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Economics and Business Career Centre Economics and Business Career Centre

How to find an internship

With a proactive attitude there are many ways to find an internship in the Netherlands or abroad.

Before you begin your internship, you’ll need to get your documents and material in order, and find a suitable place to do your internship. We can help you with that, and we will sign your internship contract when your internship meets the requirements.

Start exploring

  • Factor in at least 6 months from the moment you start exploring your options and approaching organisations, until you sign your contract. If you want to do an internship abroad, you should start sooner.
  • Be aware that you should only start looking when you know for certain that you meet the requirements of your internship. Therefore check the requirements for the internship you want to opt.

Tips to find an internships that suits your interests

In order to get an idea of what exactly you are looking for, you could first:

  • Speak with lecturers, internship coordinators or a career coach;
  • Read internship reports from fellow students for inspiration;
  • Think about what kind of organisation appeals to you: a research institute, an NGO, a commercial company, a start-up, and so on. Alternatively, consider what types of subjects and fields appeal most to you;
  • You can ask family members, friends and colleagues to help you explore your possibilities. They will undoubtedly know people that you do not yet know who can help you move forward.
  • Finding an internship in the Netherlands

    EB Career Portal

    The EB Career Portal is the exclusive job platform for UvA EB students and alumni. You’ll find vacancies and internships there, from international and local companies. Thanks to simple filters you can easily find positions you’re interested in.

    List of internship companies and websites

    Read the list of companies where students have previously done their internships. Get inspired by the variety and scope of what you can choose!

    We have also compiled an extensive list of job websites you can use to look for internships and vacancies. Read the list and consider these highlights:

    Study associations

    Your study associations have their own job boards. Check out what Sefa, VSAE, FSA, MAA and SFEER may have to offer.

    UvA Job Board

    The UvA Job Board lists internships, some of which may align with your field of interest. The Job Board includes a variety of search filters. For instance, you can search for ‘non-Dutch’ vacancies if you don’t speak Dutch. New internships are added  often.

    Use your own network

    Last, but not least: use your personal network, as it often is bigger than you think. Send open applications to companies that appeal to you. Organisations in the Netherlands appreciate a proactive attitude. Check company websites for information on internships and online application.

  • Finding an internship abroad

    You can also opt for an internship abroad. You’ll find tips below on how to find an internship abroad and an overview of internship options around the world. First of all, a proactive attitude is an important requirement for finding an internship, especially for one abroad.

    General tips

    • Start obtaining information well in advance. Count on needing at least six months to a year of preparation from the initial orientation phase up to your actual departure.
    • The approval and acknowledgement of an internship is identical to the internship process in the Netherlands. Look into the specific requirements of your study programme to determine which procedure you have to follow.
    • Make sure that you have a clear picture of what you are looking for and what your opportunities are. For example, what type of organisation appeals most to you? Or which country and language do you prefer?

    EB Career Portal

    The EB Career Portal is the exclusive job platform for UvA EB students and alumni. You’ll find vacancies and internships there, from international and local companies. Thanks to simple filters you can easily find positions you’re interested in.

    Looking for vacancies all over the world?

    You will find many useful websites in this document.

    Doing an internship in Europe?

    You might be eligible for an Erasmus+ Grant. For more information, take a look at the special page about the grant.