Center for Career Exploration

Berlin Entrepreneurship Internship Program

The Berlin Entrepreneurship Internship Program, with a focus on startups and technology opportunities, provides Brown students the opportunity to expand classroom knowledge to the world of business through an immersive professional experience in Berlin, where the startup culture flourishes.

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Berlin Entrepreneurship Internship Program

Through a partnership with the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship, employers in Berlin hold an internship position for Brown students to intern over the summer for 6-10 weeks. Students completing internships over the summer will have the opportunity to gather for networking events and participate in entrepreneurship-themed learning experiences.

Participating Employers:

View the list available Berlin Internship opportunities for summer 2024.

Eligibility:

Please view the SPRINT page for full program eligibility details.

Note: for the Berlin Entrepreneurship program only: Students must have completed at least four semesters of undergraduate studies and declared a concentration by the time the internship begins in summer 2023 to be eligible for the Germany work authorization. A student’s concentration must be relevant to the internship industry or position in order to be eligible for the work authorization.

Funding amount:

Please see the 2024 SPRINT summer funding chart for funding amounts for this program.

Application:

To apply for the program, you will need to submit the following in UFUNDS under the “Signature programs” SPRINT Summer Award Funding grant period:

Resume
Cover Letter (addressed to the “Hiring committee” of your first choice employer in the program
A ranking of your top 5 internship host organizations within the program. No need to write cover letters for organizations ranked 2-5.
Answers to the following two short answer questions:
1. Select 3 NACE Career Competencies and explain in TWO to THREE bulleted statements, for each skill, how you demonstrate those strengths from previous experiences.
2. Select 2 NACE Career Competencies of growth and determine TWO to THREE bulleted statements, for each skill, you can do during in the position/summer experience to begin to improve in your skill gaps (limit to 250 words or fewer)

We encourage you to engage with the Center for Career Exploration’s Resume and Cover Letter Support Resources.

Selection Process:

Phase I: Following the application deadline, an internal committee at Brown will review and rate all student applications for each first choice employer. A small group of students for each employer are selected for Phase II.

Phase II: The resume and cover letter for applicants selected for Phase II are sent along to each employer. Employers review application materials and select candidates to interview. Employers make the final selection, confirm their selection to Brown, and make an offer directly to their top candidate.

I have many more questions about the Internship Program. Who can I talk to?
Please contact Greg Seiler. You can also read advice from Brown students who previously interned in Berlin.

Can I receive academic credit for the internship?
Brown does not offer academic credit for internships. Students may choose to work with an academic department and register for an independent study aligning with the internship experience in the semester following the internship.

Are there language requirements to participate?
All internship positions will require English only, unless otherwise noted in the job description. Proficiency in German or other languages may strengthen an applicant’s application.

Do I need to interview for the internship?
Host employers and students are encouraged to meet via Zoom or other video call service for an interview. This is an opportunity for the employer to learn more about the student intern and for the student intern to learn more about the position and ask for any clarifications about the work involved. Make sure you understand the role and responsibilities before you accept an offer.

Can I apply to more than one internship position?
You can apply to your first choice organization and list any secondary choices within the program application form in UFUNDS. If selected by the SPRINT committee, your application materials will be sent to your first choice employer for consideration. In some rare instances when employers haven't been able to hire a candidate from their list of first choice applicants, we've sent them a list of applicants who indicated that employer as a second choice. In those cases we will alert the applicants before forwarding their application materials to their second choice employers.

What if I do not have a passport or my passport is expiring this year?
American students needing a passport should start the process of applying for a passport or passport renewal immediately. Contact Greg at if you have any questions.

Do I need a work permit or visa?
All students, unless you already have the legal ability to work in Germany (e.g., citizenship of a EU-country), will need to secure a German work authorization in order to legally intern.

Brown will cover the cost of your work authorization sponsorship through a third party authorized by the German government to issue the work authorization.

You do NOT need to apply for a visa if you are a citizen of the U.S. or another visa-exempt country AND you stay in Germany or the EU for a maximum of 90 days.

If you are required to obtain a visa in order to enter Germany, you can apply for your visa at a German consulate in the U.S. only after your work authorization has been issued. Brown is unable to help with facilitation or covering the fees for the visa, but please reach out to discuss if you are unsure about the application process.

Work Authorizations in Germany require the completion of at least two years of undergraduate coursework and a concentration that aligns with the specific internship industry or role of the position.

What are the working hours? Is the internship in-person or hybrid?
The internship should be the student’s primary activity over the summer. Hours may vary by employer. Interns are required to work the entire duration of the internship with any days off approved in advance by a supervisor. It’s a good idea to ask about working hours and work format during the interview process.

Every employer is different with respect to in-person work. Some employers may require student interns to work in the office full time while others may allow for some remote days.

Can I change the dates of the internship or extend the internship dates?
Any changes must be approved by the program and the internship host employer.

Will I meet with other participants on the program?
A pre-internship orientation will be held late in the spring semester to discuss the program for accepted students and meet as a group. We’ll also connect everyone early on in the acceptance process to discuss travel partners or roommates.

What if I need to leave early or quit my internship?
Whether initiated by the employer or the student, if an internship position is ended early you may be expected to return a prorated portion of the internship stipend. Please let your supervisor and the Internship Program know as soon as possible.

I missed the application deadline, can I still apply?
No exceptions are made for late applications to be included in the program. In the event that an employer is not able to find a suitable candidate through the process, some internships are occasionally re-posted later in the Spring.

Will I also receive a Summer Earnings Waiver (SEW) if I receive an Award?
Participants eligible for a Summer Earnings Waiver (SEW) will receive a SEW by participating in this program. Summer Earnings are available to eligible students with University Scholarship funding once during their time at Brown

Is summer housing provided?
Housing is not provided to summer SPRINT recipients. You can read about previous Brown students’ experiences in Berlin.

Interested in learning more?

For more information about 2024 SPRINT awards:

Visit the SPRINT Award Program Details