Your next job starts here.Your next job starts with a CV that gets you noticed.
Start now
Application Letter / Internship
Internship application letter: sample and format
By Alexander Phillip · Career Coach and Recruitment Expert · Updated October 2026
Quick answer
An internship application letter asks an organisation for an internship place, usually after or near the end of your studies. Say which internship you are applying for, your qualification and when you finished, the skills you can already offer, and when you can start. Keep it to one page and attach your CV and certificates.
- Full graduate sample
- Internship vs attachment explained
- Free letter writer
Internship or attachment: which letter do you need?
| Internship | Attachment | |
|---|---|---|
| When | After or near graduation | During your studies |
| Why | Work experience, often through a programme with an intake | A requirement of your course, for a set number of weeks |
| Paid? | Sometimes, often with a stipend | Usually unpaid |
| Your letter mentions | Your completed qualification and what you can offer | Your course, year, institution and the placement dates |
Still studying and your college requires a placement? You need an attachment letter instead: see our attachment letter guide.
What to include in an internship letter
- The internship you are applying for, or the department you want to join if it is not advertised
- Your qualification, the institution and the year you finished
- Two or three skills or projects that match the organisation's work
- Your attachment, volunteering or student leadership, if any
- When you can start and for how long
- The documents you attached
Sample: graduate internship letter
Aisha Nakato
P.O. Box 7062, Kampala
+256 701 000 000 · aisha.nakato@email.com
20 May 2026
The Human Resources Manager,
Crestview Insurance Ltd,
P.O. Box 9000, Kampala.
Dear Sir or Madam,
RE: APPLICATION FOR THE GRADUATE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME
I wish to apply for your graduate internship programme for 2026. I completed a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in finance, in January 2026.
During my industrial training at a microfinance institution I reconciled loan repayments in Excel and prepared weekly arrears reports for the branch manager. I also led my university's finance students' association, where I organised two career talks.
I would like to learn how an insurance business runs and to contribute to your finance team. I can start immediately. I have attached my CV, transcript and degree certificate.
Yours faithfully,
Aisha Nakato
Internship programmes to know
- Botswana: the government runs a national internship programme for graduates; registration is on the government portal (gov.bw).
- Kenya: the Teachers Service Commission runs teacher internships; see our teacher application letter for how TSC applications work.
- Everywhere: banks, telecoms and international organisations open graduate programmes once or twice a year. Watch their careers pages and apply before the deadline.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write an internship application letter?
Name the internship or department, give your qualification and when you finished, show two or three skills or projects that fit the organisation, and say when you can start. Keep it to one page and attach your CV and certificates.
What should an internship application look like?
A one-page formal letter: your address and the date, the organisation's address, a greeting, a RE: line naming the internship, three short paragraphs, and your signature. Send it with your CV.
What is the difference between an internship and an attachment?
An attachment happens during your studies as a requirement of your course and is usually unpaid. An internship comes after or near graduation and is often a programme with an intake, sometimes with a stipend.
Can I apply for an internship that is not advertised?
Yes. Write to the human resources manager or the head of the department you want to join, explain what you can offer and when you are available, and follow up politely after a week.
More letters and guides
Send your internship letter with a graduate CV
Put your degree, projects and attachment first in a clean CV built on your phone. Free to build and preview.