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Intership directions for students with Specialisation in Development Studies

An internship is a good way to get useful hands-on experience with an employer in your professional field of interest and to create contacts for your future career. During the internship you will do work that matches your studies and promotes your development as a professional. Internship is target-oriented, guided and evaluated studying done in actual working environments. 

Requirements for the internship

• • an optional internship course for the students of the DEICO programme, Specialisation in Development Studies
  • duration of an internship is from 2 to 6 months
  • internship is supervised by the employer
  • internship duties should fit with your educational objectives (see more in Moodle)
     

Contact persons 

• Bonn Juego (bonn.juego@jyu.fi) -> pre-approval of internship
• Coordinator Kirsi Torkkola (kirsi.torkkola@jyu.fi) -> Internships abroad, contracts and funding
• Education coordinator Mia Soininen (mia.k.soininen@jyu.fi) -> Internships in Finland, contracts and funding

The internship must be approved by the department's contact person for internships before applying for the internship position. Before the internship begins, students are required to complete an Internship Agreement which is to be signed by the student, the employer and home department. After the internship student will write internship report to get the credits of the internship (see guidelines in Moodle).
 

Funding for the internships

The Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy's Financial Support for Internship done in Finland or in a Finnish organisation abroad will be awarded to students who meet the prerequisites. Students can apply for financial support year around. In the year 2024 there will be 30 support grants available. 

The department's internship support grant in 2024:

• 1200 € / 2 months (total length of the internship)
• 1800 € / 3 months or longer

See here other options for .

Eligible applicant

• must be a DEICO student with Specialisation in Development Studies
  •  
• has no prior internship as a part of their studies in JYU
• must have registered as a degree student of the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ (JYU)

Conditions for the internship

• the internship will be part of studies and the student will be awarded ECTS for the internship
• the internship meets the requirements set for the internship
• the internship placement is in Finland, at a Finnish diplomatic mission abroad or at a Finnish company/organization abroad
• if there is no collective agreement in the field in question, your monthly salary from the employee must be at least the minimum wage determined by Kela (1331 euros/month in 2023, amount of 2024 will be added when Kela announces it).

The internship support cannot be awarded

• for students who have already completed their internship
• for internship placements abroad, unless the placement is at a Finnish diplomatic mission abroad or at a Finnish company/organization abroad. 

Application period

Financial support can be applied year around. You can apply for support beforehand if you are applying for a place where financial support is needed. In these cases the support is conditional and the student will get the support if one gets the internship place. If the student doesn't get the place, the support will return to the department. The student can apply for support again for another place if the first place doesn't work out. 

How to apply

Free-form applications of internships in Finland must be delivered to education coordinator Mia Soininen by email to mia.k.soininen@jyu.fi. And with internships abroad to Coordinator Kirsi Torkkola kirsi.torkkola@jyu.fi. 

The following information must be included in the application:

• Name and contact information (including email)
• Major subject and master's programme
• A brief explanation of the reasons for the application:
  • What place you are applying to?
  • What do you want to do/learn/achieve?
  • How does an internship period fit into your studies?

How decisions on the support are made

The support will be granted to students in application order. Half of the support grants will be granted to the internships done in each years January-July period and the other half to August-December period. If there are supports left from the first half, those are transferred to the second half. 

When a student has secured oneself an internship position, they must inform either education coordinator Mia Soininen (internships in Finland) or coordinator Kirsi Torkkola (internships abroad) so that the internship agreement can be done.

Please note that according to the University Act (558/2009, Section 84 /1) the decisions on grants may not be appealed.