Internship, au pair and voluntary service
In brief
Internships, au-pair stays and voluntary service are different residence and activity purposes. Their requirements must not be treated as interchangeable.
Type of sources used
The page is based exclusively on the official sources listed below, reviewed on 19 August 2026.
Different purposes
A study-related internship EU has its own legal route under section 16e of the Residence Act, including requirements such as an internship agreement and a subject-matter link to the studies. Au-pair stays and the Federal Voluntary Service have separate requirements and responsible bodies. Evidence for one purpose does not automatically prove another.
Insurance and supporting evidence
Depending on the purpose, health insurance, an agreement or contract, financing and other evidence may be required. The exact list follows the official procedure and the competent mission.
Who decides
The mission or foreigners authority decides visa and residence matters. Internship host, host family or voluntary-service organisation manage their respective agreements. This website does not classify individual cases.
Questions about this page
- Are internship and au pair the same visa category?
- No. They are different purposes with different requirements.
- Does voluntary service use the same insurance rules as university study?
- Not automatically. The required cover must be checked for the specific purpose.
Where to verify this authoritatively
Always confirm the individual case with the competent mission, authority or institution using the linked official source.
Sources
- Visa for a study-related internship EU
- Publisher:
- German Federal Government – Make it in Germany
- Classification:
- Official source
- Scope:
- Official information on study-related internships
- Reviewed on:
- Au pair in Germany
- Publisher:
- Federal Foreign Office
- Classification:
- Official source
- Scope:
- Official references and information on the au-pair visa process
- Reviewed on:
- Federal Voluntary Service
- Publisher:
- Federal Foreign Office
- Classification:
- Official source
- Scope:
- Official information for foreign participants and residence status
- Reviewed on:
- Applying for a visa
- Publisher:
- German Federal Government – Make it in Germany
- Classification:
- Official source
- Scope:
- Official overview of the application route and the bodies involved
- Reviewed on:
Note
General source-based information only. No legal, visa or insurance advice and no individual assessment.