How to get an internship in 2026: where to look and how to prepare

To get an internship, you must be enrolled in and attending an educational institution, have an organized résumé, and apply through integration agents, through your college or school, and on company websites. An internship is a supervised educational act, governed by Lei 11.788/2008 (Law 11,788/2008, the Internship Law), and is only valid with a signed internship agreement (termo de compromisso).

What an internship is under the law

According to art. 1 of Lei 11.788/2008, an internship is a supervised school educational act, carried out in the workplace, that prepares the student for productive work. It does not create an employment relationship if three conditions are met (art. 3):

• Regular enrollment and attendance of the student.
• Internship agreement among the student, the company, and the educational institution.
• Compatibility between the activities and what is set out in the agreement.

If the rules are not followed, the internship may be treated as an employment relationship (art. 15). See your rights in Estágio: direitos do estagiário pela Lei 11.788.

Where to look for openings

1. The internship office or coordination of your program, which usually posts openings and partnerships.
2. Integration agents, such as CIEE (Centro de Integração Empresa-Escola, Company-School Integration Center), which connect students with companies. They cannot charge the student a fee (art. 5). See CIEE e agências de integração: como se cadastrar para estágio.
3. Company career pages and internship programs, which usually open applications at set times.
4. Public agencies, which can also offer internships, generally through their own selection process (art. 9).
5. LinkedIn and your network of contacts, including alumni and professors.

How to prepare

• Build a one-page résumé with your education, courses, projects, and extracurricular activities. See Currículo sem experiência: como montar para o primeiro emprego.
• Prepare for the interview with questions about your field and your stage in the program.
• Have an up-to-date proof of enrollment and personal documents on hand.
• Check that your class schedule is compatible with the internship hours.

Rules to check in the opening

• Hours: for higher education, regular high school, and vocational education at the high school level, the limit is 6 hours a day and 30 a week (art. 10).
• Duration: at the same workplace, an internship cannot exceed 2 years, except for interns with disabilities (art. 11).
• Insurance: the company must take out personal accident insurance (art. 9).
• Supervisor: each supervisor oversees up to 10 interns at the same time (art. 9).
• Stipend and transportation: in a non-mandatory internship, they are required (art. 12).

Understand the difference between the types in Estágio obrigatório e não obrigatório: diferenças.

Frequently asked questions

Can I do an internship without being enrolled in school?

No. Enrollment and attendance are requirements for an internship (art. 3).

Can a company have any number of interns?

No. There are limits proportional to the number of employees at the establishment, which do not apply to higher education and vocational high school internships (art. 17).

Does an internship automatically become a job?

No. Being hired on depends on the company and on a new employment contract. See Estágio: como ser efetivado na empresa.

Read also

• Estágio: direitos do estagiário pela Lei 11.788
• Estágio: bolsa-auxílio, auxílio-transporte e recesso
• Jovem aprendiz: idade, salário, jornada e direitos