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How to apply to a software engineering internship
Applying for a software engineering internship can often be a daunting task: creating a CV, programming and logic challenges, business interviews, and potentially in-person meetings. Below is our Blue Hat guidance on how to best prepare for each stage of the process, so that you can put your best self across and land that offer.
Start with the CV
Your CV has one job: to earn you a conversation. At Blue Hat, we manually read every application, but it’s worth considering that many companies use automated systems to screen applications, so clarity matters. Avoid over-designed templates. Stick to clean text, consistent headings, and straightforward formatting. A machine should be able to read it easily, maybe try inputting it into an LLM and seeing how accurately it’s interpreted, but it’s also important that a human should be able to skim it in seconds. In some cases, it’s even good practice to have two versions of your CV, a blunt factsheet that the auto-readers will love, and a more stylised version for people.
You don’t need a long personal statement. A couple of lines are enough if you feel it adds something, but most of your CV should focus on what you’ve actually done. Avoid using phrases like “I am a hard-working individual”, as this will appear on most CVs and will be ignored by assessors. To quote old advice “show, don’t tell”.
For a software role, past projects are often one of the most important parts of your CV. Ideally, list projects that are relevant to the specific industry or type of work that you are applying for. Crucially, make sure that for each project you list, you are prepared to discuss it at length including: design choices, challenges, and final outcome. Interviewers can tell when a candidate is stretching the truth, and it’s far better to speak confidently about a smaller project than stumble through something you barely recall.
Similarly, keep your experience relevant. If you have little experience in software companies, it’s fine to include previous jobs in other industries such as retail or hospitality, but make sure to frame it in terms of teamwork and problem solving. Once you have experience in software, it’s usually a good idea to remove these previous jobs. The technical section should highlight the tools you’ve used (you should be able to link these back to your projects section), but don’t list every language you’ve ever heard of. You might get caught out otherwise.
Finally, a short section at the end for interest, hobbies, and perhaps volunteering, helps more than many people realise. At the end of the day, the company is hoping to hire a person that contributes to the company culture. It gives your interviewer something human to connect with, and reminds them they’re meeting a person rather than a technical factsheet. Many interviewers also use this section to warm up the candidate for 5 minutes at the start of the interview to help them feel comfortable, an “Interests” section can help smooth out this conversation.
The technical stage
Most software internships include some form of technical assessment. Sometimes it’s a coding challenge, sometimes it’s a live problem-solving session. Practising with sites like LeetCode helps, but not because companies expect you to have memorised every obscure trick (or at least, they shouldn’t). It helps you to practise breaking down problems, finding many solutions - some of which might be more optimal than others, thinking out loud, and staying calm under pressure.
Many larger companies use performance in these tasks as their main hiring criteria, if so, practice is crucial, but it’s often more a technique to shortlist candidates. Better structured interviews will focus more on how you communicate and work around problems, and will learn more from seeing you work through the process than if you get the perfect answer straight away. If you’re stuck, explain what you’re trying to do, a good interviewer may provide some help. If you spot a mistake or a chance to improve your solution, say so. These conversations mirror real project work, and the ability to collaborate and reason is often more valuable than writing perfect code on the first try.
Final Conversations
Later-stage interviews usually focus on fit. In consultancy work, this often means gauging how you might interact with clients. You don’t need to act like someone else. You simply need to listen well, speak clearly, and show that you’re willing to learn. A good rule is to treat your interviewer like they’re already one of your respected colleagues.
This stage is also where your own questions matter. Research the company thoroughly beforehand and come up with your own questions that you genuinely want the answer to, not the trademark template questions you’ll find online. You can ask about company direction, aspects of the role you might be interested in, internship structure, the projects you’ll be working on, etc. Often the more different and specific the questions are, the better. These questions show curiosity and a genuine interest in how the company operates.
A few final thoughts
The application process is not a test of perfection. Companies know that interns are at the start of their careers. What matters is potential, honesty, and willingness to learn. Keep your CV sharp and readable. Choose projects that you can speak about proudly. Practise solving problems so you’re comfortable thinking aloud. Be yourself in interviews, not a rehearsed script. And remember, each step is simply a conversation between people trying to figure out whether they could work well together.
Hopefully these tips have given you some clarity on how you can give yourself the best chance of landing an internship.
Good luck!
About the campaign
techUK’s TechTogether campaign, taking place throughout March, is a collection of activities highlighting the UK’s technology sector pursuit to shape a more equitable future. In 2026 we are exploring: Inclusive AI, investing in diverse founders and entrepreneurs, the power of allyship and mentorship, and empowering young people.
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Authors
Kai Widdeson
Kai is a full stack developer. Formerly with Barclays Bank, Kai works across many of the Blue Hat projects implementing data driven solutions, AI proof of concepts, and embedded analytics with UK clients.