IAESTE is an exchange programme matching top level, forward thinking employers with the best engineering, technology, science and architecture students from around the world. IAESTE host employers provide training experiences to top STEM students from across the globe, without having to deal with cumbersome administration. This gives employers the opportunity to diversify their workforce and develop new international business opportunities by hosting skilled university students trough the IAESTE programme.
Why become an IAESTE host employer?
- These students are talented. IAESTE interns come from top universities around the world, are highly motivated to provide value and improve their skills, and possess excellent English skills. IAESTE students come from all STEM disciplines, including:
- Computer Science & Software Development
- Engineering (Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Environmental, Industrial)
- Bio-engineering
- Architecture
- Sciences
- These students are talented. IAESTE interns come from top universities around the world, are highly motivated to provide value and improve their skills, and possess excellent English skills. IAESTE students come from all STEM disciplines, including:
- We find the best candidate based on your requirements. IAESTE interns range from Bachelors through Masters, all the way up to PhD-level. Whether it is knowledge of specific languages, programming languages, laboratory techniques, or software packages, IAESTE’s access to a large pool of talented students ensures that your candidate will possess the skillset required to succeed.
- Our hosts love it! IAESTE host companies provide over 3,000 traineeships to STEM students across the world each year. Host companies range from university research groups and multinational corporations, to startups and small private firms. IAESTE interns can help your company:
- Develop cross-cultural communication skills
- Explore potential new markets
- Recruit talent for an international office
- Connect with international universities, companies, and students
- Gain the competitive edge: train future engineering, technology, science, and architecture leaders who can advance your company’s goals on a global scale.
IAESTE interns are highly motivated and in an ideal position to work out short-term projects or to further develop ongoing ones. These students bring fresh ideas and often innovative solutions to the workplace.
- Our hosts love it! IAESTE host companies provide over 3,000 traineeships to STEM students across the world each year. Host companies range from university research groups and multinational corporations, to startups and small private firms. IAESTE interns can help your company:
- International hosting without the hassle.
- IAESTE takes care of the administration so that the intern and the company can focus fully on the content of the internship. In Belgium, the foreign IAESTE interns are exempt from a work permit. The interns take care of their own insurance and travel expenses.
- IAESTE will manage the evaluation and selection process (including coordinating contact with the student and Skype interviews), assist your intern with the housing search, and more.
- International hosting without the hassle.
- Send Belgian students abroad. Since IAESTE’s core program is exchange, each placement of a student in Belgium allows one Belgian student to obtain an international internship abroad.
The hosting process
Programme timeline
- Submit a request: Fill out an application form on the IAESTE Exchange Platform. As a host company, you will submit a description of the internship position as well as what type of student you are searching for. The employer guide can help you with this, but you can always contact us if you encounter problems or require clarification.
- Review: IAESTE Belgium will send you the application of the proposed student.
- Selection: The host employer can decide whether to accept the candidate after carefully reviewing the application. IAESTE will help you get in touch with the student to arrange a Skype interview (optional).
- Internship: The internship can last anywhere from 6 weeks to a full year. IAESTE arranges the intern’s pickup, housing and integration into local culture. Most internships take place during the summer (July, August & September), but please do contact us if you have internships available at other times as well.
Costs & Fees
IAESTE Belgium is a non profit-organization and offers their services completely free of charge! We rely on our loyal sponsors and donations to keep us going. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, don’t hesitate to contact us!
That being said, the students can’t live for free. Therefore we require a minimum allowance of €300/week, at least half of which has to be paid out in cash, the other half can be payed out in free accommodation. Note that this is the absolute minimum, paying out a higher wage will make the internship more attractive, increasing the pool of interested and motivated students. Also note that this allowance is different from a wage, and is therefore tax-free.
IAESTE Belgium does not handle the student’s payout (arrangements can be made for university research groups). It is up to the company to pay the student correctly. Failure to honour the agreement without valid reason will result in a future ban of any IAESTE services.
| Program Fee | Free |
| Student's allowance | €300/week (minimum) |
Eligibility
- The host must be an established business in operation for at least one year and be able to provide proof if requested (e.g. by providing a KBO Certificate).
- The host must not use the intern/trainee program for ordinary employment or staffing and must not displace local workers with international interns/trainees.
- The host must provide continuous on-site supervision of participants and their program activities and provide feedback to facilitate the participant’s development.
- The host is expected to provide the participant with a “real life” experience in his or her career field as normally practiced, including exposure to various aspects of the business or occupation. Activities should be designed with the participant’s career level, field of study, and interests in mind. Programs should be clearly defined and correspond with the expectations, requirements, and activities specified in the training plan.
- The host must abide by all federal and local labour and wage laws. Interns provided by the IAESTE programme are not required to obtain a work permit. At least half of the compensation has to be payed out in cash.
- The host should provide orientation upon arrival on site to ensure the participant is prepared for participation in the programme and clearly explain company rules, policies, and any benefits to which the participant is entitled.