application letter for faculty position

Cover letter for a faculty position

Criteria for success.

• Demonstrate scientific accomplishments and scholastic achievement.
• Clearly define the vision and impact of your future research program.
• Differentiate yourself from colleagues, e.g. your advisors and other faculty candidates.
• Establish what your niche will be in the department.
• Clearly display excitement and passion.
• Keep the cover letter to 1 to 2 pages . The optional second page may contain a list of publications/presentations or a list of references.

The faculty cover letter, as with cover letters for other positions , is the first part of your application to be read by the Faculty Search Committee. Therefore, the primary purpose of a faculty cover letter is to summarize your application by connecting your Research and Teaching Statements, CV, and references.

Analyze your audience

Knowing what the Faculty Search Committee is looking for will help you tailor your application.

Searches for new hires may focus on specific research areas ( e.g.  nanomaterials, systems engineering, therapeutic science, renewable energy). In this case, you should customize your application to highlight your work in the specified research area.

Alternatively, departments may concentrate solely on the best candidates regardless of pre-selected scientific disciplines, in which case you have more flexibility in how you present yourself.

In addition, academic employment opportunities differ based on whether positions are tenure-tracked or require teaching, and the type of institution (university, medical school, research institute). Research the responsibilities associated with each of these positions, and include only information relevant to the specific position – don’t waste valuable space on irrelevant experiences.

Structure of a Cover Letter

• Critical contact information: name, degree, current position, email, and phone number
• Your professional profile or webpage ( e.g.  LinkedIn, ResearchGate, Academia.edu)
• Date, department, and university name and address .
• Salutation – “Dear [Faculty Search Committee / Department Head],”
• Brief introduction – Display excitement. State specific terms related to the faculty position, department and university. For example, if you are applying to a “cluster” hire that includes faculty across multiple departments, such as Systems and Synthetic Biology , then state this directly. State the position for which you are applying ( i.e. tenure-track appointment, assistant faculty position).
• Strong opening statement – Declare your targeted research areas. Establish the foundation on which you will base your research. Emphasize novel interfaces and applications within your proposed research.
• Scientific achievements – Summarize successes highlighted in your CV that demonstrate the breadth and depth of scientific expertise. Demonstrate your productivity, as well as key scientific or technical strengths, with supporting details.
• Motivation & impact – State areas of expertise and indicate specific aims of your future research program. Clearly describe how these aims align with current research initiatives in the department or university.
• Teaching & mentorship – Highlight your experience in the classroom and as a research mentor, and service in the profession or community.
• Wrap-up – “Additional documents are enclosed. Please feel free to contact me if supplemental information is required.”
• Follow-up & thank you – Be clear that you expect to hear back (e.g. “I look forward to your reply”). Thank the committee for their time and consideration.
• Closure – Maintain professionalism. “Sincerely,” “Best regards,” and “Kindest regards” are appropriate closing phrases. Include your electronic signature.

Advocate for yourself

The faculty cover letter emphasizes your past and present academic career, while promoting your future potential. For many of us, exuding confidence in an open letter of introduction is challenging, but you have to believe in yourself before you can convince others to believe in you.

State your pedigree

In academia, the institutions and departments you have attended and the advisors for whom you have worked do matter. State this information in Scientific Achievements . Inform your audience if you have co-taught classes with distinguished professors in Teaching & Mentorship or emphasize existing collaborations in the Motivation & Impact section.

Quantify your productivity

Academia identifies scientific contributions by the following conventions: number of publications, quality, and impact. In addition to research articles, noteworthy contributions may also include opinion articles, book chapters, or your role as a journal reviewer. Emphasize alternative sources of scientific communication (and funding) such as distinguished merit-based fellowships.

Engineering students are likely to be co-authors of patents; state this information.

Describe your future potential

Beyond reiterating your past accomplishments, you must also show that you are prepared to handle the future challenges of being a Principal Investigator. By far, the most difficult paragraph to write in the faculty cover letter focuses on the Motivation & Impact of your future research program. Clearly articulate the vision of your future research program and describe how your leadership will facilitate an environment of scientific and teaching excellence. Demonstrate expert understanding of your field, and confidently state your qualifications as a leader in research, an educator, and a citizen of the university.

Define your niche

Your application will be one out of hundreds. You must differentiate yourself and your research program from other candidates, as well as previous or current advisor(s). Ask yourself what you will do that is unique compared to any of your past or future colleagues. How will you fit uniquely into the department — what is your niche?

The Motivation & impact section provides an opportunity to concisely define your niche. State specific aims of your proposed research that expand upon the department’s core strengths while simultaneously diversifying the university’s research portfolio ( e.g.  emerging research fields, state-of-the art technologies, novel applications). Carefully consider research centers, core facilities, affiliated institutes or medical centers at the university. In many cases, campus- or state-wide research initiatives may complement your research program.

Finally, take advantage of any experiences you’ve had outside of academia. Have you previously worked in industry or consulted? Would these former and future relationships lead to additional funding for your lab? If so, suggest more unusual avenues of additional funding. It may no longer suffice to focus primarily on traditional grants sponsored by government agencies. Think of creative alternatives and diversify your future financial portfolio. This, in turn, differentiates your research program from colleagues.

Finally, you will more than likely apply to multiple departments and universities. Therefore, modify your niche for every application!

Make important information concise and identifiable

Again, your application is one out of hundreds. Helping the Faculty Search Committee easily identify important information in your cover letter will only improve your chances of moving forward in the hiring process. A faculty cover letter should not exceed 1 page , so you must present your qualifications to the Faculty Search Committee in a concise manner.

Maximize impact of words. Use verbs that illustrate impact (“led,” “developed,” “innovated”) over verbs that make you sound passive (“participated”). Aim for verbs that are more specific to the actual contribution you made.

Minimize redundancy and wordiness. For every sentence, challenge yourself to remove as many words as possible without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Use keywords. Keywords cited by grant-funding agencies, easily recognizable by any faculty member, should be included in relevant sections of your faculty cover letter. Using field-specific vocabulary may demonstrate your understanding of the field and the department’s needs, but be aware that Faculty Search Committees with mixed expertise may require simpler vocabulary and/or explanations accessible to a broader audience.

Maintain abundant white space. In terms of formatting, inclusion of white space is easy on the eye while providing a precise transition from one section to the next.

Devote time!

Crafting your faculty application is a process that will continue indefinitely.

• Devote time to your faculty application, working in consistent increments over the course of weeks not days.
• Take time to brainstorm, reflect, write, edit, critique, and revise accordingly.
• Seek guidance in terms of technical content, emphasis of soft skills, as well as grammatical improvements and aesthetics from colleagues and friends.

Above all else, remember that the faculty application is a creative process. Enjoy it!

This content was adapted from from an article originally created by the  MIT Biological Engineering Communication Lab .

Resources and Annotated Examples

Annotated example 1.

Example Faculty Cover Letter 887 KB

Annotated Example 2

Example Faculty CV 85 KB

Academic Cover Letters

What is this handout about.

The long list of application materials required for many academic teaching jobs can be daunting. This handout will help you tackle one of the most important components: the cover letter or letter of interest. Here you will learn about writing and revising cover letters for academic teaching jobs in the United States of America.

What is an academic cover letter?

An academic cover letter describes your experiences and interest as a candidate for a specific position. It introduces you to the hiring committee and demonstrates how your academic background fits with the description of the position.

What do cover letters for academic teaching jobs typically contain?

At their most basic level, academic cover letters accomplish three things: one, they express your interest in the job; two, they provide a brief synopsis of your research and teaching; and three, they summarize your past experiences and achievements to illustrate your competence for the job. For early-career scholars, cover letters are typically no more than two pages (up to four pages for senior scholars). Occasionally, a third page may make sense for an early-career scholar if the application does not require a separate teaching statement and/or research statement. Digital versions of cover letters often contain hyperlinks to your CV or portfolio page. For some fields, cover letters may also include examples of your work, including music, popular articles, and other multimedia related to your research, service, or teaching available online. Typically, letters appear on departmental or university letterhead and include your signature. Above all, a strong cover letter presents your accomplishments and your familiarity with the institution and with the position.

How should I prepare to write my academic cover letter?

Like all writing, composing a cover letter is a process. The process may be as short as a few hours or as long as several weeks, but at the end the letter should present you as a strong candidate for the job. The following section has tips and questions for thinking through each stage of this writing process. You don’t need to answer all of these questions to write the letter; they are meant to help you brainstorm ideas.

Before you begin writing your cover letter, consider researching the institution, the department, and the student population. Incorporating all three aspects in your letter will help convey your interest in the position.

Get to know the institution. When crafting your cover letter, be aware of the type of institution to which you are applying. Knowing how the institution presents itself can help you tailor your letter and make it more specific.

• Where is the institution located?
• Is it on a quarter-system or semester-system?
• What type of institution is it? Is it an R1? Is it an R2? Is it a liberal arts college? Is it an HBCU? Is it a community college? A private high school?
• What is the institution’s culture? Is it teaching-focused or research-focused? Does it privilege experiential learning? Does it value faculty involvement outside the classroom? Is it affiliated with a specific religious tradition?
• Does it have any specific institutional commitments?
• How does the institution advocate for involvement in its local community?
• What are the professional development opportunities for new and junior faculty?

Learn about the department. Knowing the specific culture and needs of the department can help you reach your audience: the department members who will be reading your documents and vetting you as a candidate.

• Who is on the search committee? Who is the search committee chair?
• What is the official name of the department?
• Which different subfields make up the department?
• Is it a dual appointment or a position in a dual department?
• How does the department participate in specific types of student outreach?
• Does the department have graduate students? Does it offer a terminal Master’s degree, Ph.D., or both? How large are the cohorts? How are they funded?
• Does the department encourage or engage in interdisciplinary work?
• Does the majority of the department favor certain theoretical or methodological approaches?
• Does the department have partnerships with local institutions? If so, which ones?
• Is the department attempting to fill a specific vacancy, or is it an entirely new position?
• What are the typical course offerings in the department? Which courses might you be expected to teach? What courses might you be able to provide that are not currently available?

Consider the students. The search committee will often consider how you approach instructing and mentoring the student body. Sometimes committees will even reserve a position for a student or solicit student feedback on a candidate:

• What populations constitute the majority of the undergraduate population?
• Have there been any shifts in the student population recently?
• Do students largely come from in-state or out-of-state?
• Is there an international student population? If so, from which countries?
• Is the university recruiting students from traditionally underrepresented populations?
• Are students particularly active on campus? If so, how?

Many answers to these questions can be found both in the job description and on the institution’s website. If possible, consider contacting someone you know at the institution to ask about the culture directly. You can also use the institution’s course catalog, recruitment materials, alumni magazine, and other materials to get answers to these questions. The key is to understand the sort of institution to which you are applying, its immediate needs, and its future trajectory.

Remember, there is a resource that can help you with all three aspects—people. Reach out to your advisor, committee members, faculty mentors, and other contacts for insight into the prospective department’s culture and faculty. They might even help you revise your letter based on their expertise. Think of your job search as an opportunity to cultivate these relationships.

After you have done some initial research, think about how your experiences have prepared you for the job and identify the ones that seem the most relevant. Consider your previous research, internships, graduate teaching, and summer experiences. Here are some topics and questions to get you started thinking about what you might include.

Research Experiences. Consider how your research has prepared you for an academic career. Since the letter is a relatively short document, select examples of your research that really highlight who you are as a scholar, the direction you see your work going, and how your scholarship will contribute to the institution’s research community.

• What are your current research interests?
• What topics would you like to examine in the future?
• How have you pursued those research interests?
• Have you traveled for your research?
• Have you published any of your research? Have you presented it at a conference, symposium, or elsewhere?
• Have you worked or collaborated with scholars at different institutions on projects? If so, what did these collaborations produce?
• Have you made your research accessible to your local community?
• Have you received funding or merit-based fellowships for your research?
• What other research contributions have you made? This may include opinion articles, book chapters, or participating as a journal reviewer.
• How do your research interests relate to those of other faculty in the department or fill a gap?

Teaching Experience. Think about any teaching experience you may have. Perhaps you led recitations as a teaching assistant, taught your own course, or guest lectured. Pick a few experiences to discuss in your letter that demonstrate something about your teaching style or your interest in teaching.

• What courses are you interested in teaching for the department? What courses have you taught that discussed similar topics or themes?
• What new courses can you imagine offering the department that align with their aim and mission?
• Have you used specific strategies that were helpful in your instruction?
• What sort of resources do you typically use in the classroom?
• Do you have anecdotes that demonstrate your teaching style?
• What is your teaching philosophy?
• When have you successfully navigated a difficult concept or topic in the classroom, and what did you learn?
• What other opportunities could you provide to students?

Internships/Summer/Other Experiences. Brainstorm a list of any conferences, colloquiums, and workshops you have attended, as well as any ways you have served your department, university, or local community. This section will highlight how you participate in your university and scholarly community. Here are some examples of things you might discuss:

• Professional development opportunities you may have pursued over the summer or during your studies
• International travel for research or presentations
• Any research you’ve done in a non-academic setting
• Presentations at conferences
• Participation in symposia, reading groups, working groups, etc.
• Internships in which you may have implemented your research or practical skills related to your discipline
• Participation in community engagement projects
• Participation in or leadership of any scholarly and/or university organizations

In answering these questions, create a list of the experiences that you think best reflect you as a scholar and teacher. In choosing which experiences to highlight, consider your audience and what they would find valuable or relevant. Taking the time to really think about your reader will help you present yourself as an applicant well-qualified for the position.

Writing a draft

Remember that the job letter is an opportunity to introduce yourself and your accomplishments and to communicate why you would be a good fit for the position. Typically, search committees will want to know whether you are a capable job candidate, familiar with the institution, and a great future addition to the department’s faculty. As such, be aware of how the letter’s structure and content reflect your preparedness for the position.

The structure of your cover letter should reflect the typical standards for letter writing in the country in which the position is located (the list below reflects the standards for US letter writing). This usually includes a salutation, body, and closing, as well as proper contact information. If you are affiliated with a department, institution, or organization, the letter should be on letterhead.

• Use a simple, readable font in a standard size, such as 10-12pt. Some examples of fonts that may be conventional in your field include Arial, Garamond, Times New Roman, and Verdana, among other similar fonts.
• Do not indent paragraphs.
• Separate all paragraphs by a line and justify them to the left.
• Make sure that any included hyperlinks work.
• Include your signature in the closing.

Before you send in your letter, make sure you proofread and look for formatting mistakes. You’ll read more about proofreading and revising later in this handout!

The second most important aspect of your letter is its content. Since the letter is the first chance to provide an in-depth introduction, it should expand on who you are as a scholar and possible faculty member. Below are some elements to consider including when composing your letter.

Identify the position you are applying to and introduce yourself. Traditionally, the first sentence of a job letter includes the full name of the position and where you discovered the job posting. This is also the place to introduce yourself and describe why you are applying for this position. Since the goal of a job letter is to persuade the search committee to include you on the list of candidates for further review, you may want to include an initial claim as to why you are a strong candidate for the position. Some questions you might consider:

• What is your current status (ABD, assistant professor, post-doc, etc.)?
• If you are ABD, have you defended your dissertation? If not, when will you defend?
• Why are you interested in this position?
• Why are you a strong candidate for this position?

Describe your research experience and interests. For research-centered positions, such as positions at R1 or other types of research-centered universities, include information about your research experience and current work early in the letter. For many applicants, current work will be the dissertation project. If this is the case, some suggest calling your “dissertation research” your “current project” or “work,” as this may help you present yourself as an emerging scholar rather than a graduate student. Some questions about your research that you might consider:

• What research experiences have you had?
• What does your current project investigate?
• What are some of the important methods you applied?
• Have you collaborated with others in your research?
• Have you acquired specific skills that will be useful for the future?
• Have you received special funding? If so, what kind?
• Has your research received any accolades or rewards?
• What does your current project contribute to the field?
• Where have you presented your research?
• Have you published your research? If so, where? Or are you working on publishing your work?
• How does your current project fit the job description?

Present your plans for future research. This section presents your research agenda and usually includes a description of your plans for future projects and research publications. Detailing your future research demonstrates to the search committee that you’ve thought about a research trajectory and can work independently. If you are applying to a teaching-intensive position, you may want to minimize this section and/or consider including a sentence or two on how this research connects to undergraduate and/or graduate research opportunities. Some questions to get you started:

• What is your next research project/s?
• How does this connect to your current and past work?
• What major theories/methods will you use?
• How will this project contribute to the field?
• Where do you see your specialty area or subfield going in the next ten years and how does your research contribute to or reflect this?
• Will you be collaborating with anyone? If so, with whom?
• How will this future project encourage academic discourse?
• Do you already have funding? If so, from whom? If not, what plans do you have for obtaining funding?
• How does your future research expand upon the department’s strengths while simultaneously diversifying the university’s research portfolio? (For example, does your future research involve emerging research fields, state-of-the-art technologies, or novel applications?)

Describe your teaching experience and highlight teaching strategies. This section allows you to describe your teaching philosophy and how you apply this philosophy in your classroom. Start by briefly addressing your teaching goals and values. Here, you can provide specific examples of your teaching methods by describing activities and projects you assign students. Try to link your teaching and research together. For example, if you research the rise of feminism in the 19th century, consider how you bring either the methodology or the content of your research into the classroom. For a teaching-centered institution, such as a small liberal arts college or community college, you may want to emphasize your teaching more than your research. If you do not have any teaching experience, you could describe a training, mentoring, or coaching situation that was similar to teaching and how you would apply what you learned in a classroom.

• What is your teaching philosophy? How is your philosophy a good fit for the department in which you are applying to work?
• What sort of teaching strategies do you use in the classroom?
• What is your teaching style? Do you lecture? Do you emphasize discussion? Do you use specific forms of interactive learning?
• What courses have you taught?
• What departmental courses are you prepared to teach?
• Will you be able to fill in any gaps in the departmental course offerings?
• What important teaching and/or mentoring experiences have you had?
• How would you describe yourself in the classroom?
• What type of feedback have you gotten from students?
• Have you received any awards or recognition for your teaching?

Talk about your service work. Service is often an important component of an academic job description. This can include things like serving on committees or funding panels, providing reviews, and doing community outreach. The cover letter gives you an opportunity to explain how you have involved yourself in university life outside the classroom. For instance, you could include descriptions of volunteer work, participation in initiatives, or your role in professional organizations. This section should demonstrate ways in which you have served your department, university, and/or scholarly community. Here are some additional examples you could discuss:

• Participating in graduate student or junior faculty governance
• Sitting on committees, departmental or university-wide
• Partnerships with other university offices or departments
• Participating in community-partnerships
• Participating in public scholarship initiatives
• Founding or participating in any university initiatives or programs
• Creating extra-curricular resources or presentations

Present yourself as a future faculty member. This section demonstrates who you will be as a colleague. It gives you the opportunity to explain how you will collaborate with faculty members with similar interests; take part in departmental and/or institution wide initiatives or centers; and participate in departmental service. This shows your familiarity with the role of faculty outside the classroom and your ability to add to the departmental and/or institutional strengths or fill in any gaps.

• What excites you about this job?
• What faculty would you like to collaborate with and why? (This answer may be slightly tricky. See the section on name dropping below.)
• Are there any partnerships in the university or outside of it that you wish to participate in?
• Are there any centers associated with the university or in the community that you want to be involved in?
• Are there faculty initiatives that you are passionate about?
• Do you have experience collaborating across various departments or within your own department?
• In what areas will you be able to contribute?
• Why would you make an excellent addition to the faculty at this institution?

Compose a strong closing. This short section should acknowledge that you have sent in all other application documents and include a brief thank you for the reader’s time and/or consideration. It should also state your willingness to forward additional materials and indicate what you would like to see as next steps (e.g., a statement that you look forward to speaking with the search committee). End with a professional closing such as “Sincerely” or “Kind Regards” followed by your full name.

If you are finding it difficult to write the different sections of your cover letter, consider composing the other academic job application documents (the research statement, teaching philosophy, and diversity statement) first and then summarizing them in your job letter.

Different kinds of letters may be required for different types of jobs. For example, some jobs may focus on research. In this case, emphasize your research experiences and current project/s. Other jobs may be more focused on teaching. In this case, highlight your teaching background and skills. Below are two models for how you could change your letter’s organization based on the job description and the institution. The models offer a guide for you to consider how changing the order of information and the amount of space dedicated to a particular topic changes the emphasis of the letter.

Research-Based Position Job Letter Example:

Teaching-based position job letter example:.

Remember your first draft does not have to be your last. Try to get feedback from different readers, especially if it is one of your first applications. It is not uncommon to go through several stages of revisions. Check out the Writing Center’s handout on editing and proofreading and video on proofreading to help with this last stage of writing.

Potential pitfalls

Using the word dissertation. Some search committee members may see the word “dissertation” as a red flag that an applicant is too focused on their role as a graduate student rather than as a prospective faculty member. It may be advantageous, then, to describe your dissertation as current research, a current research project, current work, or some other phrase that demonstrates you are aware that your dissertation is the beginning of a larger scholarly career.

Too much jargon. While you may be writing to a specific department, people on the search committee might be unfamiliar with the details of your subfield. In fact, many committees have at least one member from outside their department. Use terminology that can easily be understood by non-experts. If you want to use a specific term that is crucial to your research, then you should define it. Aim for clarity for your reader, which may mean simplification in lieu of complete precision.

Overselling yourself. While your job letter should sell you as a great candidate, saying so (e.g., “I’m the ideal candidate”) in your letter may come off to some search committee members as presumptuous. Remember that although you have an idea about the type of colleague a department is searching for, ultimately you do not know exactly what they want. Try to avoid phrases or sentences where you state you are the ideal or the only candidate right for the position.

Paying too much attention to the job description. Job descriptions are the result of a lot of debate and compromise. If you have skills or research interests outside the job description, consider including them in your letter. It may be that your extra research interests; your outside skills; and/or your extracurricular involvements make you an attractive candidate. For example, if you are a Latin Americanist who also happens to be well-versed in the Spanish Revolution, it could be worth mentioning the expanse of your research interests because a department might find you could fill in other gaps in the curriculum or add an additional or complementary perspective to the department.

Improper sendoff. The closing of your letter is just as important as the beginning. The end of the letter should reflect the professionalism of the document. There should be a thank-you and the word sincerely or a formal equivalent. Remember, it is the very last place in your letter where you present yourself as a capable future colleague.

Small oversights. Make sure to proofread your letter not just for grammar but also for content. For example, if you use material from another letter, make sure you do not include the names of another school, department, or unassociated faculty! Or, if the school is in Chicago, make sure you do not accidentally reference it as located in the Twin Cities.

Name dropping. You rarely know the internal politics of the department or institution to which you are applying. So be cautious about the names you insert in your cover letters. You do not want to unintentionally insert yourself into a departmental squabble or add fire to an interdepartmental conflict. Instead, focus on the actions you will undertake and the initiatives you are passionate about.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Ball, Cheryl E. 2013. “Understanding Cover Letters.” Inside Higher Ed , November 3, 2013. https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/11/04/essay-cover-letter-academic-jobs .

Borchardt, John. 2014. “Writing a Winning Cover Letter.” Science Magazine , August 6, 2014. https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2014/08/writing-winning-cover-letter# .

Helmreich, William. 2013. “Your First Academic Job.” Inside Higher Ed , June 17, 2013. https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/06/17/essay-how-land-first-academic-job .

Kelsky, Karen. 2013. “How To Write a Journal Article Submission Cover Letter.” The Professor Is In (blog), April 26, 2013. https://theprofessorisin.com/2013/04/26/how-to-write-a-journal-article-submission-cover-letter/ .

Tomaska, Lubomir, and Josef Nosek. 2008. “Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Cover Letter to Accompany a Job Application for an Academic Position.” PLoS Computational Biology 14(5). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006132 .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Cover letter template for academic faculty and teaching positions.

Below is a general template for use when crafting a cover letter for academic teaching positions. Before getting started, you will also want to review the academic cover letter samples .

Optional – include header (similar to your resume and other supporting documents)

[Mailing date] [Search committee mailing info, including department and address] [Dear Professor _____________________, or Dear Search Committee Chair and Members:] [Paragraph 1: simple introduction.]

     I am writing to apply for the position of [official title] announced in the XXX [e.g., Chronicle of Higher Education]. I am completing a Ph.D. in XX from the [department name] at the University of California, Davis. I will defend my dissertation, "[dissertation title]” and expect to graduate in [month]. OR: I am finishing the first year of my postdoc with XX [your PI's name or in the lab of XX], where I am working on X, Y, and Z [briefly describe, but leave the bulk of the research description for the below sections]. [Paragraph 2: principal research area(s) and dissertation - this paragraph along with paragraph 3 would follow the introduction when applying for a faculty or teaching position within a R1 university emphasizing the research over the teaching. For Liberal Arts Colleges and State Universities, research and teaching paragraphs should be somewhat balanced in length. For teaching-only Community Colleges, a research statement might be included towards the bottom of the cover letter, but only in the context of staying on top of the discipline in order to perform more effectively as a teacher. ]

     My principal research area is X [area here], with a focus on [focus area(s)]. [3-4 sentence summary of dissertation here]. I've used X method/technique/approach to explore W and Z. [Paragraph 3: other research areas, contributions, and future directions - this paragraph would be included for R1, Liberal Arts College or State University.]

     My immediate research priority is to expand this manuscript into a book. I will direct future research toward [1-2 sentences on next project]. [Add additional sentences on your broader research agenda, how you would apply this to your new institution]. [Paragraph 4: teaching experience and interests - this paragraph would follow the 1st paragraph when applying to a State University.]

     During my [number] years at X [campus], I have taught [identify what you have taught, particularly as it relates to the institution you are applying]. [Add 2 or so sentences on any pedagogical training, innovative approaches you have taken in the classroom, technology you've used, areas you are particularly interested in exploring, and/or specific new class or seminars you would like to teach at their institution]. [Paragraph 5: closing.]

     I have enclosed my CV, a writing sample, and a teaching philosophy state [or whatever they ask for…]. Three faculty recommendations will be mailed under separate cover [or by Interfolio , a dossier service]. I will attend the XX conference in [city] this year, and I can always be reached by phone or email. Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, [your signature] [your email] – include if you don’t use a header [your phone number] – include if you don’t use a header

A couple of notes:

• The tone of the cover letter should be that of a potential colleague. It should showcase your knowledge, contribution to the discipline. The cover letter should be used to outline your academic accomplishments and to share a five year vision for where you are heading into the future.
• You want to present the perspective of an independent researcher and teacher, not simply a list the coursework and tasks you've completed as a graduate student or postdoc.
• Note that you do not have to separate your dissertation and other research interests (i.e. paragraphs 2 and 3).
• Understand the different missions of the institutions for which you are applying.

Adapted from a template provided by Robert P. Newcomb, Ph.D., Department of Spanish & Portuguese, UC Davis

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Academic Cover Letter Sample

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November 2, 1998

Dr. Naomi Sellers Chair, English Search Committee Box 58 Baxter College Arcadia, WV 24803

Dear Dr. Sellers:

I am writing to apply for the position as assistant professor of English with an emphasis in rhetoric and composition that you advertised in the October MLA Job Information List. I am a graduate student at Prestigious University working on a dissertation under the direction of Professor Prominent Figure. Currently revising the third of five chapters, I expect to complete all work for the Ph.D. by May of 1999. I believe that my teaching and tutoring experience combined with my course work and research background in rhetoric and composition theory make me a strong candidate for the position outlined in your notice.

As my curriculum vitae shows, I have had excellent opportunities to teach a variety of writing courses during my graduate studies, including developmental writing, first-year writing for both native speakers and second language students, advanced writing, and business writing. I have also worked as a teaching mentor for new graduate students, a position that involved instruction in methods of composition teaching, development of course materials, and evaluation of new graduate instructors. Among the most satisfying experiences for me as a teacher has been instructing students on an individual basis as a tutor in our university Writing Lab. Even as a classroom instructor, I find that I always look forward to the individual conferences that I hold with my students several times during the semester because I believe this kind of one-on-one interaction to be essential to their development as writers.

My work in the composition classroom has provided me with the inspiration as well as a kind of laboratory for my dissertation research. My project, The I Has It: Applications of Recent Models of Subjectivity in Composition Theory, examines the shift since the 1960s from expressive models of writing toward now-dominant postmodern conceptions of decentered subjectivity and self-construction through writing. I argue that these more recent theoretical models, while promising, cannot have the liberating effects that are claimed for them without a concomitant reconception of writing pedagogy and the dynamics of the writing classroom. I relate critical readings of theoretical texts to my own pedagogical experiments as a writing teacher, using narratives of classroom successes and failures as the bases for critical reflection on postmodern composition theory. After developing my dissertation into a book manuscript, I plan to continue my work in current composition theory through a critical examination of the rhetoric of technological advancement in the computer-mediated writing classroom.

My interest in the computer classroom has grown out of recent experience teaching composition in that environment. In these courses my students have used computers for writing and turning in notes and essays, communicating with one another and with me, conducting library catalogue research and web research, and creating websites. I have encouraged my students to think and write critically about their experiences with technology, both in my class and elsewhere, even as we have used technology to facilitate our work in the course. Syllabi and other materials for my writing courses can be viewed at my website: http://machine.prestigious.edu/~name. In all of my writing courses I encourage students to become critical readers, thinkers, and writers; my goal is always not only to promote their intellectual engagement with cultural texts of all kinds but also to help them become more discerning readers of and forceful writers about the world around them.

I have included my curriculum vitae and would be happy to send you additional materials such as a dossier of letters of reference, writing samples, teaching evaluations, and past and proposed course syllabi. I will be available to meet with you for an interview at either the MLA or the CCCC convention, or elsewhere at your convenience. I can be reached at my home phone number before December 19; between then and the start of the MLA convention, you can reach me at (123) 456-7890. I thank you for your consideration and look forward to hearing from you.

First Lastname

Points to Remember

• Use the form of address and title of the contact person as they appear in the job notice.
• Refer to the job title as it appears in the notice, and state where you learned of the position.
• Mention your major professor by name, especially if he or she is well known in your field. Also, mention your expected completion date.
• Make a claim for your candidacy that you will support in the body of the letter.
• For a position at a small undergraduate college, emphasize teaching experience and philosophy early in the letter.
• Describe your dissertation and plans for future research. Emphasize links between your teaching and research interests.
• Mention specific teaching experience that is relevant to the job notice or is otherwise noteworthy.
• Refer to relevant materials available on the web.
• State your willingness to forward additional materials and to meet for an interview.
• Mention any temporary changes in contact information.

How to Write an Academic Cover Letter With Examples

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Requred Job Application Materials

Submitting your application.

When you are applying for a faculty position at a college or university, your  cover letter  will differ significantly from the standard business cover letter.

Your cover letter may be reviewed by Human Resources department staff to determine if you meet the basic qualifications for the job. If it does, it will be forwarded to a search committee comprised mostly of faculty members and academic deans. 

These individuals will be accustomed to reading more lengthy academic cover letters and  resumes  or curriculum vitae (CV) than would be customary in the business world. They will also often be more interested in the philosophical foundations for your work than the typical business recruiter.

Kelly Miller / The Balance

Tips for Writing an Academic Cover Letter

Your initial challenge will be to pass through the Human Resources screening. Review each of the required qualifications included in the job announcement and compose statements containing evidence that you possess as many of the skills, credentials, knowledge, and experiences listed as possible. 

Address as many of the preferred qualifications as possible. 

Give concrete examples to support your assertions about your strengths. 

Your faculty reviewers will typically have an interest in your philosophy and approach to teaching and research within your discipline. They will also be evaluating how your background fits with the type of institution where they work.

Research the faculty in your target department to assess their orientation and expertise. Emphasize points of intersection between your philosophy and the prevalent departmental philosophy.

If you possess traditionally valued areas of expertise that are not already represented by the current faculty, make sure to point those strengths out in your cover letter. It's important to tailor your letter to the orientation of the college and adjust the mix of emphasis on teaching and research based on the expectations in that setting. 

Colleges will typically want to hire new faculty who are passionate about their current research and not resting on past research credits.

Describe a current project with some detail and express enthusiasm for continuing such work. 

Try to do the same with any evolving teaching interests. 

Highlight any grants and funding you have received to undertake your research activities. Incorporate any awards or recognition which you have received for your teaching or research activities. Some text should also be devoted to other contributions to the college communities where you worked, such as committee work, advising, and collaborations with other departments.

Your cover letter should be written in the same basic format as a business cover letter. An academic cover letter is typically two pages compared to a single page for non-academic letters.

Here’s an example of the appropriate format for a cover letter and guidelines for formatting your letters.

Academic Cover Letter Example

You can use this sample as a model to write an academic cover letter. Download the template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online), or read the text version below.

Academic Cover Letter Example #1 (Text Version)

Robin Applicant 123 Main Street, Anytown, CA 12345 555-555.5555 robin.applicant@email.com

April 5, 2021

Dr. Sylvia Lee Chair, English Department Search Committee Acme College 123 Business Rd. Charlotte, NC 28213

Dear Dr. Sylvia Lee,

I am writing to apply for the position of assistant professor of English with an emphasis in nineteenth-century American literature that you advertised in the MLA Job Information List. I am a Dean’s Fellow and Ph.D. candidate at XYZ University, currently revising the final chapter of my dissertation, and expecting to graduate in May I am confident that my teaching experience and my research interests make me an ideal candidate for your open position.

Over the past five years, I have taught a variety of English courses. I have taught a number of American literature survey courses, as well as writing courses, including technical writing and first-year writing. I have extensive experience working with ESL students, as well as students with a variety of learning disabilities, including dyslexia and dysgraphia, and disabilities like ADD and ADHD. I pride myself on creating a classroom environment that accommodates the needs of my students while still promoting a high level of critical thought and writing skills. Some of my most satisfying experiences as a teacher have come from helping struggling students to grasp difficult concepts, through a combination of individual conferences, class activities, and group discussion. I know I would thrive as a teacher in your college, due to your belief in small classroom size and individualized support for students.

Not only does my teaching experience suit the needs of your school and department, but my research interests also fit perfectly with your description of the ideal candidate. My dissertation project, “Ferns and Leaves: Nineteenth-Century Female Authorial Space,” examines the rise and development of American female authors in the 1840s and 1850s, with a particular focus on patterns of magazine publication. I argue that, rather than being submissive to the requirements of the editor or publisher, female authors, in fact, developed a more transparently reciprocal relationship between themselves and their readers than previously has been assumed. I apply recent print-culture and book-history theory to my readings of novels, magazine articles, letters, and diary entries by various female authors, with a particular focus on Sara Willis (known by her pseudonym Fanny Fern). I plan to develop my dissertation into a book manuscript and continue to research the role of female writers in antebellum magazine culture, with a particular focus on the rise and influence of female magazine editors on literary culture.

My research interests have both shaped and been shaped by my recent teaching experiences. Last spring, I developed and taught a course on the history of print culture in America. I combined readings on theory and literature that addressed issues of print with visits to local historical museums and archives. My students conducted in-depth studies on particular texts (magazines, newspapers, novels) for their final papers. I believe my interdisciplinary teaching style, particularly my emphasis on material culture, would fit in well with the interdisciplinary nature of your English department.

I am therefore confident that my teaching experience, my skill in working with ESL and LD students, and my research interests all make me an excellent candidate for the assistant professor of English position at ABC College. I have attached my curriculum vitae and the two requested sample publications. I would be happy to send you any additional materials such as letters of reference, teaching evaluations, and past and proposed course syllabi. I will be available to meet with you at either the MLA or C19 conference, or anywhere else at your convenience. Thank you so much for your consideration; I look forward to hearing from you.

Robin Applicant (hard copy letter)

Robin Applicant

Academic Cover Letter Example #2 (Text Version)

Betty Applicant 567 North Street, Boston, MA 02108 555-555.555 betty.applicant@email.com

Dr. Robert Smith Chair, Department of Biology Acme University 123 Business Rd. Business City, NY 54321

Dear Dr. Smith,

I am writing to apply for the position of Assistant Professor of Biology with a focus on molecular biology at XYZ University, as advertised in the March issue of Science. I am currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of XYZ in the Department of Molecular Biology, working under the advisement of Professor Linda Smith. I am confident that my research interests and teaching experience make me an ideal candidate for your open position.

My current research project, which is an expansion on my dissertation, “[insert title here],” involves [insert research project here]. I have published my dissertation findings in Science Journal and am in the processing of doing the same with my findings from my current research. The laboratory resources at XYZ University would enable me to expand my research to include [insert further research plans here] and seek further publication.

Beyond my successes as a researcher (including five published papers and my current paper in process), I have had extensive experience teaching a variety of biology courses. As a graduate student at Science University, I served as a teaching assistant and guest lecturer for both biology and chemistry introductory courses and won the university award for outstanding teacher’s assistant. As a postdoctoral fellow at the University of ABC, I have had the opportunity to teach Introduction to Biology as well as a graduate-level course, Historicizing Molecular Biology. In every class, I strive to include a blend of readings, media, lab work, and discussion to actively engage students with the material. I would love the opportunity to bring my award-winning lesson planning and teaching skills to your biology department.

I am confident that my research interests and experience combined with my teaching skills make me an excellent candidate for the Assistant Professor of Biology position at XYZ University. I have attached my curriculum vitae, three recommendations, and the two requested sample publications. I would be happy to send you any additional materials such as teaching evaluations or past and proposed course syllabi. I will be available to meet with you at the ASBMB conference or anywhere else at your convenience. Thank you so much for your consideration; I look forward to hearing from you.

Betty Applicant (hard copy letter)

Betty Applicant

It’s important to submit all your application materials in the format requested by the college or university. You may be asked to email, mail, or apply online via the institution’s applicant tracking system.

You may be required to provide references with your application, so be prepared to submit a list of references. The institution may also request transcripts, teaching evaluations, and writing samples.

Send only what is requested. There's no need to include information that the institution hasn't ask for.

However, you can offer to provide additional materials like writing samples, syllabi, and  letters of recommendation  in the last paragraph of your letter.

Follow the instructions in the job posting for submitting your application. It should specify what format the college wants to receive.

Here are some examples of what you may be asked to include with your cover letter and resume or CV:

• A cover letter, CV/resume, and contact information for three references.
• A cover letter (PDF format) of interest indicating your qualifications and reason for application, Curriculum Vitae (PDF format), and a minimum of three professional references, including phone and email contact information.
• A letter of interest, a Curriculum Vitae, a teaching vision statement, a research vision statement that specifically indicates how you would interact with or collaborate with other department faculty, and three references.
• A cover letter, CV/resume, and contact information for three references. Please upload these as ONE document in RTF, DOC or PDF format.

American Society for Microbiology

Compelling cover letters for tenure-track faculty applications.

Sept. 20, 2017

When applying for tenure-track faculty positions, applicants naturally focus on their CV, which represents their years of professional blood, sweat, and tears. However, don't underestimate the importance of the cover letter when preparing your application package. As a faculty member who has chaired several search committees at both primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) and R1 universities, here are my tips for drafting a successful cover letter that will distinguish you from an endless sea of competitive applicants.

Complete All Other Pieces of the Application First

Like the abstract of a manuscript, your cover letter should be the last part of the application you complete. Updating your CV and writing your teaching and/or research philosophy prepares you to write the cover letter by:

• Reminding you of your accomplishments and experiences relevant to the position.
• Helping you determine how best to present yourself to the search committee.
• Investing you in the application process so you give your cover letter the time and attention it deserves.

In short, your cover letter should tell the story of where you've been, where you are now, and where you want to go with the institution you're applying to. That story will be much easier to write, if you review your academic history beforehand.

Start Strong and Finish Well

The first 2-3 sentences of your cover letter likely will determine if anyone reads the rest of it. If possible, greet the search committee chair by name, or address the committee as "Dear Colleagues." The first sentence should include the title of the position to which you're applying and lead into a brief statement of why you are an ideal candidate for the job.

Conclude the letter by thanking the committee for their time and consideration, and use a professional closing, such as "Sincerely" and/or "Best regards." Don't forget to include the letters of your terminal degree behind your name.

Highlight Your Relevant Achievements

Use concrete examples to support any claims you make in your cover letter, especially those directly related to the position's requirements. Highlight specific accomplishments, such as publications in prestigious journals, notable leadership or service positions, and well-known fellowships.

Such examples should be used judiciously and only when they pertain to the position announcement. Resist the urge to give a laundry list of your achievements that reads more like a CV than a cover letter. Conversely, don't end the letter prematurely without adequately making your case for an interview.

No one wants to read a form cover letter, so provide the search committee with a breath of fresh air to further stand out from other applicants by having a written cover letter. Feel free to get creative with the format and tone of your cover letter by using paragraph lead-ins, bullet points, and italic/boldface font when appropriate. This will help the search committee notice qualifications that may be easily overlooked amidst the hundreds of paragraphs they read in a single day.

Be authentic in your writing, not just in the accuracy of your statements, but in how you represent yourself. During faculty interviews, the cover letter is a catalyst that drives the conversations between the applicant and interviewers. An obvious disconnect between your cover letter and interview can raise suspicions about your integrity and remove you from consideration.

Show the Search Committee that You Fit the Job

Most tenure-track faculty position announcements elicit dozens, if not hundreds of applications. As a result, Human Resources offices and search committees find ways to screen applicants faster than an NIH grant review panel. To avoid the discard pile, pay special attention to the type of position and university to which you're applying.

The expectations of PUIs and R1s don't necessarily conflict, but your ability to meet them should be emphasized differently in your cover letter. For example, PUIs typically desire candidates with a stronger commitment to teaching and service, while R1 institutions usually place more emphasis on competitive publication records and the potential for securing extramural funding.

As chair of a search committee for a tenure-track Genetics position at a private liberal arts institution, I "triaged" over 90 applications.  We wanted an outstanding mentor and teacher who would exemplify our mission of service since research was not a primary function of the position. One cover letter was 4 pages long that highlighted an impressive research background with DNA gel images. The applicant concluded the letter by stating he had no teaching experience but was looking forward to "trying it." His experiences didn't align with the position's requirements so his application did not advance.

Present Yourself as an Invaluable Colleague

Many applicants may be qualified for the position, but not all of them will be a good fit for the department. The search committee needs to see you as a collaborative individual who can successfully integrate into the faculty dynamic already established within the department. Thus, you should research the department's areas of interest so you can address specifically how you'll contribute to their goals in tangible ways. You will likely notice unspoken expectations and attributes of the ideal candidate, such as teaching an unusually high number of introductory courses or a passion for working with students from underserved backgrounds, through browsing faculty webpages. By referencing these tacit (yet important!) characteristics in your cover letter in the context of your own interests and accomplishments, you can demonstrate your professional compatibility with the department beyond what is listed in your CV.

Focus on Your Strengths and Proactively Address Trouble Spots

Many applicants avoid discussing faculty application red flags, such as lack of teaching experience or a gap in relevant work history. These issues can be seen on your CV and will likely raise questions in the minds of the search committee. If you don't anticipate and answer these questions in your cover letter, the committee may do it for you (and not in a favorable way!).

If you're comfortable doing so, give the reason for a gap in work history, such as relocation for a spouse's job. Emphasize your eagerness to return and contribute to the scientific community. If you're changing careers, indicate your proficiency in areas that transcend occupations, including communication skills, project management, and effective collaboration.

If you lack formal teaching experience, instead describe your experience mentoring undergraduates in the lab, training new graduate students, or guest lecturing for a professor. Unless the position requires a minimum amount of formal teaching experience, these activities can often demonstrate your potential as an educator and commitment to mentorship well enough to earn you an interview.

Edit Twice and Submit Once

Consider using the following cover letter checklist before submitting your application:

• Proofread for typos, grammatical or spelling mistakes, and format issues.
• Check that you are concise and that the cover letter is no more than 2 pages.
• Verify that a proper greeting and closing are present.
• Ask a faculty member to read your cover letter and incorporate his or her suggestions.
• Fact check your CV and cover letter for consistency.
• Ensure that specific references to the job description and your relevant qualifications are highlighted within your letter.

Remember, the cover letter is an opportunity to tell the search committee your story in ways a CV never could, so make it an interesting one and celebrate the submission of (hopefully your last) job application!

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Research statements for faculty job applications

The purpose of a research statement.

The main goal of a research statement is to walk the search committee through the evolution of your research, to highlight your research accomplishments, and to show where your research will be taking you next. To a certain extent, the next steps that you identify within your statement will also need to touch on how your research could benefit the institution to which you are applying. This might be in terms of grant money, faculty collaborations, involving students in your research, or developing new courses. Your CV will usually show a search committee where you have done your research, who your mentors have been, the titles of your various research projects, a list of your papers, and it may provide a very brief summary of what some of this research involves. However, there can be certain points of interest that a CV may not always address in enough detail.

• What got you interested in this research?
• What was the burning question that you set out to answer?
• What challenges did you encounter along the way, and how did you overcome these challenges?
• How can your research be applied?
• Why is your research important within your field?
• What direction will your research take you in next, and what new questions do you have?

While you may not have a good sense of where your research will ultimately lead you, you should have a sense of some of the possible destinations along the way. You want to be able to show a search committee that your research is moving forward and that you are moving forward along with it in terms of developing new skills and knowledge. Ultimately, your research statement should complement your cover letter, CV, and teaching philosophy to illustrate what makes you an ideal candidate for the job. The more clearly you can articulate the path your research has taken, and where it will take you in the future, the more convincing and interesting it will be to read.

Separate research statements are usually requested from researchers in engineering, social, physical, and life sciences, but can also be requested for researchers in the humanities. In many cases, however, the same information that is covered in the research statement is often integrated into the cover letter for many disciplines within the humanities and no separate research statement is requested within the job advertisement. Seek advice from current faculty and new hires about the conventions of your discipline if you are in doubt.

Timeline: Getting Started with your Research Statement

You can think of a research statement as having three distinct parts. The first part will focus on your past research, and can include the reasons you started your research, an explanation as to why the questions you originally asked are important in your field, and a summary some of the work you did to answer some of these early questions.

The middle part of the research statement focuses on your current research. How is this research different from previous work you have done, and what brought you to where you are today? You should still explain the questions you are trying to ask, and it is very important that you focus on some of the findings that you have (and cite some of the publications associated with these findings). In other words, do not talk about your research in abstract terms, make sure that you explain your actual results and findings (even if these may not be entirely complete when you are applying for faculty positions), and mention why these results are significant.

The final part of your research statement should build on the first two parts. Yes, you have asked good questions, and used good methods to find some answers, but how will you now use this foundation to take you into your future? Since you are hoping that your future will be at one of the institutions to which you are applying, you should provide some convincing reasons why your future research will be possible at each institution, and why it will be beneficial to that institution, or to the students at that institution.

While you are focusing on the past, present, and future or your research, and tailoring it to each institution, you should also think about the length of your statement and how detailed or specific you make the descriptions of your research. Think about who will be reading it. Will they all understand the jargon you are using? Are they experts in the subject, or experts in a range of related subjects? Can you go into very specific detail, or do you need to talk about your research in broader terms that make sense to people outside of your research field focusing on the common ground that might exist? Additionally, you should make sure that your future research plans differ from those of your PI or advisor, as you need to be seen as an independent researcher. Identify 4-5 specific aims that can be divided into short-term and long-term goals. You can give some idea of a 5-year research plan that includes the studies you want to perform, but also mention your long-term plans, so that the search committee knows that this is not a finite project.

Another important consideration when writing about your research is realizing that you do not perform research in a vacuum. When doing your research you may have worked within a team environment at some point, or sought out specific collaborations. You may have faced some serious challenges that required some creative problem-solving to overcome. While these aspects are not necessarily as important as your results and your papers or patents, they can help paint a picture of you as a well-rounded researcher who is likely to be successful in the future even if new problems arise, for example.

Follow these general steps to begin developing an effective research statement:

Step 1: Think about how and why you got started with your research. What motivated you to spend so much time on answering the questions you developed? If you can illustrate some of the enthusiasm you have for your subject, the search committee will likely assume that students and other faculty members will see this in you as well. People like to work with passionate and enthusiastic colleagues. Remember to focus on what you found, what questions you answered, and why your findings are significant. The research you completed in the past will have brought you to where you are today; also be sure to show how your research past and research present are connected. Explore some of the techniques and approaches you have successfully used in your research, and describe some of the challenges you overcame. What makes people interested in what you do, and how have you used your research as a tool for teaching or mentoring students? Integrating students into your research may be an important part of your future research at your target institutions. Conclude describing your current research by focusing on your findings, their importance, and what new questions they generate.

Step 2: Think about how you can tailor your research statement for each application. Familiarize yourself with the faculty at each institution, and explore the research that they have been performing. You should think about your future research in terms of the students at the institution. What opportunities can you imagine that would allow students to get involved in what you do to serve as a tool for teaching and training them, and to get them excited about your subject? Do not talk about your desire to work with graduate students if the institution only has undergraduates! You will also need to think about what equipment or resources that you might need to do your future research. Again, mention any resources that specific institutions have that you would be interested in utilizing (e.g., print materials, super electron microscopes, archived artwork). You can also mention what you hope to do with your current and future research in terms of publication (whether in journals or as a book), try to be as specific and honest as possible. Finally, be prepared to talk about how your future research can help bring in grants and other sources of funding, especially if you have a good track record of receiving awards and fellowships. Mention some grants that you know have been awarded to similar research, and state your intention to seek this type of funding.

Step 3: Ask faculty in your department if they are willing to share their own research statements with you. To a certain extent, there will be some subject-specific differences in what is expected from a research statement, and so it is always a good idea to see how others in your field have done it. You should try to draft your own research statement first before you review any statements shared with you. Your goal is to create a unique research statement that clearly highlights your abilities as a researcher.

Step 4: The research statement is typically a few (2-3) pages in length, depending on the number of images, illustrations, or graphs included.  Once you have completed the steps above, schedule an appointment with a career advisor to get feedback on your draft. You should also try to get faculty in your department to review your document if they are willing to do so.

Explore other application documents:

8 Professional Academic Cover Letter Examples for 2024

Your academic cover letter must immediately highlight your most significant achievements. Showcase the research or projects that align closely with the position's requirements. Demonstrate your potential contribution to the department and the institution. Ensure your passion for teaching and scholarship shines through every word.

All cover letter examples in this guide

Academic Advisor

High School Academic

College Academic

Grad School Academic

Cover letter guide.

Academic Cover Letter Sample

Cover Letter Format

Cover Letter Salutation

Cover Letter Introduction

Cover Letter Body

Cover Letter Closing

No Experience Academic Cover Letter

Key Takeaways

Crafting an academic cover letter can be a stumbling block, especially when you're already deep into job applications and realize it's a required piece of the puzzle. This isn't just a repeat of your resume; it's your chance to spotlight a shining professional triumph and weave a compelling narrative around it. Forget the clichés—your cover letter must exude formality without being mundane, all while fitting neatly on a single page. Let's unlock the secrets to a cover letter that leaves a lasting impression.

• Making excellent use of job-winning real-life professional cover letters;
• Writing the first paragraphs of your academic cover letter to get attention and connect with the recruiters - immediately;
• Single out your most noteworthy achievement (even if it's outside your career);
• Get a better understanding of what you must include in your academic cover letter to land the job.

Let the power of Enhancv's AI work for you: create your academic cover letter by uploading your resume.

If the academic isn't exactly the one you're looking for we have a plethora of cover letter examples for jobs like this one:

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Academic cover letter example

Carter Andrade

+1-(234)-555-1234

[email protected]

• Highlighting Relevant Achievements: The cover letter effectively showcases past accomplishments, such as reducing billing processing time by 30% and billing errors by 20%, which directly relate to the Billing Manager role and demonstrate the candidate's relevant experience and success in process optimization.
• Focus on Process Improvement: By emphasizing a hands-on approach to revamping outdated procedures, the writer displays a commitment to enhancing financial workflows, an essential skill for a Billing Manager tasked with maintaining efficient billing operations.
• Leadership Skills: The candidate mentions leading a team during a cross-departmental initiative, pointing to strong leadership and team management abilities, which are crucial for a managerial position responsible for overseeing the billing department.

Five tips on formatting your academic cover letter

Do you want to make a good impression on recruiters and, at the same time, follow the best industry advice on writing your academic cover letter?

Make sure to include the following:

• Header and Salutation;
• Introductory paragraph;
• Body paragraph;
• Closing paragraph;
• Signature (this one is up to you).

Remember to use the same modern, simple font for your academic cover letter as you did for your resume (e.g. Lato, Rubik, etc.)

Ensure your academic cover letter is single-spaced and is wrapped around a one-inch margin, like in our cover letter templates .

Once completed, use our cover letter builder to export your academic cover letter in the best format to keep your information intact - PDF.

At the end of the day, your academic cover letter won't be assessed by the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) software, but by the recruiters. Your information should thus be legible, organized, and follow a structured logic.

The top sections on a academic cover letter

• Header: This section includes your contact information, the date, and the recipient's details, ensuring that your cover letter appears professional and reaches the correct person.
• Opening Greeting: A formal salutation addresses the hiring committee or specific individual by name, demonstrating that you have researched the institution and are personalizing your application.
• Introduction: Briefly introduces who you are, your current academic status, and the position you are applying for, setting the stage for why you are a strong fit for the role.
• Academic Achievements and Experience: Highlights your relevant educational background, research accomplishments, teaching experience, and any publications, tailored to the academic position to showcase your qualifications and alignment with the job.
• Closing Paragraph: This is where you reiterate your interest in the position, mention your availability for an interview, and thank the recipient for considering your application, leaving a professional and respectful impression.

Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter

• Research expertise in the specified field: Demonstrates the ability to contribute to the academic community through original research.
• Teaching experience and pedagogical skills: Showcases the capability to educate and mentor students effectively.
• Publications and scholarly work: Indicates a track record of contributing to the body of knowledge in the field.
• Grants and funded research experience: Reflects success in obtaining financial support for research, which is crucial for many academic institutions.
• Collaboration and interdisciplinary work: Highlights the ability to work across disciplines, which is increasingly valued in academia for its potential to foster innovative research.
• Service to the academic community: Demonstrates a commitment to contributing to the functioning and governance of the institution through committee work, peer review, or other service roles.

How to personalize your academic cover letter greeting

Before you start writing your academic cover letter, take the time to find out who is recruiting for the role.

Search for the recruiter's name on LinkedIn or the corporate website to address them personally in your academic cover letter salutation .

What if you can't find out who's recruiting for the role?

Always aim to avoid the very impersonal "Dear Sir/Madam" - instead, opt out for "Dear HR Team" or "Dear Hiring Manager" to make a better first impression.

List of salutations you can use

• Dear Hiring Committee,
• Dear [Department] Selection Committee,
• Dear Professor [Last Name],
• Dear Dr. [Last Name],
• Dear Search Committee Chair,
• Dear [University/College] Faculty,

What to include in those first two sentences, or your academic cover letter introduction

Have you ever wondered what the best way is to present your profile in the academic cover letter introduction ?

There's no right or wrong answer if you're being concise and authentic to yourself.

Some professionals start their academic cover letter by:

• congratulating the company - focusing on something impressive, whether that's an award, an industry-leading project, or a key event;
• aligning their passion for the field or industry with the job - if you're enthusiastic about what you do, you'd thus grow your skill set and value as a professional.

That one achievement in your academic cover letter body

The lengthiest part of your academic cover letter is the body.

Within the next three to six middle paragraphs, present yourself as the best candidate for the role .

How can you do that without retelling your whole professional resume?

Select one key achievement that covers job-crucial skills and technologies (and is memorable).

Within the body of your academic cover letter, aim to tell the story of how you achieved your success. Also, write about how this would help out your potential team.

Finishing off your academic cover letter with what matters most

So far, you've done a fantastic job in tailoring your academic cover letter for the role and recruiter.

Your final opportunity to make a good impression is your closing paragraph.

And, no, a "Sincerely yours" just won't do, as it sounds too vague and impersonal.

End your academic cover letter with the future in mind.

So, if you get this opportunity, what do you plan to achieve? Be as specific, as possible, of what value you'd bring to the organization.

You could also thank recruiters for their interest in your profile and prompt for follow-up actions (and organizing your first interview).

The zero experience academic cover letter: shifting the focus to your unique value

Don't worry if you have no conventional professional experience . Within your whole experience, there's plenty more you can write about in your academic cover letter.

Take, for example, your biggest achievement or award - dedicate your cover letter body to describe it and the job-relevant skills you've learned.

Your professional ambitions could also take center stage. Describe what you plan on achieving in the next five to ten years and the efforts you're making towards your dreams.

Key takeaways

Within this Enhancv guide, we've provided you with plenty of advice and inspiration on writing your academic cover letter:

• Always make sure your academic cover letter is tailored to the role you're applying for to make a good impression on recruiters;
• In your academic cover letter include a header (with your name, the role you're applying for, date, and contact details) and an introduction of up to two sentences that highlight your key accomplishment or why you'd fit the role;
• Focus your academic cover letter body on one sole achievement through your career and all the valuable lessons, skills, and know-how you've learned (that are relevant to the role);
• Ensure your academic cover letter closing statement isn't generic and includes either a call to action or a promise;
• If you lack professional experience, shift recruiters' focus to a relevant achievement (thanks to your academic or versatile experience) or toward your dreams and goals for professional growth.

Academic cover letter examples

Explore additional academic cover letter samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.

Cover letter examples by industry

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