The compulsory internship during your semester off-campus is an integral part of the second year of your Master’s programme and can be a gateway to your first job. It allows you to put the academic knowledge acquired during the semesters of teaching at Sciences Po into practice and to strengthen your professional skills. To ensure your internship runs smoothly and can be validated, you must respect certain formalities.

Conditions

Failure to comply with these conditions may result in your request for an internship agreement being refused:

• The internship should last 14 weeks minimum and no longer than 26 weeks.
• Your internship role has to be related to your field of study and/or career plan.
• You must be registered as a student.
• The internship must be full time.
• Remote working for a few days a week is a possibility, provided that you comply with the collective bargaining agreements in force in the host organisation.
• The internship manager you declare is in charge of supervising and supporting you throughout your internship. They must therefore be physically present/easily reached on the premises where you are completing your internship.

The deadline for completing internships

In accordance with the regulations governing the reception of interns in a professional environment, internships for all students must take place during the period of your administrative registration at Sciences Po, which runs until 31 August.

Doing an internship abroad

Before doing an internship abroad, you need to read the advice and recommendations for travelers to your destination on the website of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (countries are classified into green, yellow, orange, and red zones)

Is the internship you plan to do in a medium to high risk area (orange or red zone)?

• Contact the International Affairs Division
  You must contact the person at the Sciences Po International Affairs Department responsible for the region you wish to work in by email (with Sciences Po Careers in copy of the email) requesting permission to go to the country.
• You MUST obtain the International Affairs Department's approval by email before completing your online internship declaration.​

ECTS Credits

This compulsory internship counts for 30 ECTS credits provided you receive an acceptable evaluation from your internship manager.

Legal Framework

Law n°2014-788 of 10 July 2014, the implementing decree n°2014-1420 of 27 November 2017 and the amending decree n°2017-1652 of 30 November 2017 stipulate the conditions under which students may carry out an internship during their course of study.

Please note: An optional internship may not replace a compulsory internship.

Useful links

• Declare your internship (compulsory) and obtain an agreement
• Find out more about the evaluation form

Contacts

If you have any questions, please contact scpo.carrieres@sciencespo.fr