Sample Cover Letter for Internship

A great cover letter can give you an advantage over other applicants based on what it says about who you are and where you’re hoping to go. What will yours say about you? Including a cover letter with your application demonstrates that you're an intern applicant willing to go the extra mile in terms of effort and making a great impression, especially when it is not required to complete the internship application process. A strong cover letter will also show that you are the right internship applicant to fill the available internship position, whether it’s a remote internship or not. But an internship cover letter doesn’t function like a typical cover letter. In fact, it has to work a lot harder than a general cover letter. Why? Chances are that if you’re applying for an internship, you may be lacking in "real" work experience. However, gaining experience is why you need an internship in the first place, right? That’s why a great internship cover letter can make all of the difference between getting an internship interview and just being another applicant in the pool. You need to stand out because internship positions, especially the great ones, are highly competitive and go quickly! Ultimately, you want companies to take a chance on you in order for you to gain experience, and a great cover letter can help you do just that. By getting your foot in the door at a great company, you can build solid career connections through networking, gather invaluable real-world experience in your field, and even gain college credit. A successful internship can also help launch your career because companies often hire previous interns first. Your internship cover letter should focus more on what you want to do, rather than what you’ve already accomplished, which differs from a traditional cover letter format. That said, don’t be afraid to add previous work or extracurricular activities – even those that you think may not be relevant to your 2024 internship search. For students just starting their careers, any experience is good experience.

How to Format a Cover Letter

There is formula to creating a cover letter, regardless of if it’s for an internship or a full-time job opportunity after graduation. Always be sure that you’re cover letter features the following:

Header and Contact Information

While the content of your cover letter is important, your header and contact information are crucial. This is how hiring managers will get in touch with you to interview you or ask follow-up questions.

Greet the Hiring Manager

If you know the hiring manger’s name, you can start the cover letter with Dear [Name]. If you’re unsure of who you’re writing to specifically, after researching the various employee names and job titles on the company website or LinkedIn, you can simply put: Dear Hiring Manager or Dear Hiring Team.

Opening Statement

Your opening statement should clearly define which role you are applying for as well as how you heard about it. Bonus points for finding this opportunity through a current or previous employer or from your school’s career center.

Body

The body will make up a bulk of your internship cover letter. In this, you’ll want to touch on a few different subjects, which are detailed below. In short, though, you need to cover your intentions, background, research, goals, and any experience.

Closing Statement

Your closing statement should imply that you’re ready for next steps, like a phone conversation or interview. Let the hiring manager know that you look forward to meeting them and are available to schedule time to meet and share your qualifications and enthusiasm for the opportunity.

Closing Salutation

Finally, this is a formal situation, so be sure that your closing reflects that. The safest salutation is: Sincerely.

Internship Cover Letter Tips

Now that you have the formula down for creating an internship cover letter, it’s time to talk about content. The content of your internship cover letter needs to be strong, informative, and concise.

Start by Introducing Yourself

First, start by introducing yourself within your cover letter. Give a brief summary of who you are so they get a clear picture of the applicant (YOU!).

State Your Intentions

Make sure to state the specific internship position for which you are applying so that your intentions are clear. You never want a potential employer to be guessing which position it is that you are applying for.

Detail Your Background

Next, give background information on what you’re currently studying and where. Also, be sure to include your goals and intentions toward a career in that particular field. If you’re in high school (yes, there are high school internships), you can still include your school and career aspirations.

Share Your Research

It also doesn’t hurt to mention something you’ve learned about the company during your research. This could include previous projects they’ve completed in which you admired their work, or perhaps, include future projects they plan to work on that you’d love to be involved in. You can also mention their company culture and how you’d fit in, including any details that reflect the kind of company dynamic for which you hope to work. Make sure to include and reference the specific company name to show you’re specifically interested in their company (even if you are applying to several other internships as well).

State Your Goals

Use a small paragraph to talk about what you hope to do with your major and career upon graduation and discuss how an internship with that particular company can specifically help you reach your goals.

Detail Your Experience

In the final paragraphs, you can showcase your previous work experience as well as your extracurricular activities and volunteer work.

End with a Summary & Closing Statement

Finally, close your internship cover letter by clearly providing your contact information, in addition to reiterating your desire to work and learn from the company through an internship opportunity there. A great cover letter sample can help you achieve all of the above steps because it will provide a solid outline and example of what your cover letter should look like. While it is just an example, and your cover letter will need to be tailored to your student experiences, it can help provide you with a start. From there, you will be able to easily organize your cover letter details and begin to visualize and create your own successful cover letter!

Cover Letter Example for Internship

Check out the below example for a little more guidance on your internship cover letter. Using this internship cover letter sample can help you draft and create a strong internship cover letter of your own, detailing your unique experiences and attributes. Using the tips and example cover letter above, you can draft a successful internship cover letter in no time. Good luck with your internship search!