A cover letter for an internship is a one-page letter that tells the firm why you want this internship and what you have done that backs it up. Keep it to three or four short paragraphs. Make every line specific to the firm you are sending it to.
What should an internship cover letter include?
- An opening line that names the internship and gives one specific reason you want it
- A paragraph on the most relevant thing you have done, with a result
- A paragraph on why this firm, showing you read past the careers page
- A short close that says you would like to talk and how to reach you
Your resume already lists everything. The letter picks one or two things and explains why they matter for this role.
How do you start a cover letter for an internship?
Address it to a person if you can. The job ad, the careers page or LinkedIn will often name a campus recruiter or the graduate recruitment team. If you can't find a name, "Dear Graduate Recruitment Team" is fine. "To whom it may concern" reads like a letter to the council about a pothole.
Skip "I am writing to apply for the position of". The reader knows. They are holding your application. Open with the role and your reason in one sentence, such as "I'm a third-year commerce student applying for your summer internship in audit because your team works with the renewable energy clients my final-year project focused on."
What do you write if you have no experience?
Use what you have. A casual job in hospitality or retail shows you turn up on time and can deal with a difficult customer. A uni society role shows you can organise people who aren't paid to listen to you. The group assignment where you built the spreadsheet everyone else avoided counts too.
Pick one example and give it a number. "Managed the roster for 14 casual staff" says more than "strong organisational skills".
How long should an internship cover letter be?
One page at most, and shorter is fine. Three or four paragraphs of three or four sentences each is plenty. If the application form gives you a box with a word limit, stay under it.
What does a good internship cover letter look like?
Here is an example to adapt. Swap every bracket, and swap any example that isn't yours.
Dear [Name],
I'm a third-year commerce and data science student at [university], applying for the [firm] summer internship in [team]. Your team's work on [a specific project, report or client area] is the reason I'm applying here first.
Last semester I led a four-person project analysing a local sports club's membership data. We found that most members who left did so after their first winter, and the club now runs a mid-season offer for new members. I built the model and presented the findings to the club committee.
For the past two years I've worked 15 hours a week in a busy café while studying full time. I've trained six new staff and I'm the person the manager calls when the roster falls over.
I'd like to bring that mix of analysis and getting things done to [team]. I'm available from [date] and happy to talk any time on [phone number].
Kind regards,
[Your name]
What mistakes should you avoid in an internship cover letter?
- The wrong firm's name, left over from the last application. Check the first line and the file name before you hit send.
- Your resume again in paragraph form.
- Praise that fits any employer. "Your values align with mine" could be sent to every firm in the CBD.
- A letter that reads like a chatbot wrote it. If you used AI for a first draft, rewrite it with your own details until it sounds like you.
Do you need a cover letter if it's optional?
If the form has a place for one, send one. An optional cover letter is the one place to explain something your resume can't, like why you are moving from law into tech or why your marks dipped in second year.
Should you check whether the internship is paid?
Yes, before you apply. The Fair Work Ombudsman says unpaid work is lawful if the person doing it isn't an employee, and an intern who is in an employment relationship is an employee and must be paid. A placement that is a required part of your course, and meets the other conditions for a vocational placement, can be unpaid.
How should you send your cover letter?
Save it as a PDF so it looks the same on the recruiter's screen as on yours, and name the file with your name and "cover letter". "Final_v3_REAL.docx" tells them more about your process than you want them to know.
This is general information, not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Unpaid work (when unpaid work and internships are lawful, vocational placements)
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