Internship & placement

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A placement involves the placement of a student in a temporary work or research environment to enable them to gain extremely valuable experience that will benefit them in the long term.

Placements are sourced by outside agencies as well as university departments, and most opportunities are advertised through the internet or university career centres. In fact, most universities have career centres that will support and assist students with placement applications, as well as assistance in finding work that compliments their studies or a permanent position following their graduation.

There are many types of placement: work placements, school placements and student exchanges. Some companies have placement departments to help integrate new hires into the company. They may also help with paperwork, especially if the candidate is from a different country.

Placements are relatively new to the Czech business environment and many Czech companies are now trying to implement them, as part of their strategy to bring in newly qualified employees. Many companies now attend University open days across the country in order to attract students. These open days are useful to both the companies and the students, because it gives both parties the opportunity to discuss the possibilities of working together and to define expectations.

Internship and placement advice

The practicalities for a local student will be different to those of a foreign student. Local students will probably only need to discuss salary and duration for a work placement, whereas a foreign student will be concerned with many more issues including, accommodation, work permit (if needed), insurance, health care, banking and so on.

Social security and European health insurance card

Students going to a different country for study placement or work placement should bring with them a valid health insurance card. The national health system in the Czech Republic is quite good, but there are a growing number of private hospitals. If you should have an accident whilst you are in the Czech Republic and emergency help is needed, 112 is the number for multilingual assistance to contact the Ambulance Service, Fire Service or the Police. The ambulance service is also contactable at the 155 number, but this is for assistance in Czech only. For less severe medical problems and over-the-counter medication, there are local pharmacies that can assist with minor ailments and most Czech Pharmacists speak English to some degree. “Lekarna” is the Czech name for chemist or pharmacist.

There are three options for paying for hospital treatment in the Czech Republic: cash, credit card or medical insurance. As the Czech Republic is a member of the European Union, those coming from another EU member state are covered upon presentation of an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), form E111 or Provisional Certificate. Further information is provided by the Centre of International Reimbursements at

  • www.cmu.cz (Czech, English, Spanish, Italian, German)

Safety

  •  Emergency telephone numbers are, 155 for the ambulance service (local, usually communication in Czech only) and 112 (international, multilingual access to ambulance, fire and police services), 158 for the Police.
  • The electricity voltage in the country is 220 V; 50 Hz.
  • Tap water is perfectly safe to drink.
  • The speed limits are 50 km/h within inhabited areas; 90 km/h outside inhabited areas, 110km/h for motorway and 130 km/h on highways.

Do l need a visa?

Citizens of European Union are allowed to travel between EU member states and the Czech Republic without first obtaining a visa. Residents of the United States are allowed tovisit the Czech Republic for a maximum of 90 days without requiring a visa, unless they intend to work or study. Most visitors from the rest of the world will need to apply for a visa, except where there is an agreement in place between the two countries.

Temporary residence permits are available to those who wish to remain in the Czech Republic longer than 90 days and who are able to meet certain criteria required by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Internship and placement salary

A salary should be agreed before the start of the placement and that agreement is between you and the company. Some countries have a minimum hourly rate salary that is applicable to most or all employment situation. You should also consult with the company about your tax situation, if the company will pay income tax or social security tax including health and benefits.

Internship and placement accommodation

Most local universities have dormitories or hostels available to both local and foreign students. This accommodation is generally cheaper than renting a private flat. Some companies might also have cheaper accommodation for their employees as some sort of company benefits to compensate for less salary.

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