Best examples of thank you letter examples for internships

If you just wrapped up an internship and you’re staring at a blank screen wondering what to say, you’re in the right place. This guide walks you through real, practical examples of thank you letter examples for internships that you can copy, tweak, and make your own. We’ll look at short and sweet notes, more detailed emails, and even a few situations where things were… less than perfect. You’ll see examples of messages you can send to your direct supervisor, your mentor, a recruiter, and even the whole team. Along the way, I’ll point out why each example works and how you can adjust it for your industry, whether you interned in tech, healthcare, nonprofit, or finance. By the end, you’ll have several strong examples of thank you letter examples for internships that feel professional, personal, and genuinely appreciative—without sounding stiff or robotic.
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Taylor
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Real-world examples of thank you letter examples for internships

Let’s skip the theory and start with what you actually need: words you can use today. Below are several real-feeling examples of thank you letter examples for internships you can adapt, depending on who you’re writing to and how formal you want to sound.


Example of a short, professional thank you email to your supervisor

This is the kind of note you’d send to your main manager on your last day or the morning after your internship ends.

Subject: Thank You for a Great Internship Experience

Hi Jordan,

I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to intern with the marketing team this summer. I learned a lot from working on the social media analytics project and the product launch campaign, especially your feedback on my weekly reports.

I really appreciated how open you were to my questions and ideas. This internship confirmed that I want to continue building a career in digital marketing, and I feel much more confident because of the experience I gained on your team.

I’d love to stay in touch and keep you updated on my progress this year. Thank you again for such a supportive and valuable internship experience.

Best,
Taylor

Why this works: it’s specific (mentions projects), it’s warm but still professional, and it clearly expresses appreciation without sounding dramatic.


Example of a thank you letter for an internship in a competitive field

If you interned in a high-pressure setting—like finance, consulting, or law—you might want a slightly more formal tone.

Subject: Thank You for the Summer Analyst Internship

Dear Ms. Ramirez,

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as a Summer Analyst on the Corporate Finance team. I’m grateful for the exposure to live deals and client work, especially the chance to contribute to the Smithson merger valuation.

I learned a great deal from your approach to structuring presentations and walking clients through complex information in a clear, confident way. The feedback you provided on my financial models and draft slides has already helped me improve my technical and communication skills.

This internship confirmed my interest in corporate finance, and I hope to have the opportunity to work with you and the team again in the future. Thank you again for your time, guidance, and support this summer.

Sincerely,
Jordan Lee

This is one of the best examples of thank you letter examples for internships in more formal industries, because it balances gratitude with professionalism and mentions concrete contributions.


Example of a thank you email to your mentor (not your manager)

Sometimes the person who taught you the most wasn’t your official supervisor. They still deserve a thoughtful thank you.

Subject: Thank You for Your Mentorship This Semester

Hi Priya,

I wanted to thank you for all the support and advice you gave me during my internship. From walking me through the codebase on my first day to reviewing my pull requests, you made a huge difference in how quickly I was able to contribute.

I especially appreciated our weekly check-ins, where you helped me think through both technical challenges and bigger career questions. Your encouragement made it much easier to speak up in standups and share my ideas with the team.

I hope we can stay in touch, and I’d love to keep learning from you as I continue studying computer science. Thank you again for being such a generous mentor.

Best,
Maya

Many strong examples of thank you letter examples for internships include a separate note like this for mentors, because those relationships often continue long after the internship ends.


Example of a thank you letter to the whole team

If you worked closely with several people, sending one message to a group can be efficient and thoughtful.

Subject: Thank You, Team!

Hi everyone,

As my internship wraps up this week, I wanted to thank all of you for welcoming me to the product team. I learned so much from watching how you collaborate across design, engineering, and customer success.

Highlights for me included helping with the beta launch, sitting in on customer interviews, and joining sprint planning meetings. I appreciated how patient you were with my questions and how open you were to letting me try things, even when I was still learning.

This has been one of the most valuable learning experiences I’ve had, and it’s made me even more excited about a career in product management. I hope our paths cross again, and I’d be glad to stay connected on LinkedIn.

Thank you again for everything,
Taylor

This is one of the best examples of thank you letter examples for internships when you want to show appreciation to a broader group without writing ten separate messages.


Example of a thank you letter when you hope to return as a full-time hire

If your dream is to turn this internship into a job offer later, your thank you letter can gently reinforce that.

Subject: Thank You & Interest in Future Opportunities

Dear Mr. Chen,

Thank you for the opportunity to intern with the data analytics team this summer. Working on the customer churn dashboard and the A/B testing reports gave me hands-on experience that I hadn’t been able to get in the classroom.

I especially valued your feedback on my presentation to the sales leaders. Your guidance on simplifying the data story and focusing on actionable insights is something I’ll carry into future projects.

This internship confirmed that I would be excited to start my career at [Company Name]. After I graduate in May 2025, I would be very interested in being considered for any entry-level data analyst roles that may be available.

Thank you again for your mentorship and for trusting me with meaningful work.

Best regards,
Alex Rivera

Among the best examples of thank you letter examples for internships geared toward future employment, this one stands out because it clearly but politely mentions interest in a full-time role.


Example of a thank you letter after a virtual or remote internship

Remote internships have become far more common since 2020, and they’re still widely used in 2024–2025. Your thank you letter can reflect that.

Subject: Thank You for the Remote Internship Experience

Hi Dana,

I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to intern remotely with the communications team this spring. Even though we were in different time zones, I always felt supported and included.

I learned a lot from helping draft the monthly newsletter, scheduling social media posts, and sitting in on Zoom meetings with our nonprofit partners. Your feedback in our weekly video check-ins helped me improve my writing and better understand how to adapt messages for different audiences.

I appreciate the trust you placed in me and the flexibility you showed with my class schedule. This experience has made me much more confident working in virtual teams. Thank you again for all your guidance.

Best,
Morgan

When you look at modern examples of thank you letter examples for internships, you’ll notice more references to remote work, time zones, and virtual collaboration tools. That’s normal—and smart to acknowledge.


Example of a thank you letter when the internship wasn’t perfect

Maybe the role wasn’t what you expected, or the company culture didn’t fit you. You can still write a gracious thank you that focuses on what you did gain.

Subject: Thank You for the Internship Opportunity

Dear Ms. Patel,

Thank you for the opportunity to intern with your team this summer. I appreciated the chance to observe how the HR department manages recruiting, onboarding, and employee relations.

I especially valued sitting in on the interview debriefs and learning how you evaluate candidates beyond their resumes. The projects I worked on, including updating job descriptions and organizing applicant data, helped me better understand the day-to-day work of HR.

I’m grateful for the time you and the team took to answer my questions and share your perspectives on career paths in human resources. Thank you again for the learning experience.

Sincerely,
Chris

Not every experience is magical. But the best examples of thank you letter examples for internships still show maturity, respect, and appreciation for the learning you did get.


How to customize these examples of thank you letter examples for internships

You don’t need to copy any of these word-for-word. In fact, you shouldn’t. The goal is to use these examples as a starting point and then adjust them so they sound like you.

Think of it in three simple passes:

  • Pass 1: Swap in your details. Replace project names, team names, and dates with your own. If you worked on a research study, a patient education project, or a software feature, say so.
  • Pass 2: Add one or two specific memories. Maybe your manager walked you through your first client call, or your mentor helped you fix a tricky bug. Mentioning one concrete moment makes your note feel real.
  • Pass 3: Decide how formal you want to be. If everyone at your company said “Hey” and wore sneakers, “Hi Jordan” is fine. If the culture was more traditional, stick with “Dear Ms. Ramirez.”

When you look at the strongest examples of thank you letter examples for internships, they all share a few traits: they’re specific, they’re sincere, and they match the tone of the workplace.


Key ingredients that show up in the best examples

Across all the real examples above, there’s a simple pattern you can follow, no matter your field.

A clear subject line

Your subject line doesn’t need to be clever. It just needs to say what the email is about. Many examples include phrases like:

  • “Thank You for the Internship Opportunity”
  • “Thank You for a Great Summer”
  • “Grateful for the [Team Name] Internship”

A direct opening

Start by saying thank you in the first sentence. Don’t overcomplicate it. For example:

“Thank you for the opportunity to intern with the pediatric research team this summer.”

This mirrors what you see in many of the best examples of thank you letter examples for internships: no suspense, no build-up, just straightforward appreciation.

Specific details

Vague: “I learned a lot.”
Better: “I learned a lot from helping prepare the quarterly financial report and sitting in on the budget review meetings.”

Specific details prove you were paying attention and that the internship actually mattered to you.

A nod to the future

Even if you’re not sure you want to return, it’s helpful to say something about how you’ll use what you learned:

  • “This experience confirmed my interest in public health.”
  • “I’ll be applying the skills I gained in my senior capstone project.”
  • “I hope to stay in touch and learn about future opportunities at [Company].”

This is one reason many hiring managers appreciate thoughtful examples of thank you letter examples for internships: they show that you’re thinking ahead, not just checking a box.


Internships today don’t look exactly like they did five or ten years ago. A few trends are worth weaving into your message when they apply:

Hybrid and remote work

If your internship involved hybrid or remote work, mentioning how your manager supported you through tools like Slack, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams makes your note feel current. It also signals that you can handle modern work environments, which many employers value.

Focus on skills and learning

Universities and career centers increasingly encourage students to track skills gained during internships. You can echo this by naming specific skills:

  • Data analysis or coding languages
  • Project management tools (Asana, Trello, Jira)
  • Communication skills like presenting, writing reports, or working with clients

Resources like the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) often talk about the competencies employers look for in interns and new grads. You can explore their guidance at https://www.naceweb.org.

Networking and long-term relationships

Career advisors at many universities, such as those at Harvard’s Office of Career Services, emphasize relationship-building during and after internships. A thank you letter is a simple way to keep that connection alive. You can see more general career advice at https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu.

When you study current examples of thank you letter examples for internships, you’ll notice they often reference LinkedIn, ongoing mentorship, or future collaboration.


FAQ: Common questions about internship thank you letters

Do I really need to send a thank you letter after an internship?

Yes. It takes a few minutes and can leave a lasting positive impression. Many supervisors and mentors remember the interns who followed up with a thoughtful note. It’s a simple professional habit that aligns with advice from many university career centers and organizations like NACE.

When should I send my thank you letter?

Aim to send it on your last day or within 48 hours of your internship ending. If you forgot and it’s been a week or two, send it anyway. A slightly late thank you is still appreciated.

Should I send separate thank you letters to different people?

If a few people played major roles in your experience—your manager, a mentor, maybe a recruiter—it’s worth sending each of them a short, personalized email. For the broader team, one group email works well. Many of the best examples of thank you letter examples for internships use this mix: individual notes for key people, plus one team message.

Can you give more examples of short thank you lines I can use?

Here are a few quick lines you can plug into your own message:

  • “Thank you again for trusting me with meaningful work this summer.”
  • “I’m grateful for the time you took to answer my questions and share your perspective.”
  • “This internship has been a valuable step in my career development.”
  • “I appreciate the feedback you gave me on my projects—it helped me improve quickly.”

Each one can be combined with the longer examples of thank you letter examples for internships above to create a note that feels natural.

Is it okay to mention that I’d like a job there someday?

Yes, as long as you phrase it respectfully. Something like:

“After I graduate next spring, I would be very interested in being considered for any entry-level roles on your team.”

You’re not demanding anything; you’re simply expressing interest. Many hiring managers appreciate the clarity.

Should I send an email or a handwritten note?

For most internships in 2024–2025, email is perfectly appropriate and often preferred, especially for remote or hybrid roles. In a very small office or a traditional setting, a handwritten note can be a nice extra touch, but you can still send a short email as well so they have an easy way to reply or forward your message.

If you’d like more general guidance on professional communication, many universities offer free online resources, such as Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab at https://owl.purdue.edu.


The bottom line: use these examples of thank you letter examples for internships as templates, not scripts. Swap in your own projects, your own voice, and your own future goals. If you can be specific, sincere, and timely, your note will do exactly what it’s meant to do: leave your internship on a strong, professional, and genuinely appreciative note.

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