What an internship certificate is for and who issues it
An internship certificate is a short document drawn up at the end of the placement by the organisation that hosted you. It proves that the internship took place, how long it lasted and, where relevant, what stipend was paid. It does not judge your work or your behaviour: that belongs to the academic assessment and, if you want one, to a letter of recommendation.
In France, under the Education Code, the host organisation must give this certificate to every school pupil or student on an internship. So you do not have to ask for it as a favour: it is an obligation on the host, whether or not the internship was paid. A ministerial order set out an official model, and many universities circulate their own template that follows the same framework.
It helps to keep three documents apart, because they are often confused:
- the internship agreement, signed before you start, which sets the rules;
- the internship certificate, handed over at the end, which records what actually happened;
- the report or review, which you write for your school or university.
The details a good template should contain
A useful template stays plain. It opens with the identity of the host organisation: name, address and, where applicable, a registration number. It goes on to identify the intern: surname, first name, date of birth and sometimes an email address. Next come the course being followed and the educational institution, often with the faculty or department.
Two items are at the heart of the document:
- the total actual length of the internship, expressed in days, weeks or months depending on the template used;
- the total amount of the stipend paid, where there was one.
The document ends with the place, the date, and the name, job title and signature of the organisation's representative, plus a stamp if the organisation uses one. A template that adds a long paragraph of praise or detailed comments drifts away from its purpose; those remarks are better placed in a separate letter.
Actual length: count carefully before anyone signs
The most fragile entry is the length. It must reflect what was actually worked, not what the agreement planned. A long absence, a break or an internship cut short changes the total and therefore sometimes the entitlement to a stipend.
Some general benchmarks in France: an internship with the same host organisation cannot exceed six months per academic year, which is 924 hours of attendance if you count seven hours a day. A stipend becomes compulsory beyond 308 hours of attendance, that is from the 309th hour onwards. These thresholds are there to check that the document makes sense, not to fill it in for you.
Before asking for a signature, compare three sources: the agreement, your timesheet or attendance calendar, and the payslips or payment records for the stipend. If they tell different stories, tell your supervisor in neutral words, for example: "I notice a two-day difference between my calendar and the certificate."
Stipend and certificate: what to write down
When an internship goes over the legal threshold, the host organisation pays a monthly stipend. The minimum rate is set by regulation and changes over time, so check it with your institution or the host organisation before you start. The certificate states the total amount actually received over the period, not the hourly rate and not the amount that was planned.
If no stipend was paid, the box is left empty or marked "none" or "0 euro". Avoid vague wording such as "stipend as agreed": a student administration office or a pension body will not know what to do with it.
Remember that other benefits, for example meal vouchers or a partial refund of a transport pass, are distinct from the stipend. The certificate concentrates on the sum paid for the internship itself; the rest belongs in the organisation's own administrative file.
How to ask for the certificate without tension
The best moment to raise the certificate is one to two weeks before the internship ends, at the final meeting with your supervisor. You save time and avoid chasing a signature after you have already left the premises.
- Ask who in the organisation signs this kind of document: the supervisor, the human resources manager or an administrative department.
- If the organisation has no template, offer to use the one from your institution; many universities provide a form for the host to complete.
- Fill in the fields that concern you yourself (identity, course, dates) to reduce the work for the person who signs.
- Read the document through before it is signed, especially the dates and the amount.
- Ask for a signed copy as a PDF, and keep the paper original if the organisation provides one.
A short, polite message is enough: remind them of your dates of attendance, ask for the certificate and offer the template to complete. There is no need to justify the request.
What the document lets you do after the internship
The certificate is needed first by your institution: without it, the validation of the internship and the award of credits may be delayed. It also serves to prove your experience to a future recruiter, a master's selection panel or a school asking for your documents.
It can also count towards your pension. Under certain conditions and within a limited period after the internship, a stipend paid during an internship may allow you to buy back quarters of pension cover in return for a contribution. The exact rules, the deadline and the cost change over time: ask the French pension insurance body directly before starting the process, and keep the certificate to hand.
Finally, it protects you if a disagreement arises later about the length or the pay. That is why it is worth keeping for a long time, together with the agreement and the proof of payment, in both paper and digital form.
Illustrative example: a four-month communications internship
Take a fictional case with rounded figures. Léa, a student on a professional bachelor's degree, does a four-month internship with a cultural association, from 1 March to 30 June. Her hours are regular, but she takes three days off to sit an exam.
When it comes to completing the certificate, the length set out in the agreement is four months. The actual length, however, is three days shorter. Léa points this out to her supervisor, who corrects the total in weeks. The total stipend is then copied from the payslips rather than worked out from memory.
The result is a document that matches the agreement, the attendance record and the pay. If the university or a recruiter asks for proof, no discrepancy raises a question. This example is purely illustrative: your dates, hours and amounts depend on your own situation.
Frequent mistakes and good habits
Several pitfalls come up again and again. Spotting them avoids pointless back-and-forth:
- Approximate dates: "sometime in March" is not enough; give the day, month and year.
- Confusion with an employment certificate: an intern is not an employee, so the document has a different name and different content.
- Missing signature: a typed name without a signature or stamp may be refused by an administrative office.
- Forgotten stipend: even if the amount is small, it belongs on the document.
- Added comments on performance: they blur the reading and have no place in a document meant as proof.
- Late request: several months after you have left, finding the person who signs becomes harder.
A good habit is to photograph or scan the document as soon as you receive it, then send it to your institution with the agreement. Keep a copy on a device or drive that you control.
Frequently asked questions
Is the host organisation obliged to give me an internship certificate?
Yes. The French Education Code requires the host organisation to issue a certificate to every school pupil or student intern, stating the actual length and, where relevant, the amount of the stipend. The duty also applies to an unpaid internship. If the organisation is slow, send a polite reminder and then inform the internships office of your institution.
Can I use my university's template rather than the host organisation's?
Often yes, and it is quite common when the organisation has no form of its own. Offer your institution's template to your supervisor, fill in your own details beforehand and let them complete the length, the stipend and the signature. Simply check with your registrar's office that this format is accepted to validate the internship.
What should I do if the length shown does not match my real internship?
Point out the difference before signing, using your attendance record or calendar. An absence, a break or an early end should change the total. An inaccurate length can complicate the academic validation and, later, any steps linked to the stipend or to pension rights. Raise it politely and in neutral terms.
Does the certificate replace a letter of recommendation?
No. The certificate is a factual document: identity, dates, length, stipend. A recommendation letter gives your supervisor's personal view of your tasks and qualities. You can ask for both, but separately, so that the certificate stays simple to read and easy for an administrative office to check.
How long should I keep my internship certificate?
There is no single period to remember, but it is wise to keep it for as long as your career path may need it: job applications, a master's file, possible pension procedures. Store it with the agreement and the payment records, in digital form and, if possible, as a signed paper copy.
Does an unpaid internship still give a right to a certificate?
Yes. A stipend is compulsory only above the legal attendance threshold, but the certificate is owed in every case. It then states the actual length and either shows no amount or says that none was paid. It remains useful for your file and for the validation of your internship.