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Internship at the Australian Embassy, Berlin

From time to time we offer internships at the Australian Embassy Berlin however we are not currently accepting applications.

Internships allow university students and recent graduates with an interest in international relations to gain an insight into the work of the Embassy. Every intern has a different set of experiences; our aim is to give you some exposure to all areas of the Embassy’s activities. In your time at the embassy, we expect that you would complete a major political or economic research project as well as working on public diplomacy events and consular issues. During your internship, you will be working closely with Australian diplomatic staff, as well as locally engaged staff in the political/economic research section. German language skills are not essential, although will enhance the range of work you are able to perform.

Internships are unpaid and open to all nationalities. Travel costs, travel and living arrangements are the responsibility of the intern. Typically internships last between 8 and 12 weeks. We do not accept applications from high school students.

If you are interested in undertaking an internship with us in the future, please check this space again in September 2013 when we will begin the recruitment for the period January-March 2014.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

When are the application periods?
We have no fixed dates but give or take a week, aim to follow the following time frames each year when recruiting:
 

 
Do you accept applications outside of the recruitment period?
No

Do I have to be Australian to undertake an internship?
No, our internships are open to all nationalities.

How do I address the Selection Criteria?
Our criteria follow the models commonly used in government recruitment. When addressing the selection criteria you need to provide statements addressing specific situations that demonstrate your interest, abilities and claims.

What language should my application be in?
Your application and CV must be in English as it is the working language of the embassy. German language skills are not essential, although may enhance the range of work you are able to perform.

Who can be a referee (as requested in the application form)?
We are looking for referees such as former employers and University Professors who will be able to comment on the applicant’s suitability for an internship.

How many internship places there are?
We offer two places per intake period. Internships are staggered so there will be a period where you work alone and a period where your internship will overlap with another person’s.

How many people usually apply for the internships?
The number varies. We are in the process of developing the program and are promoting it on a wider scale. In our last round we received around 30 applications.

Do you accept applications from recent graduates?
Yes

If I’m not successful in this intake can I apply in another round?
Yes, we have limited availability so can’t accept everyone. Repeat applications are welcome.

Due to study/ work commitments, I only have 6 weeks available to intern. Do you accept interns for periods under 8 weeks?
No. In our experience, we have found that 8 weeks is the minimum time necessary for our interns to settle in, complete the projects set for them and obtain value from their experience.

How many hours am I expected to work?
Working hours at the Embassy are Monday-Thursday 9am-5.00pm and Friday 9am-4.15pm. Unless an alternative is agreed on, you should anticipate working the same hours as embassy staff.

Can I attend university whilst undertaking the internship?
We understand many interns are still completing their studies, so to balance working with university commitments we can be flexible with hours. If your application is successful, the hours would need to be agreed to early on, preferably before commencing with us.

Is the internship paid/ are there any allowances?
Our internships are unpaid and are on a voluntary basis. We do not provide allowances for meals, transport, accommodation, health insurance etc. You may try to seek funding from your tertiary institution.

How do former interns describe the internship experience?
- An excellent opportunity to experience how the Embassy functions on a day to day basis that should give you a clearer idea of whether you would like to work for DFAT. It is not all glamorous, but certainly very worthwhile and mostly interesting work. (May-August 2011)
- A great opportunity to experience the reality of working at an Embassy - the highs, the lows, the exhilarating and the mundane. What you get out of the internship is directly proportional to what you put in, this kind of opportunity is almost entirely what you make it. There are plenty of fantastic opportunities, but you have to be willing to take them and make the most of them yourself. (April-June 2012)
- You can't really expect what it will be like until you get here. I would guess that it will exceed your expectations. It is at times challenging and busy but it is exciting and varied work that has a real impact. It is a very rewarding experience and a great way to find out about working for the foreign service, working in an Embassy and the realities of being a diplomat. (October-November 2012)
- This internship gave me a feeling of real accomplishment. As an intern I got to contribute to the day to day work of the Embassy and see my research/ groundwork come to fruition. (October-December 2012)
- The internship offered much more than research tasking and offers a broad insight into everyday diplomatic work. (February-April 2013)