European Industrial Experience Mittelhessen

Key Facts

What you do

• Work full-time within a team on projects in one of our partner companies. A university professor and a company supervisor support you.
• Intensive German language course to get you started

When you do it

• Regular programme: September to December with
  – September = language course
  – October – December = full-time placement
• Extended Placements: Your degree demands a longer obligatory placement? Ask us! Extensions for degree-embedded placements are possible.
• Alternative times: You can’t do September to December? These are the alternatives:
  – March/April = language course, placement thereafter
  – Other starting dates: You have a good German level? Ask us! We can’t promise, but we are happy to check for you if placements are available (without  language course, THM enrollment and public transport ticket).

What you earn and gain

• Minimum salary of € 600 per placement month (plus possibly Erasmus funding)
• 24 ECTS for regular programme (placement: write a project report and present it 20 ECTS; language course 4 ECTS)
• 32 ECTS for extended obligatory placements of 20 weeks or more plus 3-4 ECTS language course
• 10 ECTS for placements of 8 weeks or more but under 3 months

What else

• Enrolment as a full-time exchange student of THM
• Join the Buddy Programme to facilitate intercultural exchange and to get support for your start in Germany
• Enjoy free public transport in the greater Rhine-Main region (RMV)

Want more

• Combine EIEM before or after your placement with an international semester at THM for a full year abroad. For more information visit go.thm.de/thinc. During your full-time intership classes cannot be attended at the same time.

Partner Companies

Among our partner companies are:

• B. Braun Melsungen AG
• Carl Cloos Schweisstechnik GmbH
• Christmann & Pfeifer Construction GmbH & Co. KG
• CRS medical GmbH
• Elkamet Kunststofftechnik GmbH
• ILLE Papier-Service GmbH
• ISI Bautechnik GmbH
• KAMAX Holding GmbH & Co KG
• Leica Camera AG
• Peikko Deutschland GmbH
• Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH
• Rittal GmbH & Co. KG
• Roth Werke GmbH
• Schunk Group
• Viessmann Werke GmbH & Co. KG

Requirements

Before applying, please check you fulfill the following aspects:

• Enrolment as a full-time student at a (future) partner university of StudiumPlus/THM during the EIEM programme. Please note, that due to German legislation participation is NOT POSSIBLE without student status at your home university for the entire time of your stay! While at THM you will additionally be enrolled as an exchange student of THM.
• Participants from non-EU/Erasmus+ -universities need to get confirmation of the compulsory character of the placement by the sending institution within the work permit application process (coordinated by EIEM). Similar regulations may apply to students with non-EU-nationalities. We are happy to check for you.
• German language level A2 or higher
• English language level B2 or higher
• Participation in the International Summer Course Gießen (an intensive German language course – see below) is highly recommended.

How to Apply

Application for 2023/24 (continuously updated):

Please find the placements our partner companies offer below:

Application Deadline 31st March (for regular programme start in September) or 5 months prior to intended start of placement.

Ask your local international office representative for nomination via SoleMove until 15th March (nomination guide). After that you will receive an e-mail to access SoleMove yourself to fill in the application (application guide). Please prepare the following documents for upload:

• Placement Application Form
• Letter of motivation in English and German
• CV in English and German
• Transcript of records
• Language certificates for English and German (Please ask a lecturer of your home university to fill in the form provided here)
• Copy of passport

Please e-mail your application in a single PDF document with a max. size of 3 MB to cornelia.fritzsch@studiumplus.de
For placements outside the regular programme start in September, please hand in your application 5 months before you would like to start.

Language Course

We highly recommend that you take part in the International Summer Course of Justus-Liebig-University in Gießen in September:

• Support and guidance from student mentors and the THM International Office
• Assistance with all necessary administration and registrations (registration office, residence permit, health insurance, bank account, enrollment, …)
• Accommodation in student halls of residence (rates vary) with many other students

» goto the International Summer Course in Gießen

• Costs for students of partner universities: € 570 (rate for exchange students)
• 4 ECTS can be gained

Alternatively you can join the International Spring Course at Justus-Liebig-Universität in Gießen. The placement will start following the language course.

 » goto the International Spring Course

• Costs for students of partner universities: € 370 (rate for exchange students)
• 3 ECTS can be gained

Accommodation

Depending on the location of the company you will be assigned to, you can

• stay in student halls of residence in Gießen or Friedberg and travel on local transport (free ticket on THM student ID)
• receive help from your placement company to find appropriate accommodation nearby

Financial Aspects

Please be aware of the following costs and income linked to the programme

• Minimum salary of € 600 per placement month (Please note, voluntary placements which are not embedded in the curriculum of your degree are subject to German social insurance contribution)
• German health insurance (obligatory): up to € 110 per month
• Semester social fee: approx. € 230 (due prior to enrolment)
• Language Course (highly recommended):
  – International Summer Course: € 570
  – International Spring Course: € 370
• Cost of living including accomodation

Do check if your home university will support you with an Erasmus+ scholarship for Traineeship or Study – both are possible due to the EIEM double role of intern and enrolled exchange student.

Cost of Living: Mittelhessen is less expensive than cities such as Frankfurt. Estimates and information on costs of living in Germany can be found on the website of the THM International Office, the Deutsches Studentenwerk (German Student Services Organization)  or on the website of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)

Visa

Disclaimer: The purpose of these pages is to provide you with information on important legal questions. However, the authors make no claim to completeness. Although this information has been prepared with the greatest of care, we assume no liability for the correctness of the content provided here.

Students joining EIEM from a university that is not part of the ERASMUS+ programme, need a work placement admission to apply for their visa. The process will be taken care of by EIEM coordinators. However, it can only be successful with the confirmation of the compulsory character of the internship on a certificate of enrolment which we will provide you with. With the work placement admission you can then apply for your visa depending on the regulations valid for your country.

Please note that you might need to prove sufficient funding for your stay in Germany to apply for your work permit or visa.

The International Office of THM has put together some general information on visa regulations as well as on necessary steps after your arrival. 

Project Examples

Please find below some examples of former EIEM projects. Please note, that you agree on the language of the report together with your two supervisors at the beginning of your project. It can be written in English or German.

Business Administration

• Kundenpotentialanalyse im Geschäftsfeld D der Elkamet Kunststofftechnik
• Neue Medien bei Viessmann Werke GmbH & Co. KG
• Marketing Rollout Plan für Service
• Konkurrenzanalyse
• Benchmarking E-commerce with Configurator Products in the Industrial Environment
• Customer Centric Focus Topics for the Innovation Management Department

Civil Engineering

• Entwurf und Berechnung einer Logistik-Halle Civil
• GlobalHome und Infrastruktur Civil

Engineering

• Entwicklung eines Automatisierungskonzepts des Ille Zentrallagers
• Vergleich der Qualitätsmerkmale von zwei CNC-Bedienoberfläche
• Simulation von Sensoren und Aktoren in einem Mini Chiller
• Zählen und Verpackung für Schichtkohlmaschine mit doppelter Spannung in Schunk Group GmbH
• Analyse, Prüfung und Vergleich verschiedener kondensatfreier Luftführungen am Kühlgerät 3329.540
• Teilautomatisierung einer Profilbiegemaschine
• Technical and economic efficiency implementation of CHP plant and PV modules

IT

• Implementation of an Internal Communication System
• Medical Ontology Conversion and Enrichment

Zur deutschen Version