
Get exclusive money-saving offers and guides
Straight to your inbox
Updated
We’re reader-supported and may be paid when you visit links to partner sites. We don’t compare all products in the market, but we’re working on it!
It pays to have an internship agreement template in place before you hire an intern, as it could save you from legal issues down the road. We'll show you what to include and point you in the right direction for free template downloads.
An internship agreement is a legally binding contract between an employer and an intern. It sets out in detail the roles and responsibilities of both parties, as well as the terms and conditions of the relationship. With an internship agreement, you know your confidential material and intellectual property is protected.
You will usually need to have an internship agreement template in place before you take on an intern, as they will need to sign it before they begin work. Whether it's a paid or unpaid internship, you still need a contract.
There is no difference between an internship contract and an internship agreement; they both set out the expectations and duties of an internship. They also both establish what the intern will gain in lieu of pay.
It is important that your internship agreement includes the kind of benefit the intern will gain from the internship. This helps to recognise their role as an intern as opposed to an employee, as in an employee contract, it states what the employer will benefit from the relationship. Here is what should be included in your internship agreement:
An internship agreement is only effective if it is dated and signed by both the intern and the employer. It's also an essential document to protect your intellectual property and trade secrets. The agreement needs to clearly define the relationship as an internship as opposed to an employee position.
You do not need a lawyer to draft up an internship agreement in writing. There are a number of free templates you can use online to make sure the agreement includes what it needs to and that it's legally binding.
Start by finding a free template of an internship agreement to download (see below) so you can customise it to suit your needs. This will help to keep you within the parameters of what is required by law to make it legally binding.
You can try government websites to find sample internship agreement templates to download. There are also a few legal sites where you can view the document you need before downloading. Other legal sites offer memberships and access to their library of legal and business documents for free. Here are some examples: