Student Internship in France: Pay & Rights 2026

Internships in France: A Legally Regulated Professional Development Tool

Completing an internship in France is often a decisive step in an international student's career path. It provides concrete professional experience, helps build a local network, strengthens French language skills in a workplace context, and sometimes leads directly to a job offer.

But the legal framework governing internships in France is more complex than in many other countries. A mandatory three-party agreement, a statutory minimum stipend, specific intern rights, and implications for your student visa all demand your attention before you begin your placement. Here is everything you need to know in 2026.

The Internship Agreement: The Foundational Document

What Is a Convention de Stage?

The convention de stage is a tripartite contractual document signed by three parties:

1. The student (intern)
2. The educational institution (university or school), represented by an authorised official
3. The host organisation (company, government body, or association), represented by its director or HR manager

Without an internship agreement, the placement is illegal under the French Code of Education. A student working without a convention has no legal protection whatsoever, and the company is exposed to the internship being requalified as an employment contract with all attendant payroll and social contribution consequences.

Mandatory Content of the Agreement

Under article D124-1 of the Code of Education, the convention de stage must explicitly include:

• The full title and educational objectives of the internship
• The start and end dates of the placement
• The intern's weekly hours of presence
• The stipend amount (for internships exceeding 2 months)
• Supervision arrangements (academic tutor at the institution, internship supervisor at the company)
• Insurance conditions covering the intern
• Benefits granted (meal vouchers, transport reimbursement)
• Conditions for early termination or suspension

How to Obtain Your Internship Agreement

The procedure varies by institution:

1. You find an internship and receive a tentative offer from the company.
2. You notify your school or university's internship or corporate relations office.
3. The institution generates the convention (often via a dedicated platform such as Pstage, Mobiliwork, or an in-house form).
4. You, your academic supervisor, and the company representative all sign the convention.
5. Each party retains a signed original copy.

Some universities use digital platforms allowing e-signature — check with your academic secretariat.

The Stipend: What You Are Paid for Your Internship

The Minimum Legal Stipend in 2026

The internship stipend is calculated at 15% of the Social Security hourly ceiling. This ceiling is revised annually.

In 2026:

• Social Security hourly ceiling = €29/hour
• Minimum stipend = 15% × €29 = €4.35/hour

This stipend is mandatory only for internships lasting more than 2 months (consecutive or cumulative over the same academic year). Below 2 months, payment is optional but permitted.

Calculating the Monthly Stipend

For a full-time internship (35 hours/week):

Note: the SMIC hourly wage in 2026 (€12.02/h) does not apply to interns — the minimum stipend remains lower than the minimum wage because an internship is not an employment contract.

Is the Stipend Taxable?

The portion of the stipend up to the legal minimum (€4.35/h × hours worked) is exempt from social contributions and income tax. Any amount above this threshold is subject to standard social charges.

In practice: if a company pays you €800/month while the legal minimum is €659/month, the €141 surplus is subject to contributions.

Intern Rights in 2026

Transport Reimbursement

Like employees, interns are entitled to a 50% reimbursement of their public transport subscription (Navigo pass, TER season ticket, etc.). This reimbursement is mandatory for internships exceeding 2 months.

Meal Vouchers

If the company provides meal vouchers to its employees, it is required to offer them to interns on the same terms. In 2026, the face value of a meal voucher is generally €10 to €14, with 50% covered by the employer.

Annual Leave

For internships exceeding 2 months, you are entitled to 2.5 working days of leave per month of completed internship. Leave must be taken during the internship period by agreement with your supervisor.

If leave cannot be taken due to professional or academic constraints, the company must pay you a compensatory allowance at the end of the internship.

Working Hours and Overtime

An intern's hours of presence cannot exceed the statutory working time applicable in the host organisation (generally 35h/week or the company's collective agreement hours). Interns cannot work paid overtime.

Internship Durations and Legal Limits

If an internship exceeds 6 months, the employer is legally required to offer the intern a formal employment contract (CDI or CDD).

Student Visa and Internships in France: What You Need to Know

Are You Authorised to Intern?

Students holding a student visa (VLS-TS étudiant) or a student residence permit (titre de séjour étudiant) are authorised to complete internships in France, provided that:

1. The internship is integrated into your academic programme (documented in the programme or a pedagogical agreement).
2. A tripartite internship agreement (convention de stage) is signed.
3. The internship takes place within the validity period of your residence permit.

You do not need a separate work permit for a curriculum-integrated internship. The convention de stage serves as the legal justification.

Internships and Residence Permit Renewal

A remunerated internship completed during your studies can be a positive element in your residence permit renewal dossier, provided it remains within the limits of your visa. Keep copies of your convention, your monthly stipend statements, and a letter from the company confirming your completion of the placement.

Internship vs Student Employment: Visa Differences

Finding an Internship in France: Best Platforms

Here are the main resources for finding an internship in France, especially useful for international students:

General-Purpose Job Boards

• Indeed.fr: the most widely used job and internship search engine in France. Filter by "Stage" and location.
• LinkedIn Jobs: particularly effective for internships in tech, finance, and consulting. Set your profile to "Open to opportunities".
• Welcome to the Jungle: internship and job offers from French startups and scale-ups. Detailed company profiles and strong employer branding.

Student-Focused Platforms

• Jobteaser: France's leading internship and graduate jobs platform, integrated directly into many university campuses with exclusive offers.
• Stages.fr: a catalogue of internships across all disciplines, with convention-compatible offers.
• L'Étudiant Emploi: internship listings linked to academic programme listings.

Institutional Resources

• Your school or university's corporate relations department: often holds exclusive non-public offers and can facilitate introductions.
• On-campus internship and careers fairs: generally held between October and March.
• Alumni networks: a referral from a graduate of your institution is often more effective than a cold application.

Internship vs Apprenticeship: Which Is Right for You?

Many international students hesitate between seeking an internship or an apprenticeship contract. Here are the key differences:

For non-EU students, an apprenticeship may require a change of status on your residence permit — check with the préfecture before signing an apprenticeship contract.

Official Resources

• Service-Public.fr — Internships: service-public.fr
• Ministry of Labour — Intern Rights: travail-emploi.gouv.fr
• Légifrance — Code de l'Éducation, Articles D124-1 onwards: legifrance.gouv.fr