What is a convention de stage?

A convention de stage is a work placement contract used for many types of temporary vocational work experience. They are required by employers in France, Spain and Belgium, and are common practice in some other European countries too. You may also see it called an acuerdo de prácticas or convenio de colaboración.

Three parties sign the agreement: you, your employer and the University. It sets out what each party is responsible for and is a formal, legal contract. So, it is more than just proof that you're a student.

Employers need this document so that they can legally pay interns below the minimum wage and aren’t liable for healthcare costs and social security.

If you are a current student

The University will provide a convention de stage if you're doing an internship, whether or not it counts towards your degree. This includes summer internships. You just need to be a registered student at the time of the internship.

To request one as an undergraduate, contact your Faculty/School Placements Team. If you're a postgraduate, contact your Director of Studies instead.

We have a University-wide amended convention de stage, and the University prefers to use this in all cases. If your potential employer wants to use their own template, our legal team will need to check it first. This can cause delays, so plan ahead.

Note: If you're a final-year student, you're not entitled to a convention de stage for internships that start after your course ends. See ‘If you are a graduate’ below.

If you are a graduate

Some companies recruit graduates and then ask for a convention de stage. But we can’t provide one.

Once you graduate, your formal relationship with the University ends, so you're no longer entitled to a convention de stage. We’ve had instances of graduates accepting a job offer, only to discover later that a convention de stage was required and having to withdraw because we couldn't supply one.

Before you apply for anything described as an internship or stage, check with the employer whether a convention de stage is required.