Here is the scenario I want you to picture: you’ve got the grades, you’ve got the motivation to work abroad, and you keep telling yourself you’ll “look into Erasmus internships properly” – and then three months pass and you still haven’t opened a single listing. Meanwhile, a chemistry research post in Lisbon, a paid marketing role in Portugal, and a startup gig in a Spanish beach town are all sitting there, open, waiting for someone to actually apply.
So, let us skip the vague advice. Below are real, currently listed Erasmus internships across marketing, research, and NGO work, pulled directly from the traineeship database, with what each one actually requires and how to apply. One quick, important note before we dive in: ErasmusIntern.org announced in mid-2026 that it is transitioning to a new platform, so account creation is temporarily paused – for a couple of the listings below, that means applying directly by email is currently your best route, and I’ve flagged exactly which ones.
An Erasmus internship (formally an Erasmus+ traineeship) is a funded work placement abroad, open to students and recent graduates at institutions holding an Erasmus+ Charter for Higher Education, typically lasting 2 to 12 months across 33 Programme Countries in Europe. Here are seven real openings worth looking at right now.
Quick Facts on Applying
| What | Detail |
| Who’s eligible | Students or recent graduates from one of the 33 Erasmus+/Horizon 2020 Programme Countries |
| Where to check eligibility first | Your university’s Erasmus+ or International Relations office |
| Typical listing length | 3 to 12 months |
| Two listing types | Standard traineeship, or “Digital Opportunity Traineeship” (DOT) for digital/remote-friendly roles |
| What most listings require | CV + motivation letter, sometimes a “curricular internship” recognition from your university |
| Current platform status | Browsing listings works; account creation is paused, so check each listing for a direct application route |
7 Erasmus Internships You Can Look Into Today
- Marketing and Communications Intern (Paid) – Bloom Consulting, Portugal
This is a genuinely rare find: a paid Erasmus internship, offering €500/month, starting January 2027. You’d be managing social media content and supporting email marketing campaigns for a global nation-branding and placemaking consultancy. It’s set up as a curricular internship, meaning your university needs to formally recognize it – check with your Erasmus+ office before applying. View the listing.
2. Research Intern – Chemistry – ITQB Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
If you are a chemistry or life sciences student, this one’s worth a serious look: a 6-month, full-time research placement working on bioorganometallic and inorganic chemistry, including anti-cancer compound research at a university research institute in Lisbon. This is the kind of placement that looks genuinely strong on a grad school application. View the listing.
3. European Programmes Intern – Roes Cooperativa, Greece
This is a 6-month, full-time placement with a social cooperative enterprise focused on non-formal education and social work. If your interest leans toward NGO work, social impact, or youth programmes, this is a solid entry point into that world. View the listing.
4. Digital Marketing Intern – video game company (remote-friendly DOT)
This is a flexible, 3-to-6-month Digital Opportunity Traineeship with a young video game studio, running marketing campaigns ahead of a PC game launch in November 2026. Because it’s a DOT, it’s built around digital, often remote-friendly work — useful if relocating isn’t realistic for you right now. Starts September/October 2026. View the listing.
5. Online Marketing & Communication Intern – DAS Akademie, Berlin, Germany
This is a language school in Berlin looking for a marketing intern with at least 3 semesters of a relevant degree and English at B2 level or above. German is a bonus, not a requirement. Good option if you want European work experience without needing to already be fluent in the local language. View the listing.
6. Marketing Intern – startup in Sitges, Spain
This is a full-time, in-person marketing placement with a startup in the coastal town of Sitges, just outside Barcelona. Note: accommodation and relocation costs aren’t covered, so factor that into your planning if you apply. View the listing.
7. Marketing and Communication Internship – ESN Aveiro, Portugal
Run by the Erasmus Student Network’s Aveiro section, this one skips the platform account question entirely: you apply by emailing your CV and motivation letter directly to the organization, with “Marketing and Communication Internship Application” as your subject line. If you want to avoid the current platform transition altogether, this is a clean example of how to do it. View the listing.
Before You Apply to Any of These
A few things worth sorting out before you hit send on any application:
- Confirm your Erasmus+ eligibility with your university first. Your Erasmus+ or International Relations office is where your actual funding gets arranged, separate from the platform itself.
- Check whether it’s a standard traineeship or a DOT. Digital Opportunity Traineeships tend to be more flexible on location but still require you to be based in one of the Programme Countries.
- Ask about “curricular” requirements. Some placements, like the paid Bloom Consulting role, need to be formally recognized by your university as part of your studies – this needs sorting before you start, not after.
- Have your CV and motivation letter ready to go, since several of these listings – and this whole application season generally – move fast once you’re a serious candidate.
- If account creation is blocking you, check the individual listing first. As you saw with ESN Aveiro above, several organizations list a direct email application route as a backup.
Sharpen Your Application Before You Send It
Since your CV and motivation letter are doing most of the work across every listing above, it’s worth making sure they’re actually strong before you send them out. Our guide to writing content that gets you selected covers the same specificity-over-generic-praise principles that make a motivation letter stand out, not just a scholarship essay. And if a graduate-level study abroad path interests you beyond just an internship, check our post on 15 Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships in Engineering.
For everything else currently open, browse our Education section.
Setting Yourself Up to Actually Land One
A few things that genuinely help once you’re deep in application mode:
- A decent HD webcam for video interviews, since several of these organizations – especially the remote-friendly DOT listings – interview candidates virtually before an offer
- A laptop stand if you are going to be doing a chunk of this application process, and possibly the internship itself, from your own desk
- A pocket phrasebook or language learning starter kit for wherever you’re applying – several listings above are based in Germany, Portugal, and Spain specifically, and even basic phrases go a long way in an interview or once you land
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I still apply to Erasmus internships even though ErasmusIntern.org is changing platforms?
Yes. Existing listings remain visible, and several organizations, like ESN Aveiro above, list a direct email application route that doesn’t depend on creating a new platform account.
- Do I need to already have a host university lined up to apply for these?
No, but you do need to be enrolled at, or a recent graduate of, an institution holding an Erasmus+ Charter for Higher Education, and you should confirm your eligibility with your university’s Erasmus+ office before committing to a placement.
- What’s the difference between a standard traineeship and a Digital Opportunity Traineeship (DOT)?
A DOT is specifically focused on digital-sector work and tends to be more flexible on location, while still requiring you to be based in one of the Programme Countries. A standard traineeship is typically in-person at the host organization.
- Are all Erasmus internships paid?
No. Some, like the Bloom Consulting listing above, offer a stipend, while others are unpaid and rely on your Erasmus+ grant (arranged through your university) for financial support.
- How long does it take to hear back after applying?
This varies significantly by organization, since each host organization manages its own applications and timeline rather than a centralized process.
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