A cover letter is a document required when applying to a university. It expresses the applicant’s intent and interest in a particular program. Cover letters are usually aimed at describing the applicant’s academic and professional goals and plans, not at describing experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills. Such papers do not have a generally accepted template. The originality of the content is one of the crucial factors since the letter must distinguish the candidate from a large number of other applicants.
It is essential to describe why you chose this program, how it will help your career plans, and what skills you want to acquire. Share your victories in competitions, scientific research, and interesting projects. Prove that you are the best candidate. But do not write a biography. Rather choose key points that are directly related to the chosen program.
Cover Letter Structure
The cover letter consists of three main parts:
- Introduction;
- Main part;
- Conclusion.
Introduction
In this part, you should briefly explain why you chose this particular educational institution and how, in your opinion, studying at the university will contribute to your professional development and growth. It is essential to indicate the purpose of admission to the chosen specialty.
Main Part
This part begins with the second paragraph of the cover letter and can consist of two or three paragraphs. You should describe your professional goals, what interests you in the chosen educational program and profession, etc.
It is important to specify the following:
- Own achievements related to the chosen profession (success in studies, participation in projects and master classes, mastery of foreign languages, etc.);
- Acquired knowledge and skills that will help during studies in the chosen specialty;
- Good academic results in certain subjects related to the educational program, etc.
A critical component of the cover letter is your skills necessary for obtaining certain professions and further successful work in the specialty (are you a sociable person, do you find a common language with other people, is there an incentive to study and start your own project, etc.). It is worth emphasizing your goals and plans for the future.
Conclusion
The conclusion consists of two or three sentences that confirm the applicant’s readiness to study and indicate his confidence in the correct choice of the educational program.
The length of the cover letter should not exceed one A4 page. After writing the text, it is vital to check grammar, spelling, and punctuation. If you are not sure about the correctness of your cover letter, you can always contact the cover letter editing service and get professional help.
Questions to Answer in a Cover Letter
Each part of the cover letter should answer specific questions:
- Introduction
- What’s your education?
- What academic and professional accomplishments are you proud of?
- Main part
- Why did you choose this direction?
- Do you have experience in your chosen industry?
- Do you have any professional-related hobbies?
- Conclusion
- How do you plan to use the acquired skills in the future?
- What are your goals after graduation?
Useful Tips for Students On Writing a Cover Letter
Here are some helpful tips for students involved in writing a cover letter:
- Prepare a cover letter about a month before sending so as not to miss the main points. Don’t write a letter at the last minute;
- Create an exciting introduction. The introductory part should interest readers and catch their attention. The commission will read over 500 cover letters, so yours should stand out;
- Do not copy other people’s letters. Be sincere. Say how much you want to go to university and why;
- Write individually. A cover letter must be unique. You should make it individually for each university. Universal letters are immediately thrown into the trash. Readers must understand that the letter is written just for them;
- Official style. A cover letter is an official document and must be formatted accordingly. Jokes and colloquial speech are not appropriate. The letter must be written in a formal style;
- End all thoughts. Paragraphs should not end with an unfinished thought. All these must be substantiated. For example, if you write that you studied well at school, indicate what this indicates your diligence and ambition;
- Focus on interesting details. These may be cases from life when you realized that you want to choose this particular direction in education, for example, healthcare;
- Be creative. But do not abuse visual details when designing a letter;
- Write in plain language. Avoid too complex and lengthy words and phrases. A simple presentation often looks more profitable and attractive. Reread your text and try to break long sentences into shorter ones;
- Don’t use too many citations. Use inspirational quotes, but keep in mind that the admissions committee evaluates your thoughts and not the thoughts of other people;
- Orthography and grammar. After writing your cover letter, be sure to proofread it. Orthographical and grammatical errors must be corrected.
Final Remarks
A cover letter is an applicant’s document that contains information about his personal interest in obtaining an education under a particular program, defines the range of professional interests and the level of motivation for getting an education, main strengths, weaknesses, etc. Therefore, it is vital to approach writing a cover letter responsibly. The above tips will help you create a high-quality paper and enter the university of your dreams!