Internship Types
LIA, APL, VFU, Prao, differences and requirements – 10 questions
LIA (Learning in Work) is an internship within VET education (Vocational Higher Education). It constitutes 25–50% of the study time and aims for the student to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings. Many students get hired by their LIA company after completing their education.
APL (Work-Based Learning) is an internship within upper secondary vocational programs. At least 15 weeks during the upper secondary period are required for a vocational diploma. The student practices professional skills under supervision at a workplace.
VFU (Professional Practice) is an internship within teacher and healthcare education at university/college. The student is placed in an organization (school, health center) and is assessed against specific educational goals.
Prao (Practical Work-Life Orientation) is a shorter internship for lower secondary school students, typically 1–2 weeks in grade 8 or 9. The purpose is to give the student insight into working life without formal assessment.
It depends on your education. VET students do LIA, upper secondary students do APL, university/college has VFU, and lower secondary has Prao. Prakto automatically adjusts the flow based on your education type.
LIA periods vary per program, typically 8–20 weeks. Many VET educations have 2–3 LIA periods during the program. The exact length is configured by your school in Prakto.
Prakto currently supports internship placements in Sweden. If your school approves an internship abroad, it can be registered manually, but AI matching and location filtering are optimized for Swedish locations.
LIA is aimed at VET students and is career-specific with a focus on applying theory. APL is aimed at upper secondary students and is about practicing basic professional skills. Both require a supervisor at the workplace.
Yes, Prakto adapts to LIA (VET), APL (upper secondary), VFU (university/college), and Prao (lower secondary). Each type has specific flows, templates, and evaluation forms.
If you change education or program, your profile is updated. Contact your school if your internship requirements change – they'll adjust your program and LIA periods in Prakto.