un internship cover letter sample

UN Internship Cover Letter Guide With Examples

Attach your internship at UN application with a UN Internship Cover Letter to increase your chances of getting the role. Find key tips and suggestions.

Pansy Thakuria

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Embarking on a journey with the United Nations is an opportunity to make a global impact. A UN internship can be the ideal launching pad for those aspiring to work in international relations, diplomacy, and public service. The competition, however, is intense. Crafting a well-articulated cover letter is vital to make a strong impression.

In this guide, we'll offer tailored templates, tips, and advice for drafting your UN Internship cover letter, irrespective of your experience level.

UN Internship Cover Letter Sample (With Experience)

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State ZIP Code] [Your Email Address] [Today's Date]

[Recipient's Name] [Title] [United Nations Department/Agency Name] [Address] [City, State ZIP Code]

Dear [Recipient's Name],

I am excited to apply for the [Specific Internship Position] at [Specific UN Department/Agency]. With my degree in [Relevant Major/Field of Study] and my experience at [Previous Relevant Experience/Institution], I am confident in my ability to contribute effectively to the work of the United Nations.

While at [Previous Experience/Institution], I:

• Contributed to [specific project or task], directly impacting [specific outcome or achievement].
• Engaged in [activity], deepening my understanding of [specific global issue].
• Collaborated with diverse teams, honing my cross-cultural communication skills.

I have always been passionate about [specific global issue or UN Sustainable Development Goal]. I believe interning with [Specific UN Department/Agency] will enable me to make meaningful contributions while refining my skills and knowledge.

Thank you for considering my application. I am eager to discuss how my background aligns with your team's objectives.

Warm regards, [Your Name]

UN Internship Cover Letter Sample (Entry-Level)

I am genuinely interested in the [Specific Internship Position] at [Specific UN Department/Agency]. As a recent graduate from [University Name] with a degree in [Relevant Major/Field of Study], I am enthusiastic about applying my academic foundation to address global challenges.

Although my professional experience is nascent, my academic pursuits have equipped me with a robust understanding of [specific global issue or UN Sustainable Development Goal]. My involvement in [university club or project] enabled me to [specific achievement or skill acquired].

I am particularly impressed with [Specific UN Department/Agency]'s work in [specific initiative or project] and am eager to contribute my skills and passion to your esteemed team.

Thank you for reviewing my application. I look forward to discussing my potential contributions to your mission.

Best regards, [Your Name]

Crafting Your UN Internship Cover Letter: Key Tips

1. Be Specific: Highlight the specific UN department or agency you are applying to and align your skills and interests with their initiatives.

2. Have a Global Perspective: Emphasize any international experiences, language proficiencies, or cross-cultural encounters you've had.

3. Be Passionate for Global Issues: Relate your passion for certain global issues, especially those pertinent to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

4. Be Concise and Clear: The UN receives numerous applications; ensure your cover letter is concise and immediately emphasizes your suitability.

5. Have a Tailored Application: Avoid generic statements. Tailor your application to the unique attributes and functions of the specific UN department or agency.

What to Include in Your UN Internship Cover Letter?

• Understanding or experience with global issues or challenges.
• Relevant academic pursuits or research.
• Any international or cross-cultural experiences.
• Language skills or proficiencies.
• How your personal values align with the UN's mission.

Bottom Line

A UN internship is a chance to engage with global challenges on an unparalleled platform. Your cover letter should reflect your knowledge of the UN's work, your passion for international issues, and your readiness to contribute.

Personalize each application, ensuring alignment with the specific UN agency or department. Using this guide, aspiring UN interns can present themselves compellingly, aligning their skills and passion with the mission of the United Nations.

This article has been written by Pansy Thakuria . She works as a Content Marketing Specialist at Vantage Lens . Her areas of interest include marketing, mental well-being, travel, and digital tech. When she’s not writing, she’s usually planning trips to remote locations and stalking animals on social media.

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8 Tips for Drafting Your UN Cover Letter

A cover letter is an important part of any job application, but it can especially help set your application apart when you apply to UN jobs. The UN looks for specific language, skills, experience, and attitude, and your cover letter is the place for you to show that you meet the qualifications they are looking for. The UN provides some guidance on what they look for in a cover letter, so we’ve taken some of their tips, expanded them, and added a few more to help you write your best cover letter for your UN application.

Keep it brief

The UN recommends a cover letter consisting of 3 to 4 paragraphs. Most career counselors and job development professionals recommending keeping your cover letter to a page. While you want to get information in your cover letter about your experience and skills, you want to make sure to keep it within a reasonable amount of space. Keep the paragraphs concise so that the person reading the letter can get the most information in the least amount of words.

Keep it relevant

When you’re writing your cover letter it can be ready to highlight your best experiences and skills, but your best skills and experiences may not always be the best for the job you are applying for. Make sure that your cover letter stays relevant to the job you are applying for, and highlight your best skills that match what the employer is looking for and that are relevant to the job requirements.

Find ways to make the most of your experience

Even if you are qualified for a job that you’re applying for, your experience may not be an exact match for the skills and description. If this is the case, use your cover letter as an opportunity to highlight transferrable skills and experiences that you can take with you into the job you’re hoping to obtain. Instead of talking about your passion or issues related to the job, focus on your achievements and things that you’ve accomplished. Be specific, and be honest (don’t exaggerate or lie) but take the liberty to frame your experience in a way that shows you have the qualifications and skills they are looking for in a future employer.

Distinguish yourself

Your cover letter provides a chance for you to set yourself apart from the other applicants. Use it to talk about unique skills and experiences that could lead you to be the best candidate for the job. Find an attention-grabbing opening and closing that will keep the employer engaged in your story from the beginning until the end. Make sure this doesn’t outshine your experience but use your cover letter as a way to distinguish what makes you a unique and qualified candidate for the job you’re applying for.

The UN career application tips specifically mention to use action verbs and avoid passive language and clichés. These tips are advisable for any cover letter, but because the UN specifically mentions that they want to see these grammar techniques, make sure to follow them closely. While you want to grab attention with your cover letter, make every word count and don’t include cheesy lines or cliché phrases that take away from your unique skills and experience.

Target your cover letter

We’ve already talked about how you want to keep the information in your cover letter relevant to the UN job you’re applying for. In addition to relevant experience, you want to make sure that the language you use matches the language the UN uses in their job descriptions. Target your cover letter to the job and to the audience, showing you understand the culture and purpose of the organization in addition to the actual job. If you decide to apply for multiple positions, tailor your cover letter for each position; don’t send one cover letter for multiple jobs. While all the jobs may be under the UN umbrella, each department, bureau, and team is looking for a specific skillset, qualification, attitude, and applicant.

Use “I” instead of “we”

Your cover letter is about you. So if you’re talking about work you did as part of a team or in a group or as part of an organization, make sure that you avoid “we” statements when talking about achievements and accomplishments. This doesn’t mean you should take credit for work you didn’t do alone, but make sure you spend most of your time highlighting the work you contributed to the team or project to show that you gained real, tangible experience, even as part of a group.

Demonstrate that you understand the job requirements/description

This might seem like the most obvious tip, but make sure that your cover letter shows that you understand the job requirements and description. How you talk about your experience and skills can make a difference if what you choose to highlight doesn’t match what the employer is looking for. If you’re applying for a position that you don’t fully understand, try to look at similar job postings or even search for articles on the internet that might help you better understand the exact nature of the position you are applying for. Job descriptions, especially for large organizations like the UN, usually don’t go into the day-to-day functions of the position, so make sure that you stay on topic and don’t try to guess what your responsibilities will be outside of what is listed in the posting.

• How to apply
• Programme participants
• Partner countries
• Partner organizations
• About the JPOSC

Application Tips

Before starting the application, please examine the sample copy of the application document. This will give you the opportunity to collect and prepare all the information that you need before starting the online application process.

It is a good idea to plan ahead and type out some of your answers in a separate document. You can then cut and paste them into the system to minimize the chances of errors or time-outs while filling out the application.

The Personal History Form (P11)

Here are some guiding tips to help you complete a  Personal History Form (P11)  correctly:

• For all entries, clearly indicate whether the work was full-time or part-time by using percentage estimates. i.e. full-time is 100%, whereas part-time is typically around 50%.
• For consultancies, please indicate a lump sum annual amount or the daily rate.
• For non-UN positions, please enter the annual income.
• For UN positions, please indicate type of contract and salary level, i.e. P1, P2, etc.
• Clearly specify unpaid volunteer positions and internships as such.
• Kindly avoid overlapping employment periods unless followed by explanatory text.
• It is important to include a detailed description of the main responsibilities and tasks you carried out during each period of employment.

Cover letter

The "Cover letter" section in the online application offers you the opportunity to explain what has motivated you to apply for the specific position (or positions). It is also an opportunity for you to highlight what you think are your most relevant qualifications for the particular position(s) you are interested in.

Please note that you are expected to write a separate and relevant cover letter for each position for which you are applying.

For your cover letter(s), please use the language indicated beside the respective vacancy notice, which is the language of the duty station and in which a high level of competency is required. Limited language training for the selected candidate may be available, however, for some positions.

Useful Links for a succesful application

Resume (CV)

Interview Preparation

Competency-Based Interviews

How to Write a Cover Letter for Internship (Examples & Template)

You’ve found the perfect internship and it’s now time to apply and land the position!

But, in addition to your resume, you also have to write an internship cover letter.

You might end up staring at the blank Word document for hours and nothing comes out.

We don’t blame you; cover letters are hard to write even if you have a decade’s worth of work experience, let alone if you’re a recent graduate or a student.

Worry not, though; in this article, we’re going to teach you all you need to know to write a compelling cover letter for your internship.

• Do you need a cover letter for an internship?
• How to write a compelling cover letter for an internship
• Plug and play internship cover letter template

Do I Need a Cover Letter for an Internship?

First things first—if you’re wondering whether you actually need a cover letter for your internship application, the answer is yes . 

An internship application is just like any other hiring process, meaning that a recruiter will go over your resume , cover letter (and maybe even references), and decide whether you’re qualified for the position. 

And yes, recruiters contrary to what you might think, recruiters do read your cover letter. 56% of recruiters prefer a cover letter with an applicant’s application.

This is reasonable - a cover letter allows you to add essential information you didn’t have space for in a resume, as well as explain (in words) how your experiences are tied to the role you’re applying for.

As such, a cover letter for an internship is essential and complementary to your application package.

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s go over all the best ways to write a cover letter for an internship. 

How to Write a Cover Letter for Internship

#1. respect the format.

Before you can focus on your cover letter’s contents, you should first make sure you’re sticking to the right format. 

Otherwise, your cover letter will be disorganized and the recruiter will have a hard time following your train of thought.

So, here’s the format that your cover letter for an internship should follow: 

• Header with contact information. This includes your full name, professional email, phone number, and LinkedIn profile (if you have one). Underneath your contact info, you should add the date and the receiver’s information (the recruiter’s name and title, the company/organization name, and their physical address). 
• Addressing the recruiter. Greeting the recruiter with “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern” is common, but not the best approach. Want to show the hiring manager that you did your research? We recommend you address the hiring manager by name directly. Our guide on how to address a cover letter covers everything you need to know on this topic!      
• Opening statement. Your opening statement should be brief, but at the same time professional and attention-grabbing. Here, you introduce yourself, mention the position you’re applying for, and potentially a key achievement or two.   
• Body. The body of your cover letter consists of 2-3 paragraphs where you highlight your education, provide background for your skills, and explain how you (and the company) would benefit from each other professionally. 
• Closing paragraph. Your closing paragraph is your chance to include a call to action, to thank the recruiters for their time, or mention anything important you left out. 
• Formal salutation. End your cover letter with a formal salutation such as “kind regards,” “sincerely,” or “best regards.” Our guide on how to end a cover letter can teach you all you need to know on the topic. 

Having trouble getting started with your cover letter? Read our guide on how to start a cover letter and get inspired!

#2. State the Position You’re Applying For in the Opening

Recruiters hate one-size-fits-all cover letters and resumes.

Around 48% of recruiters and hiring managers aren’t even going to read your cover letter if it’s not customized to the role you’re applying for.

And one of the easiest ways to do this is by mentioning the role you’re applying for right in the cover letter opening.

This allows you to:

• Show that you will be tailoring the rest of your cover letter for that position alone.
• Prove that your cover letter is customized for this specific internship, and you’re not just randomly applying for the job,

Here’s a practical example of how you can mention the role you’re applying for in the cover letter opening:

Dear Mr. Jacobs, 

It is my pleasure to apply for the Communications Assistant internship position at the United Nations Development Programme. I can confidently say based on my 2-year experience working as a journalist and my excellent academic results in the Mass Communications Major that I’d be a good fit for the position. 

#3. Mention the Right Keywords

When reviewing your application, hiring managers tend to scan your cover letter or resume and look for the right keywords that would make you qualified for the internship you’re applying for.

E.g. If you're applying for a job in graphic design, the recruiter is probably looking for keywords like “Photoshop,” “Illustrator,” or “InDesign.”

As such, it’s very important to include the right keywords in your cover letter.

How can you find these keywords, you might ask?

It’s actually pretty simple - just look at the internship job description and go through the required skills & responsibilities and identify the keywords that you’d think the recruiter would be looking for.

Then, do the following:

• Sprinkle some of those keywords throughout your cover letter. When relevant, back them up with an experience. E.g. don’t just say “I’m good at Photoshop,” say how you’ve taken 3 different Photoshop classes and used Photoshop for 2 different projects.
• Don’t include keywords that don’t apply to you, they’ll just make it seem like you’re copy-pasting from the job description.
• Research and add other popular soft skills that recruiters look for in applicants for the role you’re applying for. E.g. If you’re applying for an internship as a communications assistant, chances are, you’ll need strong communication skills (even if this is not something listed in the job description.

Now, let’s look at a practical example. Let’s say that the internship you’re applying for requires the following skills:

• Communication
• Ability to meet strict deadlines

Here’s how you’d mention this in your cover letter:

During my time as Editor in Chief at my University’s newspaper, I got to develop my communication and leadership skills significantly. For over two years, I was in charge of a 7 people team, which also helped my teamwork skills and my ability to meet deadlines. 

Keep in mind, though, that it IS possible to overdo it with the keywords.

44% of hiring managers say they will dismiss a resume or cover letter that looks as if it has copied the job posting. 

Using each and every keyword mentioned in the job description (without backing the skills up with experiences) might cause the hiring manager to think that you’re just copying the job ad & don’t actually have these skills.

So, don’t just copy-paste all the keywords from the job description, and if you DO mention a lot of those keywords, make sure to back them up with practical experiences.

#4. Highlight Your Education

If you don’t have a lot of work experience, your education and relevant coursework is your best chance to show that you’re a good fit for the internship. 

Letting the recruiter know what kind of courses you’ve completed that are relevant to the internship you’re applying for will be a big plus for your application. 

Say, for example, that you’re applying for an internship as a graphic designer. To make your internship cover letter impactful, make sure to mention all the relevant courses and related accomplishments. 

Here’s an example of how you could do that:

As a Visual Design major, I have completed several courses that have helped me build my professional portfolio. A few of the most beneficial ones have been Design & Layout and Visual Communication: Theory and Practice. I have also gained valuable experience doing the layout of the university’s newspaper for 4 years and of several books as independent projects. 

#5. Provide Background For Your Skills

It’s one thing to just claim that you have a set of skills and another to prove it. 

Anyone can say that they’re great at doing something, but what makes all the difference is when you can actually put your money where your mouth is. 

For example, in your internship cover letter, instead of just mentioning that you have “good time-management skills,” actually back it up with a past experience that proves it.

During the summers I assisted my family’s wedding planning business, I learned a lot about time management. In that kind of business, it’s important that things run like clockwork so in addition to time management skills, it also significantly improved my attention to detail. 

#6. Explain Why You’re a Good Fit For The Position

In addition to just listing out the skills that are relevant and beneficial for the internship, you should also explain why you are a good fit for the position. 

This means that you should connect the dots between what the company/organization is looking to gain from its interns and what you can do to provide those services. 

So, after you research and create an understanding of what is required of you, you should use your cover letter to explain why you’re a good fit for that position. 

For the sake of the example, let’s assume you’re applying for an internship at a Human Rights organization. A big chunk of what the role requires is categorizing virtual files of the cases the organization has worked on in the past.

What you want to do, in this case, is show how you can help with that particular job as an intern. Here’s how:  

I have spent 3 summers working at the National Library, where I was tasked to sort and categorize books based on their topic, author, and year of publication, and also memorize where each section fits in the library. I believe this skill, which I have perfected over the years, can really be of use for the internship position at Organization X.

#7. Describe What You Would Gain Professionally

In addition to showing (and proving) your skills and how you can benefit the company, you should also explain how getting the position will benefit YOU . 

When it comes to internships, oftentimes they serve the purpose of helping students and young professionals acquire in-depth knowledge about the industry, create a network, and develop skills that will benefit them throughout their careers. 

So, it will surely help you make an even better impression if you show that you are self-aware about what you’ll get out of the internship and how it will help you grow professionally. 

Here’s how you can do that: 

I am excited for this internship to provide me with the necessary customer service skills and network that will help me grow professionally in my future career as a customer service manager. 

#8. Proofread Your Cover Letter

After all, is written and done, there’s one final thing to do and that is make sure your cover letter doesn’t have mistakes. 

A spelling or grammar mistake probably won’t disqualify you, but at the same time, it will probably be a red flag for recruiters that you’re not too attentive.

For this reason, ask a friend to proofread your cover letter or use spell-checking software such as Grammarly and Hemingway . 

Want to know what other cover letter mistakes you should avoid? Our guide on cover letter mistakes has all you need to know on the topic! 

#9. Match Your Cover Letter & Resume Designs

Want your internship application to truly shine?

Match your cover letter design with your resume!

Sure, you could go with a generic Word cover letter template, but why fit in when you can stand out?

At Novorésumé, all our resume templates come with a matching cover letter template , guaranteed to make your application truly special.

Cover Letter for Internship Template

Struggling to create a cover letter for your internship?

Simply follow our tried-and-tested internship cover letter template!

Key Takeaways 

And that’s a wrap! You should now have all the necessary information about how to create a cover letter for an internship.

Now, let’s do a small recap of the key learning points we just covered:

• Cover letters are a must when you’re applying for an internship.
• When you start writing your cover letter, make sure you respect the format: the header with contact information, the greeting to the recruiter, an opening paragraph, the body with 2-3 paragraphs, and a closing paragraph followed by an official salutation and your name.
• Some of our main tips on how to write a cover letter for an internship include: state the position you’re applying for, make use of the right keywords, and back up your skills with experiences.
• Use a cover letter builder and match it with your resume to make sure your cover letter truly stands out from the rest.

Related Readings: 

• Entry-level Cover Letter
• Do I Need a Cover Letter in 2024?
• Top 21 Cover Letter Tips

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Sample Cover Letter For UN Internship Jobs Applications

By Dorcas Karuana, The UN is the most coveted employer by many Kenyans, and an internship is one of the many easiest routes to get a job at the UN agencies.

Every now and then, typically three to four times a year, the UN advertise the internships on their jobs board.  You will have to go through the motions, create a ‘personal history profile’ with all your relevant details, skills, education and work history, and draft a cover letter to attach to your application.

One thing that pays to bear in mind is that the cover letter should be convincing enough for the HR to read the rest of your profile.

The key to making a good application, according to Kelvin Keya Partnership and Communications Specialist UN Volunteers is to “demonstrate the core humanitarian competencies skills and emphasize on skills that will help you in a general office and administrative areas. ”

Below is sample cover letter for UN Internship Jobs.

Peter Okello Otieno P.O Box 25467, Kisumu,

10th May 2014.

Human Resource Manager, United Nations Office at Nairobi, P.0 Box ****, Nairobi.

Dear Human Resource Manager,

RE: APPLICATION FOR SOCIAL MEDIA INTERNSHIP POSITION With my exclusive mix of experience in marketing and community management, my courses in public relations and marketing combined with my passion for social media I believe I am the right match for the Social Media Internship at your organization.

I am currently a student at the University of Nairobi, pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Communication with a major in public relations. I have been exposed to courses in communications and marketing, having scored an average of an A and appeared in the Dean’s List of exemplary performance twice. I am eager to leverage my classroom learning into real world experience.

Additionally, I have worked as a marketing intern for XYZ Company, a marketing agency, where my responsibilities included everything from supporting the strategy team to executing social media campaigns for a few of the firm’s clients. I have previously handled social media campaigns for the presidential debate in year 2013.

I have an understanding of humanitarian contexts and can work in a pressured and changing environment, while working as a part of a team. I believe that my expertise in social media combined with my motivation and enthusiasm and my ability to interact with various multi-cultural people will make me an extraordinary asset to your communications department.

I welcome an opportunity to discuss further and I thank you in advance for reviewing my application.

Yours Sincerely, Signed, Peter Otieno.

Cell: 0700 000 000 Email: [email protected]

Dorcas is the Communications & HR Officer at Corporate Staffing Services. Email: [email protected] . Website: www.corporatestaffing.co.ke

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Sample cover letter for Internship position at UN

I am writing to apply for the position of International Aid Program Coordinator, as advertised recently on the EHA website. 

I am a qualified, dedicated and experienced international humanitarian aid worker, specialising in nutritional program coordination. My most recent role has been the coordination of all aspects of local nutrition programs in South Sudan for Exfam International, a small humanitarian relief organisation. My time in South Sudan has seen me plan, implement, evaluate and report on programs that provide both immediate emergency relief and sustainable local development. I have overseen the distribution of essential foods and supplements, coordination of primary health care services, training of program delivery teams, provision of logistical and technical support, and the preparation of funding submissions and grant proposals. This role has also involved collecting and analysing data on the impact and effectiveness of our health programs on communities, as well as ensuring WHO compliance in every aspect of our program delivery. This experience, in addition to my previous experience in humanitarian relief in South East Asia, has given me knowledge and perspective in humanitarian emergency situations, and an understanding of the importance of developing sustainable community development programs. I have a strong academic grounding in international aid, health and project management, having completed a Bachelor of Arts (International Aid and Development), a Graduate Diploma in International Health and a Certificate IV in Project Management. I possess excellent organisational skills and an ability to maintain the big picture while attending to details and logistics. I am an excellent communicator, with an ability to manage large teams of people; and I remain calm and positive under pressure, especially in what can be difficult or traumatic situations. My life and career have been driven by a strong passion to alleviate the suffering of disadvantaged people around the world. I believe the West has a responsibility to help poorer nations, and I would love to play an integral part in enacting that. My resume is attached and I look forward to being able to discuss the position with you further. - See more at: http://www.careerfaqs.com.au/careers/sample-resumes-and-cover-letters/international-aid-program-coordinator-sample-cover-letter/#.dpuf