GIZ — the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit — is offering a six-month paid internship in its International Services Division, Africa Team, based in Eschborn, Germany. The position runs from 01 February to 31 July 2027, comes with a gross monthly stipend of €2,349, and requires excellent French as well as English. Applications must be submitted in French.
GIZ and 50 Years of German Development Cooperation
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federally owned German development organisation with more than 50 years of experience implementing development policy goals worldwide. As a company of the German Federal Government, GIZ supports partner organisations in 120 countries across a diverse range of projects.
🌐 GIZ's stated mission is a better life for everyone, and for its employees that translates into purposeful tasks: working on projects with direct impact across health, education, governance, infrastructure, energy and many other sectors in countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and beyond.
🤝 The organisation employs specialists from a wide range of disciplines and national backgrounds, bringing together expertise from Germany and from the partner countries in which it operates.
GIZ International Services: The Commercial Business Area
Within GIZ, the International Services Division sits inside GIZ's business area GIZ International Services. This unit extends GIZ's work beyond Germany's bilateral development cooperation mandate: it offers GIZ's experience and know-how in the form of results-oriented services on the international market.
📋 In practice, this means competing for contracts from large international clients: the European Commission, the World Bank and other donors. The team responds to calls for proposals, prepares bids, and when successful, launches and implements the awarded projects.
🏆 Bid preparation in this environment is technically demanding. Each tender comes with specific eligibility criteria, evaluation frameworks and documentation requirements set by the donor. Working inside this unit gives an intern direct exposure to how international development contracts are structured, competed for and won.
The Africa Team: Portfolio, Countries and Thematic Areas
The Africa Team is one of the core units within GIZ International Services. It responds to calls for proposals from the EU, World Bank and other donors on a wide range of topics in the region. Donor-specific bids on various topics are prepared and placed in competition with other organisations. When bids succeed, the team launches and manages the resulting projects.
🗺️ The Africa Team is currently implementing projects in eleven countries across the continent: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania.
🌱 Active project themes span: Rural development, Education, Energy, Health, Infrastructure, Governance, Peace and security
What the Intern Will Do
The intern joins the Africa Team to support both project management and project acquisition. Tasks will include:
🔍 Supporting the project managers and the regional director in project acquisition and bid preparation in the tender business, with a particular focus on tenders for the European Commission
📈 Market research and screening of new project opportunities in the tender business
📚 Thematic research and preparation of information and background materials
📧 Communication with other GIZ departments
🛠️ Supporting project managers in the implementation of ongoing projects
📁 Administrative and organisational support of the team
────────────────────────────────────────
🌍 All opportunities in Germany →
────────────────────────────────────────
Academic Background and Eligibility
Candidates must be enrolled as students at the time of application, or must have graduated no more than six months before the internship start date of 01 February 2027. This means the latest acceptable graduation date is August 2026.
🎓 Relevant degree fields: Economics, Political sciences, Social sciences, African studies, Climate studies, Agricultural sciences, or any other relevant field of study. Both Bachelor's and Master's level applicants are eligible.
Language Requirements: French is Compulsory
The language requirements for this position are strict and bilateral. Candidates must have excellent written and spoken English AND French. Both are non-negotiable.
🗣️ The application itself must be submitted in French. This is a firm requirement stated explicitly in the posting. All application documents should be prepared in French before submission.
🇩🇪 German is considered a strong asset. It is not required to apply, but German proficiency will strengthen a candidacy.
Other Skills and Competencies
💼 Knowledge of project management is an advantage
🖥️ Competent handling of MS Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint
✍️ Good structured writing skills
🔎 A good eye for detail
⏱️ Ability to keep track of tasks and prioritise under pressure
🤝 Ability to communicate and work in a team
✈️ Relevant experience abroad in the Africa region is an advantage, though not required
Internship Structure and Stipend
📅 Start date: 01 February 2027
📅 End date: 31 July 2027
📍 Location: Eschborn, Germany
⏰ Working arrangement: full-time
💶 Monthly stipend: €2,349 gross
At Youth Works Hub, we find that employer-paid stipends at this level are relatively uncommon for student internships in the development sector: for context on how paid internships and funded traineeships compare, see the guide to paid internships abroad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this internship require prior professional experience?
No. The position is designed for students and recent graduates. Knowledge of project management and experience abroad in the Africa region are both listed as advantages, not requirements.
My application must be in French: does that mean only Francophone nationals can apply?
No. Any applicant with excellent French proficiency can apply, regardless of nationality. The requirement is that your application documents are submitted in French. English is also required at an excellent level.
Can I apply if I graduated more than six months ago?
No. GIZ is explicit on this point: you must be currently enrolled as a student, or must have graduated no more than six months before the internship start date of 01 February 2027. The latest acceptable graduation date is therefore August 2026.
Is the €2,349 stipend net or gross?
The posting states a gross stipend of €2,349 per month. After German income tax and social contributions are deducted, the net amount will be lower.
Which donors does the Africa Team prepare bids for?
The team responds primarily to calls for proposals from the European Commission and the World Bank, as well as other international donors.
What countries is the Africa Team currently working in?
Current projects are running in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania.
Deadline
⏳ 16 November 2026
