How to Get a Summer Internship
Updated July 1, 2026
The most reliable way to get a summer internship is to email companies directly a few months ahead. Build a list of 20 to 50 companies, send each a short personalized email, attach your resume, and follow up once. This reaches summer roles that are never posted online.
Summer internship game plan
- Start 2-4 months before summer.
- List 20-50 companies, mixing big names and smaller local ones.
- Email each directly with one specific reason you're interested.
- Follow up once after five days.
FirstInternships gives you 11,000+ company recruiting inboxes and writes a personalized cold email for each from your background. Free to start.
Get your first internship →Frequently asked questions
When should I start looking for a summer internship?
Two to four months before summer, though smaller companies hire even later.