Paragraph by paragraph
I'm in the last part of my computer science BSc at TU München, with a Master's there to follow, and I'd like to join Celonis as a working student in software engineering. Process mining interests me because the reporting task I automated in my internship was the kind of manual work your software is built to find.
Who she is, and why this company
Her degree, her plans and the role, then one sentence linking her own work to what the company does. That link is what stops it reading like a letter sent to fifty companies.
Last year I spent three months in the IT department of Stadtwerke München, working on an internal web tool. I wrote Python scripts that automated a reporting task the team had been doing by hand, and I fixed bugs and wrote tests with a senior developer reviewing my code. My Praktikumszeugnis rates my reliability and code quality highly.
The internship, as a piece of work
She describes what she built and who reviewed it, and the Praktikumszeugnis backs it up. German employers read these internship references closely.
At university I built and deployed a full stack project with a React front end and a Python API, working in a team of four with Git and short sprints. We kept the code documented and tested on GitHub, and the link is on my CV.
A project that proves teamwork
A deployed project with tests, a team of four and Git shows how she works, and the link lets the reader check.
During the semester I can work 18 hours a week, which keeps me inside the 20 hour limit for working students, and full time in the semester breaks.
Hours, stated precisely
Availability decides student hiring. Giving the hours and the limit answers the first practical question.
Polish is my first language, my English is at C1 and my German at B2, so I'm comfortable in an English speaking team and with German documentation. I could start in November.
Languages and a start date
Three languages with levels, then when she could start. Nothing else is needed.
Turning student work into evidence
Most students have more evidence than they think. Describe each piece the way you would describe a job.
| What you have | How to write it |
|---|---|
| An internship | What you built or changed, and who reviewed it. |
| A university project | The stack, the team size, your part and a link. |
| Teaching or tutoring | How many students and what improved. |
| A part time job | Reliability and responsibility, such as handling cash or opening up. |
| A hackathon or club | What you made and whether it won or was used. |
Say what you did yourself in team projects, because a reader can't tell otherwise. A short phrase is enough, such as "I built the API and its tests" or "I designed the database and wrote the data import". It tells a team lead what you could pick up in your first week.
For a careers portal or a message to the team
Many companies hire students through a careers portal with a short motivation box, or after a short message to the team. This version fits both.
Availability, and the working student rules
For student roles, when you can work is often the first thing a manager checks. Give hours per week in term and in breaks, and your start date.
- Germany: the working student rules apply while you work no more than 20 hours a week during the lecture period. More is possible in semester breaks, and at evenings or weekends within limits.
- Several jobs are added together for the 20 hour limit.
- Why employers care: while the rules apply, working students pay into pension insurance only, and the employer has to watch the hours.
- Elsewhere: UK and US internships are usually full time over the summer, so give your exact dates.
Other internships and how to start the letter
UK summer internship
Give your degree, your year and the dates you are free.
I am in the second year of a computer science degree at the University of Leeds, and I am free from 16 June to 12 September for your summer internship.
Year in industry placement
Show the course you are on and what you want to learn in a year.
My degree includes a placement year, which I hope to spend on your data engineering team from July.
US summer internship
Give your school, your major, your graduation year and one project.
I am a junior studying computer science at the University of Michigan, and my capstone project is an app that tracks campus bus delays in real time.
Non technical internship
Show research, writing or organising you have done at university or in a society.
As treasurer of our university debating society I manage a £6,000 budget and organised two inter university competitions this year.
Graduate scheme
Show the internships you have done and why this scheme in particular.
After two summer internships in software, I am applying for your graduate scheme because it rotates through platform and product teams.
Applying in English to a company in Germany
- Match the advert: if the job advert is in English and the team works in English, an English letter is normal.
- Give language levels on the European scale, A1 to C2, for each language.
- References: German employers value written references, such as a Praktikumszeugnis, so mention a good one and have it ready to send.
- Photo: common on German CVs but not required, and many international companies prefer applications without one.
Five mistakes in internship cover letters
Apologising for no experience
Every intern is starting out, and saying so wastes the opening.
Open with your degree and the role.
Listing modules
Course names tell the reader what you studied, and little else.
Describe one project and your part in it.
Vague availability
Managers plan student hours carefully, and "flexible" doesn’t help them.
Give hours per week, breaks and a start date.
No links
For technical roles, code the reader can see is the strongest evidence a student has.
Link one project on your CV.
A letter for any company
Recruiters notice when nothing in the letter is about them.
Add one line on why this company or team.
Short, clear and easy to answer
- Length: under a page. Anna's letter is about 230 words, which is plenty for a student role.
- Format: an international style letter with Kind regards works for an English application in Germany.
- Attachments: your CV, and references or transcripts only if the advert asks.
- Contact: an email you check daily, because student roles are often filled quickly.
The main points from this page
- 1Open with your degree and the role, without apologising.
- 2Describe an internship or project as real work, with your part.
- 3Give your hours, breaks and start date precisely.
- 4Give language levels on the European scale.
- 5Link one piece of work the reader can check.
Frequently asked questions
What should an internship cover letter include?
Your degree and year, the role, one or two pieces of evidence such as an internship or project, your availability and why this company.
How many hours can a working student work in Germany?
The working student rules apply while you work no more than 20 hours a week during the lecture period. More is possible in semester breaks and, within limits, at evenings or weekends.
Can I write my cover letter in English for a job in Germany?
Yes, if the advert is in English or the team works in English. Give your German level as well.
What if I have never had an internship?
Use university projects, part time work, tutoring or societies, and describe each one as real work with your part in it.
How long should an internship cover letter be?
Short. Around 150 to 250 words is enough for most student roles.