Traineeship abroad

Traineeship overseas is one of the best ways to get an international work experience and a unique opportunity to gain professional and international networks. If you are considering an international career after graduation, a traineeship abroad ensures a greater chance of success in your career goals.

If you are an international degree student, we encourage you to search traineeship possibilities also in Finland. By completing your traineeship locally, you will learn more about the Finnish working culture and open doors to the Finnish job market. Read more about the support and grants available for the traineeships in Finland on the UniOulu Career Centre website.

1. Find the traineeship

Traineeship opportunities are sought independently. Check the requirements for your plan with the teacher responsible for traineeships in your degree programme and explore the grant opportunities presented on these pages along with their conditions. Be creative in considering the type of work you would like. Suitable places for traineeship include companies or private/public organisations. Traineeship can also take place within the university, such as in laboratories, research institutes, or university services. However, work for private individuals (e.g., au pair work) is not grant eligible.

Seek advice from other students and teachers. In the SoleMOVE mobility database, you can review feedback from previous students who have completed traineeship abroad. Additionally, we have compiled some traineeship opportunities and organisations to support your search. Finding the traineeship and applying for the grant takes time, so allocate sufficient time for the entire process. Also, please note that for example during holiday periods, last-minute internship applications cannot be accepted. The traineeship contact person at the Faculty Study Services is also at your service.

2. Study the grant options

University of Oulu supports traineeships overseas with the following grants:

• Erasmus+ traineeship grant – traineeships in Europe.
• UniOulu international traineeship grant – traineeships outside Europe and those traineeships in Europe that are not Erasmus+ grant eligible.
• Embassy traineeship grant – traineeships in the Finnish embassies abroad, only possible for Finnish or fluent Finnish speaking students.

Before applying for a grant, it is essential that your traineeship plan is accepted within your degree programme. When working abroad, the work must be full-time (at least 30 hours per week), and you must remain enrolled at the University of Oulu throughout the entire traineeship period. Remember that traineeships must be completed and reported before graduation; no grants will be paid to students who have already graduated. The planned traineeship must also be part of the standard duration of your degree studies, grants are not paid for the extended study right time.

The grant may be the only financial support for the traineeship, excluding any potential compensation from the employing organisation. If you receive a salary or other financial assistance from the University of Oulu (or any other source) during your traineeship, you will not be eligible for the traineeship grant.

Since the traineeship grant is meant for travel costs, you must have a permanent address in Finland before departing overseas. If you are considering a traineeship in your home country, do make sure that the target of intercultural learning is met in the actual work. We recommend you to make use of the opportunities in Finland or in a country other than the country of your origin.

The UniOulu traineeship grant can be awarded only once during your degree—whether for a traineeship in Finland or abroad. You may apply for the UniOulu grant a second time only after completing the degree for which the previous UniOulu traineeship grant was awarded. The Erasmus+ grant can be received multiple times and is independent of other grants.

Each grant type has its specific guidelines. Please study carefully which option best aligns with your plans. There is no separate application period for grants; you can apply as long as funding is available. Keep in mind that the grant process takes time, so start your application well in advance of the actual traineeship.

If you’re eligible for Kela Financial aid for students during your studies in Finland, you can also apply for aid during your traineeship overseas. For further information, please contact Kela directly.

3. Confirm the traineeship

The traineeship abroad must be fully credited to your degree. Once you have found a possible traineeship, contact the teacher responsible for the traineeships in your degree programme to ensure that the planned traineeship is suitable for your degree studies.

4. Prepare the traineeship agreement

When the traineeship plan is confirmed, prepare the official traineeship agreement and have it signed by all the required parties: the teacher responsible for your traineeship in UniOulu, the representative of your traineeship organisation and you. Some agreements require a signature also from the traineeship contact person in the service team of your faculty. Scanned and electronically signed documents are also accepted.

Each traineeship type has its own agreement template. Make sure to use the correct document. The templates are available on the website for Students: Forms.

5. Apply for the traineeship on SoleMOVE

Once you have a fully completed traineeship agreement with all the necessary signatures, proceed to submit your traineeship application through the SoleMOVE online application system. Since there are multiple applications available, refer to the specific grant website for detailed instructions.

Your submitted application will first be reviewed by the traineeship contact person in your faculty, who will then forward it to International Mobility Services for final approval. You will receive the final decision on your application via email. In case of accepted application, the email provides you also with further instructions how to confirm your traineeship offer in SoleMOVE.

6. Apply for the grant on SoleGRANT

Upon receiving the acceptance email from SoleMOVE, you will also get instructions on how to apply the grant in the SoleGRANT grant application system.

The grant is always paid in two parts: 80 % at the beginning of the traineeship and the remaining 20 % after the traineeship is completed and reported accordingly. There are no separate application times, but the grants are applicable throughout the year subject to the availability of the funding.

Remember to make the traineeship application on time. No grants are awarded for the completed traineeships or traineeships that have already started before the submission of the SoleGRANT application. Also, please note that for example during holiday periods, last-minute internship applications cannot be accepted.

7. Get ready to travel

Ready, set, go! Before the actual traineeship, you will be invited to the Traineeship abroad kick off meeting organised by the International Mobility Services. In the meeting, we will make sure that you are ready to start your travels and have all the information needed. The meeting invitation will be sent to you via email once your SoleMOVE application is accepted.

The University of Oulu provides you with insurance for occupational accidents and with work liability insurance for the time of your traineeship. Additionally, comprehensive travel insurance is needed and at your own responsibility. Insurance matters are part of the Kick off meeting agenda.

8. Once abroad

In case there is a need for changes to the planned traineeship, contact the UniOulu faculty traineeship contact person as well as International Mobility Services. The possible changes must be accepted by all the parties included in the process.

We welcome you to share your experience via different channels in social media. If you have a public Instagram account, tag your posts with #uniouluabroad.

The International Mobility Services and the faculty traineeship contact persons are there for you and your questions during the entire traineeship time.

9. Get credits and complete the process

Before your traineeship ends, request a signed traineeship certificate from your host organisation. This certificate should specify the exact duration (start and end dates) of your traineeship and outline the tasks you completed. While the certificate can be based on the host organisation’s own template, for Erasmus+ traineeships, you must use the Erasmus+ traineeship certificate template. The template is available on the website for Students: Forms.

After the end of the traineeship, send the traineeship certificate to the teacher responsible for accepting your traineeship credits and make sure to complete other possible traineeship requirements given by your faculty.

Give feedback about your traineeship by filling in the feedback tab in SoleMOVE and upload the traineeship certificate and your UniOulu transcript of records updated with the recognised traineeship credits to the SoleMOVE after exchange - part.

The traineeship must be completed and reported within one month from the final traineeship day. Make sure to do everything on time as the second payment of the grant is conditional to this one-month deadline.