An intern is entitled to an agreement signed before the internship starts, to tasks linked to their course and to regulated working hours. Beyond two months with the same organisation, they're also entitled to a monthly stipend and to leave set out in the agreement.
Many interns only find out about their rights the day something goes wrong: a stipend that doesn't arrive, one late night at the office after another, tasks that no longer have anything to do with the agreement. It's better to know them beforehand. Here are the essentials, with the relevant articles of law.
Which laws govern intern rights?
The foundation is the French Education Code, articles L124-1 onwards for the legislative part and D124-1 onwards for the implementing decrees. Law no. 2014-788 of 10 July 2014 significantly strengthened this framework: a stipend due from day one, leave, a cap on the number of interns and penalties for abuse.
One principle to keep in mind: an intern is not an employee. They don't have an employment contract, but a three-party internship agreement. If you'd like a refresher on what this document contains, read our article What is an internship agreement?.
When is the stipend mandatory?
Under article L124-6 of the Education Code, the stipend is mandatory when the internship with the same organisation lasts more than two months, consecutive or not, during the same academic year.
In practice, time is counted in actual presence: 7 hours make a day, and 22 days make a month (article D124-6). So the threshold is crossed from the 309th hour of presence.
Three points are often misunderstood:
- the stipend is due from the first day, not only from the third month. A three-month internship is paid for all three months;
- it's paid every month, not in one lump sum at the end;
- under two months, it isn't mandatory, but the company can pay one if it wishes.
How is the minimum amount calculated?
The law sets a floor: 15% of the French Social Security hourly ceiling, per hour of presence (article L124-6). A sector-wide or professional agreement can provide for more.
This ceiling is updated regularly, so the hourly amount changes. Rather than remembering a figure that will be wrong next year, use the simulator on service-public.fr when you sign your agreement. The company is free to pay more than the minimum, and in some sectors that's common.
Note: the stipend isn't a salary. Where applicable, it comes on top of reimbursement of your expenses and any perks for meals, accommodation or transport (article D124-8).
A typical case: Inès is doing a four-month internship at an estate agency, 35 hours a week. At the end of the first month, she receives her stipend, calculated on her actual hours of presence. Nothing is "put on hold" until the third month.
Are you entitled to leave during an internship?
Yes, as soon as the internship lasts more than two months: the agreement must then provide for leave and authorised absences. Paying for that leave, however, isn't mandatory. It's something to negotiate and write into the agreement.
In the case of pregnancy, paternity or adoption, interns are entitled to leave and authorised absences of the same length as employees. These periods count as time present when calculating the length of the internship (article L124-13).
A practical tip: get your days off written into the agreement before you sign. It's much easier than negotiating them mid-internship.
How many hours can an intern work?
Interns follow the host company's rules on working hours, rest and public holidays. The hours are stated in the agreement. Interns don't work overtime in the employment-law sense, and their time present must not exceed what's been agreed.
If you regularly stay until 9 pm when the agreement says 35 hours a week, that isn't "normal for an intern". Talk to your supervisor first, then to your academic contact if nothing changes.
What tasks can an intern be given?
Tasks must match the educational project defined in the agreement (article L124-1). Article L124-7 expressly forbids using an intern to:
- replace an absent employee;
- carry out a regular task corresponding to a permanent position;
- cope with a temporary increase in activity;
- fill a seasonal job.
It's also forbidden to give them tasks that are dangerous to their health or safety (article L124-14).
A typical case: Hugo is taken on as a "digital marketing" intern. After three weeks, he's running the shop's front desk on his own because an employee is on leave. That's exactly what the law forbids. The right reaction: raise it in writing with his supervisor and let his academic contact know.
How long can an internship last?
Six months maximum per host organisation per academic year (article L124-5), or 924 hours of actual presence. Beyond that, it's no longer an internship. If the dates change, an amendment signed by all three parties is required.
What should you do if your rights aren't respected?
Start with a conversation, but keep a written record:
- Talk to your supervisor and confirm by email what was said.
- Let your academic contact know at the school or organisation that signed. That's what they're there for.
- If things are stuck, you can contact the labour inspectorate, particularly in cases of internship abuse.
If the situation becomes unbearable, the agreement can be ended. We explain the steps in our article on internships that go wrong.
Where does EDU Business Institute come in?
When we issue an agreement, we check that it respects this framework: a stipend at least equal to the legal minimum when it's due, a maximum length of 6 months, described tasks. We may refuse to issue an agreement that doesn't follow these rules.
If you no longer have a school, the agreement is linked to one of our 9 online courses of 200 hours, open to all profiles, for €299 (or 3 instalments with Klarna). It's prepared within 24 to 48 business hours once your file is complete. And if the company turns your agreement down, our refund policy refunds €250 (the €49 application fee is kept), provided you send us the written refusal within one month of receiving the agreement. All the details are on our internship agreement page.
FAQ: intern rights
Is the stipend taxable?
It's exempt from income tax up to a certain limit, set each year. Check the current ceiling on impots.gouv.fr before filing your tax return.
My internship lasts exactly two months: am I entitled to a stipend?
Not necessarily: it has to be more than two months, meaning more than 308 hours of presence. The company can still choose to pay one.
Are meal vouchers mandatory for interns?
Interns have access to the staff canteen or meal vouchers under the same conditions as employees, when the company offers them. If it isn't stated in your agreement, ask before you sign.
Can my stipend be reduced if I'm ill?
The stipend is due for hours of presence. So an unplanned absence can reduce that month's amount. The exact rules on absence should be set out in the agreement.
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