possible to provide an exhaustive list of all the costs associated with participating in the EUIP. However, please find below a general list of the major costs of the EUIP:

  • EUIP fee ($1100)
  • Co-op work term fee at your home institution (if applicable)
    • UVic EUIP students must enroll through UVic Co-op. The Co-op work term fee is approx. $825 for domestic students. You can expect to pay this fee when you begin your EUIP placement (approx. late May/early June). See here for details.
  • Transportation to and from placement city (note: most placements are in Brussels)
  • Accommodation expenses for the duration of your placement
  • All other living expenses for the duration of your placement

Grants – For UVic students only

The UVic European Studies program has secured 7 grants, each worth €2000 (approx. $3100 CAD) for UVic students participating in the 2027 EU Internship Program. These grants are awarded on a competitive basis to UVic students in the EUIP (i.e., students for which UVic is their ‘home institution’). Successful recipients will be notified before the EU Study Tour and will normally be paid by August 2027.

If awarded, the grant will be paid to you if: (i) you pay the EU Study Tour fee, the EU Internship Program fee, and the Co-op work term fee on time; (ii) you complete all administrative requirements associated with the EU Study Tour and EU Internship Program on time; (iii) you complete all mandatory course requirements for EUS 470 on time; (iv) you successfully complete your EU Internship Program placement; and (v) you submit and sign any required expense reports in a timely manner, where applicable.

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Internship Placement Requirements

Host organizations have required qualifications for interns and often have preferred qualifications as well (for example, completion of course work on a certain subject, French proficiency, demonstrated experience in a given task). They may also require that the student have Canadian citizenship, be a graduate student, study in a certain field (Economics or History, etc.). Please realize that you may not necessarily satisfy the requirements or the desired qualifications of each internship, which will affect placement offers.

Feedback Report

Evaluation of the internship experience is an important factor in developing future internships; hence each participant in the EUIP will be requested to provide feedback about their internship experience.

Insurance

Students who travel to Europe for the EU Study Tour and EUIP MUST have sufficient travel medical insurance to cover the entire duration of their trip. You will be asked to provide evidence of this insurance prior to your departure as this is required by UVic (details will be provided after you are admitted). Additionally, all EUIP participants are required to have personal liability insurance, though this is already provided via your required registration at UVic. Host organizations will not permit students to begin the internship without first seeing evidence of valid insurance.

Travelling to Europe 

EUIP participants should ideally wait until they have confirmed internships prior to arranging travel. Alternatively, if you find an economical ticket, then perhaps book a round-trip flight with a flexible return date; or one with a return date that can be changed for a fee, if need be. Please note that booking two one-way tickets is almost always more expensive than a round-trip ticket (even with the flexible return date!)

Living in Europe 

Internships are typically not remunerated, and EUIP participants are responsible for all living costs during their internship. EUIP participants are also responsible for finding their own accommodations and should begin investigating options as soon as possible. Students who do not arrange accommodations until they arrive in Brussels will find that their options are extremely limited and very expensive. The Director and/or Tour Assistant will provide advice on finding accommodations in March, though you are welcome to begin looking once you confirm your participation in February.

However, EUIP participants should NOT book any accommodation until an internship position is confirmed. While many of the internships are located in Brussels, some are located in other cities throughout Europe. Additionally, each internship position may vary in its specific start and end dates. Keep in mind that you are only allowed to stay in the EU Schengen Area for a specific period of time without a visa – for example, Canadian nationals are allowed to stay in the EU for up to 90 days out of every 180 days. Please ensure that your flights and accommodation align with these requirements.

Below is a list of some of our internship host organizations from recent years. Please note that positions at these organizations may not be available every year.

European Union Institutions (all located in Brussels, Belgium)

European Commission, Directorate General for Education and Culture (DG EAC)

European Commission, Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME)

European Commission, Directorate General for Energy (DG ENER)

European Commission, Directorate General for Environment (DG ENV)

European Commission, Directorate General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXAUD)

European Parliament (Secretariat, Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON)) 

 

Civil Society Organizations in Europe (will often require an interview)

Note: If you are interested in any of these positions, please send an email to eustudytour@uvic.ca when you apply for the EU Study Tour with your name and the position(s) you are interested in.

3s Research & Consulting (see: https://3s.co.at/en/) Location: Vienna, Austria.

African Futures Lab (Afalab) (see: https://www.afalab.org/) Location: Paris, France. Note: For students with research experience and strong French language skills.

Bank of Finland (See: https://www.suomenpankki.fi/en/) Location: Helsinki, Finland.

 

Canada-EU Trade and Investment Association (CEUTIA)(See: https://www.ceutia.org/) Location: Brussels, Belgium. Note: For students with an interest in Business, Economics, and/or EU Law.

D-Carbonize (see: https://d-carbonize.eu/) Location: Brussels, Belgium. Note: For students with an interest in marketing.

European Trade Union Institute (See: https://www.etui.org/) Location: Brussels, Belgium. Note: Normally for grad students and possibly for Honours students. Students must have an ETUI-relevant research project that they intend to work on during their stay at ETUI.

GOPA Pro (See: https://www.gopa.eu/en/expert-companies/pro/) Location: Brussels, Belgium.

Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) (see: https://www.obessu.org/) Location: Brussels, Belgium.

PAYOKE (see: https://www.payoke.be/) Location: Antwerp, Belgium.