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Internship cover letter example

Here is an example cover letter for an internship, with four more samples below for different students. An internship cover letter is short and enthusiastic, but specific: say what you're studying, what you've already done that relates to the role, and what you want to learn on this team.

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Ms. Karen Lee
Brightside Brands

Re: Application for Summer Marketing Intern

Dear Ms. Karen Lee,

I'm a third-year business student at Northeastern University, and I'm applying for the Summer Marketing Intern role at Brightside Brands. Your campaign for the new oat-milk line was the first ad I've seen that made a grocery product feel like a story, and I'd love to learn how your team builds work like that.

For the past year I've run social media for a local bakery, growing its Instagram from 1,200 to 6,500 followers and running a giveaway that brought in 300 email subscribers. As vice president of our Marketing Club, I grew membership from 50 to 90 students and organized speaker events with over 100 attendees each.

I'm comfortable with Canva, Excel and basic Google Analytics, and I learn new tools quickly. I would be grateful for the chance to contribute this summer. Thank you for considering my application.

Best regards,

Noah Williams

Example letter · made-up person and company

Internship cover letter template to copy

Noah Williams
noah.williams@email.com | +1 617 555 0123 | Boston, MA

Ms. Karen Lee
Brightside Brands

Subject: Application for Summer Marketing Intern

Dear Ms. Karen Lee,

I'm a third-year business student at Northeastern University, and I'm applying for the Summer Marketing Intern role at Brightside Brands. Your campaign for the new oat-milk line was the first ad I've seen that made a grocery product feel like a story, and I'd love to learn how your team builds work like that.

For the past year I've run social media for a local bakery, growing its Instagram from 1,200 to 6,500 followers and running a giveaway that brought in 300 email subscribers. As vice president of our Marketing Club, I grew membership from 50 to 90 students and organized speaker events with over 100 attendees each.

I'm comfortable with Canva, Excel and basic Google Analytics, and I learn new tools quickly. I would be grateful for the chance to contribute this summer. Thank you for considering my application.

Best regards,
Noah Williams

Change the company, role and examples to your own. A letter that's specific to the job always beats a copied one.

See the matching Internship resume example →

How to write an internship cover letter

  1. 01

    Lead with school and year

    Your university, year and major tell the reader instantly whether you fit the internship.

  2. 02

    Count part-time work and clubs

    Results from a part-time job or a club role are real experience. Use numbers like any job.

  3. 03

    Say what you want to learn

    Internships are about growth. One sentence on what you hope to learn shows you've thought about it.

  4. 04

    Keep it to one page

    Shorter is better. Three paragraphs is plenty.

The letter, paragraph by paragraph

Opening: who you are and why them

Noah gives his year, school and the role in the first sentence, then one specific reason: Brightside's oat-milk campaign was the first grocery ad that felt like a story to him. A real detail about the company is what separates an interested student from a mass application.

Middle: part-time work as experience

His bakery job is his strongest proof, so it comes first: Instagram from 1,200 to 6,500 followers, and a giveaway that brought in 300 email subscribers. Students often undersell part-time work; Noah describes it like a marketing job, because it is one.

Leadership

As vice president of the Marketing Club he grew membership from 50 to 90 and ran speaker events with over 100 attendees each. A club role with numbers shows initiative and organization, two things internship managers look for.

Tools and what you'll bring

He lists Canva, Excel and basic Google Analytics, and says he learns new tools quickly. Adding one sentence on what you hope to learn on this team would make it even stronger, since internships are about growth.

Close and length

A grateful, simple close and about 180 words in three paragraphs. Recruiters reading hundreds of internship letters appreciate short ones that get to the point.

Internship cover letter by experience level

First-year student, no experience yet

I'm a first-year economics student at Lakeview College applying for the Spring Research Intern role at Harborline Partners. I haven't had an office job yet, but I've tutored eight high-school students in algebra every week this year, and I built the Excel tracker our tutoring program now uses to log 300 sessions a term.

Engineering or tech internship

I'm a third-year computer engineering student applying for the Summer Software Intern role at Pinewood Robotics. For our university robotics team I wrote the motor-control code in C++ that took our robot to the regional finals, and I've spent the last two months reading your open-source navigation library so I can contribute from the first week.

Returning student with work experience

After four years in retail management, I've gone back to school for a degree in supply chain and am applying for the Operations Intern role at Fairway Logistics. I managed inventory for a store with $3 million in yearly sales, and I'd like to learn how that work looks from the warehouse side.

Student in India

I'm a second-year BBA student at Christ University, Bengaluru, applying for the six-month Marketing Intern role at Kesar Organics. I run our college fest's Instagram page, which grew from 2,000 to 9,000 followers before the event, and I'd love to learn how a D2C brand plans its launches.

Mistakes to avoid in an internship cover letter

  • Apologizing for no experience

    "Although I don't have much experience…" starts the letter with a weakness. Lead with what you have done: a job, a club, a project.

  • Only what you'll gain

    Saying you want to learn is good, but a letter that's only about your growth misses the employer's side. Pair it with what you'll contribute.

  • A wall of coursework

    Listing every class you've taken fills space without proof. One relevant course, or better, one project from it, is enough.

  • Wrong company or dates

    Reusing a letter and leaving in another company's name, or the wrong internship dates, is a common and costly slip. Check both before you send.

Key takeaways

  • Open with your school, year, the role and one real reason for the company.
  • Describe part-time work and club roles like jobs, with numbers.
  • Say what you want to learn and what you'll contribute.
  • Keep it to three short paragraphs and mention your dates.

Questions about internship cover letters

How do I start a cover letter for an internship?
In the first sentence, give your year, school and major and name the internship you're applying for. In the second, give one specific reason you want this company, such as a campaign, product or project of theirs you admire.
Do I need a cover letter for an internship?
If the application asks, yes. Even when optional, a short letter often helps students stand out.
What do I write if I have no experience?
Use coursework projects, clubs, volunteering or part-time jobs. Pick the ones closest to the internship.
Can I reuse my letter for different internships?
Keep the structure, but change the first paragraph and the examples for each company.
Who should I address an internship cover letter to?
A named person if you can find one: the recruiter, internship coordinator or team manager. Noah's letter goes to Ms. Karen Lee. If no name is listed, "Dear Internship Coordinator" or "Dear Hiring Team" is fine.
Should I mention my availability dates?
Yes. Internships run on fixed dates, so say when you can start and finish, such as early June to late August, and whether you can work part-time during term. It saves the recruiter a question.

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