Internships help you connect what you learned in your studies with applications in working life. During the internship period, you get an insight into how the tasks, the employment situation and recruitment procedures look like in the industry. Internship within ÅA is an optional part of all education programs. Some programs have mandatory internships (e.g. psychology, logopedic, pharmacy). If you want to receive study credits for your internship, you must contact your head of subject or person responsible of internships before the internship period begins.
Internship is highly recommended to all students! Explore your options and opportunities, both in Finland and abroad.
Internships in Finland for university students are usually paid with salary, although there are also unpaid internships.
At many fields, the employer requires partial funding or subsidies for internships (internship voucher). All degree students at Åbo Akademi University (not exchange students or doctoral students) are granted an internship voucher for partly funded internship once during their studies. You can find more information for students about internships and how to apply for them on the intranet.
Vacant internships you can find i.a. in the JobTeaser portal. Log in via HAKA with your ÅA username and password. You can also use other sources or contact an employer directly.
You can get both international experience and international work experience at the same time if you do an internship abroad. Åbo Akademi University grants e.g. Erasmus internship scholarship for all internships within the EU/EEA area. Read more about Erasmus internships and other funding sources on the intranet.
An internship can be done with or without a salary. It is common in Finland for university student interns to be paid a salary. Åbo Akademi University has a system in which internships in Finland are partially funded (compensation is paid for approximately 1/3 of the employer’s costs) . In particular, internships in the public sector usually require internship vouchers. An Erasmus+ traineeship grant is offered for foreign internships within the EU/EEA. You can even do your own paid or unpaid internship without partial funding.
Students at Åbo Akademi University can receive an Åbo Akademi University partial funding (internship voucher) for their internship period i Finland (or Finnish government agencies abroad). With the partial funding Åbo Akademi University will cover some of the salary and social expenses to the employer. The partial funding is paid to the internship employer after a completed internship period. It is not possible to use the voucher for an unpaid internship. Exchange students at ÅAU cannot apply for the internship voucher.
You can only have only one partly funded internship position during your studies at ÅAU.
Criteria to use partial funding for an internship
- You are enrolled at Åbo Akademi University as a student at masters´level (or at bachelors level with minimum 60 credits) (not for exchange students or doctoral students)
- The internship is in Finland (or Finnish government abroad) (Erasmus+ internship can be used for internships in European Union and other Erasmus countries
- the internship tasks are relevant to your field of study
- the employer has assigned a supervisor for your internship period
- the internship employer pays you a salary that meets the employment condition of KELA (1399 euros/month in 2023).
- the internship period lasts for at least 2 months
- You have applied for the internship voucher before the internship period starts.
Application form is found on the intranet page: Internships