Internship Cover Letter: Examples, Tips & Mistakes to Avoid

Just when you’re done writing your resume, there comes the infamous cover letter. You’re thinking, “Do they even read these?” or “I don’t have much experience — what’s the point?”

The issue is, most people throw together something forgettable that reads like a resume twin. But your internship cover letter can be different! If you’re thoughtful and personal, you can show employers you’re more than just a name — you’re someone with ambition and you have what it takes to add value to their team, even as an intern.

This guide will walk you through the essentials of writing an internship cover letter that gets noticed.

We’ll share:

• 6 internship cover letter examples
• 7 actionable tips to write the perfect cover letter
• The most common mistakes to avoid
• Tips on how to use AI writing assistants to save time (but not end up with a generic cover letter)

Examples of Internship Cover Letters for Different Scenarios

When you’re staring at a blank page, it’s tempting to copy-paste an internship cover letter template and be done with it. But here’s the problem — hiring managers can spot a cookie-cutter cover letter. They’ve read hundreds, if not thousands of them.

Don’t get discouraged — templates and cover letter examples are a great starting point. They help you learn how to structure your letter, highlight your strengths, and connect your experience and passions to the internship.

But the magic happens when you make it your own. Think of an example like a blueprint — use it to get the framework, but the personality, enthusiasm, and details have to come from you.

In the next section, we’ll share a few cover letter examples for internships to give you a better idea about how to write yours.

All those cover letters differ in tone, degree of formality, and the unique “selling point.” Read those, get inspired by what sounds like you, and put together a cover letter that does your voice and your career story justice.

Example 1: Finance internship for a recent graduate

Example 2: Tech internship for a computer science major

Example 3: Creative internship in graphic design

Example 4: Marketing internship with limited experience

Example 5: Non-profit internship for an environmental science major

Example 6: Health care internship for a nursing student

Six Must-Have Elements of a Winning Internship Cover Letter

Here’s how you can make sure your cover letter meets all the criteria:

Use the proper structure

There are 6 must-have elements to every internship cover letter, and the ground rules of each:

• Header — Your full name, phone number, email, and LinkedIn.
• Greeting — Address the hiring manager by name. Use “Dear Hiring Manager” only if you can’t find a name. Skip “To Whom It May Concern.”
• Introduction — State the role you’re applying for, where you found it, and why you’re excited about it.
• Body — Highlight relevant skills and experiences. Connect them directly to the internship description.
• Conclusion — Reiterate your interest, thank the reader, and mention that you’d love the opportunity to discuss further.
• Closing — Use a professional sign-off like “Sincerely” or “Best regards,” followed by your full name.

Here’s what it looks like in an example:

Six Must-Have Elements of a Winning Internship Cover Letter

Start with a professional header

In the header, include your full name, phone number, email, and LinkedIn profile. Take a look at the examples above to get an idea of where to start.

Open with a formal greeting

In the greeting, use the hiring manager’s last name to make your approach more personalized. “Dear Mr. Smith,” or “Dear Ms Brown” will do the trick. When addressing women, avoid “Mrs” or “Miss” — use “Ms” so that you don’t assume their marital status.

If you don’t know the gender or pronouns of the hiring manager, go with their full name: “Dear Alex Williams.”

Can’t find the name? Use “Dear Hiring Manager.” Avoid outdated greetings like “To Whom It May Concern” — they feel impersonal, generic, and fail to establish a good first connection.

Grab attention with the opening paragraph

Start with a good hook. Forget the generic “I am writing to express my interest…” Instead, jump right in with something that grabs their attention. This can be:

• A compelling statement about your passion — “Ever since I built my first website in high school, I’ve been fascinated by the power of coding…”
• A reference to a relevant achievement — “As the top student in my Marketing Analytics course, I can’t wait to apply my data analysis skills to real-world problems…”
• A connection to the company’s mission — “I’m inspired by GreenFingers’s commitment to sustainable practices…”

Build a strong case in the body

Back up your initial claim with evidence. Connect your skills to their needs — review the internship description and identify the key competencies they’re looking for. Then, select 2–3 of your strongest skills or experiences that directly align with those requirements.

Don’t just list your skills, but use the STAR method for some persuasive storytelling. STAR is the formula that’s usually used in job interviews, but it can come in handy when detailing your experience in a cover letter too. Here’s how to do it:

S (situation) — Describe the context of your example (e.g., a project, a volunteer role, a challenging situation)
T (task) — Explain the task you needed to accomplish.
A (action) — Detail the specific actions you took to address the task.
R (result) — Highlight the positive outcomes of your actions.

Finally, you should connect your skills and experiences to their specific needs and show how you can actually contribute.

For example, if you’re applying to a tech startup that values innovation, focus on your experience developing a new app or your involvement in a hackathon. If you’re applying to a non-profit that focuses on community outreach, emphasize your volunteer work and your passion for social impact.

End on a high note

Briefly restate your genuine interest in the internship and how your skills and experiences align with the company’s needs and values. Go beyond just saying you’re a “good fit” — mention specific ways you can contribute to their team or projects.

End with a clear call to action, where you will express your excitement about an interview and the opportunity to discuss your qualifications further.

Close formally

Finally, you need a professional closing. It’s best to stick to classic and respectful phrases such as:

• Sincerely, — A safe and reliable choice (only if you know the name of the addressee)
• Best regards, — This one conveys professionalism and warmth
• Thank you for your consideration, — Express gratitude for their time

Always include your full name typed out below your closing. If you’re submitting your cover letter online, consider adding a digital signature for a more personal touch.

💡Pro tip: Use a neutral, professional font like Arial, Times New Roman, or Open Sans, 11–12pt size. Stick to 1-inch margins on all sizes so that the page doesn’t look cluttered. Left-align your text for easier reading. Bonus point if you match the look and formatting style of the cover letter and the resume. This will give it a polished look (and have a positive influence on the person reading too).

Is it OK to Use AI Writing Tools for an Internship Cover Letter?

It will definitely make things faster, but not necessarily better. The main problem is that your cover letter might end up generic and too similar to everybody else’s.

To prevent this from happening, make sure to:

• Use very detailed prompts (instructions) — Be specific about your industry, hard and soft skills, and motivations to get a custom draft. Ask the AI to avoid using its staple phrases, feed it your resume to use as a starting point (but tell it to not use the exact same language), and specify which company and position you’re applying for.
• Ask for rewrites — If the output doesn’t feel right, refine your prompt and ask for a new version.
• Choose specialized software — If you can, use specialized software for cover letter writing (for instance, an AI cover letter builder or a dedicated user-made GPT). Tools designed for resumes and cover letters often outperform general AI chatbots.
• Avoid raw, generic ChatGPT or Gemini — Unless you’re running it on a proxy and can tweak the system prompt, output from free versions may lack nuance.

💡Pro tip: Before hitting “send,” always ask someone you trust — a career counselor, parent, mentor, or a friend — to read and review your cover letter. AI tools can help you write a cover letter faster and nail the structure, but a human reviewer can catch subtle mistakes, a wrong tone, awkward phrasing, or missing context that software might overlook. These people know you, so they can understand the nuances of your personality and experiences, and help you ensure your cover letter truly reflects you.

Sample prompt to use for AI cover letter writing

Here’s a prompt you can use as a starting point:

By being intentional with your prompts and tools, you can harness AI to create a standout cover letter that feels authentic and unique.

3 Tips to Tailor Your Cover Letter for Different Types of Internships

You can’t expect to have a sample cover letter you’ll simply send to everyone — they require *a lot* of personalization to make sense. Here are my top 3 tips:

Adapt to industry specifics

Different industries expect different tones and focus points. Rule number one — always align your tone and content with the industry’s expectations.

For example, a cover letter for a tech internship should be written in a clear and concise style. On the other hand, a journalism internship cover letter could be more creative and focus on communication and storytelling. And if you’re applying to a nonprofit, showcasing your passion for their mission and using empathetic language and storytelling will be vital.

Highlight relevant attributes

Each internship type values unique strengths, so be strategic about what you emphasize.

For a research internship, prioritize analytical thinking and attention to detail. If it’s a customer-facing role, highlight interpersonal and communication skills. Read the internship description carefully and match your key attributes to their needs. For example, if a company seeks a “team player,” share a story about successfully collaborating on a group project.

Align with company values and mission

Finally, take the time to understand the company’s values and mission, and reflect them in your letter.

If the company emphasizes innovation, share an example of a time you brought a fresh idea to life or why you’ve always wanted to work in an innovative field. Referencing their mission will show them you’ve done your research. You’ll get extra points for having the enthusiasm to contribute to their goals.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

It’s easy to mess things up, especially if you’re writing your cover letter on a tight deadline. Here are some common mistakes that can ruin your chances (make sure they don’t happen to you).

• Bad structure and organization — Keep your letter concise and well-organized. Nobody wants to wade through a wall of text, so keep your paragraphs short. Get to the point fast.
• Typos and grammar blunders — Proofread everything. Twice. A single typo can make you look careless and sloppy. You can use the free version of Grammarly or Google Docs’s native spelling and grammar checker.
• One-size-fits-all approach — Each company and internship is unique. You as a candidate are unique. So customize your cover letter to show you understand their specific needs and company culture.
• Ignoring the rules — Some companies will have strict rules on file format, formatting, naming conventions, or submission methods. Make sure to read them and stick to them.
• Exaggerating or making stuff up — Stick to the truth and focus on your genuine skills and accomplishments. Hiring teams are trained to spot false statements, and they know what they can expect of you at your level.

Summary of the Main Points

Here’s a quick summary of everything we covered:

• A cover letter is a personalized doc you submit with your resume when applying for an internship or a job. It introduces you to the employer, explains why you’re interested in the position, and highlights your qualifications in a way that complements your resume.
• A strong cover letter can set you apart from other applicants by adding context, personality, and a sense of enthusiasm that a resume alone can’t convey.
• Every cover letter needs to have these 6 elements: header, greeting, introduction, body, conclusion, and closing.
• Compared to a resume, cover letters are less structured and give you more real-estate to make a case for yourself, and be yourself. Don’t be afraid to show your personality or tell them why you’re applying for the internship there (and not somewhere else).
• Don’t use generic cover letter templates or ChatGPT-made answers. The hiring team will see through them and you will quickly lose credibility as a candidate.

FAQ

Do I always need a cover letter when applying for an internship?

Even if the application doesn’t specifically ask for it, submitting a cover letter can set you apart from candidates who only submit a resume. It can give you a significant edge by providing context for your resume and help you establish why you’re a strong fit for the role. If the application explicitly says not to include one, respect the instructions.

How long should my internship cover letter be?

Cover letters for internships are typically one page long (3–4 paragraphs or 300–400 words). You should aim for a concise yet compelling letter that highlights your top skills and experiences without overwhelming the hiring team with unnecessary details.

If I apply via email, do I attach my cover letter or paste it in the email body?

It depends on the application instructions. If you’re not sure, attach your cover letter as a PDF and include a brief, personalized message in the email body. This keeps your email concise and makes it easy for the employer to download and print the letter.

How to address my cover letter if I don’t know the name of the hiring manager?

If you can’t find the name of the person through research, the best workaround is to keep things gender-neutral and say “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear {{CompanyName}} team” if it’ll pass through the recruiting department first.

How to write a cover letter for my first-ever internship?

Think of it as a chance to show off your passion for the field and highlight how your skills — even those from classes, clubs, or volunteer work — connect to the internship. Every experience you’ve had has taught you something valuable.