Setting up an Internship in Italy

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The University of Trento promotes internships as an important opportunity to connect the university with the world of work.

An internship in Italy does not constitute an employment relationship as such, but nonetheless the procedures involved in setting up an internship, established by law to protect both interns and companies, must be respected.

The minimum time required to start an internship in Italy is usually 15 working days.

Internships always involve three actors: the host company, the intern (UniTrento students or graduates) and the promoter (University of Trento).

The University of Trento acts as promoter for the internships of its students and its recent graduates (those who have graduated within the last 12 months).

Setting up an internship in Italy involves three main stages, to be carried out online by the host company:

accessing the Esse3 Internships and Jobs platform
signing the Agreement
activating the internship
- with a student
- with a graduate

Accessing the Esse3 Internships and Jobs platform

To set up an internship in Italy you must follow the online procedure on the Esse3 Internships and Jobs platform. The host company (whether public or private) must therefore first of all access the platform.

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A guide to registration is available. To reiterate, registration by the host company generates a username and password reserved for the company contact who carried out the registration process.
Companies which register are invited to read the platform Terms of use (available for download).

Signing the Agreement

Before setting up an internship in Italy, the host company must sign an agreement with the University. If hosts already have an agreement which is in force and set up on the Esse3 Internships and Jobs platform, they can proceed directly to the internship activation phase.
To set up an agreement for internship in Italy, the following steps are required:

Log on to the Esse3 Internships and Jobs platform,
Click on “Request a new agreement” in the Companies>Agreement section
Attach the completed and signed Letter of Acceptance on the platform.

Once the original has been prepared by the Office, the Agreement will be digitally signed and sent via certified email (Pec). The legal representative must put his digital signature on the same document and return it from the host company/entity Pec address to the University Pec address. Receipt of the digitally counter-signed agreement is a pre-condition to setting up the internships.

Different ways of signing must be agreed in advance with the Office.

The University’s certified email address is ateneo [at] pec.unitn.it. You can review the content of the agreement by downloading a facsimile.
Internship agreements usually last for 2 years, at the end of which they have to be renewed.

Please note
Public administrations are invited to contact the office to define the procedures for signing the agreement. Only for public bodies it is possible to sign an agreement valid only for students and not for graduates..

Setting up an internship in Italy with a student

The activation of the internship starts with the insertion of the training project by the host company/entity within the Esse3 Internship and Jobs platform.

The procedure for variations, suspensions, interruptions and closure of the internship is illustrated at this link.

It is the responsibility of the trainee to inform himself in advance of any specific constraints and requirements necessary for the activation of the internship provided for by his Department / Center internship regulations.

Failure to comply with these constraints and / or requirements could result in delays in the activation of the internship or the impossibility of activation itself.

Please note: The accident insurance and the Third Party liability insurance coverage for the trainee student is borne by UniTrento.

The phases are as follows:

First action

The host company uploads the proposed internship to Esse3 Internships and Jobs;
The prospective intern finds a university supervisor, inserts their name and accepts the proposed internship on Esse3;
The prospective intern downloads the internship proposal from Esse3 and shares it with the University supervisor (and, where required, the Internship Delegate at his/her Department/Centre);
The University supervisor (and/or, the Internship Delegate) assesses the validity of the proposal and its suitability and sends an email indicating his/her acceptance of the proposed internship to Job Guidance, together with any amendments to be made to the proposal;
Job Guidance enables the student to download the definitive internship proposal;
The prospective intern, having obtained the required signatures, sends or delivers the original internship proposal to the Job Guidance Office.

During the Internship

Both the host company and the intern may contact the Office, to indicate any problems or difficulties.
In cases of extension, interruption or changes to the proposed internship, an email communication must be sent in advance to the Job Guidance Office, with a copy to the Company and University supervisors, setting out the relevant dates and the reasons for the request.

At the end of the Internship

The host completes the end-of-internship evaluation survey and Part 1 of the Certificate and sends copies of both documents, signed and stamped, to the intern or to Job Guidance
The intern completes the end-of-internship evaluation survey and, if required by the regulations governing it, writes a report on the activity undertaken during internship

Course on Health and Safety in the workplace

Safety at Work training is mandatory by law and must be provided by employer (host company). However, the University of Trento provides for all those involved in internships the possibility to attend, online, the Course on Health and Safety in the workplace - workers' general training.
If needed, those who are interested can also ask to attend the course on Health and Safety in the workplace - workers' specific risk training (low risk for office activities).

Relevant National Legislation:

Law no. 196 - 1997
Ministerial Decree no. 142 - 1998
Circular of 15 July 1998

Activating an internship for a graduate

The host company uploads the internship project on Esse3 Internships and Jobs platform.

Please note: postgraduate internships can only be activated within 12 months after graduation and last normally maximum 6 months (with exceptions according to regional legislations).

Allowed activation times:

Bachelor's degree: 30 days after graduation
Master's degree and five-year degree: 15 days after graduation

Regional/Provincial legislations regulate postgraduate internships especially with regard to the number of active internships within the company and the economic compensation provided.

INAIL (National Insurance Institution for Accidents at Work) and the compulsory communications are in charge of the host company (a copy must be also sent to jobguidance [at] unitn.it). The economic compensation is also due by the company.

Internship activation

The Host Company uploads the internship in Esse3, section Internships and Jobs, matching graduate’s matriculation number and internship.
The graduate finds a University supervisor, add his/her name and accepts the internship on Esse3 Internships and Jobs or avails him/herself of a supervisor from the Administration;
The graduate downloads the internship draft from Esse3 and shares it with the University supervisor;
The University supervisor confirm the internship contents and its suitability and either emails to jobguidance [at] unitn.it his/her approval or modification request;
Job Guidance enables the graduate to download the final internship project;
The Host company handles the compulsory communication and sends a copy of UNILAV to jobuidance [at] unitn.it within 24 hours before the internship starts;
The graduate collects the three signatures and sends the document to jobguidance [at] unitn.it.

Please note that it is necessary to indicate in the internship project if the internship will be fully/partially remote, specifying any additional addresses.

During the internship

Both host company and trainee may contact the Job Guidance Office and have a discussion on topics of their interest..
In cases of internship extension, interruption or changes, an email must be sent in advance by the trainee to the Job Guidance Office, keeping in Cc both Company and University supervisors, briefly explaining the reasons of the request.