Applicants for EMGIP – Bundestag should possess outstanding academic records and personal integrity as well as sufficient knowledge of the German legislative process. Participants should be advanced undergraduates or graduate students in fields such as political science, international relations, law, history, economics or German. PhD students are not eligible. Students must be fluent in spoken German and possess excellent writing skills.

U.S. and Canadian citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply. International students who are enrolled in a full time course of study in the U.S. or Canada may also apply. German nationals are not eligible.

Attention graduating seniors: Successful applicants must hand in a certificate of enrollment for the internship period to ensure student status in Germany or enroll at the Free University as program students (information about the enrollment process will be provided to successful candidates).

The successful applicant will receive compensation of approximately €1,800 per month from the German Bundestag. Subsidized health insurance is available through DAAD for a monthly fee. Travel expenses are the intern’s responsibility.

The application deadline is September 15, 2021 for internships in 2022.

Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted. Be sure to submit all materials by the deadline. Please do not call our office; you will receive an e-mail or letter of acknowledgment by the end of October.

The German Bundestag suggests that you choose a two-month period between October and mid-December when the Bundestag is in session. Placements during the spring are rare, but sometimes possible from May 1st. Since the spring session ends in late June, placements typically end in early July for the summer break. The Bundestag is not in session in July and August. In order to receive an optimal placement for your internship you should clearly state your particular interests in the essay. Short-listed candidates will be interviewed in German.

The following documentation is required for an application:

1.  Application Form
Please type your application form, handwritten materials will not be accepted. Make sure to answer all questions on the form completely. Do not fill in any blanks with the phrase “see attached,” even if you must refer to additional material. Do not forget to sign your application.

2. Resume
Please submit your resume in chronological form. This Lebenslauf must be in German. Narrative or paragraph-form resumes are not acceptable. Your name should appear on each page.

3. Short Essay (in German AND English)
The essay should be no longer than 3 pages (1.5 space, pt.12) and should answer the question of why you are interested in the EMGIP-Bundestag Internship. You should mention the career goals you hope to achieve by completing an internship at the Bundestag. Please state what your expectations are regarding the character of the internship and what you as an intern have to offer. Give your first and second preferences as to the Ausschuss you would like to work for and any other relevant interests, but please do not indicate any preference for a political party. Be advised that the Verteidigungsausschuss does not offer any internship positions at all. Your name should appear on each page of the essay and you must hand in a German AND an English version.

4. Three Letters of Recommendation
Submit three (3) original letters of recommendation printed on university letterhead from professors (not lecturers or TAs) at North American institutions in your major and relevant fields of study. The letters should be sent to:

DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)
EMGIP-Bundestag
871 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017

AND a scan of the letters should be emailed to grandel [at] daad [dot] de. It is your responsibility that the recommendations are received on time.

5. Transcripts
Submit official transcripts of all post-secondary studies, including explanations of the grading systems.

6. DAAD language evaluation form / Sprachzeugnis
This document should be signed by a faculty member of the German Department at your institution or by a Goethe-Institute. We cannot accept Fulbright forms nor can we accept evaluations from teaching assistants. (Available for download in the box on the right.)

Please merge all documents into one PDF file in the order listed above (except for the recommendation letters which should be sent separately). The only documents that have to be submitted by mail are the letter of recommendations! Send your application to: grandel [at] daad [dot] de.

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions Section.

• How much German do I need to know?
  German language fluency is important for you to be able to carry out the assignments during your internship. Your writing skills in German must be equally excellent.
• How can I prepare for the internship?
  We recommend reading the Zeitschrift für Parlamentsfragen at zparl.de.
• Who do you consider an advanced undergraduate?
  Juniors and seniors have been the only successful undergraduate candidates in recent years.

If you have additional questions regarding the EMGIP – Bundestag Internship, please contact: grandel [at] daad [dot] de.

If you are NOT a citizen or student in the UNITED STATES or CANADA, please see DAAD International.