How to Write an Internship Cover Letter – Free Template Included!

Internships are hands-on training roles that are open to students or recent graduates and run for a set period of up to 12 months. Summer Internships for example, are popular with current students and usually run the length of the summer break, whilst full internships are more suited to graduates and may last a full year. The variance is huge but there’s one thing that doesn’t change and that’s the competition!  For many young people, this is their first experience of real-time applications and it can be a baptism of fire, with dozens, if not hundreds, of people applying for every role! In this post, we’ll tell you how to write a cover letter that positions you head and shoulders above the competition. 

What are employers looking for?

In a word – talent! Internships provide valuable opportunities for employers to select passionate, bright, hardworking individuals who are keen to kick start their career in the appropriate sector. You wouldn’t apply for an Internship in office management if you wanted to be an electrical engineer, so the quality and caliber of applicants are a great measure of the upcoming employee market in each field.  Read through more than one Internship advert before you start writing your cover letter and take note of the things they’re commonly asking for. You’ll find lots of call for confident communicators who are willing to pitch in with hands-on experience and support the existing team. You’ll also see a preference for passion, positivity, problem solvers and people who thrive on challenges. As a training opportunity, it’s unusual for employers to look for previous work experience, but they’ll all be looking for evidence of skills and knowledge gained during your studies and extra-curricular activities. You might also want to mention your degree classification (or predicted) – especially if you excelled and any awards or accolades achieved during your course.

How to organise your cover letter

Keep your letter short and sweet. Give as much information as you can about your existing skills, show an understanding of the company you’d like to join, and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the learning opportunity they offer. A cover letter should never exceed a single page and ideally should aim to be no more than 4 paragraphs long - so use the space wisely. Start with a clear introduction that includes your area of study, what you want to achieve and why you’re confident that you’re the ideal candidate. Expand on this in your second paragraph, giving further details of what you can bring to the table, with examples where appropriate. Next, write briefly about why you have chosen that specific company – you may well be applying to more than one, but you need to find out something about each and use this to create a personalised connection. For example, maybe you’re keen to learn how they build and maintain their outstanding reputation for customer excellence, or maybe you feel that their positioning in the sector offers you the best possible chances of future success. A little bit of subtle flattery here can go a long way. As you wrap up your letter take another look at the advert. Use the final paragraph to make sure you’ve covered everything the individual employer is looking for and reiterate your suitability.

Tone and style

Bright, ambitious and keen to learn! These are the cornerstones of success in every internship, and this is the tone that every employer will be looking out for. Overly formal, stuffy letters are out; lively demonstrations of passion, skill and ambition are in!

Internship cover letter example showcasing best practice

Below is a sample internship cover letter that puts the tips we've talked through into practice. Go ahead and download the template as a Word Document here and use it as a starting point for writing your own cover letter.

To: [Name of Employer/Recruiting Officer, Name of Business, City & Postcode] Re: [Advertised job title] Dear [Joe] [Mr. Bloggs] [Recruiting Officer] I am excited to apply for the current Internship vacancy at [insert business name] and to attach my CV for your attention. I’m currently studying a BA (Hons) in Digital Marketing at [name of University] where I’m in the top 5% of my cohort and achieved an Academic Excellence Award at the end of my second year. I expect to graduate with a first-class degree in [June 2021].  I’ve already gained some experience of social media management through volunteer campaign coordination for the University’s rowing team, where I demonstrated the ability to write compelling SEO content that resonates with the target audience. I successfully increased footfall across all social channels and measurably improved engagement. Digital is the future and I love the challenge of using different platforms to promote brands, raise awareness and boost business success. Creative, passionate, inquisitive and self-motivated - I’m confident I can hit the ground running and add immediate value to your team. Since the start of my studies I’ve been looking for the opportunity to join [insert business name] as an intern. As one of the UK’s leading digital marketing companies, I recognise that the learning opportunity you offer is second to none. Your digital thinking is revolutionizing business growth and the industry awards you’ve achieved, including [Microsoft Advertising Partner Awards for Independent Agency of the Year in 20??]. To join your team, learn from your experts and contribute in some small way to your success in 2021 would be an incredible opportunity.  I have excelled as a Digital Marketing Student and I will continue to excel as a Digital Marketing professional. We’re only at the beginning of our understanding of what digital capability can achieve for businesses and I’m keen to use my creativity and intellect to contribute to future solutions that are bigger, better and more exciting than anything we’ve seen to date. Thank you for your time. I look to meeting you soon and exploring my suitability to join your team. Yours sincerely, Name Goes Here 0123 456 7890