A good cover letter for an internship must show your skills and determination. And companies tend to offer jobs to those who gained internship experience with them, so make a great impression from the very top.
In this guide, I’ll show you some tips for writing a cover letter for an internship, two internship cover letter examples and an internship cover letter template. This guide has it all, so let’s get right to it.
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Send your cover letter for internship positions along with an internship resume that proves you’re the #1 pick. See our guide: How to Write an Internship Resume
Looking for a specific internship cover letter? See:
- Accounting Internship Cover Letter Sample
- Architecture Internship Cover Letter Sample
- Computer Science Internship Cover Letter Sample
Let's start with two different cover letter samples for an internship, and then we'll show you how to write an internship cover letter that's just as amazing.
The first sample cover letter for internship is aimed at a position with a corporate financial institution—notice how the formal tone of this cover letter reflects a more “traditional” company culture.
Sample Cover Letter for an Internship
Peter Thurlow
4938 Spruce Drive
Los Angeles, CA, 90045
555-321-123-45
p.thurlow@email.com
10 October, 2019
James Watkins
Head of Human Resources
TD Finance
551 Massachusetts Avenue
Los Angeles, CA, 90024
444-345-543-12
james.watkins@tdfinance.com
Dear Mr. Watkins,
I was truly elated when my student project on cash flow improvement won the first prize in a local business club contest. Two months after that, my solution was implemented at a construction company where it cut change orders processing time by 20%.
I must admit it was no random win, though. I always had a strong desire to pursue a career as a leader in the finance function. As I believe the only way of reaching this goal is through adopting a results-oriented attitude reflected in initiative and accountability, I used my time at university to develop these. I also gained hands-on quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills by completing such courses as:
- Statistical Inference in Management
- Analytical Methods for Business
- Business Communication
I would love to demonstrate to you that my GPA of 3.98 doesn’t just show my commitment to learning but also reflects my inherent passion for finances and propensity to grow among like-minded people.
When Professor James Henry told me about an internship opportunity with TD Finance, I knew this was an unmissable occasion for further growth, surrounded by outstanding financial professionals.
Could we schedule an appointment next week to discuss how I could contribute to the Finance Leadership Development Program and help your company find optimal solutions to its current business needs?
Best regards,
Peter Thurlow
The second cover letter example you’ll see comes from a candidate applying for a more creative, tech-y internship. That’s why it’s written in a more casual, relaxed way.
Sample Internship Cover Letter—Software Engineering
Jennifer Kovacs
2448 Frederick Street
Sacramento, CA, 94567
555-456-654-98
jkovacs@email.com
10 November, 2019
Matthew Petersen
Senior Product Manager
Apple
One Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014
555-321-123-56
m.petersen@appl.com
Dear Matthew,
I was thrilled to see my iOS app for task management getting rave reviews from App Store users and commendations from more experienced developers on GitHub.
But this is only one out of three apps that I am working on after my classes at CalTech, from which I am about to graduate with a BA in Computer Science.
Truth be told, I am quite positive that the other apps will also be well-received since—inspired by Apple engineers—I design them with one person in mind. The person who will use it.
This is why apart from completing a study program in algorithms and complexity, I took additional courses in UI/UX and graphic design as well as consumer psychology.
When Doctor Sarah Warren suggested I applied for the internship, she was spot on. I believe that Apple’s unique approach to building intuitive and simple software while respecting the customer’s needs creates the environment I would love to grow in and contribute to.
Can we schedule a call this week to discuss my ideas on how I can contribute to the projects I would be working on with some of the best software engineers on the planet?
Best regards,
Jennifer Kovacs
PS—I would love to show you how my A/B testing initiatives helped me optimize the navigation panel.
Now that you’ve seen two great cover letter for internship examples, let me tell you how it’s done.
1. Use the Best Format for Your Internship Cover Letter
Like a well-written thesis, your internship cover letter must contain several recognizable sections that make it easy to read and comprehend. The checklist below will help you see to it that you’ve included everything that’s necessary:
Cover Letter for Internship—Checklist
- Your Contact Details
- Company Contact Information
- Dear + [Hiring Manager’s Name]
- Paragraph #1: Introduction with a relevant achievement to hook the reader
- Paragraph #2: Relevant skills/coursework + why you fit perfectly
- Paragraph #3: Your passion for job + why the company appeals to you
- Paragraph #4: Call to action
- Professional Salutation [e.g. Best regards + your name]