Internships in London
For university students

 

The Language Department consists of the Teacher Services Department and the Language Course Office.

The purpose of the Teacher Services department is to promote the teaching of German as a foreign language in primary and secondary schools in the UK. To this end, we work together with British partners as well as representatives of other European countries. We sit on committees, cooperate on projects, implement language policy, plan training courses, put on events, distribute teaching materials, advise teachers, create promotional materials and provide information over the internet.

The Language Course Office organises language courses of all levels for adults and conducts language exams which are accredited worldwide. We advise our customers about courses and exams in person, over the telephone and via email. Our activities additionally include compiling advertising and teaching materials.

In the Language Department interns are offered

• Supporting the Language Department team planning and carrying out activities for schools
• Marketing tasks e.g. support with promotional exhibitions, social media & website management
• Participation in meetings of the language department
• Administrative tasks e.g. postage and sending promotional materials to teachers, data management, answering email enquiries
• Giving information and advice on the courses offered at the Goethe-Institut both via email and phone in German and English
• Supporting role when planning and conducting examinations of the Goethe-Institut and the TestDaF examinations
• Registering students with the database system of the Goethe-Institut
• Supporting role for teachers and employees of the language office, especially in the first two weeks of the semester and at the end of the semester
• Liaising with teachers when providing participation certificates for students
• Organization of data retrieved from course evaluations

We expect from our interns

• An interest in education policy/educational issues in the UK
• An interest in the organisational process of a language institute
• Willingness to work with school pupils
• Willingness to work with adult students
• Willingness to carry out work independently
• German language skills (B2)
• Very good computer skills (MS Office: confident use of Excel, Word and PowerPoint), experience with CMS and layout and graphics packages would be an advantage

In the Information and Communications Departments we offer interns the chance to

• Co-develop digital formats for project and events work
• Contribute to the development of our online portal goethe.de/uk
• Contribute to projects concerning promotion of translation, information sharing and networking
• Support the Institut’s social media activities
• Support and get to know the Institut’s press and public relations work

We expect from the Interns

• Basic knowledge of digital media and communication
• Creativity and conceptual participation
• Very good command of English; German is of advantage, but you will also get a chance to learn some
• Affinity to Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn)
• An open and friendly manner

A placement in the Information and Library Department should last at least 3 months. Students can undertake either a full-time or part-time internship with a monthly expense allowance.
 

The Culture Department of the Goethe-Institut London supports exchange and understanding between cultural organisations and individuals in the UK, Germany, Europe and worldwide.


We support the presentation of German and European culture in the UK alongside fostering relationships and collaboration between the UK and Germany in bilateral programmes as well as wider, European programmes.

We work across various areas and artforms including literature & translation, visual arts, film & media, music, dance and theatre.

Important topics for us in 2023 and 2024 are feminisms, ecological sustainability, decolonialism and restitution, care, socially engaged arts practice, hybrid ecologies, art and future technologies, among others.


In the Culture Department we offer interns the chance to
 

• gain insight into the planning and implementation of pan-European and global cultural collaboration
• assist with the preparation, organisation and execution of cultural programmes and events
• support the communication / PR of the Culture Department’s programmes, with a focus on website management and the creation of social media content
• acquire hard skills, such as working with CMS-systems
• acquire soft skills, such as networking or communication skills
• attend cultural programmes at the Goethe-Institut as well as hosted by partners across London and (occasionally) across the UK
• participate in internal meetings as well as in meetings with partners
• liaise with partners to collect and manage information about programmes and event

We expect from the Interns:
 

• a keen  interest in culture and international collaboration
• an interest in the administrative / organisational / production aspects of culture
• a professional attitude and willingness to learn
• willingness to actively contribute ideas and perspective
• the ability to self-start and to carry out work independently
• good computer skills (MS Office: confident use of Excel, Word and PowerPoint), some experience with CMS and layout and graphics packages would be an advantage

 

To complete an internship at the Goethe-Institut London applicants are required to:

• Have started a university degree in humanities, business administration, law or information sciences 
• Be willing to take on a full-time or part-time internship in London, this internship must be a requirement for your course
• Have a British or Irish citizenship, pre-settled or settled status, or indefinite leave to remain

 Possible start dates: 

April/May 2024
August 2024
January 2025

Vacancies: 

• Language course office
• Teacher services department
• Information and library department

Internships can be either three or six months long and should commence on one of the start dates indicated above. The exact start and end dates may be flexible after discussion with the relevant department. 



 

An expense allowance of €450 gross per calendar month will be paid for internships of at least 4 weeks. For periods of internships which do not cover a whole month, a pro rata payment will be made. This is an expense allowance which is to be used principally to cover partial travel and accommodation expenses.
 

Arrival
The Goethe-Institut London is located in South Kensington. Details can be found on our directions webpage.
The nearest tube station is South Kensington on the Picadilly line (dark blue), District line (green) and Circle line (yellow).

Finding Accommodation
Although we can be of some help with finding accommodation, interns are responsible for finding their own place to stay. We can also post a ‘room wanted’ advert on our notice board for students who have been accepted for an internship (shortly before the start date).
Below is a list of websites which our previous interns found very helpful (the Goethe-Institut is liable neither for the accuracy nor the completeness of the information on these websites) 
   
Move Flat

At the end of your internship, you are obliged to write a report which serves as the basis of confirming the completion of your internship.

As a rule, an evaluation of the internship is not completed but can be compiled if required. Please request this letter of evaluation in plenty of time with the internship supervisor. It is not a legal requirement to provide such a report.
 

Please use the button below to apply for an internship via our online application form. 

Please attach the following documents to your application:

• CV
• Letter of recommendation (from a university lecturer. The letter should be maximum one A4 sheet of paper and should give a personal impression of your academic performance, should confirm that the internship is part of your course and should explain why you are suitable for an international internship)
• Optionally: Certificate of enrolment from your university
• Optionally: Certificates of exam results

We are unable to accept applications submitted without all required documents. The optional documents can also be provided at a later date.