Your first day at a Berlin workplace will be easier to manage if you know where to arrive, whom to ask for and what the team expects you to bring. Those details can seem minor beside flights and accommodation, but they are the ones you will use immediately. Get the practical arrangements in writing while there is still time to resolve questions.

Before starting a Germany internship for international students, clarify the placement itself. Ask about the department, likely responsibilities and working language, rather than assuming that every international programme operates in the same way. The language used during recruitment may not describe every meeting or customer interaction you will encounter.

Before you travel

Read the placement agreement and check the dates against your travel plans. Establish the working pattern, office address and supervisor’s contact details. If your university needs to approve the placement or assess work completed there, organise that process before arrival, including any forms the employer must sign.

Check the official entry and internship requirements that apply to your nationality and circumstances. An offer of a placement does not, by itself, settle permission to undertake it. Use the relevant German authorities’ guidance and ask your programme provider which arrangements they support. Keep copies of the agreed placement details alongside your travel documents.

For Berlin itself, research the journey from your accommodation to the workplace. Use the exact address in the transport planner and allow for walking between platforms or from the final stop. A trial journey before your first working day can reveal which entrance you need and how long the route feels with a bag.

Prepare a set of essentials:

• The office address, named arrival contact and an offline copy of your route.
• Any documents requested by the employer or your university.
• Suitable clothing based on the team’s guidance and the season of your stay.

Check the conditions of the transport ticket you buy. BVG advises that paper tickets requiring validation must be stamped, while digital tickets must be activated before travel if purchase has not already activated them. Learn the process before relying on a rushed purchase on your first morning.

During the first working week

Ask how the team assigns tasks and where completed work should go. A clear understanding of the shared folders, messaging tools and approval process helps you contribute without sending drafts to the wrong place. Find out who can answer questions when your supervisor is unavailable.

When given an unfamiliar task, repeat back the expected output and deadline. You can then identify what you need to learn before beginning. Keep questions together when appropriate, but raise a problem promptly if it prevents progress or could affect someone else’s work.

Arrange a conversation about feedback early in the placement. Ask what a useful first week would look like and when to review your progress.

Keep a record of the skills you practise, using descriptions that respect confidentiality. Before saving screenshots, client material or finished work for a portfolio, obtain permission and establish what may be shared outside the organisation.