Starting an internship is the first step toward a career: a student enters the office to gain valuable experience.
What Is an Internship/Student Placement During Studies?
A student internship or placement is an organized form of gaining professional experience during university studies. It is a period in which a student works at a selected company or institution to apply academic knowledge in practice and acquire new skills in a real work environment. In other words, an internship serves as a bridge between theory and practice—it allows students to experience what work in a profession related to their field of study actually looks like. In the context of IT programs, this means participating in real IT projects, learning company workflows, programming tools, and teamwork around code.
Polish universities offer both mandatory internships, included in the curriculum, and voluntary internships initiated by students themselves. Both types aim to broaden students’ horizons and better prepare them for entering the job market. Mandatory internships are usually shorter and follow university requirements, whereas additional voluntary internships allow students to gain extra experience and are often treated as an investment in their careers. Regardless of the form, a well-organized internship allows students to verify their interests—they can find out whether a profession or specialization truly suits them before taking a full-time job.
Are Internships Mandatory in Higher Education?
Is it possible to graduate without completing an internship? In Poland, much depends on the study program and the university. The law does not impose a universal requirement for internships, but most universities require completing a professional internship as a condition for graduation. This usually applies to first-cycle (bachelor’s/engineering) studies and long-cycle master’s programs—completion of the required internship is necessary to be admitted to the final thesis defense. In practice, at IT-related programs (both at universities and technical universities), students must complete about one month of internships, though the exact duration and timing depend on internal program guidelines.
There are, however, some differences. If a degree program has a practical profile, the required internship period may be longer—according to regulations, even 6 months at the bachelor’s level and 3 months at the master’s level. For general academic programs, universities set their own duration: often around 4–8 weeks for bachelor’s programs and 2–4 weeks for master’s programs. Some programs (particularly theoretical ones) may not require internships at all—in such cases internships are optional, though universities still encourage students to gain experience.
The mode of study also affects internship organization. Full-time students usually complete internships during the summer break or in blocks during the semester, while part-time students may have their internship recognized through their current job (if it matches the field of study) or may complete internships with flexible schedules (e.g., weekends or remote work). In every case, the detailed rules (duration, assessment criteria, required documents) are defined in the university’s internship regulations—it’s worth reviewing them early to ensure all requirements are met.
Benefits of Internships for IT Students
Completing an internship is not just a box to tick—it brings many tangible benefits, especially for IT students. The most important include:
Gaining experience and practical skills: Even the best labs and student projects cannot replace working on real IT projects. Internships allow students to apply theory in practice, learn professional tools and frameworks, and work with existing codebases. An IT student can see how academic concepts operate in a real development environment. Internships also teach soft skills, such as teamwork, client communication, and project methodologies—skills rarely mastered fully through lectures.
Building a professional network: During an internship, you meet people from the industry—mentors, developers, project managers. These connections may pay off later, for example through references or job leads. Networking is one of the most effective ways to “get a foot in the door” in IT. Many people got their first job thanks to contacts made during internships.
Strengthening your CV and gaining an edge on the job market: Internships often become the first serious CV entry for young developers. Employers value real experience—not just a diploma—and studies show that 78% of employers pay attention to internship experience when hiring graduates. Students who have completed internships find their first job several months sooner on average than those without such experience. With internship experience, you can talk during interviews about real tasks and projects, demonstrating initiative and industry awareness.
Opportunity for permanent employment: For many students, an internship becomes a gateway to their first job. Around 60% of companies offer permanent roles to their best interns. If you perform well, you may be offered a junior position. Even if not immediately, you will receive references that validate your skills. And when new recruitment opens, former interns are often welcomed as candidates.
Clarifying your career interests: Internships help you verify your expectations about IT work. You can discover whether you prefer software house environments with many projects, or the more stable corporate IT setting. Many students realize during internships that their interests lie elsewhere—for example, someone dreaming of programming may fall in love with data analysis or network administration. It’s better to make these discoveries early, before taking a full-time job. This helps you make conscious career decisions and avoid poor job choices.
How to Look for IT Internships?
Finding a good internship isn’t always easy, but there are many ways to access promising opportunities. For IT students, the following methods are especially helpful:
University Career Office: Often the first place to check. Career offices cooperate with companies and collect internship offers aligned with study programs. They also provide help with formalities, such as application documents and internship requirements. Universities frequently organize job fairs and career days, where companies present internship opportunities.
Internship/job listing platforms: The internet is full of opportunities—both on general job portals and student-focused websites. It’s worth regularly checking platforms such as Pracuj.pl, Indeed, LinkedIn (which has dedicated internship filters), or student sites like Students.pl. IT-focused platforms also help—for example, our site itcompare.pl often includes sections for junior and intern roles. Facebook and Discord groups (e.g., “Internship/IT Jobs – announcements”) are also useful. When browsing listings, pay attention to requirements (languages, technologies) and what the company offers in terms of learning—good internships clearly define tasks and skills to be gained.
Company websites and internship programs: If you have dream companies (big IT corporations, banks, software houses), check their career pages directly. Many large organizations run summer internship programs, recruiting students into various departments. Amazon, Google, Microsoft, IBM and others offer summer internships, often paid, lasting 2–3 months. Information appears on company websites and LinkedIn profiles—following them is a good idea. It also helps to have a LinkedIn profile and apply proactively—even if a company isn’t advertising an internship, you can send a message or email asking about the possibility.
Networking and referrals: In IT, referrals play a huge role. It is estimated that up to 70% of internships and junior jobs never reach public listings—candidates are found through networks. Build your connections: talk to lecturers (many have contacts in companies), older students, attend meetups, join student tech societies or communities (e.g., GDG, local programming meetups). Sometimes a simple social media post—“looking for an internship in X”—can bring leads. Don’t forget hackathons and coding competitions—they’re great for showing your skills and meeting companies scouting for talent.
International internship programs: Internships can also be completed abroad. For adventurous students, there are programs enabling internships overseas. The most popular is Erasmus+ Traineeships, which provides grants for living expenses while interning abroad. Student organizations such as IAESTE and AIESEC also help in arranging international internships, often providing formal or financial support. In IT, applying directly to international companies is also a good strategy—Google, Facebook, and Amazon offer summer internships open to students worldwide (highly competitive, but achievable—like the well-known case study of a PW student at Google). Such experience strengthens your CV and helps you stand out. Before going abroad, ensure your university will recognize the internship and complete all formal documents (usually a tripartite internship agreement).
What Do IT Interns Actually Do?
Many people wonder what tasks IT interns actually get. Is it just making coffee, or can you expect real challenges? It depends on the company, but well-organized internships in IT engage students in real projects (within their beginner skill level). Typical tasks for an IT intern include:
Programming and software development: Interns often receive small development tasks—such as writing a simple feature or fixing an existing module. These tasks are supervised by experienced developers who provide guidance. Interns learn company code standards, version control (Git), code review processes, and the overall development lifecycle.
Testing and debugging: Interns frequently assist with **software testing—**writing simple unit tests, manually testing new features, or reproducing bugs. This teaches them how to identify problems and understand quality assurance processes.
Supporting ongoing projects and administrative tasks: IT interns often support the team—preparing technical documentation, updating test databases, configuring development environments, or writing automation scripts. It’s less glamorous, but gives insight into the full project context.
Learning company tools and frameworks: Interns usually start with onboarding—learning processes, installing software, setting up the project. Senior developers help them get familiar with the technologies used. Mentors gradually assign more advanced tasks as students grow in competence.
Participating in team life: A critical part of internships is working within a team—attending daily stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives (for Agile teams), communicating with project managers or internal clients. Interns learn industry terminology, project workflows, and collaborative development practices. Some mentors involve interns in code reviews to teach good coding habits and reading others’ code.
It’s important to emphasize that good IT internships do not consist of making coffee. Companies that care about young talent prepare meaningful task plans so interns learn and the company benefits from their contributions. Responsibilities may start simple but grow with engagement. Outstanding interns often complete mini-projects independently, sometimes even shipping code to production—an exciting milestone for any student.
Summary
An internship or student placement is an excellent opportunity for aspiring IT professionals to take their first steps in the tech industry. For some it’s a mandatory part of their degree, for others a voluntary adventure—but almost always, when used well, it pays off. Internships allow you to gain invaluable experience, learn teamwork, and build connections that may open doors in the future. In Poland, most IT students sooner or later complete internships—whether as part of the curriculum or on their own initiative—and consistently emphasize how worthwhile this experience is.
If you’re an IT student, don’t hesitate to apply for internships. Whether it’s a small startup, a big corporation, or even an international company, each experience will help you understand what working in IT truly means. Remember that internships benefit both sides—you gain knowledge, and the company gains your fresh perspective and motivation. Approach internships with enthusiasm and initiative, and you’ll walk away with experience that will truly pay off in the future. Good luck!
Sources: Factual information and statistics cited in this article come from current student internship guides and reports, including the Uniperks educational portal (2025), guides from pracuj.pl, justjoin.it, and official regulations on student internships.