Terms

Content:

Booking deadline
Arrival to the program
Minimum age
Public holidays
Duration of the program
Order of the internship and practice / the Russian language training organization
Payment policies
Terms of internship change, cancellation and refund. Disputable matters
General rules of interning
Internship requirements (on-site)
Accommodation rules

Booking deadlines

In case the language courses and /or internship programs are longer than 4 weeks, the application form must be submitted and advanced payment for the program shall be paid 8 weeks before the start of the program. If the Intern wishes to start earlier, waiting less than 8 weeks to start the program, the amount of the program booking deposit increases by 100 euros (urgency fee).

For Interns who have already got a Russian visa and do not require an invitation letter from ProfIntern, the standard booking deadline is also 8 weeks for both short and long-term programs. Depending on the circumstances (e.g. the intern is already in Russia) in some cases the deadline can be reduced to 4 weeks, but it must be approved by ProfIntern.

Arrival to the program

The Intern should come to Russia not earlier than 3 days before the internship starting date and leave not later than 3 days after the internship / the Russian language course ends. Please take into consideration that the date of arrival for the program should be Saturday or Sunday and the departure day should be Saturday. All courses start on Monday. The Russian language course for beginners starts every first Monday of the month. In case of valid reasons (e.g. delayed flight or visa problems), the Intern may arrive on another day. As soon as the impeding condition is resolved, the Agent / Intern must inform ProfIntern to discuss the situation. Changes in the contract can be made only with the approval of ProfIntern.

Minimum age

Interns must be minimum 18 years old.

Public holidays

ProfIntern and its educational and corporate partners are not operating on the following public holidays: DEC 27 — JAN 1-8; MAY 2, MAY 9, JUN 12, NOV 4. There are no Russian lessons or internships during public holidays, thus we offer a reduced Russian language course fee in case any course falls on a day-off or a public holiday.

Duration of the program

Maximum 3 months (12 weeks).
Due to the Russian visa regulations, foreigners can stay in the territory of Russia maximum 90 days in one piece. After leaving the country it is possible to apply for a new visa and enter Russia again. In this case a minimum 2 weeks long internship break will be required for visa procedures. All the additional costs (invitation for second visa, application for visa, transportation and accommodation abroad) have to be covered by an Intern.
Request additional information about long-term programs.

Order of the internship and practice / the Russian language training organization

Together with the application form the Intern must send to ProfIntern:

• the CV (in English and Russian as well);
• motivation letter (in English and Russian as well);
• his/ her scanned Passport;
• an ID sized Photo;
• a copy of last visa to Russia (if there is any);
• any further documents requested by ProfIntern.

In the process of filling the application, the Intern indicates three fields of his/her interests for internship with a decrease in the degree of significance. ProfIntern selects the internship according to the list, starting with the first priority and in 90% offers the right placement at the first attempt, however it is not guaranteed that the first priority placement will be selected. After that ProfIntern moves on to the 2nd and 3d placement priorities. Placing for an internship in one of the fields specified in the application form is guaranteed. The Intern has no right to refuse the internship placement, if it covers one of the fields of interest or the goals and objectives of the internship specified in the Intern’s application form.

ProfIntern sends the invoice within 15 days from the date of receiving the application form.

The list of services ProfIntern shall perform and provide for a certain Intern is determined by the ProfIntern’s invoice, drawn up on the basis of the Intern’s application form which is filled on the website of ProfIntern https://profintern.com or transmitted by e-mail to profi@profintern.com or intern@profintern.com and chosen internship package. If internship payment is made by a third party, the Intern shall indicate that the application is sent with the financial support of that person.

Not later than 3 weeks before the internship start ProfIntern selects the most suitable conditions for training and / or the Russian language training and sends the internship program / instruction indicating the name of the company, responsibilities, obligations, living conditions, training (if necessary) and further details.

All the internship programs sent to the Intern for further consideration are based on the Intern’s resume, requirements and internship fields given in the Intern’s application form. ProfIntern’s professional background is the guarantee for finding the most suitable internship company and tasks for the Intern, in accordance with the above mentioned documents. Based on our corporate statistics the vast majority of our interns are happy with the offered internship placement right away. In some cases, whenever the Intern has a justified professional reason not to accept the first placement, ProfIntern keeps searching for a better fit.

The maximum number of suggestions we can provide the Intern is three.

The Intern is obliged to revise and understand the internship program / training and confirm it by signing and sending back the internship program via e-mail. The Intern is entitled to ask for a change of internship placement maximum twice by specifying the discrepancy between the chosen program and the submitted application form. ProfIntern is not required to search for three companies in advance, and the search for a new placement may require additional time. If the first suggested option corresponds with the application, the Intern shall accept that option and further search is put to a stand.

Searching for an internship place upon rejection of the three placement offers can be continued only after an additional payment is sent for ProfIntern’s services, according to its invoice. The rejection may happen either by the Intern or the potential host company, but the total number of placement offers is three per ProfIntern payment.

In some special cases, at the request of the host company ProfIntern may require the preliminary interview with the Intern which can result in rejection or acceptance for an internship. In case of rejection of the Intern’s candidacy after an interview with the host company or denial / avoidance of the interview by the Intern, ProfIntern offers him/her new options for no more than 2 times.

The Intern may not require an interview with the company, if it is not initiated by the company. The Intern may ask ProfIntern to start searching internship places upon arrival to the Russian Federation if s/he is preliminary studying the language, exploring the city / local culture, while in the territory of St. Petersburg, Moscow or Yekaterinburg.

After the Intern revised and understood the internship program of the host company ProfIntern starts preparations for reception of the Intern.

ProfIntern accompanies the Intern to the company on the first day of the internship, where the Intern, the host company and ProfIntern discuss the internship tasks and responsibilities.

Payment policies

Program fee shall be paid before the start of the internship / language course based on ProfIntern invoice. Unforeseen and objectively necessary additional expenses for the Agreement execution shall be compensated not later than 5 days from the date of ProfIntern’s relevant invoice.

Payment of the invoice may be made by any third party, indicated in the application form.

Program booking deposit for the processing of an application under the Agreement is 450 (four hundred fifty) euros. VAT is not charged.

Online internship package has to be fully prepaid. The fee includes the program booking deposit.

Advanced payment for on-site “Basic”,  “Standard” and “Premium” internship packages covers 50% of the program fee and includes the program booking deposit.

Advanced payment as by the chosen internship package has to be paid by the Intern before ProfIntern starts program arrangements. The remaining amount shall be paid not later than 10 (ten) business days prior to Intern’s arrival by bank transfer or within one day after arrival.

In case the Intern books the Russian language course in addition to Internship package the total course fee has to be paid by the Intern together with the advanced payment for the chosen internship package.

Method of payment:

Through bank transfer. The Intern can either make a pre-payment or make the bank transfer of the whole fee. ProfIntern will send the Intern the invoice with the bank account details. All the bank expenses are the responsibility of the Sender.

In cash or via ATM. The Intern can pay the rest of the Program fee upon arrival within 3 working days.

Terms of internship change, cancellation and refund. Disputable matters

The Intern may, within seven days from the start of the internship ask ProfIntern to change the internship placement if the current company shows negligence, allows any illegal actions, unable to provide the Intern with appropriate internship conditions or the functions expected from the Intern do not correspond with his/her application form or program confirmation and it is not possible to resolve this issue with the management of the host company. Searching for another host company is carried out in this case, in all the internship areas indicated in the application form, but note that it may require additional time.

If there is any question or problem, the Intern shall notify and bring in ProfIntern as a mediator to resolve the issue. If the mediation process does not reach its objectives, ProfIntern may, but is not obliged to offer a new internship place. ProfIntern is not obliged to find a new place to arrange an internship, or any interviews if the Intern does not comply with the rules of the company or the country and is dismissed from the internship for that reason, or experiences emotional stress.

The Intern is entitled to terminate the internship at his/her own discretion (without return of the money paid to ProfIntern) provided a written notice to ProfIntern and the host company on this not less than 10 days in advance.

Cancellation Terms and Conditions

Refund is not possible after the program has started, excluding any extraordinary and inevitable circumstance in the host company and/or educational organization (force majeure).

In case of refusal to issue a visa, the ProfIntern returns the full amount of actually paid expenses to the Intern minus the program booking deposit (in case ProfIntern has already suggested and/or finalized internship placement to/for the Intern). To do this, it is necessary to send the ProfIntern the scan of the official rejection provided by the diplomatic services of the Russian Federation.

If the ProfIntern for any reason does not suggest any internship place to the Intern in any of the requested fields and it’s 1 week before expected internship start date, the Intern has the right to cancel the program and to get the full refund for the program from ProfIntern. In this case, the ProfIntern can offer an internship in a company of another sphere, that based on the ProfIntern’s professional opinion, approximately corresponds to the application form and / or CV of the Intern. The Intern has the right to refuse the proposed variants. In case the Intern accepts the new placement, the standard procedure of signing the internship program shall proceed.

The Intern can postpone the internship start date maximum three months, providing a solid reason (delay in obtaining a visa, family circumstances). The above change is subject to notification of not less than 20 days before the initial due date without any extra charge. In case of force majeure, connected with inevitable circumstances for both sides (the political situation, pandemic restrictions), the internship can be postponed for any time. If the Intern has already received the visa with the invitation provided by Agent, changing its dates or issuing a new visa is not possible.

In case the Intern withdraws from the internship and / or language course and / or accommodation 1-20 days prior to the internship start date, the language course fee (in case ordered), accommodation booking fee of 350 euros (for “Standard” and “Premium” internship packages), the program booking deposit (for all internship packages) and urgency fee (in case applied) cannot be refunded. The fees paid for the online internship are not refunded.

COVID and political measures: In case the intern cannot arrive to the previously booked on-site internship program due to the closed borders no refund is possible. The Agent does it’s best to negotiate the internship shift with the hosting company/language school/landlord for any period, considering that new visa invitation should be paid additionally. If the program shift is impossible for any reason, the Agent negotiates with the hosting company the on-line format of the program or finds another placing company providing the online internship.

General rules of interning

Our aim is to create connections and to fulfill professional experiences between the Interns and hosting companies through national and international internships. It is our passion to provide students with professional and relevant top internship placements in order to improve their professional and language skills.

ProfIntern always selects the companies according to the Interns’ major, working experience and personal wishes to make the most out of this program.

ProfIntern makes a great deal of strenuous effort to provide solutions for the various needs of Interns as well as partners involved in the preparation and implementation of the programs. According to the registration process, the Intern will sign a contract, which includes the provided services registered in the application form and contains ProfIntern’s obligation towards the Intern.

All Interns must comply with the following set of requirements during the training and internship programs.

Interns must

• Make payments timely for all the services, identified in the invoices sent by ProfIntern or Language school,
• Have a valid health insurance throughout the whole program while being in the territory of the Russian Federation, that provides the Intern with insurance for any  life and health risk with an insurance coverage of at least 30 000 euros,
• Pay for the flight tickets to and from the chosen country independently and separately,
• Comply with the migration and local regulations of the Russian Federation during the period of the Program,
• Indicate complete and accurate information in the application form,
• Execute faithfully the internship duties by acting as an intern in the company,
• Keep the training period terms, specified in the application form,
• Not abort the internship and the Russian language course without a solid reason(sudden, extraordinary and inevitable circumstances)
• Notify ProfIntern and the Russian language school (if there is such) about any trips outside the host city, as it concerns the visa regulations for foreign citizens staying in the Russian Federation
• Reimburse any losses to ProfIntern, as well as the damage cost caused by the Intern’s negligence during the participation in the program,
• Accept that a suburban location is not a reason to change the accommodation nor internship placement company.

Interns understand and accept that

• ProfIntern program does not imply long-term employment – it is an internship to help future employment and it is possible to obtain an official job offer (based on mutual satisfaction). Despite giving interns the duties according to his/her major, wishes and skills, and the need for the company, the official reason for being in the company — is the practice of the foreign language in the professional sphere – the intern is not working there. In any case, the certificate of completion will involve the passage of language courses (if booked any) and an internship in a company,
• Interns will not get paid for the internship, it strives for educational goals and offers the opportunity to gain professional and language experience.
• The duties during the internship are fully dependent on the Interns’ education,qualifications, experience and language proficiency. The objectives set out in the internship program may be supplemented or amended by the company in accordance with the needs and current projects of the company.
• Internship requirements and workloads are different, but interns will be involved in a real working process or will be given an independent project.
• Any corporate duty might include some routine activities, such as information recording or phone calls.
• The selection of the internship placement can not depend on parameters given by the Intern, such as company name, location, size, belonging to certain holders (domestic or foreign).
• The Intern cannot refuse a position that matches one of the preferred areas. The 3 preferred priorities are interchangeable for ProfIntern, any successful match of these 3 must be accepted by the Intern.
• ProfIntern has the right to cancel or change the internship placement or working position in a particular company, if the candidate’s knowledge of the language does not reach the expected level upon completion of the language course.
• All disputes between the Parties arising from this Agreement or in connection therewith shall be considered by an authorized court of the country of the Agent in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.

Internship requirements (on-site)

Scope and regime of work and responsibilities
The intern determines desired working hours and days, depending on the program schedule, which has to be approved by the compnay.
The company determines work description and the internship environment in the office. Experience and communication skills of the Intern will determine the type of internship tasks and responsibility. Working time and tasks are specified in the Internship program, which is signed between ProfIntern and the chosen company, and provided to the intern.

Punctuality and attendance
Absence at the internship company needs to be agreed with the company or ProfIntern in advance. Information on absence due to illness must be reported to the Company and ProfIntern immediately.

Dress code
The intern shall comply with the dress code established in the host company.

Privacy
The Intern shall not disclose to third parties the information and documents indicated as confidential.

Abuse of the Company and / or accommodation property
The Intern shall compensate the caused damage, related to the damage and / or loss of property in the host company.

Management
Interns must perform all the given tasks to the best of their abilities and knowledge.

Certificate of completion
An intern will receive the Certificate of completion after the internship is accomplished. The document of the internship completion is issued by ProfIntern if the host company cannot provide the intern with the Certificate.

Responsibility
ProfIntern shall not be held responsible for any damage caused by  the Intern during the period of the Program in the host company, nor at the accommodation, where damage may be of any nature. Interns must take full responsibility for their acts, even if they contribute to the company teamwork as an intern

Period of notice for the internship termination
Early termination of the Contract by a party shall be indicated in the written form with a minimum 10 days notice to ProfIntern and to the hosting company. Failure to comply with the indicated conditions makes the agreement with ProfIntern invalid.

Accommodation rules

All the payments for the accommodation are done to ProfIntern.

Minimal booking period is 1 month.

First-month accommodation fee includes 350 euros accommodation booking fee.

Inviting relatives or friends from abroad to live in the same room for a short-term has to be negotiated and paid additionally.

As by Russian migration law, all foreigners have to be registered within 7 working days upon arrival at the place of their actual stay. If accommodation is booked through ProfIntern, ProfIntern will take care of the first visa registration (it is included in accommodation fee).  If interns book accommodation on their own, they are advised to make sure the flat owner is prepared to complete their visa registration for them. In this case, it is not the responsibility of ProfIntern.

We kindly ask you to treat your new home with respect and to keep noise to a minimum level, especially during nighttime. The apartments are furnished and you will find an equipped kitchen to make your own meals.

Keys
You will be given a set of keys by the landlord or by a ProfIntern representative when you arrive to the apartment. Please be careful with the keys, as you will have to pay 100 euros for the lost keys.

Bedroom
You are responsible for cleaning your room during your stay, for using the room and movable property without harming it. Clients are not allowed to move the furniture in the room or attach pictures and posters to the walls.

Bathroom
You are responsible for cleaning the bathroom after you have used it and for buying all necessary items such as soap and toilet paper.

Linen
You will be provided on arrival with 2 sets of bed linen and towels and you may launder them yourself during your stay.

Cleaning
The common areas of the flat (kitchen, bathroom, etc) will be cleaned by the landlord every 2 weeks (sometimes they do it every week). The bedroom will be cleaned by the owner before the student’s arrival. You need to clean the common areas after you have used them, emptying ashtrays and taking out all rubbish and bottles daily by disposing them in the appropriate bins located on the streets outside the building.

Laundry
Shared flats are equipped with washing machines. Upon arrival please speak to the owner directly regarding the use of the washing machine. Sometimes the owner can offer you to wash your clothes by him/herself on a weekly basis. For apartments not equipped with a washing machine you will find coin-operated laundries in all areas of the city (200-400 rubles / 5 kg load).

Slippers
Entering the Shared apartment you should remove your shoes and put on slippers.

Heating
The price of the accommodation includes standard heating option. Shared apartments have central heating system which functions during the cold season and it is turned off during the summer. If you are cold, please ask ProfIntern staff or a landlord for a portable heater.

Electricity
We kindly ask you to turn off the lights when not in use and do not use several electrical devices with high electricity consumption at the same time (kettle, iron, washing machine) for safety reasons.

Hot water supply
You should keep in mind that most of the flats do not have hot water for 3 weeks during the summer months. Usually there is a boiler which functions during this period. You should use hot water sparingly in this period. Unfortunately, ProfIntern cannot inform you about the exact time of the hot-water turn off period. In case there is no boiler in a flat Russian people usually take cold showers, boil water on gas, or go to Russian-baths or saunas when the hot water is turned off.

Drinking water
The Saint-Petersburg water-pipe system is quite old and the tap water can contain some bacteria and chemical substances. Showering and brushing teeth are safe, but the tap water is not drinking water. We advise you to drink only bottled or filtered and boiled water.

Smoking
Smoking is not permitted in the apartment, as well as on the stairs.Fine for smoking is 5000 rubles.

Guests
We have booked the room for your personal use. Having guests overnight is allowed only with the consent of the owner. If the owner agrees, ProfIntern will inform you of the additional fee you must pay per night.

Money and other valuables
Please do not leave money or valuables in your room as the owner cannot be responsible for them.

Extending one’s stay
Extra nights are usually available upon request and prepayment. More than 2 days are equivalent to one week (for Moscow). More than 5 days are equivalent to one month (for Saint-Petersburg and Yekaterinburg). If you decide to extend your course and your accommodation please inform ProfIntern immediately. We will confirm your new booking, although we cannot guarantee the same room. Our accommodations are reserved exclusively for clients who are taking a ProfIntern Program. Therefore you cannot stay in our accommodations if you are no longer registered in the Program.

Damage deposit
ProfIntern requires a damage deposit of 150 euros for the Shared apartment accommodation. Please, pass the deposit on the first day to the representative of ProfIntern. The deposit will be refunded at the end of the Program if no damage was caused.

Liability for the property safety
The client is personally liable for damages in the rented room/flat and its movable property. The amount of liability is determined by the property owner.

Change
In case there is a reasonable argument for changing your place, you have to send a written notice to ProfIntern and to the host minimum 3 weeks in advance. In case you want to move immediately, you still have to pay for the month you started. These are the conditions for 3 months rentals and for the average booking system as well.

Accommodation cancellation
Subject to general cancellation policy (Cancellation Terms and Conditions)

In order to take care of ordinary maintenance, the owner/ProfIntern staff reserves the right to enter your room once a month with an advance notice. 

NOTE: In most cases the owner of the house (Russian speaker) will live with the client, but the owner is not responsible for buying, preparing or providing food in any way, the client practically rents a room in a house.

Any accommodation must be booked from SATURDAY to SUNDAY. In some special cases (e.g. flight or visa) your arrival/departure can be another day (a previous discussion and a written agreement with ProfIntern is obligatory).