Public policies

When to do the internship

• The internship period is scheduled during the second semester of the second year and can be activated, preferably, starting from 23 February 2026 (at the end of the exam session). N° ECTS assigned to the internship: 3 ECTS

Recognition of ECTS

• The recognition of the 3 credits of the internship is subject to the fulfilment of the following requirements:
  • The internship must last a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 6 months full-time (approximately 8 hours) or equivalent (e.g., 6-12 months part-time). There is no number of hours but it is preferable that the student is engaged full time, from Monday to Friday with office hours.
  • It is necessary to have taken all the exams of the first year by Friday 20 February 2026 (end of the winter exam session) and in any case before the start of the internship. If a student is selected for an internship with still due first-year exams, he or she will not be entitled to acquire training credits and will therefore have to carry out a curricular internship without CFU.

Internship mandatory/non-compulsory:

• The curricular internship is NOT mandatory. Students who decide not to carry out the curricular internship will be able to acquire the 3 credits by opting for an empirical research thesis path, through other training activities or by passing an internship replacement exam among those on the list of elective courses in the CrimeSec curriculum of the Faculty Guide. Students who intend to replace the internship with other substitute activities/exams not indicated in this list are required to communicate their choice in advance to the Course Coordinator, so that the professor can evaluate the request and authorize.

Thanks to the University's Internship & Placement portal, it is possible to independently prepare all the documentation required by current legislation for the activation of curricular internships.

Students who have been selected for a curricular internship must, in collaboration with their company tutor, apply for activation online through the University's Internship & Placement portal (http://step.unicatt.it/). Through a simple guided procedure, interested parties are accompanied in the compilation of the company agreement (if not yet signed by the host company) and the Training Project, which will allow the regular development of the training and orientation experience of the students.

» Curricular internship activation procedure

Platforms to find an internship in international organizations

Students interested in carrying out an internship in international organizations are invited to consult the following platforms:

• NATO - https://lnkd.in/gzf37_6U. Additional instructions on how to apply can be found here: https://lnkd.in/d_ZPy4PY
• Europol - https://lnkd.in/d9a6_TzA
• Eurojust - https://lnkd.in/dvpu3sMR
• Frontex - https://lnkd.in/dnJ8zGXN
• OLAF - https://lnkd.in/d825dBgP
• UNODC - https://lnkd.in/dxdMVvsn

To complete the internship course and obtain the recognition of the ECTS (in the case of curricular internship with CFU), it is necessary to use the forms provided:

• Company Internship Tutor Evaluation Form
• Student evaluation form

How to assign ECTS and indications for the final report:

The possibility of carrying out a curricular internship with ECTS is subject to having taken all the exams of the first year by the winter session of the second year and in any case before the start of the internship itself. Once the internship activity is over, in order to be awarded the 3 CFU, the student is required to hand in the evaluation form completed by the student and the evaluation form completed by the company tutor. The student must send the documents by email to the internship tutor (deborah.manzi@unicatt.it) who will give the green light to the Student Services Centre for the recognition of credits.

• Company Internship Tutor Evaluation Form
• Student evaluation form

In addition to filling in the internship evaluation form, the company tutor has the opportunity to complete an additional questionnaire directly on the STEP portal, useful for reporting any strengths, critical points or other relevant aspects of the internship path. Although filling in the questionnaire is not mandatory for the recognition of ECTS, it is strongly recommended.

Timing for the recognition of ECTS:

The process of recognition of ECTS is managed by the Student Services Centre and is not immediate: it may take a few weeks from the receipt of the evaluation forms by the internship tutor. For this reason, it is important to carefully agree on the end date of the internship together with the host company.

It is advisable to set the end date of the internship approximately at least one month before the scheduled date of graduation, taking into account the minimum duration necessary for the recognition of ECTS.

In case of doubts or critical issues related to the timing of recognition, it is strongly recommended to contact the internship tutor in advance.

1.    What is a curricular internship?

The curricular internship is a training activity provided for in the study plan of the second year of the CrimeSec curriculum. It can be carried out with or without recognition of ECTS. It is designed to offer students a first contact with the world of work, and represents an important opportunity for personal and professional growth.

2.    Is the curricular internship compulsory?

No, an internship is not compulsory. Students can also acquire the 3 credits provided through an empirical research thesis path, alternative training activities or by passing a substitute exam in the list of elective courses of the CrimeSec curriculum.

3.    When can I start the internship?

The internship can preferably be activated from 23 February 2026, at the end of the winter exam session. It is essential that, in order to obtain the CFU, all the exams of the first year have been passed before the start of the internship.

4.    How do I activate the curricular internship?

Activation takes place online through the Internship & Placement portal of Università Cattolica (http://step.unicatt.it/), by filling in the Company Agreement and the Training Project, in collaboration with the company tutor. The procedure is guided and allows you to correctly activate the internship according to the regulations in force.

5.    What are the requirements for obtaining the 3 credits of the internship?

• Minimum duration of 3 months and maximum duration of 6 months full-time (or equivalent duration part-time).
• Have passed all first-year exams by February 20, 2026.
• Conclusion of the internship with sending of the evaluation forms to the internship tutor.

6.    What happens if I don't complete all the first-year exams before the internship starts?

In this case, you will not be able to obtain the required ECTS. You will still be able to carry out a curricular internship without CFU, which will be equally useful for your professional experience, but will not contribute to the achievement of training credits.

7.    Can I stop the internship once it has started?

At the time of activation of the internship, the student signs a Training Project in which he/she undertakes to comply with the agreed conditions, including the duration of the internship.
Early termination is generally not recommended. However, in case of need, the interruption must be adequately justified and promptly communicated to the internship tutor.

The possible recognition of ECTS will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the duration actually carried out and the nature of the interruption.

8.    Is it possible to travel during the internship?

For internships activated on national territory, it is possible to travel during the internship period but it is necessary to promptly notify the Internship & Placement Service by email indicating the subject, the reason for the trip, date, time,  place of performance and the reference of the company tutor who will accompany the intern.

9.    How long does it take for the recognition of ECTS?

The process takes a few weeks from the delivery of the evaluation forms. To avoid delays in graduation, it is advisable to finish the internship at least one month before the scheduled date for the thesis discussion.