Asking for an Internship via Email? Use Our Steps, Examples, and Template

As a college student (and TBH as a human at any phase of their career), it can often feel like everyone around you has everything all figured out. And when you start hearing from your peers about the internships they’ve secured, that feeling only gets worse—especially if you’re still searching for an opportunity of your own.

EXPLORE JOBS AT

There’s still time. As a career advisor who’s worked with many students going through the internship search process, I promise that not everyone has it nearly as together as you may think, and it’s possible that the only things standing between you and a great internship are a few well-crafted emails. (The same is true for non-students looking for an internship!)

While job boards and online postings can be useful leads, networking is key. Reaching out directly to a recruiter or to people you know can make all the difference in your internship search. Whether you’ve been searching for a while and haven’t had any luck securing interviews or just want to be proactive, take the time to write a personal note to a professor you’d like to work with or an alum of your school who’s currently employed by your dream company. It can really set you apart.

Sending an email to ask for an internship might seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! In general, people are very open to giving advice and helping out when they can. Not sure where to start? Follow these easy steps for reaching out and check out our template and example emails for different situations.

Regardless of what kind of internship you’re after or who you’re asking about it, you can follow these directions for writing your email.

1. Do your research.

First, start brainstorming who you might want to reach out to about internship opportunities and keep a running list. Is there a specific company whose work you’re interested in? Use online tools like LinkedIn and your school’s alumni directory to find connections at your top companies. Are there any professors whose work you particularly admire? Does a family friend work for a company you’d be interested in interning for? Add their names to your list.

2. Decide who you’ll contact, why, and in what order.

Once you’ve mapped out everyone you might want to reach out to, be sure to prioritize and plan out what order you’ll reach out to people in. Use your level of interest in the opportunity or organization and level of comfort connecting with the person as two guiding factors.

As you’re making and refining your list, make sure you know why each person is on it. You’ll want to craft a personalized message every time and have a specific goal for each note. For example, are you looking to land a particular internship or is this more of an exploratory email to see what might be available at a certain company? If you start thinking about these questions early on, you’ll be ready to go when the time comes to sit down and write your emails.

3. Start your emails with a professional greeting.

Always use an appropriate salutation when reaching out to someone via email. It’s one of the first things the recipient will see and, let’s face it, first impressions matter.

• If you’re emailing a recruiter or someone who you’ve never met, it’s a safe bet to start with “Dear Mr./Ms./etc. [Last Name].” Just make sure to do your research so you avoid using the wrong honorific or pronoun. If you can’t tell which you should use for sure, try “Dear [First Name] [Last Name].” Using a full name is always better than misgendering someone.
• If you have reason to believe they’d be happy with less formality (e.g., if they work at a startup with a casual culture), you can go with “Dear [First Name].”
• In the case of a professor, write out “Dear Professor/Prof. [Last Name].”
• If you feel more comfortable with the person—if they’re a family friend or mentor, for example—it’s acceptable to start your email with, “Hi [First Name].”

4. Be mindful of your tone.

If you’re cold emailing a recruiter or professor you’ve never spoken to before, it’s better to err on the formal side. When emailing a family friend, it’s OK to follow the lead of your past conversations and be a bit more casual than you’d be with a stranger.

5. Introduce yourself and reference your connection up front.

Be clear about why you’re messaging right in your opening lines by saying who you are (if necessary) and highlighting how you’re connected to this person. Are they an alum of your college? Is this a family friend that you saw at a get-together last month? If you’re emailing a professor, make sure you reference either the classes you’ve taken with them or a way in which you connect to their work. Even when reaching out to a recruiter, mention how you heard about the company or if another connection referred you (just make sure that connection is comfortable with you using their name).

6. Be specific about why you want this internship.

Show the person you’re emailing that you’ve done your homework and aren’t simply mass emailing about internship opportunities. So highlight what excites you most about this internship role, research project, or company.

If you’re applying to a specific internship, it’s pretty straightforward: Just make sure you reference certain aspects of the role that you find interesting and exciting.

At times, however, you may be emailing without a specific internship in mind. Maybe the organization doesn’t have a formal internship program, but you’d love to have a chance to be involved with a particular team or project. That’s OK, too! But explain why you’re interested in working with that company or department and be specific. This is essentially your way of asking for an internship to be created, and people are much more likely to want to help you do that if you come off as genuinely enthusiastic.

When reaching out to a professor about research opportunities or possible lab work, mention how their work aligns with your academic interests and long-term goals as well as what you’ve already done that sets you up to contribute to their project.

7. Make a direct request.

Don’t be vague or forget to make a clear ask. The more specific you are, the easier it will be for the person on the other end to understand what you’re looking for and act on your request. Are you asking to meet up and hear more about the organization they work for or for them to put you in touch with the hiring manager? Are you interested in one specific internship posting or hoping to see if an internship could be created? If you’re emailing about a specific internship, include either the reference number or a link to the posting in your note. In any case, you want the reader to know what it is that you hope will happen next, whether it’s a phone call, an email introduction, or a meeting.

8. Keep your internship email short.

Show that you appreciate people’s time by getting to the point ASAP. Introduce yourself, highlight your interest, insert your ask, and propose a next step quickly and concisely. People often want to help, but they’re also busy—so they’re far more likely to respond if your email is succinct and it’s easy for them to do what you’re asking.

9. Attach an updated resume.

Make sure you attach your most up-to-date resume—which should be tailored specifically to the role or company you’re emailing about or the type of internship you’re looking for. In some cases you might also choose to attach your cover letter—if, for example, if you’ve applied to a specific posting separately and want to include your letter as an FYI.

It’s impossible to fit all of your credentials into this one short email, so take the opportunity to further demonstrate your interest and qualifications. If these documents align well with the role you’re interested in, you’re much more likely to get some kind of positive and productive response.

Want more guidance? You can use this template to help you write your internship emails. Just don’t forget to tailor it as needed for each situation. For example, you probably don’t need to introduce yourself to a close family friend or tell a professor you’ve had which school you go to.

My name is [Your Name] and I’m a [year] at [school] in [major/concentration/program]. [Another sentence or two highlighting what you’re interested in and how you’re connected to the recipient.] I’m currently looking for a [season/semester] internship.

I’m reaching out because [I’m extremely interested in this internship opportunity/I saw that your organization is hiring interns/I was wondering if you had any availability for an undergraduate researcher/any other request you’re making.] [Another concise sentence or two adding details to your request, sharing your availability or qualifications, or making an alternate, smaller request.]

I’ve attached my resume [for your review/for reference/in case it’s helpful to you]. Please let me know if you have any questions! Thank you so much for your time.