Internship abroad in Spain with an Erasmus scholarship
Felix Filthaut used his studies abroad as a double opportunity: The Erasmus+ scholarship offered by the European Union made it possible. This is because students can also apply for this for internships abroad - and not just in Europe.
During his semester abroad as a Bachelor's student of International Management, Felix had already caught fire at the ISM partner university Universidad Católica de Valencia “San Vicente Mártir”.
He had different subjects to choose from than at his university at the Dortmund campus and therefore a new perspective on the specialist subjects. An additional feel-good factor in Valencia, with its population of around three quarters of a million, is the pleasant climate, the proximity to the sea and the friendly nature of the locals,
Felix emphasizes. “I found the size of the city ideal. You can easily reach a lot of things on foot.”
Reason enough for the budding manager to follow this up with an internship abroad in Valencia. The opportunity presented itself at a language school, where Felix took on organizational tasks, including event planning and participant support.
“What I like best is that I work with interns from all over the world and get to know students from different countries. This has given me an even better sense of intercultural etiquette. For example, that it is important to greet people differently. Spaniards or French people give each other kisses on the cheeks as a greeting. We Germans tend to be more reserved. And dealing with people from Asian countries like Japan is generally much more polite and respectful.”
An added bonus: Felix was allowed to take part in extended language lessons free of charge.
When it comes to selecting internships abroad, Felix recommends not only looking for a place at renowned companies, but also enquiring at smaller companies. Overall, the personal contact, the mix of free time and a good atmosphere at work made the internship abroad so valuable for Felix.
The Erasmus+ scholarship was an important support factor: “It allowed me to make the most of the professional and local life for longer and better.”
Erasmus+ is the European Union's program for education, youth and sport. What is new is that it is now also possible to apply for non-European destinations, including the USA, Canada and the UK. Erasmus+ scholarships are not the only form of support during a stay abroad.
The International Office provides further individual information for all those studying at ISM.
Read more about the options of financing your internship or semester abroad.
Read more about our network of around 190 partner universities.
