Internship

Özyeğin University Aviation Management

Mandatory (Credit) Internship Program

Students must complete a mandatory internship for 30 consecutive business days at an aviation organization to qualify for graduation from the Aviation Management Program at Özyeğin University. The purpose of our university’s mandatory (credit) internship program is to enable students to apply the theoretical knowledge and skills they acquired in class as part of their academic education to actual business processes and help them shape their educational and professional career path based on their internship experience.

The mandatory internships’ learning objectives and expected learning outcomes are as follows:

Have students acquire professional practice and application skills as well as professional and scientific research skills.
Let students be a part of a team,
Allow students to understand what is expected from a full-time employee.

The mandatory internship procedures of Aviation Management students at Özyeğin University are executed by the Aviation Management program Internship Commission. The commission supports students in all internship-related processes.

Within the scope of Law No. 5510 on Social Security and General Health Insurance Plan, the University oversees fulfilling all Social Security obligations for students who qualify to complete their internships and providing employers with the necessary Social Security documents.

To be eligible to complete their mandatory internships, students must have completed 150 ECTS credits and passed their SEC 201 course. Students may complete their mandatory internships in the first summer session in which they meet the eligibility requirements. Under normal circumstances, this corresponds to the summer period after completing third grade. The mandatory internship is 6 ECTS credits.

Mandatory Internship Procedure

Obligations to Fulfill Before the Mandatory Internship Program:

The student completes 150 ECTS credits in total, including the courses s/he took in the semester in which the internship application was submitted.
The student completes the SEC 201 course.
The Faculty Internship Commission contacts eligible students to inform them about the internship process.
The student is responsible for finding his/her internship employer. Meanwhile, the Internship Commission also contacts companies to request an internship quota. The quota is distributed to students who are unable to find an employer based on their grade point averages (GPA).
Once the internship employer is finalized, the student must collect the “Mandatory Internship Information Form”, which is filled out by the employer, and the required Social Security registration documents, and submit them to their Faculty Secretary’s Office at the latest by 10 working days before the start date of the internship.
The Faculty Secretary’s Office makes copies of the documents and submits them to Human Resources.
Human Resources completes the student’s Social Security registration and covers the Social Security premiums up to 30 business days. Human Resources then sends the statement of employment to the Faculty Secretary’s office.
The Faculty Secretary’s Office will send the Social Security employment statement to the student together with the DHMI Apron Exemption Letter and Employer Letter.

Obligations to Fulfill During the Mandatory Internship Program:

During the internship, the student fulfils the internship report requirements stipulated in the respective Faculty’s decision.
Over the course of the internship, the student is expected to fill out the internship log provided to them under the supervision of their unit heads. In particular, students will fill out the sections pertaining to their fields of internship, specify the learning outcomes, and provide the internship dates. The students will also have their unit heads and internship supervisors at their employers sign the designated fields on the internship log.

Obligations to Fulfill After the Mandatory Internship Program:

Human Resources will conclude the Social Security termination proceedings once the student’s mandatory internship is over.
The student will submit his/her internship log, with all sections duly filled out, bearing the stamp and signature of the employer, to the members of the Internship Commission at the end of the internship.
The student will prepare a presentation about his/her internship and deliver it on the date determined by the Internship Commission. The presentation is delivered before the Internship Commission and other faculty members.
The student’s internship performance is evaluated by the Internship Commission by taking into account his/her internship log and internship presentation. The Internship Commission grades internships as “Successful” or “Unsuccessful”. The Faculty Secretary’s Office electronically sends the internship grades assigned by the Internship Commission to Student Services, which then enters the grades of students into the SIS.
The Faculty Secretary’s Office also prepares the list of students who completed their internships by academic semesters and sends the list electronically to the Professional Development and Student Services units. The list also includes information about the company where the internship is completed (“internship employer”), internship dates, total number of days, total credits, and the Internship Commission that approved the internship.
Based on the list received from the Faculty Secretary’s Office, Student Services will enter the students’ internship records and grades into the SIS. Student Services will then print the “Grade Approval Form”, which includes the internship records and grades entered into the SIS, and submit it for the approval of the respective Faculty Dean.
Upon the approval of the Faculty Dean, the Faculty Secretary’s Office returns the student’s all internship records and the grade forms approved by the Faculty Dean to Student Services to have them archived and included in the student’s academic file.

Remarks:

Throughout the internship, the student must adhere to the provisions of the Rules and Regulations for Student Discipline at Higher Education Institutions. The student is also expected to comply with the internship employer’s working principles, work conditions, and employee discipline and occupational safety rules as well as all relevant legal regulations in effect.
The student is responsible for following all the announcements of the internship commission and completing all the necessary work before the specified dates.
From the day the internship employer is identified, the student is responsible for collecting all types of documents the internship employer may ask and submitting them to the internship employer in a timely manner.
Internships completed by students before completing 150 ECTS credits and passing the SEC 201 course are not considered mandatory internships.
Part-time work is not considered a mandatory internship.
Professional experience is not considered a mandatory internship.
The same principles also apply to the students who wish to complete an internship abroad on their own.
A week is considered 5 business days. However, weekends can be counted as business days for students who intern at institutions or organizations that work on weekends, so long as they can provide a letter issued by the respective employer to verify their weekend work.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question: Can I complete my internship during a semester?

Answer: Students can be allowed to complete their internships during the semester with the approval of the Internship Commission, provided that the respective student has at least 2 days off in their course schedules. Any internship completed by a student with less than 2 days off in his/her course schedule will be deemed invalid.

Question: Can I complete my internship concurrently while I am attending the summer school?

Answer: Students can be allowed to complete their internships during the summer term with the approval of the Internship Commission, provided that the respective student has at least 3 days off in their summer course schedules. Any internship completed by a student with less than 3 days off in his/her summer course schedule will be deemed invalid.

Question: Who covers the social security premiums?

Answer: The University covers the Social Security premiums of students who complete their mandatory internships in Türkiye. For internships abroad, the student and/or the employer must fulfill the insurance obligation.

Question: Can I intern more than 30 business days or can I complete a long-term internship?

Answer: The Internship Commission evaluates the eligibility of students who meet the requirements listed below and submits an application for a long-term internship. Only students deemed suitable by the commission will be granted the opportunity to undertake a long-term internship. In assessing the suitability of the long-term internship, the Internship Commission takes into consideration the following criteria:

The student's academic performance,
The size and institutional structure of the company where the internship will take place,
Whether the internship contributes to the student's educational development,
Whether the internship qualifies as part-time employment.

Students who wish to apply for a long-term internship must meet the following conditions:

Be under the age of 25 and receive healthcare services under the family’s general health insurance coverage according to Turkish Law No. 5510 on Social Security and General Health Insurance Plan,
Have no record of disciplinary sanctions,
Have completed at least 120 ECTS credits,
Have a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.40,
Find the aviation company for the internship placement on their initiative.

Note: Due to the legal framework of the Work Permit Exemption Document, only students who are citizens of the Republic of Türkiye are eligible to undertake long-term internships.

Question: I want to complete a long-term internship (longer than 30 business days), but I do not meet the eligibility requirements for a long-term internship. If I pay my social security premiums to the University, would the University have me covered under social security?

Answer: The University does not have such a practice.

Question: Can I complete a voluntary (non-credit) internship aside from a mandatory internship?

Answer: The Internship Commission evaluates the eligibility of students who meet the requirements listed below and submits an application for a voluntary (non-credit) internship. Only students deemed suitable by the commission will be granted the opportunity to undertake a voluntary internship. In assessing the suitability of the voluntary internship, the Internship Commission takes into consideration the following criteria:

The student's academic performance,
The size and institutional structure of the company where the internship will take place,
Whether the internship contributes to the student's educational development,
Whether the internship qualifies as part-time employment.

Students who wish to apply for a voluntary internship must meet the following conditions:

Be under the age of 25 and receive healthcare services under the family’s general health insurance coverage according to Turkish Law No. 5510 on Social Security and General Health Insurance Plan,
Have no record of disciplinary sanctions,
Have completed at least 90 ECTS credits,
Have a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.40,
Find the aviation company for the internship placement on their initiative.

Note: Due to the legal framework of the Work Permit Exemption Document, only students who are citizens of the Republic of Türkiye are eligible to undertake voluntary internships.

Question: I would like to complete a voluntary (non-credit) internship but I do not meet the eligibility requirements for voluntary (non-credit) internships. If I pay my social security premiums to the University, would the University have me covered under social security?

Answer: The University does not have such a practice.

Question: Can I complete my mandatory internship at an organization not affiliated with aviation?

Answer: Students are allowed to complete their internships at aviation organizations only.

Question: I meet the eligibility requirements for voluntary (non-credit) internships. Can I complete my voluntary (non-credit) internship at an organization not affiliated with aviation?

Answer: Students are allowed to complete their internships at aviation organizations only.

Question: Can I complete my mandatory internships in two different 15-day periods?

Answer: No, you cannot. Mandatory internships must be completed in a one continuous 30-business day period.

Question: I work part-time at a company. Can I substitute it for an internship?

Answer: Part-time work or professional experience cannot be substituted for an internship.

Question: Can I complete my internship abroad?

Answer: Students admitted as interns by aviation organizations based abroad may be granted permission to complete their mandatory internships abroad by the Internship Commission. In such a case, the students are responsible for completing all related procedures, including passport, visa, work permit, and health insurance, on their own.

Question: I applied for an Erasmus internship and I got admitted. Can I substitute it for my mandatory internship?

Answer: Students meeting the mandatory internship requirements (having completed 150 ECTS credits, and having passed the SEC 201 course), and planning to complete their mandatory internships at an aviation organization abroad for at least 30 business days may substitute their internships for their mandatory internships, subject to the approval of the Internship Commission. In such a case, the student is responsible for filling out the internship log throughout the internship period and making a presentation to the Internship Commission at the end of the internship.

Question: I will be abroad within the scope of the Erasmus program in the Spring semester. I would like to complete my internship over the summer after I return home from Erasmus. How should I complete my internship procedures?

Answer: Please follow the announcements of the Internship Commission. You will be provided with the necessary information via email. You can prepare the required internship documents after your return from Erasmus or through a relative/acquaintance.

Question: Do I need to select the 6 ECTS credit internship course for mandatory internship during the course registration period in the fall/spring/summer term?

Answer: You do not need to select any courses for internship during the course registration period. Your internship credits will be automatically added to your transcript at the end of your internship.

Question: Will this 6 ECTS internship credits affect the maximum number of ECTS credits I can take in a semester?

Answer: The 6 ECTS internship credits affect the maximum ECTS credits you can take in a semester. You should take this into consideration while selecting courses during the course registration period in the fall/spring/summer term. For example, if you are allowed to take a maximum of 30 ECTS in a term and your internship credit will be added in the same term, you can select up to 24 ECTS for this term. The same applies for the summer term as well. Since you cannot exceed 18 ECTS for the summer term, you can select a maximum of 12 ECTS if you will have your internship in the summer term.

Question: Do I have to pay a tuition fee for the 6 ECTS internship credits?

Answer:

The student is not required to pay a tuition fee for the 6 ECTS internship credits in the following cases:

When the internship takes place in the summer term following the spring term in which the student was registered at the university and chosen course/courses.
If the student does his/her internship in the fall semester and the student has another course other than the internship in the fall semester. So, the student is registered at the university for the fall term.
If the student does his/her internship in the spring semester and the student has another course other than the internship in the spring semester. So, the student is registered at the university for the spring term.

For the following cases, the student is required to pay a tuition fee for the 6 ECTS internship credits:

If the student does his internship in the fall semester and the student does not have any other courses other than the internship in the fall semester. In such a case, 6 ECTS internship credits will be added to the curriculum at the beginning of the semester so that the student does not become unregistered, and the student must pay for the 6 ECTS credits.
If the student does his internship in the spring semester and the student does not have any other courses other than the internship in the spring semester. In such a case, 6 ECTS internship credits will be added to the curriculum at the beginning of the semester so that the student does not become unregistered, and the student must pay for the 6 ECTS credits.

Question: Which documents do I need to submit to the Faculty Secretary’s Office for Social Security coverage?

Answer: For Social Security coverage, all of the following documents must be submitted in person.

Internship Information Form (signed and stamped by the employer)
Declaration Form and Letter of Undertaking
Residence Certificate
A copy of the Identity Card
Student Certificate
Work Permit Exemption Document for the students who are not citizens of the Republic of Türkiye.

Question: When should I submit the required documents for social security coverage?

Answer: These documents must be submitted in person at the latest by 10 working days before the start date of the internship.

Question: What happens if I cannot submit the required documents for Social Security coverage on time?

Answer: Your Social Security registration will not be completed, and your internship will be postponed to a later date.

Question: I have successfully completed my internship. When will my internship grade be added to my transcript?

Answer: The internship grade of the student who successfully completed his/her internship is added to his/her transcript within one month from the date on which the student submitted his/her internship log and delivered his internship presentation to the Commission.

Question: In which language will the internship presentation be delivered?

Answer: The internship presentation must be in English.

Question: What happens if I fail to submit my internship log and/or deliver my internship presentation?

Answer: The internship will be deemed invalid.

Question: What happens if I fail to keep abreast of the Internship Commission’s announcements or to respond to the emails?

Answer: Students are responsible for keeping abreast of the Internship Commission’s announcements and duly fulfilling the requirements. Students will be personally held responsible for any consequences that may arise from their failure to duly keep abreast of the Internship Commission’s announcements or to duly fulfill their obligations.

Question: I didn’t complete my mandatory internship. Can I still graduate?

Answer: As the 6 ECTS credit mandatory internship is one of the graduation requirements of the Aviation Management Department, you cannot qualify for graduation unless you complete your mandatory internship.

Aviation Management Program, Internship Commission:

Committee Member Instructor Mehmet Ertürk

Committee Member Research Assistant Rabia Demir Güven