How to Compensate an Intern?

Most students pursuing higher education must complete an internship to validate their degree. This is an opportunity for them to transition from theory to practice and integrate into the professional world. But what about intern compensation? In this article, we aim to answer all your questions on the topic!

Internships in Belgium

"Academic" internships in Belgium are, for the most part, unpaid. Universities and university colleges provide students with an internship agreement that does not include any remuneration. Internships in Belgium are primarily considered a learning experience and an essential stepping stone for students entering the workforce. As a result, it is generally not considered necessary to compensate interns. Companies that host interns are seen as providing them with the opportunity to develop and strengthen their skills throughout the duration of their internship.

However, there are some ways to provide financial compensation to students:

• The employer can cover travel, meals, or miscellaneous expenses so that the intern does not have to bear additional costs during their internship.
• The employer can hire the student as a part-time worker for one or more days per week. While it may not be possible to pay the student under their internship agreement, it is entirely legal to create a student contract and employ them as a student worker! In this case, a portion of the intern’s hours can be declared as paid work under a student contract.
• For non-profit organizations (ASBLs), reimbursement of expenses is possible when the tasks performed are considered voluntary work.

French Interns

Unlike in Belgium, French companies are required to pay students for internships lasting longer than two months. This corresponds to 44 days at 7 hours per day, meaning that compensation is required starting from the 309th hour of the internship. Below this duration, financial compensation is not mandatory. However, this compensation is not technically a salary. Its official term is the minimum internship allowance (gratification minimale). The amount of this allowance must be specified in the internship agreement and approved by all three parties involved: the student, the employer, and the academic institution. The hourly rate for this allowance is typically €4.05/hour.

French interns may also benefit from access to the company cafeteria and meal vouchers. Additionally, employers are legally required to reimburse half of the intern's travel expenses.

When Is the Best Time to Recruit Interns?

It’s a fact, September, October, and November are the months with the highest traffic on the "Internships" pages of Student.be. This period is undoubtedly the best time to recruit interns and ensure you find profiles that match your needs!

The table above shows the number of visits per month to the internship section on Student.be.

These figures align with the internship periods required by business faculties at major universities in the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, which mainly take place in the second semester (see below for more details). Students must, in most cases, submit their internship agreement to their faculty before the end of November. This explains why the most active internship search period occurs in September, October, and November.

If you have any questions or would like to receive a customized pricing offer, feel free to contact us!