When writing your cover letter for an internship, focus on how you can quickly apply course concepts at the company that posted the position. Also, emphasize the related skills you’ve gained through your school, work, or other life experiences so far. This guide offers cover letter examples and tips for landing an internship.
Internship Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Level
- Senior-Level
How To Write an Internship Cover Letter
A great internship cover letter usually has five sections, outlined below. When possible, connect each section back to your relevant entry-level skills and the employer’s internship program. The following advice and examples show what to include in your cover letter so it’s optimized for each intern opportunity.
1. Heading
At the top of the page, include your resume contact header, the date, and any contact details you have for your recipient. To set a clear focus, add a professional title to your contact header. In the internship cover letter example below, see how the title “Business Administration Student” quickly reveals the applicant’s career direction and knowledge base.
(Note: Feel free to omit this section if you send your letter as an email message and your contact information is part of your email signature.)
Example
Mackenzie Martin
Business Administration Student | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | St. Louis, MO 63101 | LinkedIn
January 1, 2024
Andrea Tarentino
Recruiting Manager
Creative Communications, Inc.
(314) 987-6543
[email protected]
2. Salutation
Whenever you can, address your recipient by name – it’s the fastest way to signal you’re sending a custom letter and not a boilerplate. If you can’t find the recipient’s name, use “Dear Internship Coordinator” or a variation of “Dear Hiring Manager” so your greeting is still tailored somewhat to each opportunity.
Examples
Dear Mr. Brockley:
Dear BigAds Agency Hiring Manager:
3. “Hook” or introduction
To catch the reader’s attention, start your letter with a specific achievement or key qualification the company is looking for. Choose a highlight that shows you can quickly build knowledge and apply new skills. This highlight will likely come from your degree program but could also be any related work or volunteer experience you have. (Consult your resume bullet points for ideas.)
Example
My advanced work experience in applied statistics, SQL, and Python makes me an ideal candidate for the internship position at Viome. In my current role, I implemented big data analysis techniques and learning algorithms that optimized classifiers across the company.
4. Body paragraph(s)
Use the main section of your letter to tell why you’re drawn to this internship or employer. For instance, maybe the work overlaps with one of your recent school papers or projects. Or the company’s product set or mission statement appeals to you and the direction you’d like to take your career.
Following this explanation, cite two or three more of your main skills or achievements, possibly as bullet points.
Example
Mathematics and wellness are my two main passions, as shown by my bachelor’s degree in applied statistics, master’s degree in nutrition, and pursuit of a Ph.D. in data science. Recently, I started working toward the Data Science Council of America (DASCA) Senior Data Scientist (SDS) award.
I would love the chance to work at your high-tech startup. The skills I’ve acquired can transfer perfectly from a business-driven data science role to a dynamic smaller company with a humanitarian mission. My achievements include:
- Using data mining techniques and machine learning to forecast product sales with 96% accuracy
- Performing ad-hoc social media analyses to help the sales and marketing department streamline the acquisitions process
5. Call to action
Finally, request an interview and thank the hiring manager for their time. Consider briefly restating why the position interests you and how you’d like to apply your education. To end your cover letter, use a simple closing like “Sincerely” or “Best regards” and then your name.
Example
I look forward to possibly speaking with you more about how I can support your organization. Please let me know a date and time that works well for you to discuss the opportunity. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Mackenzie Martin
Internship Cover Letter Tips
1. Show you can quickly apply new knowledge
Whether or not a company pays its interns, it must spend time and resources training and supervising them. That investment, and the short-term nature of these roles, means you need to show you can apply your skills and knowledge quickly. By demonstrating you’re a quick study, you can assure hiring managers you’ll add value even if your role is limited or temporary.
Example
At Prairie Landing Business College, I have maintained a 4.0 GPA for seven consecutive semesters. I’ve also worked as an administrative assistant in the bursar’s office for two years, processing financial aid and tuition payments.
2. Highlight your relevant skills and traits
Great interns are usually open-minded, collaborative, reliable, and resourceful. View your own experience through that lens. Have certain courses or part-time jobs allowed you to develop any or all of those qualities? Mention them on your cover letter, possibly as bullet points, so they stand out from your other information.
Example
Here are three of my achievements to date:
- Participated in more than 30 events for DECA’s Competitive Events Program and received several recognition awards
- Won first place in the St. Louis Regional Library’s annual junior business leaders competition
- Maintained perfect attendance for six out of seven semesters at Prairie Landing Business College
3. When in doubt, brainstorm
Any time you’re stuck on a section of your cover letter, take 10 minutes to jot down your thoughts on a separate document or sheet of paper. By pausing to think more creatively, you can jog your memory and find new details to include about your experience. Brainstorming also helps you figure out the best and most original way to describe that experience, giving your letter the confident tone it needs to catch a hiring manager’s attention.
Internship Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Gertrude McDaniel
Marketing Supervisor | [email protected] | (434) 395-9244 | Atlantic City, NJ 54321 | LinkedIn
January 11, 2024
Sidney Brockley
Senior Hiring Manager
BigAds Agency
(323) 386-3948
[email protected]
Dear Mr. Brockley:
After a successful career in traditional marketing, I recently earned a master’s degree in digital marketing. I’d love the chance to add value to your organization while gaining experience in this fast-growing sector.
For the past six years, I’ve served as a marketing supervisor for the global brand Molson Coors. My team played a key role in recent changes that modernized the company and led to 5% growth within a year.
I would be delighted to bring the knowledge I’ve gained about digital marketing to BigAds as an intern. Below are three more of my achievements to date:
- Trained and motivated team members, helping the department set a new staff retention record of 96%
- Pinpointed areas of overspending and helped make significant Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) improvements
- Raised my company’s marketing return on investment (ROI) by 2% in 2019 and 4% in 2020
After reading your company’s values and mission statement, I’m certain my skills and attitude align with the culture at BigAds. Please let me know the best time for an interview. I appreciate your time and look forward to possibly hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Gertrude McDaniel
Internship Cover Letter Frequently Asked Questions
Should I tailor my cover letter for each internship? -
Yes. The main advantage of a cover letter over a resume is it lets you speak directly to the hiring manager about why you fit the role. By tailoring your letter to each internship, you can make the most of this advantage and boost your chances of an interview.
How do I write a cover letter with no work experience? -
Focus on your relevant academic, extracurricular, or volunteer experiences. No part of your letter needs to be about work. But every component should be about the knowledge, curiosity, and dedication you’ll bring to your internship. Even if you've never held a job, you can probably cite various ways you’ve developed these important qualities.
What should my cover letter’s design look like?-
Your resume’s. Carry over all of that document’s basic format settings, like font style, line spacing, and page margins. By styling your cover letter like your resume, you can make your intern application more cohesive and memorable.
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