An internship in Australia appeals to many students, but it often falls at the visa question. If you book without clarifying it, the activity may not be permitted or your insurance cover may be missing. This guide shows what to check for a placement abroad: visa, health insurance, recognition by your university and funding.
Short answer: For an internship in Australia you need a visa that covers exactly this activity. A travel visa or the ETA usually does not permit employment. For workplace-based internships, Home Affairs names the Training visa (subclass 407), which requires a recognised sponsor and, according to an archived page, lasts up to two years. Students with a student visa (subclass 500) need OSHC. Stand: October 2026.
The key points at a glance
- An internship needs a visa category that covers exactly this activity. A travel visa is usually not enough.
- With a student visa, OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) is compulsory. Other visas have their own requirements, which you check with Home Affairs.
- Whether your German student health insurance continues depends on the type of internship and must be clarified before you leave.
- Private travel health insurance should clearly regulate repatriation and pre-existing conditions.
- Funding can come from Auslands-BAföG (overseas student financing), the DAAD or a scholarship, not from a fixed flat rate.
Which visa do you need for an internship in Australia?
Australia distinguishes strictly by purpose and duration of stay. Depending on the activity, different categories may be suitable for internships. If you are enrolled at an Australian educational institution, you usually use the student visa. If you work on site without enrolment, you often fall into a different category. For this reason it is worth checking before you accept a placement.
| Option | Typical case | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Travel visa or ETA | Holiday, visit, observation | Usually does not permit employment. Mostly unsuitable for an internship. |
| Student visa (subclass 500) | Studies at an Australian university, internship as part of the degree | OSHC health cover is compulsory. |
| Training visa (subclass 407) | Workplace training or an internship that builds skills in your own field | A recognised sponsor nominates you, and the nomination requirements depend on the type of training. According to the archived page (2018), up to two years, paid under Australian employment law unless voluntary. Check current details with Home Affairs. |
| Working Holiday (subclass 417) | Young adults who travel and work for a limited time. For Germans, the age range 18 to 35 has applied since 1 July 2026 | Not an internship visa. The scope of work follows the visa conditions, see our guide Working Holiday Australia. |
Visa fees change regularly, and according to reports there was a general increase on 1 July 2026. We therefore do not state a binding amount. What counts is the Home Affairs fee schedule on the day you apply, which you should check shortly before booking.
Do you need health insurance in Australia?
For students with a student visa, OSHC is compulsory. It applies for the entire duration of the visa and usually covers medical treatment and inpatient stays. It does not replace every benefit, however, and repatriation is often only partly regulated. Read the scope of cover yourself in the policy schedule.
Regardless of the visa, check how your German protection looks during your stay. Statutory health insurance covers costs outside the EU only to a limited extent. More on insurance status during an internship can be found in our guide Private Health Insurance for Internships: What You Need to Know. The basics are set out in section 5 SGB V.
- Ask your health insurer in writing whether your student insurance continues during the internship. Include the internship contract and your study regulations.
- Clarify whether the internship is prescribed by your study regulations. This largely determines your insurance status.
- Compare private travel health insurance by benefits: repatriation, pre-existing conditions, excess and term. Look at the price only after that.
How do you fund an internship in Australia?
An internship in Australia is expensive, because flights, accommodation and insurance add up. Three routes are common for students. Auslands-BAföG can also cover internships if they are part of your training. The DAAD funds internships abroad through its own programmes, whose conditions change with each call. Scholarships from your university or foundations are the third route. An overview is given in our guide Funding Study Abroad: BAföG, Erasmus and Scholarships.
Whether Erasmus+ is available for your partner university depends on the programme. Your International Office knows which funding line applies to your plan.
Example calculation for twelve weeks
Assumption: twelve weeks of internship, accommodation and living costs together at 1,200 euros per month, flight 1,100 euros, visa fee 500 euros, insurance for the period 300 euros. These figures are chosen freely and serve only as a guide.
| Item | Assumption | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and living costs | 3 months at 1,200 euros | 3,600 euros |
| Flight | Return flight | 1,100 euros |
| Visa fee | Assumed, check the current amount with Home Affairs | 500 euros |
| Insurance | Assumed for the period | 300 euros |
| Total | 5,500 euros |
Which deadlines should you plan for?
Visa applications need lead time, and processing times vary. Plan the application, insurance and flight so that bookings become binding only after the visa is granted. Recognition by your university also takes time. Ask early which documents you need.
What counts for recognition in your studies?
The internship should fit your degree. Check whether the examination regulations require a minimum duration, an activity report or a certificate. The certificate from the Australian company must state the tasks and duration clearly. If you clarify these points early, you avoid problems with recognition.
How does pay affect the visa and insurance?
Whether an internship is paid affects the visa type, its tax treatment and your social insurance in Germany. An unpaid activity is not automatically permitted. The authority assesses the activity actually carried out, not only the contract. Before you sign, have the International Office and, if necessary, Home Affairs confirm what is permissible.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for an internship in Australia?
In most cases, yes. A travel visa or the ETA usually does not permit employment, and in practice an internship is often treated as work. Home Affairs decides which category fits, based on your activity, your enrolment and the duration.
Do I have to take out health insurance for Australia?
With a student visa, OSHC is compulsory. For other visas, the requirements depend on the category. Regardless, private travel health insurance with repatriation cover is sensible, because medical treatment in Australia can be expensive.
Does my student health insurance continue during the internship?
That depends on whether the internship is compulsory and how it is paid. The basics are set out in section 5 SGB V. Only your health insurer can give a binding answer, so a written enquiry before booking is worthwhile.
Can Erasmus+ fund the internship in Australia?
That depends on your programme and your partner university. Ask your International Office which funding line is available for your plan.
Where can I find reliable visa information?
Binding information comes from Home Affairs. The Federal Foreign Office also provides information on entry and safety. Guides such as this one only give an overview, because the rules change.
What to do now
- Clarify with your university whether the internship is recognised as part of your studies and which documents are missing.
- Check with Home Affairs which visa fits your specific activity, and note the current fees.
- Ask your health insurer whether your insurance continues during the internship, then compare private travel health insurance.
- Book flights and accommodation only after the visa and insurance are clarified.
Related guides
- Student Internship: Minimum Wage and Social Insurance
- Private Health Insurance for Internships: What You Need to Know
- Funding Study Abroad: BAföG, Erasmus and Scholarships
- Private travel health insurance per month: guide values by region
- Erasmus Funding Rates 2026/27: Deadlines Explained
Sources: Home Affairs, Training visa (subclass 407): occupational training types (last updated 10 March 2026), Home Affairs (archive), Training visa (subclass 407), as of 17 October 2018, Home Affairs, Working Holiday Maker programme: latest news (retrieved October 2026), SGB V, section 5 (as of October 2026), DAAD, funding for internships abroad (undated).
Stand: October 2026. This guide is information, not individual advice.
