Internship cold email templates

Internship enquiry. [your field] student

Hi [First name],

I spent some time on [Company]'s site before writing, and [one specific, true detail. A service you offer, a recent project, how long you've been in business]. That's exactly the kind of [field] work I'd want to learn from, which is why I'm writing to you and not to every firm in the area.

I'm a [year] [subject] student at [university]. Having [specific thing you've done] and [a second one], I think I could be genuinely useful on [a named part of their work] rather than just shadowing.

I'm not after a formal programme. A short project, or a few days helping where you're stretched, would suit me well. I'd be free [dates]. Would you be open to a brief call?

Best wishes,
[Your name]
[Phone]

[Field] student. Could I help with [their area of work]?

Hi [First name],

I'll keep this short. I'm a [subject] student at [university] with hands on experience in [skill or tool]. [one line of proof, e.g. "I built X" or "I ran Y"]. Looking at what [Company] does around [their service or area], that's work I could contribute to now rather than just observe.

I'd welcome a short project, or a few days over [period], to put it to use. I'm flexible and happy to fit around you.

Could we find fifteen minutes for a call?

Many thanks,
[Your name]
[Phone]

A keen [field] student, glad to help

Hi [First name],

[Company]'s work on [specific thing] is the kind of [field] I want to learn properly. I'm a [subject] student at [university], and I'd be glad to spend a few days, or a short project, helping where it's useful over [period].

No formal programme needed. Would a quick call work?

Best,
[Your name]
[Phone]

Internship enquiry from an economics student

Hi [First name],

I read that [Company] works mainly with [owner managed businesses / a specific client type] rather than large corporates. That hands on side of finance is exactly what I want to learn, and it's why I'm writing to you specifically.

I'm a [year] economics student at [university]. Having built discounted cash flow models and [a second thing, e.g. led the finance society], I could support the analysis behind your [valuations / reporting / advisory work] rather than simply watch.

A short project, or a couple of days a week over [period], would suit me well. Could we arrange a brief call?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

Accounting student. An extra pair of hands over [busy period]?

Hi [First name],

With [year end / self assessment season / the [month] deadline] coming up, I imagine things get busy at [Company]. I'm a [subject] student at [university], comfortable with [Excel / Xero / bookkeeping], and I'd be glad to take some of the routine work off the team over a few weeks.

I'm not after a formal scheme, just useful, real experience with a firm doing [their kind of work]. I'm free [dates].

Would a short call suit you?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

Student developer. A few weeks on a real project?

Hi [First name],

I've been using [Company]'s [product or app] and had a proper look at what you're building. Shipping [a specific feature or focus] with a small team is exactly the environment I want to learn in.

I'm a computer science student at [university]. I built [project. Link] with [stack], so I can contribute real code early rather than needing to be walked through everything. I'd happily take on a defined feature, or work through a bug backlog, over [period].

Would a short call work?

Best,
[Your name]
[GitHub / phone]

CS student keen to help on your client work

Hi [First name],

[Company]'s work on [type of projects or clients] is the kind of software I want to get my hands on. I'm a computer science student at [university] with [stack] experience. Here's something I built: [link].

I'd be glad to help on a project over [period], and I learn fast. Happy to start with something small and defined so it's easy for you to try me out.

Could we have a quick call?

Best,
[Your name]
[GitHub / phone]

Marketing student. Glad to help over [period]

Hi [First name],

I found [Company] through [their campaign / content / channel], and the way you [a specific thing they do well] is the kind of marketing I'd like to work on rather than study in the abstract.

I'm a [subject] student at [university]. I've run [a channel / a campaign / a society's socials] and can show what actually moved the numbers, so I could help with your content and measuring what works.

A short project, or a couple of days a week over [period], would suit me well. Open to a quick call?

Best wishes,
[Your name]
[Portfolio / phone]

Design student. A portfolio and a spare pair of hands

Hi [First name],

The look of [Company]'s recent [piece of work / rebrand / campaign] stood out to me. [a specific detail]. I'm a [subject] student at [university], and I design [what you design]. Here's my portfolio: [link].

I'd love to help on live work over [period], social assets, layouts, whatever's useful, nothing formal.

Would a short call work?

Best,
[Your name]
[Portfolio]

Law student enquiring about a short placement

Hi [First name],

I read about [Company]'s work in [a specific practice area], and that focus is why I'm writing to you rather than sending this widely.

I'm a law student at [university]. Through [mooting / pro bono / a specific module or role] I've built up research and drafting experience, so I could support case preparation and research rather than simply observe.

I'd welcome a short placement, or even a few days shadowing, over [period]. Could we arrange a brief call?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

First year law student. A few days' insight this vacation?

Hi [First name],

Before applications open next year, I'd like to understand [practice area] from the inside, and [Company]'s work on [something specific] is exactly what I'd learn more from than a large open day.

I'm a first year law student at [university]. Rather than a formal scheme, could I spend a few days over [vacation] seeing how the team works, sitting in, helping with research, anything useful? I'm free [dates].

Would a short call suit you?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

[Subject] student keen on your [sector] work

Hi [First name],

[Company]'s focus on [a specific niche, sector or type of client] is what made me write. It's the sort of problem solving I want to learn properly, not just read about.

I'm a [subject] student at [university]. Having [an analytical thing. Built models, run analysis, led a project], I could support the research and analysis behind your client work from early on.

A short project over [period] would suit me well. Could we have a brief call?

Best wishes,
[Your name]
[Phone]

Research support for [Company] over [period]?

Hi [First name],

I've been following the space [Company] works in, and [a specific observation about their market or approach] stood out. I'm a [subject] student at [university] with strong [research / data / analysis] skills. [one line of proof].

I'd be glad to take on a defined piece of research or analysis over [period], so you can see the work before anything more. I'm flexible on timing.

Would a short call work?

Best wishes,
[Your name]
[Phone]

Engineering student. Help on a live project?

Hi [First name],

[Company]'s work on [a specific project or discipline] is the kind of engineering I want hands on experience in. I'm a [discipline] engineering student at [university], comfortable with [CAD / a tool / a method], and I'd be glad to help on real work over [period]. Drawings, testing, calculations, whatever's useful.

Nothing formal needed. Would a short call work?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

[Discipline] engineering student, keen to be useful

Hi [First name],

I was looking at [sector] firms nearby, and [Company]'s [a specific project or specialism] stood out as something I'd genuinely learn from. I'm a [year] [discipline] engineering student at [university] with [a relevant skill or project].

I'd welcome a few weeks over [period] contributing to live work, and I'm happy to fit around the team.

Could we arrange a short call?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

[Subject] student. A few weeks with a [town] agency?

Hi [First name],

Most of what I can read about [town] property comes off the portals, which tell you the asking price and almost nothing about why a street sells. [Company] has been letting and selling here [long enough / since [year]], so the useful knowledge sits with your team rather than in the listings.

I'm a [year] [subject] student at [university]. [A relevant thing, e.g. I built a spreadsheet comparing sold prices to asking prices across three postcodes], which taught me how far a headline figure can sit from what a place is worth.

I'd like to spend [period] with you: accompanying viewings, writing listings, doing the comparable research behind a valuation. Whatever is genuinely useful.

Would a short call suit you?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

Weekend help with viewings at [Company]?

Hi [First name],

Saturdays are when your viewings happen and when I'm free, which seems worth mentioning.

I'm a [year] student at [university], [a relevant trait, e.g. presentable, confident with people, and I drive]. I'd be glad to cover viewings, handle the follow up calls, and keep the listings tidy over [period].

I'm not asking for a formal scheme. A few weekends where I'm actually useful would teach me more than any of it.

Could I call you this week?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

[Year] architecture student. Portfolio attached

Hi [First name],

I've attached my portfolio, because in this field it says more than anything I could write about myself.

[Company]'s [a specific building or approach] is why I'm writing to you rather than to a larger practice. [One honest sentence on what you noticed in it.]

I'm a [year] architecture student at [university], competent in [software], and I'd like to spend [period] in the studio. Modelling, visualisations, drawing sets, or the parts nobody enjoys.

Would you be open to a short conversation?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

Help with planning research over [period]?

Hi [First name],

Planning research is slow, unglamorous and has to be right, which is usually a good sign that an extra pair of hands is worth having.

I'm a [year] [subject] student at [university]. I'm patient with documents, careful with detail, and [a relevant thing, e.g. I have read enough local plans to know my way around one].

I'd like to spend [period] with [Company] doing precedent research, site history, and policy checks. The kind of work that has to happen before the interesting part.

Could we speak briefly?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

Idea for [Publication], and a student who'd write it

Hi [First name],

An idea first, since that's the part worth your time: [one genuine, specific story or piece idea that fits what they publish, in one or two sentences].

I read [Publication] for [a real reason tied to their coverage]. I'm a [year] [subject] student at [university] and I've written [where, even if it's a student paper or a blog].

I'd like to spend [period] with you researching, fact checking, and writing whatever you'll let me near. If the idea above is wrong for you, I have others.

Would you be open to a short call?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

[Subject] student. Help with [Publication]'s audience?

Hi [First name],

Small publishers tend to be strong on the work and stretched on getting it seen, which is the half I'd be useful for.

I'm a [year] student at [university]. [A concrete thing you have done, e.g. I grew a society account from 200 to 2,000 followers by [how]], so I have some idea of what actually travels rather than what people say does.

Over [period] I'd be glad to help with [social / newsletters / audience research] at [Company], and to learn the editorial side from the people doing it.

Could we arrange a brief call?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

Student happy to do the searching at [Company]

Hi [First name],

Most of recruitment seems to be finding the right people, and most of finding them looks like patient searching that nobody has time for.

I'm a [year] [subject] student at [university]. I'm comfortable being thorough and unglamorous about a task, and [a relevant thing, e.g. I ran the society's outreach and learned quickly that volume without care gets ignored].

Over [period] I'd be glad to build candidate lists, do the first research pass, and keep the pipeline tidy for [Company]. I'd learn a great deal from watching how you judge a fit.

Would a short call work?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

A student's view on your graduate hiring?

Hi [First name],

You place graduates. I am one, roughly, which means I see how your adverts land on the people you're trying to reach.

I'm a [year] student at [university]. [One honest, specific observation about how students respond to graduate hiring, based on what you've actually seen.]

I'd like to spend [period] at [Company] helping with [candidate research / campus outreach / coordination], and I suspect the student perspective would be worth something to you in return.

Could we speak briefly?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

[Subject] student. Help with the data behind [their work]?

Hi [First name],

Most of this field seems to come down to measuring something properly before anyone can claim anything about it, and the measuring is rarely the part people want to do.

I'm a [year] [subject] student at [university], comfortable with [Excel / Python / a relevant tool]. [A concrete thing, e.g. I analysed [dataset] for [purpose] and learned how much of the answer depends on the assumptions.]

I'd like to spend [period] with [Company] on [carbon reporting / monitoring / analysis], and to learn how the numbers turn into a recommendation a client will act on.

Would you be open to a short call?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]

Help with [Company]'s funding applications?

Hi [First name],

Funding applications ask you to explain good work carefully, at length, to a deadline. That tends to be the thing that gets pushed back a week at a time.

I'm a [year] [subject] student at [university]. I write clearly, I'm not afraid of a long form, and [a relevant thing, e.g. I have read enough of these to know what a weak one looks like].

Over [period] I'd be glad to help with [grant writing / research / applications] at [Company], and I'd learn the sector from the inside doing it.

Could we arrange a brief call?

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]