contracts
Internship Agreement Template and How to Draft One (2026)
What is an internship agreement, and when do you need one? An internship agreement is a short contract between an organisation and an intern that sets out the terms of a time-limited, learning-focused placement. You need one whenever you take on an intern, paid or unpaid, so that both sides are clear on the role, the duration, any stipend, who owns the work, and the fact that an internship is not a permanent job. A written agreement protects the organisation's confidential information and intellectual property, and it protects the intern by stating what they will be paid and what they will learn. Below is an internship agreement template you can copy and adapt, followed by plain-English guidance on how to fill each clause. This is general information, not legal advice. Labour rules on interns, stipends and working hours differ by country, so confirm the local position for a placement that matters. ## Internship agreement template ```
INTERNSHIP AGREEMENT This Internship Agreement ("Agreement") is made on [DATE] BETWEEN: [ORGANISATION LEGAL NAME], [registration / address] ("Organisation") AND [INTERN FULL NAME], [address] ("Intern") 1. ROLE AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES The Intern will undertake an internship in [DEPARTMENT / FUNCTION]. The purpose is primarily educational. The Intern will work on: [LIST THE MAIN TASKS AND WHAT THE INTERN WILL LEARN] The Intern will be guided by [SUPERVISOR NAME / ROLE]. 2. DURATION The internship starts on [START DATE] and ends on [END DATE], a fixed term of [N] weeks/months. It is not employment and does not renew automatically. 3. STIPEND The Organisation will pay the Intern a stipend of [AMOUNT] per [month / week], paid on [DATE]. [If unpaid, state that clearly and confirm it is lawful where the internship takes place.] Any pre-approved expenses will be reimbursed at cost. 4. HOURS AND LOCATION The Intern will attend [DAYS] from [TIME] to [TIME], at [LOCATION / remote]. Reasonable flexibility applies for study commitments. 5. CONDUCT AND POLICIES The Intern will follow the Organisation's reasonable policies, including health and safety, equal opportunity, and IT and data use. 6. CONFIDENTIALITY The Intern will keep the Organisation's confidential information secret during and after the internship, and will return or delete all such information on exit. This does not cover information that is public or that the Intern must disclose by law. 7. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY The Intern assigns to the Organisation all rights in work created as part of the internship. The Intern keeps the right to describe the experience for study or career purposes without revealing confidential details. 8. NO PROMISE OF EMPLOYMENT This Agreement does not create an employment relationship and does not promise a job after the internship. Any future role would be a separate offer on separate terms. 9. TERMINATION Either party may end the internship on [N] days' written notice. The Organisation may end it immediately for serious misconduct or breach. Stipend is payable up to the end date. 10. GOVERNING LAW This Agreement is governed by the laws of [JURISDICTION]. Disputes will be dealt with by the courts of [PLACE]. SIGNED: For the Organisation: ____________ Date: __________ Intern: __________________________ Date: __________ [Parent/guardian signature if the Intern is a minor]
Frequently asked questions
- Does an internship have to be paid?
- It depends on the jurisdiction and on what the intern actually does. Some countries allow genuinely educational, unpaid placements but treat an intern doing real productive work as a worker entitled to at least minimum pay. State the stipend clearly, and if the internship is unpaid confirm that is lawful where it takes place. This is general information, not legal advice.
- Does an internship agreement guarantee a job afterwards?
- No, and the agreement should say so. A no-promise-of-employment clause makes clear the placement is a fixed-term, learning-focused arrangement and that any future role would be a separate offer on separate terms. This both sets expectations and helps keep the internship from being treated as disguised employment.
- Who owns work an intern creates?
- Only if the agreement says so. Include an intellectual property assignment so the organisation owns work the intern produces during the placement, while letting the intern honestly describe the experience for study and career purposes without disclosing confidential details.
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