Internship Onboarding Checklist
An intern onboarding checklist: agreement and school paperwork, a named mentor, a real project, regular feedback and a proper final review for every internship.
- Typical schedule per intern
- The checklist 4 sections, 21 items
- Variables
{{intern_name}}{{mentor}}{{end_date}}
Use this checklist for every intern, whether they join for a few weeks or a full semester. Interns need more structure than regular hires, not less. They have less work experience, a fixed end date and often a school that expects paperwork and an assessment.
Who owns it
The mentor owns the run. They are the person the intern sits with and asks questions to, and they write the final assessment. HR or operations handles the agreement, pay and any school forms. The mentor's manager should reduce the mentor's other work for the first weeks.
Common pitfalls
- No real project. Interns who only do odd jobs learn little and leave unimpressed. Define one project with a clear result they can present at the end.
- A mentor without time. Mentoring takes hours each week. If nobody has that time, wait before taking an intern.
- Forgetting the end. Final reviews, school reports, references and returning equipment are easy to forget in the last busy week. Plan them from the start.
- Unclear status. Pay, working hours, insurance and whether the internship counts as employment depend on the country and on whether it is part of a study programme. Adapt this to your jurisdiction; it is a practical checklist, not legal advice.
- Too much access. Give interns the access their project needs, and remove it on the last day.
The checklist: Intern onboarding for {{intern_name}}
Before the start
-
Internship agreement signed, with dates, hours, pay and end date
{{end_date}} -
School or university agreement and forms completed, if the internship is part of a study programme optional
-
Insurance and payroll registration checked for this type of internship
-
{{mentor}}named as mentor, and their workload reduced for the first weeks -
Internship project defined with a clear result and presentation date
Pick something useful but not on the critical path, so mistakes are a learning chance and not an incident.
-
Laptop and accounts prepared with only the access the project needs
First week
-
Welcome and team introduction by
{{mentor}}on the first morning -
Workplace basics explained: hours, breaks, who to ask, how to report sick
-
Confidentiality and security basics covered and acknowledged
-
Project goals and learning goals agreed in writing with
{{intern_name}} -
Daily short check-in with
{{mentor}}scheduled for the first two weeks
During the internship
-
Weekly feedback conversation held with written notes
-
Mid-point review held and goals adjusted
-
{{intern_name}}invited to team meetings and at least one meeting outside the team -
Chance to shadow another role or team arranged optional
Wrap up by {{end_date}}
-
Final project presentation held for the team
-
Final review held and assessment written by
{{mentor}} -
School report or certificate completed and sent optional
-
Reference letter written, if requested
-
Feedback on the internship collected from
{{intern_name}} -
Equipment returned and all access removed on the last day
Checklist as Markdown
Frequently asked questions
How do you onboard an intern?
Prepare the agreement, a mentor and a real project before day one. In the first week, cover the basics and agree project and learning goals in writing. Then give regular feedback and plan a proper final review and presentation.
What makes a good internship program?
A meaningful project, a mentor with time, regular feedback and a clear end with a presentation and an honest assessment. Interns who leave with a finished piece of work and a useful reference often become future applicants or ambassadors.
Do interns need the same onboarding as employees?
They need the same basics, such as accounts, security and workplace rules, but more guidance and less access. Because the internship is short, the end needs as much planning as the start.
Updated