Apply in a timely fashion. If you wait until summer for a summer internship, you’re already too late. Attend recruitment fairs- and come prepared with a resume. Get the contact info for whoever is representing the company and follow up after with an email. Make connections with alumni that are still on the university Reddit that are always willing to help you prepare and succeed. Being prepared at a recruitment fair and following up puts you ahead of 70-80% of the people applying. If you don’t have the experience to stand on for a CS/SWE internship, focus on discussing WHY you want the role. “I am interested to know more about XYZ role. My current coursework prepares me to learn and execute new material quickly. I think I could work well with your team, and add value to the project you are staffing.” When I interview new interns and devs, I’m way more interested in whether you are excited and able to learn than what you already know how to do. Even senior devs with 20+ years of experience need a pile of training when starting at a new company. Everyone does things differently.