An internship offer letter does three jobs at once: it is the document that makes the offer real to the candidate, the record of what was agreed, and — if things go wrong — the thing both sides will read again. Most templates circulating in India handle the first and neglect the other two.
Below is the clause list, the two clauses that cause most of the disputes we hear about, and a complete sample. Adapt it; do not issue it unread.
Clauses your letter must contain
| Clause | What to state | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Role and reporting | Exact title and who the intern reports to by name. | An intern with no named supervisor is an intern nobody owns. |
| Duration | Start date and end date, not "approximately three months". | Ambiguous end dates are the most common source of internship disputes. |
| Stipend | Amount, frequency, payment date, and mode. | Silence on the payment date is what generates the follow-up emails. |
| Working hours and location | Hours, days, work mode, and whether it can change. | Remote-to-office changes mid-internship cause drop-outs and grievances. |
| Leave | How much, and how exam leave is handled specifically. | Almost every Indian intern will have an exam during the internship. Address it up front. |
| Confidentiality | What is confidential and for how long. | Interns see real data. Say so before day one, not after an incident. |
| Intellectual property | Who owns work produced during the internship. | The clause most often missing, and the one that causes the worst disputes. |
| Termination | Notice period both ways, and grounds. | Symmetric notice is both fairer and more defensible. |
| Completion certificate | That one will be issued, and on what condition. | This is what most interns are actually there for. Make the condition explicit. |
| Nature of engagement | That this is an internship, not employment. | Classification has consequences. State the intent clearly and behave consistently with it. |
The two clauses that cause most disputes
- Intellectual property
- If the intern writes code, designs, or content, say who owns it. Most templates skip this; when the intern later puts the work in a portfolio, or the company later commercialises it, the absence becomes expensive. State it plainly and, if you want the intern to be able to show their work, grant a portfolio-display permission explicitly — it costs you nothing and is a genuine attraction.
- The completion certificate condition
- Write down what earns the certificate: completing the agreed duration and the agreed deliverables. Certificates withheld on vague grounds are the single most common complaint interns raise publicly, and it is a reputational cost far larger than whatever the dispute was about.
The sample letter — copy this
[COMPANY LETTERHEAD]
[Date]
[Candidate name]
[Address]
Dear [Name],
INTERNSHIP OFFER — [ROLE] INTERN
We are pleased to offer you an internship with [Company name] on the terms below.
1. ROLE
You will join as a [Role] Intern, reporting to [Supervisor name], [Designation].
2. DURATION
Your internship will begin on [start date] and end on [end date]. Any extension will be agreed in writing.
3. STIPEND
You will receive a stipend of ₹[amount] per month, payable by the [Nth] of the following month by bank transfer. The stipend is subject to applicable statutory deductions, if any.
4. HOURS AND LOCATION
Working hours are [hours], [days]. You will work [in office at (address) / remotely / on a hybrid basis of X days in office]. Any change will be discussed with you in advance.
5. LEAVE
You are entitled to [N] days of leave over the internship. Examination leave will be granted on reasonable notice and will not count against this entitlement.
6. CONFIDENTIALITY
During and after the internship you will keep confidential all non-public information about [Company], its clients and its users, including data, code, designs, financials and business plans.
7. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Work you create in the course of the internship, using [Company] time or resources, belongs to [Company]. [Company] grants you permission to display [describe: the work / a redacted description of the work] in a personal portfolio, subject to clause 6.
8. TERMINATION
Either party may end this internship with [N] days' written notice. [Company] may end it immediately for a serious breach of clause 6 or of company policy.
9. NATURE OF ENGAGEMENT
This is an internship for learning and experience. It does not constitute an offer of employment and creates no obligation on either party to enter an employment relationship.
10. COMPLETION CERTIFICATE
On completing the agreed duration and the agreed deliverables, [Company] will issue an internship completion certificate and, on request, a written reference reflecting your work.
Please confirm your acceptance by signing and returning a copy of this letter by [date].
We are glad you are joining us.
Yours sincerely,
_______________________
[Name], [Designation]
[Company name]
ACCEPTED
_______________________ Date: ____________
[Candidate name]Practical things that reduce reneges
- Issue the letter within a week of the final round — offer-to-letter delay is where candidates go to competitors.
- Include a named human and their email in the letter, so the candidate has someone to ask rather than a generic inbox.
- If the joining date is months away, say what contact to expect in the gap. Silence between offer and joining is the largest single cause of reneges in Indian campus hiring.
- Send it as a signed PDF, not as text in an email body. Candidates show the document to families who are deciding alongside them.
Frequently asked
Is an internship offer letter legally binding in India?+
It is a contract in the sense that both parties have agreed terms, but an internship letter is normally drafted so that it does not create an employment relationship — and the letter should say so explicitly. What matters more than the label is consistency: if the engagement functions like employment in hours, control and duties, a clause saying otherwise carries less weight. Take legal advice on classification if you are running interns at volume.
Must an internship offer letter mention a stipend?+
If you are paying one, yes — with the amount, the frequency and the date. Vague language here produces exactly the follow-up emails you were trying to avoid. If the internship is genuinely unpaid, say that plainly rather than omitting the clause.
Should we take a bond or security deposit from an intern?+
No. Deposits and bonds on interns are widely regarded as exploitative, damage your employer brand quickly and publicly, and deter exactly the candidates you want. If retention through the internship is the concern, the fix is a scoped project and a real mentor, not a financial penalty.
Can we withdraw an internship offer after issuing the letter?+
Legally you generally can, subject to the notice terms in the letter. Practically it is expensive: withdrawn offers travel fast on campus and through student groups, and placement cells remember. If headcount is uncertain, delay the letter rather than issue and withdraw.
What is the difference between an offer letter and an internship agreement?+
The offer letter makes and records the offer; the agreement sets out the full terms in detail and is signed by both parties. For a short internship a well-drafted offer letter with acceptance is usually enough. For longer internships, or where the intern will handle sensitive data or produce commercially significant IP, use a separate agreement.