National teaching internship for prospective teachers
Prospective teachers have the opportunity to complete an internship at a school in another language region of Switzerland. They teach in a different environment, gain a broader insight into the teaching profession, and improve their foreign language skills.
Overview
For whom
- Students or graduates of a teacher training institution in Switzerland
Duration
- Two weeks to one year
Where
- At a school in another language region of Switzerland
- At a Swiss school abroad
What we fund
- Financial support for the participants and the sending institution
What to do
- Participants contact the international office of their institution
- Institutions submit a funding application to us and coordinate the mobilities
Deadlines
- Application deadline: 1 March
- Project start: During the school year, in consultation with the sending institution
In detail
Students or graduates of a teacher training institution complete an internship of two weeks to one year at a host school in another language region of Switzerland or at a Swiss school abroad. You will teach in the respective language of the region and/or in your mother tongue if this language is part of the timetable of your allocated class.
Requirements
For participants:
- You are enrolled at a university of teacher education, a university or another institution of teacher education in Switzerland recognised by the EDK. Students of the Intercantonal College of Special Needs Education (specialising in special needs education) are also admitted.
- You are a graduate and have received your diploma less than 12 months ago.
- You are already enrolled but have not yet started your studies.
- You are studying primary, lower secondary, or upper secondary education (all subject profiles are permitted) or special needs education.
- Please also consider the respective criteria of your own course of studies and your university.
For institutions:
- Your institution is an institution of teacher education in Switzerland recognised by the EDK or the Intercantonal University of Special Education.
- It offers an educational programme for the primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary levels and/or special education.
Funding amounts
- Organisation fee for the institution:
- 300 CHF per internship (for up to 100 internships per year)
- 100 CHF per internship (from 101 internships per year)
- For the participants:
- 200 CHF per week for short internships (2 to 4 weeks)
- 440 CHF per month for long internships (from 5 weeks to 12 months)
- For the specific needs of individuals with disabilities or those suffering from physical, mental, or chronic illnesses: Max. 12,000 CHF (actual costs based on the note of requirements)Insurance and any visa fees are at your expense.
You can find all the funding contributions and the calculation in detail in our grant table:
Procedure
For students
Contact the international office of your institution. They will advise you on deadlines and procedures and put you in touch with a host school in another language region of Switzerland or a Swiss school abroad.
For institutions which place students
Teacher training institutions submit the funding application.
Exchange semesters and internships for prospective teachers are applied for at the same time in one funding application.
Follow the following steps:
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1. Optional Agreements with partner institutions
- In order to enable your students to do an internship at a host school, you can conclude an agreement with the respective partner institution. In this agreement, you set out the guidelines for the collaboration
- If you do not yet have such an agreement in place and would like to conclude one, we will be happy to advise and support you. To the mail.
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2. Plan project
- Contact your partner institution(s) approximately one year before the submission deadline.
- Discuss the most important aspects of the collaboration with the partner institution, for example the type, duration, and number of planned activities.
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3. Submit funding application
- Submit a funding application once a year via our application platform. Please keep in mind the application deadline at the beginning of March.
- You apply for all activities that make up an internship and an exchange semester for prospective teachers in the same funding application.
- Indicate the partner institutions in the application as well as the type, duration, and the number of planned activities.
- It is important to us to also enable persons with disabilities or with physical, mental, or chronic diseases to participate. Therefore, we provide additional funding for persons with special needs, for which you can apply in the funding application. You may also submit a request for funding for special needs at a later stage during the project duration. You can find more information under Inclusion and equal opportunities.
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4. Contract and payment of funding amounts
- We will review your application once the deadlines has expired.
- You will receive the funding decision together with the contract for the number of approved activities. As a rule, the funding decision is issued within 60 days of the submission of the application.
- The project start date is 1 June of the relevant application year. Funded activities can take place between 1 June of the year of application and 30 September of the following year.
- Payment is made in accordance with the details in the contract. We will transfer the first installment (80% of the funding awarded) to you no later than 60 days after the institution has countersigned the contract.
- The host institution coordinates the payment of the funding amounts to the participants
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5. Planning and implementation of activities
- Plan the implementation of the approved activities together with the participating institutions: Dates, host teachers, supervision of students, and internship programme are to be determined.
- As the sending institution for your students you organise the internships in cooperation with the partner institutions. You are also responsible for promoting the mobilities and for preparing the students.
- You can use the notification of requirements for additional financial support for participants with physical or mental disabilities if you have not already done so in the funding application.
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6. Submit interim report
- With the interim report we can check whether the activities have taken place or will take place as planned and whether additional funding is needed. Depending on the assessment, the contractual funding amount is adjusted.
- Submit the interim report by the beginning of March of the following year.
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7. Submit final report
- Submit the final report by the end of November of the following year.
- In addition to the proof that the activities have been carried out as planned, we need information on the students' stays.
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8. Spread the word
- Inspire those around you and share your mobility experience as widely as possible. Be sure to mention the funding by Movetia. We provide a logo and text modules for this purpose.
- Share the content widely via your institution's channels, e.g. newsletter, social media, blog, etc. Thus, you can present your institution as an innovative, open-minded and attractive employer. You will also stimulate professional exchange in the education sector.
- Contact us to increase your reach, e.g. by placing a magazine article on our website.
You can find all the detailed information on national semester mobility for prospective teachers in our guide.
Q & A
What are my chances of getting an internship if I have not yet started my studies?
If you have not yet started your studies, you have the option of receiving funding as part of the so-called "Stage pré-études" programme. Contact the international office at your institution for more information.
Is there an age limit for participating in an internship?
No, anyone who is enrolled or has completed the diploma no longer than 12 months previously can take part.
Are there any special requirements for an internship at a Swiss school abroad?
We suggest you check with your institution's international office.
