Institut für Kognitionswissenschaft

Institute of Cognitive Science


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Internship abroad

Can I also complete my mandatory semester abroad as an internship?

Yes you can. Please contact the IKW Mobility Office first so that you do not miss out on submitting all the necessary documents.

Specific CogSci conditions for an internship

Whether you are doing an internship in Europe (through ERASMUS+) or outside Europe, the following conditions always apply:

  • The internship can be done at a university or university comparable research institution.
  • The duration should be 3 - 6 months (at least three full calendar months without interruption or 12 weeks).
  • Workload: 30 working hours per week
  • You must have the internship approved before starting. For this purpose please use
    the form "Request for Approval of Semester Abroad" and send it to: ikw-eras@uos.de.
  • All deviations (e.g. internships with companies, shorter duration, etc.) must be approved on a case-by-case basis. Approval is usually granted when relevance to the course content in the Cogsci subject is evident. Note the deviation from the conditions on the RoA. We will then take care of the approval.
  • An internship in a European country can be supported by ERASMUS+. Please contact us.

Further information provided by the International Office

Website

Important notice for internship agreements:

Osnabrück University does not sign internship agreements that may be required by foreign employers/institutions. Internship agreements are bilateral contracts to which UOS has no connection. If an agreement cannot be waived, then we at UOS have drawn up our own agreement, in which we only take note of the internship. This agreement can be requested from the International Office. You could contact your host institution and ask them whether the document can be used as a substitute.

Tips for asking lecturers for a letter of recommendation:

A self-organized internship requires a high degree of initiative. Think about where and with whom you would like to do an internship and for what professional and possibly personal reasons. Write to the person in question and ask about the possibility of an internship. A transcript or letter of recommendation from one of your local professors may be requested before you are accepted.

  • What do you need the letter for?
  • Is a pdf sufficient or does it have to be uploaded to a portal (please provide the link)?
  • Name a date by which you need the letter of recommendation (allow time for both sides).
  • If you have a transcript, attach it (otherwise write a grade overview yourself).
  • Why did this internship offer arouse your interest? What qualifies you in particular?
  • Which cognitive science modules are you particularly interested in?
  •  What else do you do? Tutoring? Member of a committee? Voluntary activities such as Welcome Week, taster course etc.)? Voluntary work?
  •  Experience (e.g. second degree, completed degree, additional qualifications, vocational training, internships, awards, scholarships, ...)

At the end of your internship, the host institution must sign and, if possible, stamp the "Request of Approval". You send the form back to the Mobility Office after your return.

Thesis with ERASMUS+ abroad

Study:
The necessity of the final thesis must arise comprehensibly from the topic of the thesis.  In addition, one of the two reviewers must be from the host university. Since the thesis does not have a scope of 24 - 30 ECTS, additional courses should be taken at the host university.

Internship:
This should be a full-time internship of 30 - 40h/week.

If you plan to do this, be sure to make an appointment with the Dean of Studies.

Further information

On the pages of the International Office of Osnabrück University you will find general information about internships abroad.

Internship opportunities through the DAAD: RISE and MITACS

In recent years, Cogsci students have been very successful in obtaining internships through the DAAD.

You can obtain the language certificate needed for the RISE application (you do not need a certificate for MITACS) from the Mobility office at IKW. Please send an email with your matriculation number to: ikw-eras@uos.de.

Information about the application procedure can be found here: www.daad.de/rise/de/rise-weltweit/.

Helpful links for Canada can be found here.

The IKW is only an intermediary for the DAAD. Those who have been awarded a place must submit a Request of Approval before departure (see above).

Reports:

Report MITACS/L. Zörlein

Report RISE Iowa

Report MITACS/Toronto

Please contact Petra Dießel if you like to get in touch with former RISE or MITACS participants.

FAQ regarding the DAAD programs

About the letter of recommendation:
Only 1 letter of recommendation needs to be uploaded. This is automatically linked to every application - just like the CV, the transcript and the other documents. Only the motivation letter differs and should be tailored to the respective projects.

Cognitive Science is not on the shortlist, what should I click?
Students can find Life Science, for example, under Biology and click that. Students can then designate the exact subject in the next text box.

Does the transcript of records need to be certified?
If the transcript is issued in English by the university, then the electronically issued transcript can simply be uploaded without notarization. Notarizations are only necessary if the applicants have to make a translation themselves. However, this is not the case at the University of Osnabrück.

By applying to RISE Weltweit, students apply for specific projects and for the scholarship. If they are successfully assigned, they automatically receive the scholarship.

Additionally still important in connection with the scholarship:
The Deutschlandstipendium and the RISE Weltweit scholarship are not compatible, i.e. the Deutschlandstipendium must then be suspended.