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Table of contents

Popular internship cover letter examples
Related intern cover letter examples
How to write an internship cover letter
Internship cover letter examples by career stage
Add a matching resume
Key takeaways for your internship cover letter
Resources to help with your job search

From the dynamic environments of health care and education to the strategic operations within corporate sectors, internships provide a unique and valuable opportunity for aspiring professionals to immerse themselves in their chosen fields.

Pursuing an internship requires a killer resume that’s supported by a cover letter that showcases your readiness to dive into the professional world and your potential to contribute meaningfully to your host organization. Our guide is here to assist you in building a cover letter for an internship role that opens doors for you.

In this guide, you’ll discover:

The elements of an outstanding internship cover letter.
Customizable internship cover letter templates that reflect both your professionalism and individuality.
Strategies for writing an effective cover letter tailored to various internship opportunities.
Resources to enhance your cover letter-writing skills, ensuring you present the best version of yourself.

Need a cover letter on the double? Our Cover Letter Builder is at your service. It offers customizable text suggestions to fill your letter, expert advice, sophisticated templates and formatting assistance to help you create a compelling cover letter for an internship in a matter of minutes.

Popular internship cover letter examples

Check out some sample internship cover letters for help getting started.

How to write an internship cover letter

Writing an internship cover letter is easier than you might think. Just follow a few simple steps to build a cover letter that positions you as the best candidate for the role.

Step 1

Select a suitable cover letter template

When writing a cover letter for an internship, it’s crucial to choose a professional template that reflects the ethos and aesthetic of the target organization. Opt for a modern and dynamic template if you’re applying to innovative, forward-thinking companies, or a more classic design for traditional and established organizations.

Step 2

Include your contact information in the header

Begin with your contact information prominently displayed in your cover letter’s header. Include your name, city and state, phone number, email address and, if applicable, links to your LinkedIn profile or professional website. This ensures that the hiring manager can easily reach out to you.

Step 3

Address the hiring manager personally

Personalizing your salutation by addressing the hiring manager by name demonstrates attention to detail and a genuine interest in the position. If you cannot find the name, a polite “Dear Hiring Manager” will suffice. Avoid impersonal greetings when possible to maintain a connection from the start.

Step 4

Draft a compelling opening paragraph

Kick off your cover letter with an engaging introduction that immediately captures the reader’s interest. Mention your enthusiasm for the field and any academic or extracurricular achievements that align with the internship’s requirements. Keep this section short and to the point.

Step 5

Develop the body paragraphs

Use the main body of your cover letter to delve into specific examples of your skills, experiences and accomplishments. Align your narrative with the internship’s demands by weaving in keywords from the job listing, using action verbs and quantifiable results to ensure your application stands out and navigates applicant tracking systems (ATS) successfully.

Step 6

Highlight your skills

To illustrate your readiness to contribute to the team and adapt to professional challenges, focus on a mix of soft skills and transferable skills like adaptability, communication and teamwork, alongside hard skills relevant to the internship, such as technical proficiencies or specific knowledge areas.

Step 7

Conclude with a strong closing

In your concluding paragraph, reiterate your enthusiasm for the opportunity and the unique contributions you can bring to the role. Thank the reader for considering your application and express your hope for a future conversation.

Step 8

Sign off professionally

Close your cover letter with a courteous and professional signoff, like “Sincerely” or “Best regards,” followed by your name. This not only ends your letter on a respectful note but also reinforces your professionalism.

Internship cover letter examples by career stage

No matter your field, learning how to write a cover letter for an internship is a key step toward landing the internship position of your dreams. To help get your career started on the right foot, take a look at some of our internship cover letter examples for different types of internships.

Student intern cover letter example

Cover letter student example engineering intern

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Why this student engineering intern cover letter works

Colorful header
A colorful header followed by a more conservative and basic style for the rest of the content gives this example cover letter a sense of personality without distracting from its purpose.
Addressed to a recruiter
Addressing the recruiter by name shows initiative and is also great networking practice for a student intern.
Names specific software
An engineering student intern needs to have some impressive technical skills. Listing specific software proficiencies is one way that this cover letter demonstrates the candidate’s merits.

Management intern cover letter example

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Why this management intern cover letter works

Discusses past internship experience
Previous internships are a great way to highlight that you’re versatile and experienced enough to handle the needs of a management internship role.
Emphasizes leadership
Although an internship is a learning opportunity, a management intern should be comfortable taking on leadership responsibilities. This cover letter highlights the candidate’s necessary leadership skills.
Simple layout
A simple and straightforward layout allows this candidate’s professionalism to shine by keeping the letter’s focus on the content rather than the design.

Entry-level intern cover letter example

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Why this entry-level accounting intern cover letter works

Modern and stylish
This cover letter uses a format that’s sleek and simple while also conveying professionalism and good taste.
Contact information is prominent
The candidate’s contact information is plainly displayed at the top of the letter, making it easy to access and reference.
Balanced skills
Concrete skills like Excel are balanced with more subtle skills like problem-solving, giving this cover letter a sense of well-roundedness.

Career change intern cover letter example

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Why this career-changing public relations intern cover letter works

Proper formatting
Instead of using a flashy style, this cover letter focuses on nailing the basics of formatting and presenting the candidate as a thorough and detail-oriented professional.
Includes concrete data
Numerical data is a great way to grab the reader’s attention and demonstrate your real-world impact.
Highlights transferable skills
Because this candidate is changing careers, it helps that he demonstrates a strong understanding of how his current professional skill set will transfer over to a public relations role.

Add a matching resume

Create your resume

Every internship application must include a strong and persuasive resume. Ensuring that your internship resume complements your cover letter is crucial for presenting a cohesive and professional application package.

If you’re new to writing resumes, as most interns are, or you’re seeking guidance to refine yours, start by exploring our collection of resume examples for internships and other roles. These examples, crafted by experienced resume writers, demonstrate the key components of a successful resume.

For an efficient and effective way to create your resume, consider utilizing our AI Resume Builder. This tool offers prewritten content for each section of your resume, ensuring you don’t miss any vital information. It also features a selection of elegant resume templates designed to complement your cover letter seamlessly and provides formatting assistance to give your resume a polished and professional look.

Key takeaways for your internship cover letter

Review internship cover letter examples

Dedicate time to examining internship cover letter examples. Use them as a blueprint for crafting your letter, customizing the content to reflect your individual achievements and experiences.
Keep your introduction engaging and succinct

Your opening should immediately grab the reader’s attention, yet remain concise. Aim for a few compelling sentences that encourage the hiring manager to read further into your application.
Develop detailed body paragraphs

In two to three detailed paragraphs, directly relate your academic achievements, projects or extracurricular experiences to the internship’s requirements as mentioned in the job listing.
Include a customized resume

For any internship application, your resume should harmonize with the style and tone of your cover letter, creating a unified and polished presentation that impresses potential employers.

Resources to help with your job search

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Hailey Brophy is an experienced writer with a diverse career in digital publication. She is passionate about using her unique skills and experiences to help job seekers find the information that they need to succeed.