Find a project-based internship

A project-based internship is a personal project

You are responsible for finding a host organisation which is interesting and relevant to you. You must also consider what type of project-based internship you are looking for. In this connection, you should ask yourself the following questions:

  • In which field are you looking for a project-based internship?
  • Do you want to go abroad or stay in Denmark?
  • What is most important to you? The academic content or the country/company/organisation?
  • How long do you want the project-based internship to last?
  • When do you want to do your project-based internship?
  • Do you want to combine your studies and your project-based internship?
  • Do you want to do your work placement in your summer holiday?

There are many options, and it is a question of using your imagination and finding inspiration. 

How do I find a host organisation?

The search for a work placement is highly similar to an ordinary job hunting process where you submit an application, get asked for an interview and hopefully end up being offered a work placement. Finding a work placement is your own responsibility, and for some it can be a good idea to apply to many different places. There are, however, a number of things which you can do to improve your chances of being offered a work placement.

Find inspiration in our work placement folders (which you can borrow at the Student Counsellors' Office):
We have folders containing old work placement advertisements as well as evaluations from students who have already completed their work placements. These evaluations include good advice, descriptions of tasks and responsibilities, names of contact persons, etc.

Get the latest placement advertisements from Denmark and abroad.
You can find the advertisements on the noticeboard of the Student Counsellors' Office or in the AU job bank
To the right, you can find an overview of some of the former host organisations of students at the Department of Political Science - both in Denmark and abroad.

You should also keep an eye on the following websites:

Unsolicited applications
Many workplaces have not previously had any trainees or have not had trainees who are political science students. This, however, does not mean that you should disregard this specific organisation.

Call or write to the workplaces which your find interesting and ask them if they would be interested in offering you a work placement. Do not give up after the first attempt!

Convert your student job into a work placement
If you have a student job which takes up a lot of your time and which is academically relevant for you, it might be possible to convert it into a work placement - as long as it is with a view to the future and outside the auspices of the university.

When should I apply?

This may differ greatly from host organisation to host organisation. It depends on the nature and popularity of the host organisation.

Often, the host organisations will start advertising for trainees in the semester prior to the actual work placement. Advertisements are received continuously, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the different advertisement sites as the application deadline will often vary significantly.

If you want to be ahead, and if you already know when you want to do your work placement, keep an eye on the advertisements in the semester before you want to apply. This may give you an idea of when the advertisements are posted. Many host organisations tend to move the deadline ahead from year to year, so it’s a good idea to start looking at advertisements six to eight months before.

Good advice

  • Remember to follow up on your application. Call or write to the organisation again if you haven’t received a reply within a few weeks. This way you can make sure that the application has been received and has ended up in the right place. This also shows that you take an interest in the host organisation.
  • Finding the right host organisation often requires a lot of patience.
  • Don’t be afraid to be a bit pushy. It’s better to call or write one time too many than one time to few.

On the right, you can find good advice on how to write an application. For more inspiration, visit the DJØF website or similar.

Each semester, the Student Counsellors' Office will host an information meeting on work placements where you can get inspiration and good advice.