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Overview
Beginning your career as an intern is one of the best ways to build a professional network and gain relevant experience and exposure in your area of interest. A good internship program with a limited intake is bound to have intense competition, to stand out among the crowd, a well-crafted SOP will be the ultimate tool. It will be obvious that famous organizations will be flooded with equally adept candidates, and in such instances, your SOP will be the only document that will set you apart. So, to help your SOP stand out from the pile of other documents, we have crafted this comprehensive guide on how to write an SOP for an internship.
Toolkit for SOP for internship
Below we have put together a toolkit that consists of all the important points that need to be covered in your SOP for internship with respective examples and comprehensive samples. We suggest that you copy the questions we have mentioned in the toolkit and then answer them following our example.
| Action Item | Points that need to be covered | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction (Motivation and Goals) | What inspired you to pursue the specific field? | I was initially drawn to computers because I fancied computer games. However, the more I operated with computers, the more I began to appreciate their functions, discovering just how much they can do and the near limitless potential they hold OR I got attracted to the field of law during my school days when I watched the interview of Soli Sorabjee, who served as an attorney-general for India. The idea of serving my nation and its people, fighting for their rights and justice, inspired me to pursue a career in law. |
| Explain the reason for pursuing an internship. | During my bachelor's in computer applications, I was able to learn more about web development using CMS, I believe to further unearth my potential, I am looking forward to joining the computer science research internship program at Yale University OR To gain industry exposure and develop my professional skill set, I decided to secure a law internship at Karanjawala and Co. | |
| State the ultimate goal you aim to achieve in the field. | I have built a good foundation in IT which enticed me to pursue a career in the field and become a software engineer for a famous IT company OR I aim to become a famous criminal lawyer and server my nation and its people by fighting for their rights and justice | |
| Convey the skills that you have already acquired that will aid you on your journey. | I have knowledge of CMS platforms such as WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla OR Due to my Bachelor’s, I gained knowledge about Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure, Indian Evidence, and other legislations for social protection | |
| Academic and professional background (Learning, Execution, and Impact) | What are the skills and knowledge that you have acquired from your academic and professional journey? | My bachelor’s in Computer Applications, provided me with comprehensive knowledge of web development using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript because of which I was able to learn how to make websites from scratch OR My masters provided me with knowledge in Advanced Constitutional Law, Principles of Criminal Law and Contemporary Issues, Advanced Criminal Procedure, and Advanced Evidence Law |
| State the instances where you applied the skills you have gained from your career and academic background. | As I was exploring Web development, I took up a JavaScript quiz game project. This opportunity allowed me to practically apply the learnings of building a web page, using HTML for structure and CSS to make it interactive and appealing, and using JavaScript to build the detection engine OR My final semester law thesis was on the famous case of “The Nanavati murder case” which helped me develop strong identification with the sides of the claimant as well as the plaintiff in the litigation | |
| How your personal growth is impacted by these instances? | During my bachelor’s I was a member of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Cell, where I used to code and present projects at international forums like Digital Point and Coffee Cup. These experiences helped me grow both as a leader and a team player OR Besides helping me with getting familiar with the nuances of evidence analysis, my master's project helped me have more confidence in myself. | |
| Why this internship (Opportunities) | Talk about the knowledge and skill set that the internship will provide. | A computer science research internship program specializing in Programming Languages and Compilers will provide me with the opportunity to learn more about language design, compiler implementation, and programming environments OR An internship from a law firm will provide me the opportunity to practically apply the learnings from my academic background and provide me exposure to courts experience |
| Describe any particular aspect of the university or company that piqued your interest. | I am especially looking forward to working under Professor Zhong Shao’s research on developing and applying new language-based technologies to build certified system software like OS kernels and hypervisors OR An internship opportunity at Karanjawala and Co. provides the internee with real-time experiences, takes them to court vists, and involves them in practical aspects like filing the application and memo, listening to arguments of the senior counsel, etc. | |
| Discuss the opportunities the university or company will provide. | The remarkable research infrastructure of the FLINT Group will provide me with the opportunity to work on the development of certified software OR I am convinced that an internship experience from your firm will provide me with practical exposure to the technicalities of a courtroom, opportunities to conduct research, draft written statements, and foster the skills I have acquired | |
| Goals and career path (Long and short-term goals) | List your immediate objectives | Upon completing my research internship, I intend to complement my graduation with a Master's in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia OR After the completion of my internship, I look forward to joining a famous criminal litigation firm |
| List your long-term objectives. | In the long term, I aim to join a famous IT company as a software engineer OR In the long term, I aspire to start my own criminal litigation firm | |
| Conclusion (Value you’ll provide) | Describe the benefit you hope to bring to society at large. | I intend to develop more effective and reliable programming environments that will allow developers to utilize the full potential of large-scale parallel systems in programming OR I aspire to start my own criminal litigation firm and work for not just corporate firms, but also to fight for the rights of the people of my nation and help them get justice |
Sample SOP for research internship
“Research is seeing what everybody else has seen and thinking what nobody else has thought.” - Albert Szent-Györgyi
From homes to big MNCs, technological progress is transforming our lives rapidly in all domains and spheres. From an early age, I’ve always been deeply interested in computers. Honestly, I was initially drawn to them because I fancied computer games. However, the more I operated computers, the more I began to appreciate their functions, discovering just how much they can do and the near limitless potential they hold. From seeing the wonders of the internet for the first time to communicating with artificial intelligence, my interest grew more profound and passionate with every discovery I made. This interest of mine became the reason for choosing computer science as my major subject in high school. My first contact with computer science was when I started studying Pascal programming and web designing in 10th grade. By the time I was in 12th grade, my tutor offered me the opportunity to work with the school’s IT department. I helped them by writing a few lines of code for the school’s website and uploading files to a server and it was the first time I observed how a database is created and manipulated. Due to these experiences, I have built a good foundation in IT which enticed me to pursue a career in the field and become a software engineer for an IT company. During my bachelor's in computer applications, I was able to learn more about web development using CMS, where I learned how to create websites using CMS platforms including WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.I believe to further unearth my potential, I am looking forward to joining the computer science research internship program at Yale University.
I have always viewed my educational journey as an opportunity to seek more knowledge. My journey got onto the track of computer science when I decided to pursue a Bachelor's in Computer Applications. The semesters of my course provided me with comprehensive knowledge of web development using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript because of which I was able to learn how to make websites from scratch. As I was exploring Web development, I took up a JavaScript quiz game project. This opportunity allowed me to practically apply the learnings of building a web page, using HTML for structure and CSS to make it interactive and appealing, and using JavaScript to build the detection engine. Apart from academics, I was also a member of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Cell, during my bachelor, in the role of Joint Secretary. Having started as a junior programmer, I went on from coding for large-scale projects to handling teams of students who were coding, designing as well as presenting projects at international forums like Digital Point and Coffee Cup. I believe this experience has enabled me to grow both as a leader and a team player capable of fostering collaborative work.
My previous education and experience, however, I believe is a stepping stone to my career as a software engineer. A computer science research internship program specializing in Programming Languages and Compilers will provide me with the opportunity to learn more about language design, compiler implementation, and programming environments.I am especially looking forward to working under Professor Zhong Shao’s research on developing and applying new language-based technologies to build certified system software like OS kernels and hypervisors.Not only that, but the remarkable research infrastructure of the FLINT Group will provide me with the opportunity to work on the development of certified software. Also, an intellectual student population with a well-venerated community of alumni will help me develop my communication skills, teamwork abilities, and time management.
Upon completing my research internship, I intend to complement my graduation with a Master's in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia to learn about parallel programming environments in-depth. In the long term, I aim to join an IT company as a software engineer and apply the engineering principles and knowledge of programming languages I gained from my academics and internship, to build software solutions for end users.I intend to create a greater impact using my knowledge and skills in language-based technologies to develop more effective and reliable programming environments that will allow developers to utilize the full potential of large-scale parallel systems in programming. Hence, I am eager to contribute to the research efforts of Yale University and enhance my skill set.
Sample SOP for Law internship
“We cannot expect people to have respect for law and order until we teach respect to those we have entrusted to enforce those laws.” - Hunter S. Thompson
As a hardworking and focused person, I have always believed that it is the ability of a person to keep learning and developing oneself through diverse experiences that makes him/her prepared for the challenges of the future. The world in which we live is becoming more complex day by day. New innovations and technologies necessitate new laws for countries, communities, and individuals to live a peaceful and uninterrupted life. I got attracted to the field of law during my school days when I watched the interview of Soli Sorabjee, who served as an attorney-general for India. The idea of serving my nation and its people, fighting for their rights and justice, inspired me to pursue a career in law. Another major reason is the personal fulfillment this career provides. Because of this, I decided to go for a Bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice.Due to my Bachelor’s, I gained knowledge about Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure, Indian Evidence, and other legislations for social protection. Apart from that, I also published a research paper on “How organized crimes impact global economy” at regional conferences organized by the O.P. Jindal Law School, Haryana.However, I must admit that I lack in areas that lead to combining all these fields and applying them in the real-time present-day context. So to gain industry exposure and develop my professional skill set, I decided to obtain a law internship at Karanjawala and Co.
When it comes to my academics, I have always been a responsible learner. After completing my bachelor's. I joined National Law University, Delhi, for my professional qualification in the discipline of constitutional and criminal law. My masters provided me with knowledge in Advanced Constitutional Law, Principles of Criminal Law and Contemporary Issues, Advanced Criminal Procedure, and Advanced Evidence Law. My final semester law thesis was on the famous case of “The Nanavati murder case”, in which I received the highest grade in my batch. The thesis helped me develop strong identification with the sides of the claimant as well as the plaintiff in the litigation.Besides helping me with getting familiar with the nuances of evidence analysis, this project helped me have more confidence in myself. It helped me develop strong identification with the sides of the claimant as well as the plaintiff in the litigation.
Even though these experiences have made me well-versed in the theoretical know-how of the Indian law, I need to be able to practically apply my learnings. That being the reason, I decided to apply for a law internship at Karanjawala and Co. I wanted to do an internship at a firm that provided their internees with real-time experiences and involved them in the workings of real cases. I read online that your firm provides interns with opportunities to conduct research, draft written statements, notices, memorandum of appeal, etc. Also, I read that the senior associate provides the interns with opportunities to visit courts and learn practical aspects such as filing the application and memo, listening to arguments of the senior counsel, etc. Hence, I am convinced that an internship experience from your firm will provide me with practical exposure that will further help me develop and foster the knowledge and skills I have acquired.
After the completion of my internship, I look forward to joining a famous criminal litigation firm. I will be able to apply various skills including verbal communication, excellent writing, and knowledge about law and legal procedures to work towards my goal of serving my nation and its people.I aspire to start my own criminal litigation firm and work for not just corporate firms, but also to fight for the rights of the people of my nation and help them get justice. I am confident that after this internship, I can bring a significant change in the judiciary and add new values to society.
How to write an SOP for internship?
Now, let’s discuss in-depth the process of writing an SOP for an internship.
Introduction: (Motivation and goal)
Start the first paragraph of your statement of purpose (SOP) with a hook, this is done to grab the attention of the admissions committee. Generally, a good hook is considered to be a quote related to your field that surfaces your vision. Once you are done writing the hook, you will talk about your motivation or inspiration for applying to the field you selected. These reasons can stem from a personal experience, inspiration from an idol, or a goal you aim to achieve as your reason for pursuing the course. Once done with this, mention the skills that you already possess that will aid you in your internship. And finally, end the paragraph by providing a brief of the long-term goals that you aim to achieve after completing the internship.
Checklist for writing introduction:
- Hook (quote related to your field)
- Source of motivation
- Long-term goal
- Reason to pursue the course
- Unique aspects about your personality
- Future goals
Body paragraph I: (Learning, execution, and impact)
Here begins your first body paragraph, start this paragraph by providing a brief overview of your academic and professional background. Begin with your educational background, mention all the skills and knowledge you acquired, and talk about the extracurricular activities you participated in and how they helped you to expand your skill set. Emphasize the situations in which you applied your knowledge and abilities; these might be internships, competitions, or any other tasks you worked on. Now, if you have work experience, mention it after you’re done explaining your academic background. Keep in mind that if you have work experience, you will need to provide a reason for applying for an internship.
Checklist for writing body paragraph I:
- Academic accomplishments
- Professional accomplishments
- Strengths and weaknesses
- Impact of all the cumulative experiences
- In case of work-experience, provide a rationale for applying for internship
Body paragraph II: (Why this internship)
Now start your second body paragraph, To persuade the university or the company of your suitability for both the internship, begin by defining your reasons for applying to it. Emphasize the skills you currently lack and aspire to acquire through the internship. Subsequently, talk about the knowledge and skills that it will provide. After explaining the rationale behind choosing the internship, proceed to discuss the particular university or company you've chosen. You can begin this by highlighting a unique aspect that piqued your interest. This might include a specialized research center, a distinguished teaching staff, or a particular skill. You can also talk about the opportunities the university or company offers.
Checklist for writing body paragraph II:
- Define the knowledge and skill set that the internship will provide
- Describe any particular aspect of the university or company that piqued your interest
- Discuss the opportunities the university or company will provide
Conclusion (closing statement)
In this part, you'll talk about your career plans. Start with what you want to do in the near future, this could involve a job you want to join after your internship. After that, describe your long-term plans, and give a little brief of how you plan to achieve them. In conclusion, explain how the skills, knowledge, and opportunities gained from your internship at the specific university will empower you to make a meaningful impact on society.
Checklist for writing conclusion:
- Path to achieve your career goals (short-term and long-term goals)
- What after internship (long-term goals)
- Contribution towards the society
Conclusion
If your goal is to get an internship at a top university or a firm, you must spend quality time creating the best statement of purpose. You need your SoP to stand out in the crowded field. While a majority of employers won’t go through thousands of documents, they will undoubtedly review the SoP to ensure it complies with their criteria. Make sure to add details demonstrating your enthusiasm for the industry and the business. This contains information about extracurricular activities, relevant schooling, and prior professional experience. With all this in mind, you can create the best SoP, which will give your application an edge.
FAQs
How long is a statement of purpose for an internship supposed to be?
A statement of purpose is one of the most important parts of applying for an internship. While it doesn’t have to be lengthy, it should be between 600 - 1000 words long, clearly explaining why you want to intern at this firm, what you hope to gain from it, and how you plan to use it.
What is a good reason for wanting an internship?
There could be many reasons why someone may want to pursue an internship. Some students want to gain experience working in a professional environment. Others want to see what it’s like to work in another industry. Still, others want to expand their network by getting to know professionals in their field. Whatever the reason, having an internship can open doors for you later down the road. Whether you end up pursuing a career plan in your chosen field or not, having an internship will give you a leg up on your peers who have no real-world experience.
How should you introduce yourself in a statement of purpose for an internship?
When writing your statement of purpose for internships, you should briefly describe yourself, your skills, experience, and why you’d like to pursue an internship. Your goal here isn’t necessarily to convince future employers that you’re perfect for the job; rather, you want to let them know you understand the position and that you’re excited to apply. Make sure that you mention any previous experiences you have had that relate to the position you’re applying for.
What should be the tone of an SOP?
Try to be yourself when writing an SOP; pretend that you are speaking with the university administration like this is an interview. Remember to speak in a conversational tone and avoid using any slang or casual language that might come off as unprofessional. Additionally, try to avoid using phrases that are unclear when describing the university, the faculty, or your history. Instead, choose language that is more direct and less flowery.
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