Requirements

1. Language skills

For our bilingual (German-English) traineeship we have certain language requirements:

• Native speakers of a DW program language (list of the languages below) with excellent knowledge of English (C1/C2) and a good knowledge of German (B1/B2)
•  Native English speakers / Proficient English users (C1/C2) with a good knowledge of German (B1/B2)
•  Native German speakers / Proficient German users (C1/C2) with excellent knowledge of English (C1/C2)

Good language skills in German are equivalent to a B1/B2 level, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

Excellent language skills in English are equivalent to a C1/C2 level, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. 

We ask you to honestly evaluate your personal language skills. Of course, we would be happy to receive your language certificates, but it is not mandatory. During the assessment center the exercises will be conducted in German as well as English. Journalists from language departments will test if you are proficient in other languages. The final interview will also be conducted in German and English.

The DW program languages: Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Chinese, Croatian, Dari, English, French, German, Greek, Hausa, Hindi, Indonesian, Kiswahili, Macedonian, Pashto, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu

2. Qualifications

To apply, you will need to have completed a university/college degree, an apprenticeship or have graduated from a journalism school prior to the start of the traineeship. All applicants are required to include certificates of their qualifications (in digital form).

3. Journalistic experience

Our trainees work with DW editorial departments right from the start, so it is certainly an advantage if you have experience working in journalism. But we are also looking for applicants from other fields, whether you are an IT specialist, lawyer, physician, mathematician, nurse, chef, pilot, football player or referee. As long as you have a keen interest in journalism, like to work in a team and would like to explore a new field of work, we want to hear from you. Please also include samples of your work which has been published or broadcasted. You can upload all documents onto our . Please do not send any print copies, mails or apply via social media unless you are asked to do so. Otherwise your application will not be considered.

Information for disabled applicants

Applicants with a medically recognized disability have certain protected rights in Germany. These rights are within the country’s so-called Ninth Book (“Neuntes Buch”) of the Code of Social Law. If the disability is rated at a 50 or greater, the law applies to these individuals as severely disabled.

Disabled individuals receive various types of support: You will be assisted with your application and, as much as possible, you will be given appropriate working materials. You have a right to this assistance. In order to determine the disability, an application must be submitted to the appropriate authorities for approval.

DW accepts proof of disability from other countries. If we are made aware of a disability, we can assure you that your application will be given preference. Moreover, we specifically employ people who are trained to work with disabled employees and applicants. This internal council is available to you for any issues related to your application and employment. If you are uncertain whether your disability would be recognized in Germany, reply ‘yes’ on the online application and note that you would like to discuss this with a council member.