There are several structured internship schemes - most based in Brussels and Luxembourg. These are called "traineeships" or "stages". The majority of these are salaried - at about €1200 a month tax free but some are unpaid.
Applying
Stages typically last between three and five months; starting dates and deadlines vary by institution but at least one stage per year tends to start in the autumn. Most opportunities are open to both EU and non-EU graduates.
Please note that searching online for European internships brings up links to third-party organisations that offer placements to successful candidates for a fee. Although these organisations may be legitimate, the quality of the "internship" may not be the same, and it is of course cheaper to apply directly!
Where to intern
In addition, the Eurobrussels websites lists a large number of current internships at European NGOs and other intergovernmental organisations, with deadline dates.
If you are interested in interning as an assistant for a Member of the European Parliament, the best way might be to make a speculative application. Listings of current MEPs - by country and by political group - is available at the European Parliament website.
What will I do?
Internships are offered in a wide range of operations, including administration, economics, human resources, translation, audit and IT. For an overview of opportunities at these institutions, please see the European Personnel Selection Office.
LSE European internships fair
In each Lent term LSE Careers runs a European internship fair jointly with Sciences Po, where many more inter-governmental and Brussels based NGOs advertise for interns.
European Commission (EC) Traineeship
The EC traineeship offers a unique first-hand experience of the workings of the EC. There are 2 intakes per year in March and October, where 650 traineeships are available in each. The contract is fixed for 5 months and trainees are paid approximately 1000 Euro per month plus private health insurance. For information on applications, vacancies and deadlines see: