ISEG is part of Pan-European Seal Network, an initiative jointly coordinated by European Patent Office (EPO) and by European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the two main European organisations in the field of Intellectual Property (IP).
About the Program
This internship programme offers young graduates or at final year of their studies (bachelor's, master's or doctorate) access to paid internships of at least 12 months at EPO (Munich, The Hague, Berlin, Vienna or Brussels) or in the EUIPO (in Alicante, Brussels or Luxembourg), contributing to their integration into the competitive world of Intellectual Property, through an enriching multicultural professional experience, advanced training and teamwork.
Who can apply?
Each organisation has its own eligibility criteria:
EPO:
- Citizens of any of the EPO member states
- Applicants who already have a degree (bachelor's/master's/doctorate) or students who are in the final year of their studies and expect to obtain their degree by the start of the programme (September 2026);
- Excellent level in one of the EPO's official languages (English, German, French);
- More information here.
EUIPO:
- Citizens of EU countries + 10% of the places for citizens of non-EU countries;
- Applicants who already have a degree (bachelor's/master's/doctorate) within a maximum of 2 years, or students who are in the final year of their studies and expect to obtain their degree by the start of the programme (September 2026);
- Knowledge of English (B2 level) and proficiency in another EU language;
- Candidates must complete EUIPO's online courses (additional information will only be sent to selected candidates who will be part of ISEG's shortlist);
- More information here.
How to apply?
The Career Services will select the candidates to be included in the list to be sent to EUIPO.
For EPO, confirmation will occur after all student applications have been received and reviewed by EPO.
Application process
For EPO
- Applications can be submitted between 16th February and 9th March by accessing this page;
- ISEG will analyse and confirm the candidates from your institution after the EPO reviews applications (the deadline for the university's review is 23 March 2026).
For EUIPO
- ISEG is responsible for submitting its list of pre-selected candidates (only candidates on this list will be considered for the Programme). To do this, interested parties should first fill in this form, until 23rd February.
- Pre-selected candidates must then submit their application online through EUIPO Online Recruitment Tool between 1st and 31st March 2026 (more information will be shared with the shortlisted candidates).
Note: Candidates can only apply to one of the institutions (EPO or EUIPO).
Post-selection requirements
- Selected candidates will have to submit their application online and complete the following electronic courses required by the institution to which they are applying:
Courses required by the EPO (after selection):
- Introduction to the European patent system (compulsory for all)
- Use of CPC in classification (compulsory for Science and Engineering applicants)
- The EPO as a PCT authority (mandatory for candidates without background in Engineering)
Courses recommended by EUIPO (to be submitted with the application):
- “European Union Trade Mark (EUTM in a Nutshell)” and/or
- “Registered EU Design in a Nutshell online course”
Find out more about these courses online on the EPO and EUIPO.
Dates
European Patent Office (EPO) – Young Professionals Programme
| EPO jobs open online | 16 February 2026 - 9 March 2026. |
| Once all the applications have been received and analysed, each university receives a list of the candidates who applied from their institution for review and confirmation | 16th March 2026 |
| Deadline for universities to analyse and confirm candidates | 23 March 2026 |
| Interviews and selection | April 2026 |
| EPO communicates results to candidates | June 2026 |
| Online onboarding sessions | July and August 2026 |
| Communication of results to universities | September 2026 |
| EPO programme start date | 15th September 2026 |
European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) – Internship Programme
| Launch of the EUIPO Internship Programme | 1st February 2026 |
| Deadline for universities to submit their list of candidates | 27th February 2026 |
| Pre-selected candidates send their applications online to EUIPO here | 1 to 31 March 2026. |
| Pre-selection of EUIPO candidates | April 2026 |
| Interviews and selection of candidates by EUIPO | May to July 2026 |
| Programme start date at EUIPO | 16th September 2026 |
| Expiry date of the waiting list for unsuccessful candidates | 31 December 2026 |
Salary
For candidates assigned to the EPO: 1 year contract + option to extend 2 years
- First year: €2,300 per month
- Second and third year: €3,300 per month
For candidates assigned to EUIPO: €1,300 per month
Additional Information
In addition to the information available on this website, please consult the EPO and EUIPO websites:
Consult the following documentation:
EPO:
EUIPO:
For more information, don´t hesitate to contact Career Services.