FAQ on Research Internships and IDM system

We offer high quality internships where you can gain experience in the field of research in a company and gain a variety of ‘insights’ that you cannot get at university, thus laying the groundwork for your further development as a researcher. In addition, as a project officially approved by the universities, you can receive support from a coordinator at each university.

No, in most cases. Our internships are for educational purposes. Thus, companies do not pay you, although any costs associated with internships are usually covered. However, there might be some cases where you are getting paid. Check each internship theme posted on IDM for further information.

It depends. There are many international students who have participated in internships already not only because they were expected to have a global perspective, but also (and more often) because they had excellent abilities and bright motivations. However, there might be cases where you cannot participate in an internship due to visa restrictions, language requirements, and national security regulations. Please consult your university coordinator for each case. They will be happy to help you out.

Set your clear goal in line with the purpose of your internship. After you get accepted, we recommend you know what skills and knowledge are required beforehand by contacting the company. Don’t forget to equip yourself with business manners. Terms and conditions should be checked in the contract before the internship takes place. Some universities offer the opportunity for pre-internship training sessions. Ask your coordinator about it, and join them.

Our internships are usually on a rolling admission basis unless otherwise particularly specified. This means that even if the deadline is articulated months ahead, the selection process starts as soon as your application is submitted. However, starting your internship right after the application is practically impossible because a contract would be made between the university and the company after you get accepted. Therefore, we highly recommend you apply at least two months before the intended time of internship initiation. In case your university has already reached a contract with the company, this procedure won’t apply. Ask your coordinator about each case.

No. Although the internship participation does not guarantee your job, it will give you a deeper understanding of the company’s research and culture, and the experience will help you to consider your career path. On the other hand, the company can also carefully check your abilities and attitude. This mutual understanding can be advantageous if you wish to find a job at the internship company after the internship.

Each company has a different solution, but generally speaking, accommodations are to be provided. Consult your coordinator for each case. Also, some internships can be conducted online. Terms and conditions on each internship theme can be checked on IDM.

There are many students in STEM fields. Also, many of them are 1^st-year master’s students or 1^st-year doctoral students.

1^st-year master’s students, and 1^st and 2^nd -year doctoral students stand out. More than 50 per cent of interns are doctoral students or post-doctoral researchers. Many interns study mechanical engineering, chemistry, and theoretical sciences (mathematics and physics).

Although two months or longer is recommended, many people do not have much time available in practice. In those cases, it is possible to implement the program within two weeks to one month. For master’s students, about half of all cases are carried out within one to two months. Doctoral students tend to carry it out over a more extended period. Of course, it is also possible to have an internship of three to six months or even longer if the wishes and conditions of both the student and the company are met.

The first step is to clarify the purpose of participating in an internship. C-ENGINE offers a wide variety of programs to meet the various needs of students, such as “I want to delve deeper into my field of specialization”, “I want to see how useful my knowledge will be in society”, or “I want to broaden my perspective as a researcher”.

The IDM system allows you to browse the internship themes posted by the companies. It is a good idea to look at the various themes and decide on your application after consulting with your coordinator and supervisor about what you can and want to do.

They provide detailed support to ensure that the internship is successful by serving as a conduit between students (and their supervisors) and companies, including setting the contents, coordinating the timing and schedule, holding meetings in advance and communicating during the internship, and following up after the participation. Please consult the coordinator at your university!

First, register with the IDM system to see the available internship themes. If there is an internship theme you are interested in or a company that does not have a theme listed but you are interested in, feel free to talk to your supervisor or university coordinator.

You can select ‘disclosure’ for each piece of information you wish to disclose, and the items you disclose will be made available to member companies and the relevant people at your university. Highly sensitive information (e-mail address, address, etc.), which you may not choose disclosure/nondisclosure, will only be disclosed to your supervisor at your university, and when you apply for an internship, it will only be disclosed to that company individually at the stage where you proceed to an interview.

No. The companies that have viewed your profile cannot contact you from their side unless you apply for their internship. When they want to communicate with you, they will first contact a university coordinator or supervisor. If any unlikely events of miscommunication or mistreatment would happen, the IDM system automatically notifies your coordinator to ensure a quick follow-up.

You can change your address. You need to tell a coordinator at your university to change your supervisor’s information. You cannot change your email address. If you want to use a new email address, you need to create a new account on the IDM system. To close your account with an old email address, please consult the C-ENGINE admin office via the inquiry box on the IDM system.

You do not need to register your supervisor’s information to create an account. If you do not have your supervisor, a coordinator at your university or the C-ENGINE admin office can act on their behalf. When applying for an internship, it is mandatory to have your coordinator, so please get in touch with us, and we will discuss this issue with the person in charge at your university. The ‘supervisor’ registered on the IDM system does not necessarily have to be a teacher. It may be an administrative staff member in your faculty.

Yes. On details of each theme, there is an anonymous question board where you can post your questions. Questions and answers will be published in the system, so please do not post any personal information.

Yes. If you put the internship theme on your list of interests, you can ask the company representative questions about that. We also suggest you discuss specific terms with the company representative through your supervisor.

No. You cannot apply for internships with the expired deadline. They might be a good reference for applying for similar internship themes.

The company representative who posts the internship theme is notified that you put it on the list. However, they do not contact you directly because of that. If they wish to contact you, they first contact the university coordinator or your supervisor. In other cases, your action cannot be identified by any university members.

They keyword-search for students based on the disclosed information of students whom might be added to the list. If you want to be added, we encourage you to write in detail about yourself, such as your research and overseas experiences.

Please contact us via the communication box in that system or email us. Thank you.