Research projects/Internships
Within all Master's programmes, one or more research projects are mandatory (click on ‘Study programme’ for more information regarding your programme).
It may also be possible to do an extracurricular internship; less research-oriented but more geared towards applying skills learned in your Master's programme and getting a closer experience of a real company environment. Please ask your programme coordinator for opportunities within your programme.
If your project takes place outside UU, for example at a company, an internship contract is required.
Arrange the internship contract before submitting your application form in Osiris.
The internship contract has to be checked and signed by the Research Project Coordinators, Rebecca Puyk and Noor Weelink, on behalf of the UU via science.internshipcontracts@uu.nl. Once your internship contract has been checked and signed by the UU, you can upload it with your application form in Osiris (for more information on that, go to the page 'Getting Started').
The contract options are as follows:
- The Universities of the Netherlands (UNL) internship contract is preferred for an external project inside the Netherlands.
- The EAIE contract is preferred for an external project outside of the Netherlands.
- The host organisation may have their own internship contract, provided that it meets the requirements of Utrecht University.
- If you are a non-EU student, then you should use the NUFFIC agreement.
There can only be one internship contract, so please discuss this with the host organisation carefully. We advise students to first discuss their internship (contract) with their supervisor before signing.
Penalty clause (a fine)
The Faculty and Utrecht University strongly discourage signing an internship contract provided by an external organisation which contains a penalty clause (a fine).
Please be aware: We will not co-sign any internship contract which contains a penalty clause (fine).
Going abroad? You need to take these extra steps:
- If your project is outside of the Netherlands, you also have to do a Stay Abroad request in Osiris after receiving approval by the Board of Examiners. Information about this can be found on the webpage Stay Abroad.
- Please read the whole page carefully. If you have questions please contact the International Office. Be aware that arranging a project abroad takes time.
- You might find this checklist useful during the organisation of your traineeship abroad.
- It is important to check the travel advice for your destination given by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Please type in your destination on the website (in Dutch). If your country has orange or red areas your Stay Abroad request cannot be validated.
Start your case via Osiris Student
- When you have found your subject, you have to submit an application form via Osiris Student. Select ‘My Cases’, ‘Start a new case’, 'Thesis and graduation' and then ‘GSNS Research Project (Thesis)’.
- End date: In the form in Osiris Student, you set an end date for your project. The end date is calculated upon how many full-time weeks you will work on the project, other courses you will be doing alongside your project (5 full-time weeks for every course), holidays and possibly, time spend as a student assistant.
And: make sure to choose the correct course code for part 2!
Other information you will need for the form are:
- Names of project supervisor/first examiner, second examiner and/or daily supervisor
- Upload your internship contract with form (if you do a Research Project outside UU or NL)
- Planning of regular meetings with your supervisor(s)
- Workload per week
- Student absence
- Supervisor(s) absence
- Presentations to be held
- Group meetings to be attended
Important: to apply correctly, you must have discussed the project setup with your intended project supervisor/first examiner beforehand! We advise you to study the application form before you discuss it with your project supervisor/first examiner or fill it out together to make sure that it includes all of the required information.
After application: wait for approval
After submitting the application form in Osiris Student, your form will be forwarded to the Student Desk, your supervisor(s) and second examiner, the programme coordinator and finally, the Board of Examiners for checks and approvals. You may be asked for modifications, should they find any problems with the form. You will be notified of this via e-mail.
The GSNS research project is split into two parts, your project supervisor will fill out the assessment form part 1 (please see an example assessment form, this may slightly differ from the one in OSIRIS) at the end of the first part of your project. At the end of your project your supervisor will fill out the assessment form part 2 (please see an example assessment form, this may slightly differ from the one in OSIRIS). This is done within Osiris and your grade will automatically be registered in Osiris.
Practical info
Students with a project from 1 September 2024:
This is what you need to do if you foresee a delay of your Research Project or extension/addition to the project is necessary.
The protocol*
- The student and examiners need to finish the Research Project before the in Osiris Zaak specified end date. The end date is the last date by which the final grade is determined. The end date is based on full-time study.
- If the end date cannot be met, the student, first and second examiner agree on a new end date. This new end date will be passed on to the Board of Examiners by the student via Osiris Student > ‘My Cases’> ‘Start Case’ > ‘Request to the Board of Examiners’ > ‘request type ‘New end date thesis project’. This needs to happen before the initial end date is reached. Valid reasons for agreeing on a new end date can be both personal circumstances and research-related circumstances.
- The student and examiners can impose an examination on the agreed end date. In the case the other party does not agree with this, they can turn to the programme leader. A student who due to circumstances beyond their control cannot be present during examination can request the Board of Examiners for a special testing provision.
The student and/or examiners can turn to the Board of Examiners in cases of disagreement on the implementation of this protocol or other conflicts not covered by this protocol. In these cases, the Board of Examiners decides in line with the spirit of this protocol.
*This protocol is translated from the Dutch version in the EER/OER and no rights can be derived from any errors in translation.
Students with a Research Project from before 1 September 2024:
This is what you need to do if you, due to circumstances beyond your control, foresee a delay of your Research Project in Part 1 or Part 2.
The procedure:
- Discuss this first with your supervisor(s). If all agree a new realistic end date will be set for the Research Project.
- After that, contact the Study Advisor and the programme coordinator and ask for consent to determine a new end date for your thesis.
- Apply for an extension of the research project deadline for Part 1 or Part 2 to the Board of Examiners via Osiris Student > ‘My Cases’> ‘Start Case’ > ‘Request to the Board of Examiners’ > ‘request type 7 'Delay of research or thesis project'.
What information is needed for the application form:
- A statement from the Study Advisor
- A copy of an email in which the supervisors support the request for a deadline extension
- A proposed new deadline
- Short statement to support your request
Note: you are responsible for finding your project supervisor, but sometimes also your second examiner and daily supervisor, this varies per project and programme.
> Project supervisor/First examiner (from UU):
The project supervisor/first examiner is - together with the second examiner - responsible for your assessment and registering your grade in Osiris. They must be an employee of UU. Students following a double degree master's programme will be co-supervised by two project supervisors/first examiners, one of each programme.
> Second examiner (from UU):
Must also be a UU employee. This person is not involved in your supervision but is - together with the first examiner - responsible for the final assessment and grading.
> Daily supervisor:
This is the person who will supervise your day-to-day activities. Your daily supervisor can be the same person as your project supervisor/first examiner, but this does not necessarily need to be the case. Sometimes you can be supervised by a PhD student or someone outside the UU. When your project takes place outside UU the daily supervisor might be someone from the company/institute. Please note that an external supervisor cannot be an examiner.
- If on or before the end date the result of the assessment is an insufficient grade and the student has right to a re-take exam (‘aanvullende toets’) as described in article 5.5 of the EER, the student receives an AANV and the student and both examiners agree on a new end date. This new end date will be passed on to the Board of Examiners by the student through Osiris Zaak.
- If on or before the end date the result of the assessment is an insufficient grade and the student has no right to a re-take exam (‘aanvullende toets’) or there is no valid reason to extend the project, no extension of the project will be granted, and the student can complete the project only by starting a new project.
The student and/or examiners can turn to the Board of Examiners in cases of disagreement on the implementation of this protocol or other conflicts not covered by this protocol. In these cases, the Board of Examiners decides in line with the spirit of this protocol.