Finding and arranging
An internship or research project abroad is not only a fun and educational experience, it's also a great asset to your CV. As job markets are becoming increasingly international, employers tend to view international experience as a big advantage. Read more about how to arrange an internship or project abroad.
Register in the Study Abroad portal
All students who are going abroad as part of, or in relation to their Leiden University studies, must register in the study abroad portal. By doing so, you enable the university to contact you in case of an emergency abroad. Register in the study abroad portal as soon as you have approval for your activity from your study programme.
Take a look under your faculty or study programme tab for information about the options available for international internships or research projects and how to arrange approval and registration.
You can also find information on international activities that you can do as part of or alongside your studies on the study abroad website.
Internships abroad
It is possible to do your internship abroad. For these internships, the same rules and regulations apply as for internships in the Netherlands. Please see the faculty’s online internship manual.
If you do your internship abroad, you are responsible for the following (where applicable):
- All additional costs (travel and accommodation costs, visa costs, etc)
- Arranging housing
- Visa application
- Taking out the necessary insurances.
- Sometimes it is possible to receive a grant for an internship abroad. You are responsible for applying for the scholarship and keeping up with the associated deadlines.
Safety and approval for your destination
Leiden University attaches great importance to safety during an internship abroad. You cannot travel to all countries. It is very important to follow the Health and Safety policy of Leiden University.
Register in study abroad portal
Once you have obtained the necessary approval from the Board of Examiners (and if applicable from the IIT) for your internship abroad, you must register in the study abroad portal.
Why
By registering in the Study Abroad portal, you enable Leiden University to make sure you have selected a safe destination and to contact you in case of an emergency abroad. If you will receive study credits, university funding or recognition on your transcript for your activity abroad, registration in the study abroad portal is obligatory.
When
Register in the Study Abroad portal as soon as you have gained permission from your study programme for your activity abroad - and at least 2 weeks before departure. If you will go abroad within 2 weeks, get in touch with your faculty contact person for instructions.
How
- Log into uSis > click on the Study Abroad tile > select ‘Register another type of study-related activity abroad’.
- Enter the requested data, upload any required documents then click on submit.
- If you have the necessary faculty approval and your destination is safe, the university will approve your registration. You may then depart for your activity abroad. Remember to check the travel advice before departure in case the safety situation changes.
As soon as possible, enter your contact details abroad in the Study Abroad portal - in the ‘During your stay’ section. Remember to keep your contact details updated whilst abroad so we can reach you in case of emergencies!
Required uploads and supervisor information for portal registration
When registering your internship or research abroad in the Study Abroad Portal, you will need to include:
- Uploads: By the Board of Examiners approved Internship Plan
- Contact information university supervisor
- Contact information organisation supervisor
BA and MA students intending to travel abroad as a part of their degree programme at the Faculty of Humanities at Leiden University (either for study, internship or research/field work) must ensure that their destination meets Leiden University's minimum safety criteria in order to receive credit resulting from their activities abroad.
Negative Travel Advisories
Leiden University uses the advice provided by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a basis in determining the safety of a study activity abroad. Those destinations that have a negative travel advisory (or require travel through an area with a negative travel advisory) are ineligible for credit at Leiden. This includes transfer of credits obtained for study at an institution, credit for an internship, and credit for research paper/thesis resulting from research or field work undertaken in an area with a negative travel advice. These destinations are also not eligible for Leiden University scholarships.
A negative travel advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs includes areas where the advice is "Avoid all travel" as well as "Avoid Non-essential travel". These are represented by the colors orange and red on the Ministry's website.
If a travel advisory changes to negative after a student has been admitted to a university abroad, or for an internship or research, etc, either before or during the stay abroad, students are required to follow Leiden University's instructions regarding next steps. Please review Leiden University's study abroad regulations for further information.
Application Process
Students intending to undertake an internship abroad must first complete the following steps:
- Discuss your plans with your Study Coordinator in order to ensure that your proposed plans fit in your Leiden study plan, and to be aware of any potential issues, study delays, or other concerns.
- Before you start organising your internship you must check the safety of your destination, based on the recommendation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Board of Examiners will not take your application for an internship abroad into consideration if the destination is not safe.
- Once you have completed steps 1 and 2, you can proceed with your Internship outline/stageplan.
For a complete overview of the process, options and contact person for submission of your Internship outline/stageplan, please review the website of the Faculty of Humanities Career Service (English).
Leiden University Study Abroad Regulations
The steps listed above are to ensure that students are eligible to apply for credit transfer and for scholarships for their proposed destinations. They are based on compliance with Leiden University's study abroad regulations.