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Students

Your Bachelor's or Master's Thesis at Volkswagen

A winning finish: at Volkswagen, you can step it up a gear in the final stage of your studies. And best of all, you can write your dissertation in any Volkswagen division: the ideal way to bring together theory and practice.

2 min read

Dissertations

Briefly noted

Target group: Enrolled students about to finish their Bachelor’s or Master’s degree

We offer dissertations in:
Wolfsburg, Hannover, Kassel, Braunschweig, Salzgitter and Emden

Business areas:
You can do your internship with us in virtually all areas of the company

Application period: all year round

Start: all year round
Duration: 6 until 9 months

Overview

Prerequisites
What requirements should I generally meet? If you want to write your thesis with us, you should meet the following requirements::
You are currently enrolled in an active, ongoing study program.
You have good grades
Your university must accept a non-disclosure agreement with Volkswagen if one is needed
You can work independently and in a structured manner
You enjoy scientific work
All job-specific requirements can be found in the respective job postings.
Degree subjects
At Volkswagen we offer you a wide range of internships that can be combined with the preparation of a final thesis, covering a variety of exciting topics. Accordingly, there is a broad selection of degree subjects you can apply with. Here are some typical fields of study:
Chemistry / Chemical Engineering
Computational Science
Computer Science
Data Science
Electrical Engineering
Information Technology
Automotive Engineering
Plastics Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Mathematics
Physics
Simulation Engineering
Materials Science
Humanities
…and many more
Sites and divisions
Where can I write my dissertation? We can offer you the opportunity to write your dissertation in almost any of our company divisions, including Research and Development, HR or Sales. You can apply for the following Volkswagen sites:
Wolfsburg
Hannover (VW Commercial Vehicles)
Braunschweig
Emden
Kassel
Salzgitter
Head to the job portal for an overview of the currently advertised dissertation internships.
Times, deadlines and duration
We advertise dissertation internship places throughout the year. You can find these on our job portal. This allows you to apply for an advertised position at any time.
When can I write my dissertation?
The start date is usually at the start of a month. In individual cases, it may also be possible to arrange an individual start date with the department.
How long will the dissertation internship last?
Your internship will last between six and nine months. The time and duration will be defined to suit your conditions of study. It is generally possible to extend or shorten an internship.
Working hours and mobile work
What working hours will I have? During your dissertation internship, you will have a 35-hour week.
You will start work between 7:30 am and 9 am, depending on what you agree with your department
You will finish work between 3:40 pm and 4:40 pm, depending on your start time; however, you will not finish any later than 5:45 pm
The minimum number of hours you will work each day is four hours
You will have a 40-minute lunch break
Can I also work remotely?
During your dissertation internship at Volkswagen, you are generally allowed to work up to two days per week on a mobile basis, provided your duties permit this. You can discuss the exact number of days and the days of the week on which you can work remotely directly with your department.
Support and mentoring
How will I be supported while writing my dissertation at VW? While writing your dissertation, you will have a dedicated supervisor on hand in the department to provide assistance. Our colleagues from the internship team will be there for you during your application and the recruitment process. And if you have any administrative questions during your time with us, the specialist team at our HR Advisory Centre will be happy to help.
Identifying a topic
What topics can I write about at Volkswagen? Have you not yet decided on a topic? Not a problem. Thanks to an extensive list of focus areas, we at Volkswagen can help you if you have not yet decided on a particular topic. We of course look forward primarily to hearing your own suggestions, however the final decision is made together with your professor and Volkswagen. The dissertation job posting may also give a rough idea of the topic – this can be found on our job portal.
What we offer you
By completing your dissertation at Volkswagen, you will also get to know Europe’s largest automotive company. This will give you the opportunity to work in exciting areas of the company and have responsibility in projects, as well as gaining access to company resources and receiving attractive remuneration.
Remuneration
Whether you are undertaking an internship of your own volition or as a mandatory activity, or writing your dissertation, we pay everyone the full statutory minimum wage. That goes without saying. But we also do so in a spirit of fairness. Even if it is only for the foreseeable future for now.
Holidays
If you choose to write your dissertation with us, you will of course be entitled to paid holiday, as are all other employees. The number of days is calculated on the basis of the duration of your internship and legal regulations. Your personal contact from the intern support team will tell you this at the start of your internship and is available for any questions.
And the extras:
Employee terms and conditions when purchasing or leasing a Volkswagen.
A fascinating tour of the plant (based on availability).
Access to databases to find publications for professional research purposes.
A regular intern roundtable for exchanging and networking.

Accommodation
during your time with us

Rooms in a shared flat through Volkswagen Immobilien

If you need a place to live while you are writing your dissertation with us, Volkswagen Immobilien has the perfect shared flat room available to rent on a simple and affordable basis, and with the flexibility in terms of time to match your needs. A room in a shared flat will also help you to quickly get to know new people, the city and the region. You can learn more about SF listings on the website of Volkswagen Immobilien.

To VW Immobilien’s listings of SF rooms