The ESO science journalism internship is now listed by the European Southern Observatory as “Internship: Science Communication”. It is a six-month, in-person placement in ESO’s Department of Communication at its headquarters in Garching, near Munich in Germany. Interns write and edit press releases, web pages, video scripts and exhibition text about ESO’s telescopes and discoveries, working with ESO’s professional science communicators.
ESO pays a monthly allowance for living costs, provides accommodation and covers one return trip from your home. It does not publish the allowance amount, and it does not sponsor visas. The current vacancy (reference 2026_0001) shows a deadline of 31 December 2026, but the same page calls it a rolling position and says applications are reviewed every four to six months. In practice you can apply now and state the start date you want.
ESO science journalism internship at a glance
| Item | What the official vacancy says |
|---|---|
| Official title | Internship: Science Communication (advert 2026_0001) |
| Host | European Southern Observatory (ESO), Department of Communication |
| Where | Garching, Germany. Remote or hybrid internships are not possible. |
| Length | 6 months |
| Start date | Flexible. You give your approximate preferred start date in the application. |
| Pay and support | Monthly allowance for living expenses, accommodation, cost of one return trip from your home station |
| Visa | ESO does not sponsor visas for this internship |
| Language | Fluent written and spoken English. German is not listed. |
| Documents | Motivation letter (1 page), CV (2 pages), two writing samples (up to 5 pages each) |
| Deadline | 31 December 2026 on the listing; rolling, with reviews every 4 to 6 months |
| Contact | vacancy@eso.org |
ESO is an intergovernmental organisation for ground-based astronomy, set up in 1962. It runs the Very Large Telescope in Chile and is building the Extremely Large Telescope, so the stories you work on are real research results that go out to journalists and the public worldwide.
What has changed since older listings
Several scholarship sites still describe this internship with details from older ESO adverts. I compared their text with the current vacancy on ESO’s recruitment site, and these are the differences that matter:
| Older listings say | Current ESO vacancy says |
|---|---|
| 3 to 6 months | 6 months |
| Education and Public Outreach Department (ePOD) | Department of Communication, based partly in Garching and partly in Santiago, Chile; the internship itself is in Garching |
| Apply to job 2019_0054 | The live advert is 2026_0001, applied for through jobs.eso.org |
| “All countries are eligible” | No nationality is excluded in principle, but recruitment preference goes to nationals of ESO member states, host states and strategic partners, and ESO does not sponsor visas |
| “Samples of your work” | Exactly two writing samples of up to 5 pages each, written for non-specialists. Scientific papers and theses are not accepted. |
| Strong MS Office skills required | Not listed in the current advert |
| “Fully funded” | Allowance, housing and one return trip. No published amount, no visa support, and insurance is not mentioned. |
What ESO interns actually do
The advert frames the work as learning outcomes. Day to day, that means you sit with ESO’s communicators and help produce the material that goes out under ESO’s name:
- News and press releases: turning a research paper from an ESO telescope into a release that a general reader and a busy journalist can follow.
- Web pages and publications: writing and updating text for ESO’s public site and printed material.
- Video scripts: drafting scripts that pair with ESO’s footage and animations.
- Exhibition panels: writing short, accurate text for displays.
- Editing in a team: your drafts go through rounds of edits with staff until they suit the audience. Expect your copy to change a lot.
You also see how a large international science organisation decides what to publish and when. For someone aiming at a newsroom, a university press office or a research communications job, that inside view is worth more than the allowance.
Allowance and costs: what is paid and what is not
Many listings label this internship “fully funded”. ESO itself lists three things it provides. Everything else is your cost.
| Cost | Covered by ESO? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly living allowance | Yes | Amount not published in the advert. Ask vacancy@eso.org if you are shortlisted. |
| Accommodation | Yes | Listed as provided |
| Travel | One return trip | From and to your home station |
| Visa and residence permit | No | ESO does not sponsor visas; you must already have, or obtain yourself, the right to live and work in Germany |
| Health insurance | Not stated | The advert does not mention insurance. Confirm before you accept. |
| Moving costs beyond the one trip | No | Extra flights home during the six months are on you |
Because the amount is not public, I would not resign from a job or turn down another offer until ESO tells you the figure in writing. With housing provided, the allowance mainly needs to cover food, local transport and personal costs in the Munich area, which is one of Germany’s more expensive regions.
Who can apply for the ESO science journalism internship
Skills and background
- Preferred: you are studying, or recently finished, a degree in science, science communication or science journalism, or you recently graduated in astronomy and have science writing experience.
- Required: some previous experience in written science communication or journalism.
- Required: enough astronomy to understand scientific papers.
- Required: fluent written and spoken English.
A degree is preferred, not compulsory. A self-taught writer with a strong portfolio of published astronomy pieces can still make a case.
Nationality and the visa rule
This is where international applicants need to read carefully. ESO says no nationality is excluded in principle, and it gives recruitment preference to nationals of its member states, host states and strategic partners: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Chile and Australia.
No visa sponsorship
ESO states that it does not sponsor visas for this internship. If you are not an EU or EEA citizen and do not already hold a German residence permit that lets you work, you would have to secure that right yourself. Check this before you spend time on the application.
In practice, applicants who already study or live in Germany on a permit that allows this kind of work, and nationals of the countries above, are the people this internship is realistically open to. If you are outside that group, ask vacancy@eso.org before applying whether your situation can work.
How to apply
- Check your right to work in Germany: settle the visa question first, as explained above.
- Pick your two writing samples: each up to 5 pages, written for a general audience. Blog posts, news articles, press releases or magazine features work. Scientific papers and theses are refused.
- Write a one-page motivation letter: in English, aimed at this internship and ESO, with your preferred start date.
- Cut your CV to two pages: put writing experience, publications and science background first.
- Apply online: through ESO’s recruitment portal at jobs.eso.org, choosing the Science Communication internship (2026_0001).
- Wait for the review cycle: ESO reviews applications every four to six months, so a quick reply is unlikely.
Questions go to vacancy@eso.org. Keep them specific, such as the allowance amount or your visa position, and do not send your application by email.
CV and motivation letter for a science communication internship
The two-page CV
- Open with a short “Science writing” section listing published pieces with outlet names and dates.
- Follow with education, giving your degree, institution and any astronomy or physics courses.
- Add relevant experience: student newspaper, outreach events, planetarium shows, podcasts, science festivals.
- List tools you can actually use, such as a content management system, basic image or video editing, and social media scheduling.
- Leave out unrelated part-time jobs unless they show deadlines or teamwork.
The one-page motivation letter
Selectors in a press office read many letters that say “I am passionate about astronomy”. Start with something you have done instead. A sample opening line:
“Last March I turned a 14-page paper on a fast radio burst into a 600-word explainer that my university newspaper ran on its front page, and I want to learn to do that every week at ESO.”
Then, in two or three short paragraphs, say what you have written, what you want to learn in the Department of Communication, and why ESO’s science specifically interests you. Name an ESO release you liked and say what made it work. Close with your preferred start date.
Choosing writing samples
Your samples carry the most weight. Pick one news-style piece and one longer explainer if you can, so the reviewers see both speed and depth. If both are on astronomy or physics, even better. Do not send a lab report or thesis chapter; ESO says these will not be accepted.
Selection process and interview tips
ESO does not publish a step-by-step selection process for this internship. From the advert, you can expect a portfolio-led review of applications every four to six months, followed by contact with shortlisted candidates. If you are invited to talk to the team:
- Be ready to explain a recent ESO press release in plain words, as if to a 15-year-old.
- Expect to be asked how you handle heavy edits to your copy.
- Bring examples of working to a deadline, especially news deadlines.
- Ask what a typical week looks like and how many pieces interns usually publish.
- Confirm the allowance, accommodation details and your right to work before you accept.
Common mistakes
- Sending scientific papers or a thesis as writing samples.
- Going over the page limits: 1 page for the letter, 2 for the CV, 5 per sample.
- Ignoring the visa rule and applying from abroad without any right to work in Germany.
- Asking for a remote or part-time version. The advert rules this out.
- Waiting for 31 December 2026. Reviews happen every few months, so applying early gets you into an earlier round.
- Using an old link to job 2019_0054 or another closed advert.
Similar internships compared
| Internship | Where | Who can apply | What is paid | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESO Science Communication | Garching, Germany | Students and recent graduates with science writing experience; no visa sponsorship | Allowance (amount not published), housing, one return trip | 6 months |
| EC Blue Book traineeship | Brussels or Luxembourg | EU nationals and candidate-country nationals with a 3-year degree | About €1,572 a month plus allowances | 5 months |
| Mitacs Globalink Research Internship | Canada | Undergraduates in 23 partner countries | Contributions to flights, housing, food and insurance | 12 weeks |
| METI Japan Internship Program | Japan | DAC-list nationals aged 18 to 39, final-year students and graduates | Flight, housing, JPY 3,000 a day in person | Up to 30 business days in Japan, plus an online course |
If your interest is research rather than writing about it, the Mitacs route is closer. If you want a European institution and hold an EU passport, the Blue Book traineeship pays a published, fixed grant.
Who should apply, and who should not
Apply if
- You already write about science for the public and can show two good pieces.
- You can live in Garching for six months and already have, or can get, the right to work in Germany.
- You want a career in science journalism, research communication or a press office.
Skip it if
- You need a sponsored visa to enter Germany.
- Your only writing is academic papers.
- You need a fixed, published stipend figure before applying, or can only work remotely.
FAQ on the ESO science journalism internship
Is the ESO science communication internship paid?
Yes. ESO pays a monthly living allowance, provides accommodation and covers one return trip from your home. It does not publish the amount, and it does not sponsor visas.
What is the deadline for the ESO science journalism internship?
The listing shows 31 December 2026, but ESO describes it as a rolling position and reviews applications every four to six months. Apply as early as you can.
Can international students apply for the ESO internship?
No nationality is excluded, but ESO prefers nationals of its member states, host states and partners, and it does not sponsor visas. You need your own right to live and work in Germany.
Can I send my thesis as a writing sample?
No. ESO asks for two samples of up to 5 pages each written for a general audience, and says scientific papers and theses are not accepted.
Sources and updates
Checked on 25 October 2026 against ESO’s current vacancy “Internship: Science Communication” (advert 2026_0001) on ESO’s recruitment site, together with earlier ESO internship adverts to identify what has changed. The allowance amount and insurance arrangements are not published by ESO; ask vacancy@eso.org. This post will be updated if ESO closes the advert or changes the terms.
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