Cover Letter for Internship: How to Write (20 Best Examples)

Cover letters are used for various purposes, such as applying for a new job, college applications, or applying for internship positions. An internship cover letter aims to help you stand out from the crowd while highlighting your qualities and features relevant to the position. In addition, it is a way to communicate your interest in the internship job and have the employer notice you.

A cover letter for an internship should be concise and to the point. You may use it to complement application materials such as CVs, recommendation letters, and résumés, which you may send following the employer’s instructions. Internships can be challenging to get, so having a well-written cover letter tailored to the position in question will increase your chances of success.

This article will take you through the basics of writing an internship cover letter, including formatting and helpful tips for crafting your application to stand out from others.

Here is a collection of free templates you can easily download from our site:

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Why is it Necessary?

There are several reasons why writing a cover letter for an internship is necessary. First, most employers highly value cover letters, which gives enough reason as to why you should consider using a cover letter in your internship application. A cover letter is also an excellent avenue to sell yourself as the best candidate for the internship. Additionally, internship cover letters allow you to provide the employer or recruiter with additional information about your qualifications and suitability for the job that would otherwise not fit in a resume or application.

The trick to writing a great internship cover letter is to tailor it to the employer’s needs. It should also be interesting, compelling, and relevant. Certain features and elements should be included in a cover letter for an internship to make it stand out while highlighting your strengths and qualifications.

They include:

Header

The first element of the cover letter must be a header, which should contain the date you are writing it, your name, address which should be followed by telephone and fax numbers, and your email address. The next thing you should put on the cover letter is the recipient’s name, title, name of the organization, and correspondence details such as mailing address.

Address the manager

You should address the manager or the appropriate individual directly and not use a generic address such as “dear sir” or “dear madam.” Instead, use “Dear Mr. Doe” if you know their name. If you don’t know their name, use “To Whom It May Concern.”

Opening statement

The next thing you should include in your cover letter is an opening paragraph. The opening statement should be used to:

Introduce yourself and the job you are applying for

Introduce yourself as well as the position you are applying for an internship. This paragraph is also where you should briefly highlight your skills and experience. This lets the recruiter know who the applicant is and what position they are interested in. In addition, it sets the tone for your cover letter for an internship and should thus be well written.

Body

The body of your internship cover letter should show the employer why you are suitable for the internship. Take time to explain your education, skills, and other related experiences that prepared you for an internship with their organization. Some of the things to discuss under this section include:

Highlight your education

Highlight your education with details of your skills and achievements, from your bachelor’s degree to any graduate credits. Emphasize any particular training course you have done. Be sure to focus on how the training will make you a desirable candidate for the internship.

Include extracurricular experiences 

Include any extracurricular activities and pursuits you may have participated in (volunteer work and sports, etc.). This will give the prospective employer a better idea of your personality and broadly show that you are a hard-working and enthusiastic individual. This also shows that you are a team player and can work well with others.

Provide your relevant skills and prove them

The following things you should include in your internship cover letter are your relevant skills. These skills can be anything from leadership skills to computer proficiency and teamwork. However, you should prioritize skills relevant to the position you’re applying for by reviewing the job description. You should not simply state but also show how you have these skills by backing them up using examples and scenarios where you have demonstrated them. This can be in your previous work or academic experience. Avoid simply listing the skills.

Explain why you are a good fit

Next, illustrate why you’re a good fit for the position and the company. You should be able to provide short explanations of your strengths and attributes that are a perfect match for the internship. Then, review the job description/posting and internship requirements and show how you meet those requirements with your strengths, qualities, experiences, and characteristics.

Write what you would gain from this internship

In this section you will explain how the internship you’re applying for will be a good fit for your career objectives. Often, interns are looking for experience, training, in-depth knowledge of the industry, and relationships to help them progress in their careers. They should also include how the internship with this company will be a good fit for their current and future career goals. Be specific to experiences, products, or practices the company can offer; it shows a high level of self-awareness. This demonstrates a high level of self-awareness to the employer by showing you understand what you expect to gain from experience as part of your professional growth.

Showcase your ambition, motivation, and passion

These are some qualities the companies will be looking for in all applicants. You should, therefore, emphasize how excited you would be to work with their organization. You can also write about how you’ve always wanted to work for this company and be interested in what they do. This will show your ambition and passion for your career goals and its organization. You can use examples to show these qualities.

Closing

Lastly, you should provide a strong closing. Your closing can summarize the cover letter’s contents for the internship by reiterating that you’re the best fit for the position. In addition, it can have the following elements:

Call to action

Include a call to action in your closing that requests an interview. This should be professional and should not be too aggressive. You can also talk about how you intend to follow up, maybe after a week and no lesser than that. If the job posting explicitly asks applicants not to follow up, do not include a CTA.

Thank the recipient

Your closing statement is where you thank the employer for their time and consideration of your application. You can also ask the person reading your letter to contact you with any further questions they might have regarding your application.

Sign off

Then, end with a professional sign off such as; “Yours truly,” “Sincerely yours,” or “Best regards.” Physical copies should be signed.

Here are the two samples of a cover letter for an internship that you can customize according to your experience and the companies you’ll be applying to:

It would be best to craft a compelling and solid cover letter for an internship that clearly describes why you are worthy of the opportunity. Below are tips to help you write an internship cover letter that will get you noticed:

Stick to the format 

Ensure that your cover letter is written in a professional format. The ideal format is one page long while the margins should be one inch; double-space your letter, and use a readable font such as Calibri. The cover letter should have a header containing your name, address, and contact number (optional), employer’s details, introduction, a 3-paragraphed body, and a closing.

Individualize your letter

Before writing your cover letter, ensure that it is targeted toward the organization advertising its internship and the job opening. Take time to research both and find out how they differ in culture, values, vision, and mission statement, and align your letter to those qualities. Do not send the same internship cover letter to two organizations. You should customize your letter as much as possible to the internship requirements.

Use keywords

Ensure that you incorporate appropriate keywords in your cover letter for the internship. Use the exact keywords stated on the job advertisement, making it easier for the recruiter to find your application. Also, recruiters will often scan through cover letters and keywords to help them narrow down the qualities they are looking for. If a job posting is looking for applicants with; “great communication skills, “ensure you use the word ‘communication’ in your cover letter more than once.

Provide examples (Where needed)

Provide examples of your strengths, achievements, and previous experience. Examples are a great way to substantiate claims made in the cover letter. However, avoid providing too many examples to make your cover letter long and unnecessary.

Match your cover letter with your resume

Your cover letter should complement your resume. The cover letter for the internship should contain the exact keywords and keywords as your resume so that it is easy enough to find both.

Proofread and edit

Before creating the final draft, review your internship cover letter and identify spelling errors, grammatical and punctuation errors and edit the letter accordingly. Mistakes in the letter can disqualify you as it shows a lack of professionalism and attention to detail. You can even have another person review the letter before finalizing the internship cover letter.

How to send the cover letter?

There are two ways to do so: Physically or digitally via email. We recommend you send yours via email for the sake of convenience. Ensure you send your cover letter for an internship through an email address that is professional and has your name to avoid confusion with other applicants. As an attachment file, be sure that it contains your name, “john.doe.docx” rather than something generic as “internshipcoverletter.docx” . The letter can also be pasted in the body of the letter if it is not explicitly requested as an attachment.

Here are few important points that you should consider while writing an Internship cover letter:

• When writing your cover letter, start by researching the organization, the job opening, and recruiters/employers. Then, take time to study the job specifics and ensure you align your qualifications with what they are looking for in an intern.
• You shouldn’t neglect the importance of a cover letter when applying for internships, just as you would not ignore the job posting itself.
• Be specific when describing how you meet their requirements using keywords from the job opening and how your professional and personal experience and skills make you a good fit for the internship. This will lead to more employers reading and noticing your application.
• Provide examples throughout your cover letter to verify that you are qualified for the job.
• A resume should never be overlooked; however, your cover letter must complement your resume by providing examples of why you are worthy of the opportunity.
• Finally, ensure that you submit your internship cover letter promptly. It’d be best not to wait until the last minute before submitting it.

About This Article

Authored by:

Haley S.

Resume Writing, Cover Letter Writing, Content Writing, Curriculum Vitae, Biographies

Haley Sawyer has transformed the professional narratives of thousands, meticulously crafting resumes and cover letters that unlock the doors to their dream jobs. Whether it is sales, healthcare, or any other domain, Haley's expertise in creating ATS-compatible resumes always stand out in the crowd. Haley's portfolio spans a diverse range of industries: from Healthcare and Business to IT, Sales Leadership, and Engineering. She caters to professionals at all stages, from entry-level aspirants to seasoned C-suite executives. Beyond resumes, her services extend to cover letter writing, crafting compelling biographies, and content writing.