Email template · Recruiting events and campus
Intern welcome email
In short
An intern welcome email tells a new intern what to expect before their first day: start date, time and place, what to bring, who their manager and buddy are, and what the first week looks like. It turns an accepted offer into a confident first day. Below are HR, manager, class-wide and remote templates.
When to send it: Send the main welcome one to two weeks before the start date, once paperwork is under way. Follow with a short manager note two or three days before day one and a text the evening before.
Intern welcome email: 4 versions
From HR or campus recruiting
SubjectWelcome to [Company], [First Name]: your first day
Hi [First Name], We're excited to welcome you as our [Internship Title] intern this [Season]. Here's everything you need for day one. **When and where** [Start Date], [Start Time], at [Address]. Ask for [Contact Name] at reception. [Parking or Transit Note]. **What to bring** - Original documents for Form I-9 (acceptable documents are listed in your onboarding portal) - Your laptop charger if you're using your own device, or nothing if we're providing one - [Other Item] **Your first week** Day one is orientation with the rest of the intern class: [Orientation Summary]. From day two you'll be with your team. Your manager is [Manager Name] and your buddy is [Buddy Name], who was an intern here [Year] and is now on [Buddy Team]. **Before you start** Please finish your onboarding forms in [Portal Name] by [Deadline]. If you have questions before then, reply here or call me at [Phone]. See you soon, [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
From the manager
SubjectLooking forward to [Start Date]
Hi [First Name], I'm [Manager Name], and I'll be your manager this [Season]. I wanted to say hello before you start. Your main project will be [Project Summary, e.g. building a dashboard that shows weekly hiring by site, which our operations leads will actually use]. You'll present what you've built to the team in week [Number]. In your first week, the goal is just to get set up, meet people and understand how we work. You're not expected to know our tools yet. We'll have a 1:1 on your first afternoon. If there's anything you'd like to learn this summer, bring it along. See you on [Start Date], [Manager Name]
Whole intern class
SubjectWelcome to the [Year] intern class
Hi everyone, Welcome to [Company]'s [Year] intern program. This summer you'll be one of [Number] interns across [Number of Teams] teams. Key dates: - [Date]: orientation day for the whole class, [Location] - [Date]: intern lunch with [Leader Name, Title] - [Date]: midpoint check-in with your manager - [Date]: final project presentations You'll get a separate email with your team, manager and buddy. Our intern chat channel is [Channel Name]; please introduce yourself there before day one. We're glad you're here. [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Remote intern
SubjectGetting ready for your remote internship
Hi [First Name], Welcome aboard. Your internship starts on [Start Date], and your first session is at [Start Time] [Time Zone] on [Video Platform]: [Link]. Your laptop will arrive by [Delivery Date]. When it does, please log in using the setup guide in the box so IT can confirm access before your first day. If it hasn't arrived by [Fallback Date], let me know. You'll meet your manager, [Manager Name], and your buddy, [Buddy Name], on the first morning. We'll also set you up with a daily 15-minute check-in for the first two weeks, because it's harder to ask quick questions when you can't lean over to a desk. Talk soon, [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Subject line ideas
- Welcome to [Company], [First Name]: your first day
- Welcome to the [Year] intern class
- Looking forward to [Start Date]
- Your internship starts [Start Date]: what to know
- Getting ready for your remote internship
- See you Monday: first-day details
SMS and WhatsApp version
Hi [First Name], it's [Your Name] from [Company]. See you tomorrow at [Start Time], [Address]. Ask for [Contact Name] at reception and bring your I-9 documents. Text me if anything comes up.
Placeholders to replace: [First Name], [Internship Title], [Season], [Year], [Start Date], [Start Time], [Address], [Contact Name], [Manager Name], [Buddy Name], [Portal Name], [Deadline], [Project Summary], [Channel Name], [Video Platform], [Your Name], [Title], [Company]
Interns need more detail than experienced hires
A 20-year-old starting their first corporate job doesn't know what business casual means at your company, whether to bring lunch, or what time "9 a.m." really means. Small unknowns turn into large anxieties, and anxious interns don't ask questions in week one. Spell out the basics: exact arrival time, building entrance, dress, lunch, parking or transit, and who to ask for.
Also tell them what you don't expect. A line like "you're not expected to know our tools yet" does more for a nervous intern than a paragraph about company values.
Timing: a short sequence beats one long email
Interns often accept offers months before they start, so the welcome is part of keeping them engaged and reducing reneges. A practical sequence:
- Offer accepted: a warm confirmation, sent the day they sign. See our internship offer email.
- One or two months out: a short note with the intern class chat link and any housing or relocation details.
- One to two weeks out: the main welcome email with logistics and paperwork.
- Two or three days out: a personal note from the manager.
- The evening before: a text with time and place.
This is preboarding on a small scale. Run it through your candidate onboarding flow so forms, document checks and reminders go out automatically and nothing depends on a manager remembering.
What to include
- Logistics: date, time, address, entrance, parking or transit, dress.
- Paperwork: what to complete before day one and which original documents to bring. Paid interns complete Form I-9 like any other employee.
- People: manager, buddy, and an HR or program contact.
- The first week: orientation, setup and when real work starts.
- The project: one or two lines on what they'll work on. Interns who know their project before they arrive start faster and stay more engaged.
- Key program dates: check-ins, social events and final presentations.
A buddy matters more for interns than for most hires. Pair each intern with a former intern where you can, and send a separate onboarding buddy introduction email.
Pay and legal notes
If the internship is paid, the welcome should match the offer: hourly rate, pay schedule and how to record hours. Most interns are non-exempt and must be paid for all hours worked, including overtime, under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Unpaid internships at for-profit employers are only lawful when the intern, not the employer, is the primary beneficiary under the Department of Labor's test, which is a narrow exception. If any interns are under 18, check federal and state child labor rules on hours and tasks. Rules vary by state, so check local requirements.
Making a large class feel personal
With 50 or 100 interns starting the same week, send the logistics from campus recruiting as a single templated email with merge fields, then make the manager note genuinely personal. One sentence about the specific project is enough. The class-wide email builds a sense of cohort; the manager email builds the relationship that decides whether they accept a return offer. Compare with the standard welcome email to a new employee, which assumes more workplace experience. For how the whole program fits together, see the glossary entry on the internship program.
Frequently asked questions
What should an intern welcome email include?
Start date, time and address, who to ask for, what to bring including I-9 documents, paperwork deadlines, the names of their manager and buddy, an outline of the first week and a short description of their project.
When should you send a welcome email to interns?
Send the main welcome one to two weeks before the start date, a manager note two or three days before, and a reminder text the evening before. Keep in touch earlier if the offer was accepted months in advance.
Who should send the internship onboarding email?
HR or campus recruiting usually sends the logistics. The intern's manager should send a separate personal note about the team and project.
How do you welcome remote interns?
Ship equipment early, send a setup guide and video links, introduce the manager and buddy on the first morning, and schedule short daily check-ins for the first two weeks.
Should the welcome email to interns mention pay?
For paid internships, yes: restate the rate, the pay schedule and how to record hours, matching the offer letter exactly.