Frequently Asked Questions About Internship

Frequently Asked Questions About Internship

Voluntary Internship

Does the University provide social security insurance for Voluntary Internships? For voluntary internships, if the company/institution does not request insurance coverage from the university, the Internship Office is not notified.

However, if social security insurance is requested, the university covers it during the Fall, Spring, and Summer periods (from the day after the final exams until the start of the new academic term). For the SGK (Social Security Institution) Work Entry Declaration, the following documents must be sent to intern@sabanciuniv.edu before the internship starts:

Internship Acceptance Letter from the institution on official letterhead, stating the internship start and end dates.
The excel table containing student and internship information
Screenshot of the e-Government Eligibility Certificate. (For only Turkish Citizenship)

The Important Notes:

The university doesnot cover insurance during the academic term.
If taking courses during the Summer, the internship days should not overlap with course days.
The internship must be at least 3 workdays per week.

Is an Voluntary Internship counted as a Mandatory Internship?

No, a Voluntary Internship is not considered part of the Mandatory Internship program unless the student enrolls in the Mandatory Internship Course.

For more information on registering for the Mandatory Internship Course, you can check this link.

Does the university provide SGK insurance for Voluntary Internships during the academic term?

No, the university does not provide insurance during the academic term for Voluntary Internships.

Is there any document requested by the institution after completing an Voluntary Internship?

After completing a Voluntary Internship, there is no document requested by the university. However, it is recommended to obtain a Reference Letter from the company/institution for adding it to your CV.

Mandatory Internship Course

When and how do I register for the Mandatory Internship Course?

The Faculty Office (SR, FENS) announces the registration period for the internship courses via the Information System / Students portal. Students can register for the Mandatory Internship Course (BIO 395, CS 395, EE 395, IE 395, MAT 395, ME 395 / MGMT 300, CULT 300, ECON 300, IS 300, POLS 300, PSIR 300, PSY 300, VA 300) during the Spring semester registration period or add/drop dates.

For SBS and FASS Students: During the Fall semester Add/Drop period, students can register for the Mandatory Internship Course (MGMT 300, CULT 300, ECON 300, IS 300, POLS 300, PSIR 300, PSY 300, VA 300) for both Fall and Spring terms.

Where can I do my internship?

Students can carry out their mandatory internships in institutions under the supervision of the university internship advisors in the following institutions:

For FASS students:

A domestic institution/organization.
An international institution/organization.
An international university or
A domestic university outside of Sabancı University.

For SBS students:

A domestic institution/organization.
An international institution/organization.
An international NGO.
A domestic NGO.

For FENS students:

A domestic institution/organization.
An international institution/organization.
An international university.

Can I do an Academic Internship?

Yes. However, only students registered in FASS programs who meet the academic achievement criteria (students must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 by the end of the Fall semester) can do their internship in a research project supervised by a faculty member, either inside or outside of the university.

Are there prerequisites to register for the Mandatory Internship Course?

Yes, there are prerequisites to register for the Mandatory Internship Course, and these vary by faculty.

FENS Mandatory Internship Course Prerequisite: Completion of the PROJ 201 Project course and having completed 64 credits by the end of Fall semester (or the start of the Spring semester).
FASS Mandatory Internship Course Prerequisite: Completion of either PROJ 201 or PROJ 102 Project course.
SBS Mandatory Internship Course Prerequisite: Completion of PROJ 201 or PROJ 102 Project and ENG 300.

How is the Internship Instructor assigned?

The Internship Instructor is selected by the student when registering for the Mandatory Internship Course.

What is the minimum duration of the Mandatory Internship?

The minimum internship duration depends on the faculty:

FENS students: Minimum 40 workdays.
SBS/FASS students: Minimum 20 workdays.

Can the Mandatory Internship be done in different institutions?

Only FENS students can divide their internship period into two institutions if the initial internship period is shorter than 20 workdays. With the approval of the Internship Advisor, the remaining days can be completed at a different institution, as long as the total internship period is at least 20 workdays at one institution.

The remaining 10 business days can be completed at Sabancı University within in the same semester, provided that the minimum 30 business days are completed at company/institution.

For FASS and SBS students, the internship period cannot be divided.

When can I start my Mandatory Internship?

The earliest start date for the internship is after the end of the academic year, following the final exams, and it must be completed before the start of the new academic term.

How is the internship day calculated?

Bank holidays are not counted toward the internship period. Students cannot do their internship on days they have classes or exams.
Saturdays can be counted if the institution is working on that day
The internship must be at least 3 days a week.

Can I take courses during the summer while doing my Mandatory Internship?

Yes, you can take courses during the summer while completing your mandatory internship. However, students cannot do their internship on days when they have classes, exams, or recitations.

What if the internship firm is not listed in the Online Management System?

If the internship firm is not listed in the system, the student can click the "Firm/Institution not listed" option and enter the required information.

In the opened screen, all information related to the company/organization is entered and confirmed.

**The firm’s details will be approved within one business day.

How can a student who will participate in Erasmus+ Mobility do a mandatory internship?

Students registered for mandatory internship courses who do not have enough time to do their internship in the summer due to academic calendar differences in the country where they participate in the Erasmus+ Mobility; can do their internship after the last day specified for final exams in the Sabancı University academic calendar, and before the Spring Term course start dates at the university where they will start their Erasmus+ Mobility, provided that they complete their internship period in the same term. In this case, students must determine an internship instructor from the Faculty and have their instructor approve the internship project in writing via e-mail. After approval, they must inform the Internship Office for insurance entries.

Does the company need to complete any documents after the internship?

There is no internship booklet requirement at Sabancı University. The Internship Confirmation Form is sent by the Online Management System to the company once the internship details are entered. The company can approve the internship via the link provided in the email.

The Company/Institution Evaluation Form is sent to the institution by e-mail via the Online Management System during the week of the internship completion. The company/institution can evaluate the internship by logging in to the link in the e-mail with the username and password in the same e-mail.

After the company/institution evaluation, the student must also evaluate the company/institution.

Before the Evaluation Forms are completed, reports regarding the internship cannot be uploaded to the Online Management System.

How can the company/ institution where the internship is done approve the internship?

The Online Management System sends the internship approval email to the supervisor specified in the company/institution.

It can be approve by logging in with the username and password in the same email content using the link in the email content.

Can I take time off during my internship?

If you need to take leave for any reason (e.g., health reasons), the internship period must be extended to cover the days missed, ensuring the minimum required duration is completed before the new academic term begins.

The Updated Internship Information Form should be uploaded to the system, and the Internship Office should be notified to update the end date.

Can a deleted internship form be restored?

Any deleted internship form can be restored by recreating it in the system.

How do I update my internship days in the Online Management System?

Once the internship form is created, students cannot change the internship days. The Internship Office can only update the start and end dates. If changes are required, the internship form must be recreated.

How do I update the "Project Description" if it changes?

If the "Project Description" is changed after it has been approved, the student can update it in the system, and the Internship Instructor will receive a new approval request.

How do Double Major students complete their Mandatory Internship?

Students register for the internship courses of the major and double major diploma programs they are registered for via the “Information System” within the scope of their prerequisites.

The mandatory internship obligations of students registered for the Double Major Diploma Program; can be completed for both the Major and Double Major Diploma programs with a joint project in a single summer term, designed to be a combination of the mandatory summer internship obligations of the Major diploma program and the Double Major diploma program.

Students who successfully complete the joint internship earn ECTS credits for both internship courses.

Students who will do two separate internships can register for the internship courses of the diploma programs they are registered for in the same term or in different terms. It is possible to do two separate internships in the same term; however, both internship advisors approve via the Double Major OMS.

* Students who will do a joint internship must get approval from both Internship Instructor. If both Internship Instructor do not approve, the student who will do a joint internship cannot start student’s internship.

How long is the internship for Double Major students?

The internship duration for Double Major students is determined by the program that has the longer internship requirement. Bank holidays are not included in the internship duration, and it must be completed in the same summer period.

Double Major Internship Program Duration

FENS–FENS = Minimum 40 Business Days

FENS–FASS veya SBS= Minimum 40 Business Days

SBS-FASS= Minimum 20 Business Days