Internship & Work Experience Agreement Template (South Africa)

One flexible template covering unpaid work experience, paid stipend internships and SETA learnerships. Plain language, toggle clauses, POPIA-ready. Built for South African SMEs.

Hiring an intern without a written agreement is one of the most common legal mistakes South African SMEs make. If something goes wrong — an injury, a dispute over pay, a CCMA claim and there is nothing in writing, you carry the risk.

This template fixes that in under 30 minutes.

What you get

A ready-to-use Word document (.docx) covering three types of internship arrangement, with toggle clauses so you only keep what applies to your situation:

• Unpaid work experience placements
• Paid stipend internships
• SETA learnerships and skills programmes

The template includes 16 clauses covering duties and workplace, stipend and benefits, leave, intellectual property, confidentiality, POPIA-compliant data protection consent, health and safety (including COIDA guidance), termination, liability, dispute resolution and general boilerplate. It also includes Schedule 1 — a structured scope of work and learning plan with space for duties, learning objectives and assessment milestones.

Who this is for

• SME owners and founders bringing on their first intern or work experience candidate
• HR leads in small teams that need a compliant starting point
• Businesses hosting SETA learners or skills programme participants
• Any South African employer who wants to put the right paperwork in place before day one

Why it matters

Without a written agreement, you have no clarity on employment status, no protection for your confidential information and IP, no evidence of what was agreed on stipend or working hours, and no COIDA paper trail if someone gets hurt. This template addresses all of that in plain, founder-friendly language — no legalese.

What this template does not do

This is a general template, not legal advice tailored to your specific situation. Employment status is a complex area, and whether your internship creates an employment relationship depends on the facts. The template flags this clearly, and we recommend having your completed agreement reviewed by a qualified attorney, especially for paid or longer-term arrangements.

How to use it

• Download the .docx file.
• Read the template notes (highlighted in grey italics throughout).
• Choose the arrangement type that applies and delete the other two options.
• Fill in the placeholders with your details.
• Complete Schedule 1 with the intern's duties, learning objectives and review milestones.
• Remove all template notes before signing.

Need help customising it?

Book a 30-minute consultation, and we will walk you through it or handle the customisation for you at an additional cost.

Book your free 15-minute legal consultation → https://calendar.app.google/2eQ8r72jSthpj5gQ9 | hello@thestartuplegal.co.za