Traineeships for university graduates (Robert Schuman traineeships) – European Parliament (EP)

Traineeships for university graduates are intended to enable trainees to build on the knowledge they acquired during their studies and to familiarise themselves with the activities of the European Union and, in particular, the European Parliament.

Three types of traineeships are available:

• the general option, open to any candidate who meets the criteria.
• the journalism option: candidates must provide proof of professional experience, as evidenced either by works published, or by membership of an association of journalists in an EU Member State, or by a qualification in journalism recognised in the EU Member States or in the applicant countries.
• the Sakharov Prize option: This traineeship programme aims to enhance trainees’ knowledge of the European Parliament’s human rights work and international human rights standards. It is aimed at candidates with a particular interest in human rights.

Applicants for a traineeship for university graduates must:

• be nationals of an EU Member State or an applicant country, without prejudice to the provisions of Article 5(2) of the Internal Rules;
• be aged 18 or over on their traineeship starting date;
• have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union;
• not have been awarded any other traineeship or have been in paid employment for more than four consecutive weeks the cost of which was charged to the European Union budget.

These traineeships are awarded for a period of five months which cannot be extended.

Traineeship dates and deadlines for receipt of applications:

• Application period: 15 August – 15 October (midnight)
  Traineeship period: 1 March – 31 July

Every year, 25 000 people apply for a traineeship at Parliament and 600 of them are selected.

To apply for the traineeship you must meet the conditions and complete the online application form. In Brussels and in Luxembourg, the scholarship is 1.252,26€ per month as of 1 January 2016. In Information Offices, the scholarship is weighted to reflect the higher or lower cost of living in different Member States.

Read more and apply here.