academic job application letters

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 Letters

A cover letter introduces and markets you effectively by complementing your CV.

A cover letter tells your story by highlighting your relevant strengths and motivation for the person and organisation you are writing to, rather than listing all the things that can already be seen on your CV.

Always take the opportunity to submit a cover letter if you are given the chance.

The cover letter gives you scope to showcase what interests and drives you, and your enthusiasm for an organisation and the role. You can use it to align yourself with the organisation’s strengths, values and culture, and highlight in a targeted way your knowledge and strongest, most relevant skills for the position.

The content and style are up to you, but a logical and engaging structure is key. Below are some guidelines.

How to Write Cover Letters

Aim for a professional tone that conveys your message to the reader succinctly - remember it's not an essay or dissertation! Write in clear, concise English – take care not to drown the reader with your detail and avoid jargon they may not understand.  The Plain English Campaign  has some good guidance on improving your writing style.

Structure it like a business letter, brevity adds power and aim for no longer than 1 side of A4 in length. However, if the organisation gives you very specific instructions about the structure. length and content, follow their guidance. 

Introduction

Introduce yourself and explain why you are writing. If you are responding to an advertisement, state where you saw it. This tells the recruiter why they are reading the letter, and it gives them feedback on which of their advertising sources are working. You need to think about how you would like to introduce yourself; it could be that you mention the course you are studying and when you plan to finish it along with your place of study.

Why this job?

Explain why you are interested in the job and the organisation. Tailor the letter to the organisation and job description to make it clear that you haven't sent out multiple copies of the same letter to different employers. 

Draw on your research, especially what you have learnt from speaking with their staff (e.g. while meeting them at a fair or event, or during work shadowing/experience) as this will demonstrate an awareness and understanding of them that goes beyond the corporate website. Be specific about why the position is particularly attractive for you, and back this up with evidence from your past, or by linking this to your overall career plans, and what you find exciting about this sector, don’t just repeat the text from their publicity material.

Explain why you are well-suited to the position. Refer to the most relevant skills (c.3-5), experience and knowledge you have and match what you say to the requirements outlined in the job description. Tell your story and highlight key evidence so that you are building on your CV, but not using exactly the same phrases. Make sure you read our guidance on  demonstrating you fit the job criteria  for more advice.

As your aim is to convince the recruiter that you are a suitable candidate for the job,  focus on your accomplishments and the transferable skills that are relevant to the role. State explicitly how you match the job criteria – don’t expect the person reading your letter to infer your skills or experiences for themselves. 

Support your claims by referring to examples that are already detailed in your CV. You can make a stronger, more credible case by linking different experiences that highlight similar skills or competences. For example:

• You first demonstrated your organisational skills by creating (an event) at school, and you  have developed them further by raising (£xx) at last year’s fundraiser and, most recently, by leading (another event) for your society attended by (number) of people.
• The role (applied for) would allow you to further explore your interest in mental health well-being  which has driven your success as college welfare officer and the personal sense of achievement gained from working as a peer counsellor.

Reiterate your desire to join the organisation and end on a ‘look forward to hearing from you’ statement, followed by ‘Yours sincerely’ if writing to a named individual and ‘Yours faithfully’ if you have not been able to find a named contact. 

• Write to a named person if you can
• If you have not been able to find a named contact, you could use ‘Dear Recruitment Manager’ or ‘Dear Recruiter’. 
• Check your spelling and get someone else to read it over.
• Check that it says clearly what you want it to say.  Are there any sections that are hard to read, overly long sentences? If yes, try to simplify the language, avoid jargon, use shorter sentences or take out that section completely.
• Make the letter different each time. If you insert another company name, does the letter still read the same? If so, tailor it more specifically to the firm - you may need to do further research
• Don’t start every sentence with “I”.
• Give evidence for all your claims.
• Be enthusiastic and interested.
• Don’t repeat your whole CV.
• It’s normal to find cover letters tricky to write. Give yourself plenty of time before the application deadline to redraft.
• A careers adviser at the Careers Service can give you feedback on the content and structure of your cover letter and CV, and advise you on how best to target particular sectors – write one first, book an appointment on CareerConnect  and ask a careers adviser for feedback.

Academic Cover Letters and Statements

Academic cover letters.

Academic cover letters vary in length, purpose, content and tone. Each job application requires a new, distinct letter.

For applications that require additional research or teaching statements, there is no point repeating these points in a cover letter – here, one page is enough (brief personal introduction, delighted to apply, please find enclosed X, Y, Z documents).

Other applications ask for a CV and a cover letter only, in which case the letter will need to be longer and require more detail. Others ask explicitly for this detail in the form of a supporting statement that sets out how you fulfil the job criteria. Aim for a maximum length of two pages, though for roles at associate professor level and above it may extend to 3-5 pages. In all cases it is important to use the space effectively and show that you can prioritise according to what they are looking for.

In all cases:

• Your letter is a piece of academic writing – you need a strong argument and empirical evidence
• Write for the non-expert to prove that you can communicate well
• Make sure you sound confident by using a tone that is collegial (rather than like a junior talking to a senior)
• Demonstrate your insight into what the recruiting department is doing in areas of research and teaching, and say what you would bring to these areas from your work so far.
• Give quantifiable evidence of teaching, research and funding success where possible.

Teaching Statements

What is a teaching statement and why do you need one.

When making an academic job application, you may be asked for a teaching statement (sometimes referred to as a ‘philosophy of teaching statement’). These statements may also be requested of candidates for grant applications or teaching awards.

A teaching statement is a narrative that describes:

• How you teach
• Why you teach the way you do
• How you know if you are an effective teacher, and how you know that your students are learning.

The rationale behind a teaching statement is to:

• Demonstrate that you have been reflective and purposeful about your teaching. This means showing an understanding of the teaching process and your experience of this
• Communicate your goals as an instructor, and your corresponding actions in the laboratory, classroom, or other teaching setting.

Format and style of a Teaching Statement

There is no required content or format for a teaching statement because they are personal in nature, but they are generally 1-2 pages, and written in the first person. The statement will include teaching strategies and methods to help readers ‘see’ you in a lab, lecture hall, or other teaching setting. The teaching statement is, in essence, a writing sample, and should be written with the audience in mind (i.e. the search committee for the institution(s) to which you are applying). This means that, like a cover letter, your teaching statement should be tailored for presentation to different audiences.

Articulating your teaching philosophy

Consider your experiences as both teacher and learner, and always keep your subject at the forefront. Consider all opportunities that you have previously had to teach, mentor, or guide, and determine instances that were both successful and perhaps not so successful. Understanding why and how learning happens is an important part of your teaching philosophy.

Here are some general areas to focus on in your teaching statement:

Goals : Convey your teaching goals. What would you like students to get out of your courses? What matters most to you in teaching and why?

Strategies : List effective teaching strategies. How will you realise your goals? What obstacles exist to student learning and how do you help students overcome them?

Evidence : Specific examples of your teaching experience are powerful in a teaching statement. Provide evidence that your students have learned (or not) in the past.

Research Statements

Some applications ask for a short research statement. This is your opportunity to showcase your vision for your research, propose a research plan and show how this builds on your current expertise and achievements. It forms the basis for discussions and your presentation if you are invited for interview.

Remember to:

• Provide a big picture overview of your research vision
• Make sure there are clear links between your proposal and the work of the recruiting institution.  Each statement must be tailored to the particular role you are applying for
• Write about your research experience stating the aims, achievements, relevant techniques and your responsibilities for each project
• Write as much (within the word limit) about your planned research and its contribution to the department, and to society more broadly
• Invest time and ask for feedback from your supervisor/principal investigator or colleagues.

Tips for Junior Research Fellowship or JRF Applications

Read the job description carefully to understand what is prioritised by the recruiting College or institution(s) beyond furthering your research.  If there are additional responsibilities such as outreach, mentoring, expanding or fostering academic networks, you will need to provide evidence of your interest and experience in these areas, as well as statements about how you would fulfil these roles when in post.

Try to meet current junior research fellowship (JRF) holders to gain further insight into what the role entails on a daily basis and what is expected by senior colleagues.

Show how your research contributes to, extends and/or maximises the impact of other work going on in the university. Then state why the JRF would enable you to further these in specific ways.

Think about how to demonstrate your experience in the following areas:

• Your research vision.  Can you outline a big picture view of the research you want to do and its impact, for the department, the field and the wider society
• Publications, think broadly here and include journal articles, book chapters, policy papers, expert reviews, public commentaries and any other type of media coverage
• Funding, give prominence to any funding awards and to your grant-writing experience
• Participation in professional activities such as establishing collaborations with people or organisations outside the university, reviewing journal articles and membership of relevant societies
• Outline how you intend to participate in knowledge exchange and public engagement within your fellowship. These activities are now recognised as significant components of academic life

Look at  Vitae’s Research Developer Framework  to identify any other academic-related competencies that you could demonstrate in your application (particularly project-management, leadership, developing innovative partnerships/strategic thinking).

Have your application reviewed by a careers adviser by booking a short discussion appointment on CareerConnect . 

Our Resources

Example cover letters.

• Sample cover letter
• Sample cover letter for management consultancy
• Sample cover letter for voluntary organisation
• Sample speculative cover letter   (see speculative applications)
• Sample cover letter for first lectureship, Arts and Humanities
• Vitae  for examples and advice relating to academic cover letters

Related pages

• Demonstrate You Fit the Job Criteria
• Application Forms

External Resources

External websites with guidance and examples.

• TARGETjobs: Cover letter essentials
• Prospects: Cover Letters

Artificial Intelligence (AI) generators and other paid-for services

A growing number of websites offer AI-generated cover letters, either for free or for a fee. There are also numerous organisations offering to write your cover letters for a fee. We believe that if you follow the advice above and come for a (free) cover letter review at the Careers Service as part of a 20-minute 1:1 appointment, you will get the best service for you. 

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A Dozen Sentences that Should Appear in Your Academic Job Application Letter

When you apply for an academic job, your cover letter helps a hiring committee interpret your curriculum vitae and conveys your excitement about and dedication to your work.

Your mission is to land an academic job. The immediate goal is to use the cover letter to get you on two shortlists — the shortlist of a dozen people who will be invited to submit more writing samples and have references checked, followed by the shortlist of three or four people who will be invited to visit the hiring department.

Cover letters should include 12 pieces of information that hiring committees are seeking:

• “I would like to be considered for the position of [title copied from job ad] in [exact department name from job ad] at the [exact institution name from job ad]. I am an advanced doctoral candidate in [your department].” This opening should be short and can certainly vary. The odds are that you will submit for many jobs, be shortlisted for a few, and be offered one or two. In all the cutting and pasting, make sure these letters are correctly addressed to the chair of the search committee or the chair of the department.
• “My doctoral project is a study of [cocktail party description]. Much of the research on this topic suggests that [characterize the literature as woefully inadequate]. But I [demonstrate, reveal, discover] that contrary to received wisdom, [your punch line].” This is the key statement about your doctoral project. Demonstrate how you will contribute to an intellectual conversation that is larger than your project – but unable to advance without your findings. The next paragraph should detail your research with one sentence on each chapter in your manuscript.
• “To complete this research I have spent [X years] doing [fieldwork / lab work / archival work / statistical analysis]. I have travelled to [these cities or libraries], interviewed [X number of experts], created [original datasets/original compositions/original artwork].” This sentence should be followed by a paragraph with the story of your research process. Overwhelm the committee with the volume of artifacts you’ve studied, people you’ve talked to, time you have dedicated or places you’ve been.
• “I have completed [X] of [Y] chapters of my dissertation, and I have included two substantive chapters as part of my writing sample.” Many hiring committees expect their top candidates to be almost finished with the doctoral project, since the dissertation is a test of commitment to a research trajectory. Ideally, the review committee will be excited by your original research and beg you for more once you are on a short list. Your mentors should confirm this information in their letters.
• “I have well-developed drafts of several other chapters, and expect to defend in [month, year]. OR Having defended in [month, year], I plan to [turn it into a book-length manuscript for a major scholarly press / select key chapters for publication in disciplinary journals].” Your advisors will also confirm these things. Committees want to know that your defense will not take place while you are working on their coin. If any of your committee members are unwilling to commit to even a season of the year for your defense date, or you don’t have two substantive chapters to submit to the hiring committee, it’s too early for you to be on the academic job market.
• “Although my primary area of research is [disciplinary keyword here], I have additional expertise in [another disciplinary keyword here] and am eager to teach in both areas. I have [taught/served as a teaching assistant] in courses about [A, B and C]. In the next few years, I hope to develop courses in [X and Y].” Departments love hiring people who can teach several topics. Look up the courses offered in the department to which you are applying, and use their keywords. Although the hiring committee will take research fit as most important, teaching skills and interests will be taken seriously. Specify courses in which you served as a teaching assistant and those in which you were the instructor of record.
• “For the most part, my approach to research is through [social science or humanistic method keyword here], and I would be interested in developing a methods class on this approach to research.” Many departments struggle to find faculty who will teach methods classes, and signaling your interest likely will put you ahead. Job candidates are particularly valuable if they demonstrate how they cross methodological boundaries, appreciate diverse approaches to inquiry, and can contribute to advancing knowledge with different analytical frames.
• “Although I have been focused on my graduate research for several years, I have been actively involved in conversations with [scholars in the department you are applying to, or scholars at other universities/professional associations/conferences/other disciplines].” This can be the one paragraph about service, highlighting conferences you’ve attended, workshops you’ve organized, and other ways you’ve supported your discipline. If you are applying for work in a department that is different from the one that trained you, demonstrate how you already have affinities for the new discipline, such as showing that you are familiar with faculty interests.
• “In the next few years, I hope to be able to investigate [reasonably related problems or questions].” Address your research trajectory over the next five years. The department will be investing in the person they hire, so the hiring committee will look for the direction your research will take. Communicate future research possibilities eloquently; don’t leave the committee to assume you will be doing more of the same.
• “I am interested in this post for a variety of reasons: [something about the character of the department/university/community/city].” The committee will be happy that you know something about the place you want to work. This may be particularly true for colleges and universities with distinct liberal arts traditions or unique community programs, or are not located in major urban areas. A committee might not interview you if the members believe you would not seriously consider a job offer.
• “Because of my graduate training, my doctoral research, and my teaching [experience/interests], I am uniquely qualified for this job.” Within a few sentences address your general focus and course work, and point to your experience teaching in the domains mentioned in the job description. Write a brief statement on why you are uniquely qualified for the job.
• “In the next few months, I will be attending the [conference A] and [conference B]. If you or your colleagues are also planning to attend, I would be happy to meet for an informal conversation.” Many departments make their first short list phone interviews or informal conference visits. Alert the committee if you are giving a paper so they can see you in action.

These sentences are in roughly the order they should appear in for applications to jobs at research schools. Most of the content should be about research, followed by one or two paragraphs about teaching and perhaps one paragraph about service. If the job is mostly about teaching, expand the amount of space dedicated to that topic.

Shoot for two and a half pages of content: less than that and you might not seem like an advanced doctoral candidate well immersed in a project; more than that and committee members may stop reading. As you write, drop in the names of granting agencies that have supported you, or the journals that are publishing or reviewing your work. Ideally several faculty members will write letters on your behalf. If possible, at least one letter writer can come from a university other than yours. Hiring committees love reference letters on different university letterheads; it shows that you have social capital beyond your home department.

Address your letter to the person heading the search or the department head. A greeting such as “Dear Committee Members” shows you haven’t done enough research. Ask a friend proofread your document for grammar and spelling.

Finally, follow up with the department. Hiring committees do not always tell candidates whether they are on the short list. If you finish another dissertation chapter, or get an article published, a few weeks after submitting your letter, submit an update by e-mail and ask that this example be added to your file and where the committee is in the hiring process.

by Philip N. Howard, professor, Communication

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

Writers Workshop

Academic Cover Letters

A cover letter is central to your academic job application. It allows you to explain the narrative of your academic career and demonstrate the cohesion of your application packet. Since it is often the first document read by the hiring committee, the cover letter acts as an initial writing sample and an introduction to your other application materials (CV, teaching philosophy, writing sample, letters of recommendation, etc.). The letter must therefore go through numerous drafts in order to show the hiring committee that you are a strong writer and a good fit for the position. Be sure to ask for feedback on these drafts from your advisor, professors in your field, colleagues, or a consultant at the Writers Workshop before including it in your application.

Keeping your audience and tone in mind is essential in crafting your academic cover letter. Even if you are still a graduate student finishing your dissertation, you should not present yourself as such. To persuade the committee that you are the ideal candidate for the position, write your cover letter as a potential colleague (rather than from the perspective of a graduate student or someone desperate for the job). Since most hiring committees are diverse in terms of areas of expertise, be sure to explain your terms, minimize jargon, and tie technical points to the larger aims of your work. Finally, it is especially important to cater your cover letter to the position by addressing all of the qualifications listed in the job ad. Connecting your experience to the institution you are applying to will help show your enthusiasm for the position and demonstrate how you will use your knowledge and skills to benefit the institution as a whole.

• 1 ½ – 2 pages, single-spaced (STEM letters should not exceed 1 page)
• 1-inch margins
• Font 12 point (possibly 11 point)
• Minimal white space
• Begin with “Dear Members of the Search Committee:” or address the letter to the individual indicated in the job ad

Content by Paragraph

An academic cover letter typically follows the 5-7 paragraph format outlined below. This structure may vary depending on your discipline, where you are in your career, and what type of job you are applying to.

Introduction

• Start with the full name of the institution/position (“I write to indicate my interest in the position of X at Y institution”)
• Your current status (ABD, PhD, Instructor)
• Your defense date and/or graduation date
• Be sincere and specific by responding to the qualifications listed in the job ad

Dissertation / Current Research

• How/what it contributes to your field
• Major themes/areas/issues covered
• Field-specific content
• Your conclusions/outcomes

Future / Related Research

• Show that you have a coherent research trajectory by describing current/future publications (journal articles, articles in edited collections, plan in place to turn your dissertation into a book, etc.)
• Demonstrate your productivity and commitment to a broader research agenda
• Document your path to tenure (if applicable) and success at their institution
• May be 1-2 paragraphs, depending on type of position
• Define terms as needed
• Connect to your research if applicable
• Provide examples showing how you demonstrate your teaching philosophy / pedagogical approach in the classroom (or plan to)
• Describe learning goals, projects and their purposes, classroom values, etc.
• Include classes you have taught as TA, Instructor, etc. or classes (appropriate to the institution) that you would like to teach
• Expand on the statement above in an additional paragraph
• Move these teaching paragraphs before the dissertation/research paragraphs
• Demonstrate that you are a collaborative colleague
• Show that you offer more to the department and institution than only research/teaching
• Avoid listing your service work–that’s already on your CV
• Highlight the work that contributes to your field, teaching, department, etc.
• Respond to job ad and institutional needs
• Usually short, ~3-4 sentences
• Reiterates your interest in the position and primary qualifications
• When/how to expect any materials sent separately
• Some fields – availability for interview
• Some fields – contact information
• Again, sound like a future colleague!

Related Links

• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Teaching Philosophy Statements
• Diversity Statements

You can find additional information and sample academic cover letters through the Graduate College Career Development Office , Purdue Online Writing Lab , and  Inside Higher Ed .

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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.

• Utility Menu

Amanda Claybaugh, Dean of Undergraduate Education

Samuel zemurray jr. and doris zemurray stone radcliffe professor of english and harvard college professor.

How to Apply for Academic Jobs

            1) a cover letter : The cover letter is the single most important part of your application. It is the first document that the hiring committee reads, and it determines whether they will read the rest: it should therefore capture everything that makes you a compelling candidate. Cover letters most often consist of five paragraphs:

            an introduction that highlights the ways in which you're suited for this particular job             a paragraph summarizing the argument of your dissertation as a whole             a paragraph describing your other research interests, such as a second project or an article that is not part of your dissertation             a paragraph describing your teaching, both the courses you have taught and the courses you would like to teach             a boilerplate conclusion

Some cover letters may depart from the five-paragraph model, but none go over two pages: excessive length is seen as the mark of a madman, and overly small font also seems a bit crazed.

            2) a cv : The cv performs the same function as the cover letter, but in a more abbreviated form. Formats vary, and you may pick the one you prefer. Whichever format you choose, make sure you mention the following:

            your education, including the dates of all your degrees (either received or expected)             your dissertation, including title, advisors, and a 2- to 3-sentence summary             your publications, including those that are forthcoming or under review             your conference talks             your teaching experience             your prizes and fellowships

            3) a dissertation abstract : The dissertation abstract expands upon the cover letter, and it tends to do so in the following two ways. First, by elaborating the significance of your argument. In your cover letter, you summarize an argument; in your dissertation abstract, you explain why this argument matters (how does it change our understanding of your topic? how does it change our reading of the works you are focusing on?). And second, by explaining how the various parts of your dissertation connect to one another. In your cover letter, you name the authors or works you’re considering; in your dissertation abstract, you explain the distinctive role that each plays in your argument. The conventions of the dissertation abstract vary a bit, but most devote roughly a page to discussing the dissertation as a whole and roughly a page to summarizing the individual chapters. Some abstracts do depart from this structure, though, and you should think about what organization would make the most sense for your project.

            4) a writing sample : The writing sample demonstrates that you can actually make the argument that you’ve so far been simply asserting. It should therefore be made up of two parts: an extended case study, drawn from one of your dissertation chapters; and a substantial opening section, drawn from your introduction, in which you frame this case study in a discussion of your argument as a whole. The more closely your writing sample resembles a journal article, the more successful it will be: dissertations tend to get bogged down in close reading and distracted by unrelated points, but a writing sample must move confidently through an array of examples in the course of making a sustained argument. You might find it helpful to model your writing sample on articles published in a journal you admire (look, in particular, for articles taken from projects that would later be published as books: these will likely have the right mix of framing and case study). Once you finish writing this article-like writing sample, you should send it to the journal you admire, so that you’ll have a(nother) publication under review for your cv. Different committees will request writing samples of different lengths, and you should draft your sample with that in mind, constructing it out of discrete units that you can include or leave out as the length requirements demand.

            5) a job talk : The job talk does the same thing as the writing sample, but in oral form. It, too, should be made up of two parts: a substantial opening section that lays out your argument, followed by an extended case study (different from the one you offered in your writing sample). Different committees will ask for different things: some will want talks of thirty minutes (absolutely no more than 15 pages); others, talks of forty-five minutes (absolutely no more than 20 pages). Some may ask you to give a standard academic presentation; others, to present your research to undergrads.

But while these documents are fairly straightforward, they often prove to be very difficult to write. Writing them will require that you step back from the specific chapters and courses in which you’re now immersed and think about your scholarship and teaching more generally. You can do so by reflecting on the following topics:

            1) your field : Some of you will find that your dissertation falls straightforwardly into a single hiring field (twentieth-century US, eighteenth-century English, Renaissance); your task, in that case, will be to persuade hiring committees that you have mastery of the entire field—not just that part of it that is covered by your dissertation. You will, of course, claim that you do, but it is best if you back up this claim in your descriptions of courses you might teach and other research interests you might pursue. That is, if your dissertation focuses on the Victorian novel, you should describe a survey course that focuses on poetry, drama, and prose as well, and you should also propose an additional research project that touches on topics and works that you do not cover in your dissertation.

             Others will find that their dissertations fall into more than one field, crossing period or national boundaries. In this case, you will prepare two sets of materials, one for each field, and your task will be to persuade hiring committees that you are committed to whatever field they are hiring in. You should not try to conceal the fact that your dissertation crosses field boundaries; on the contrary, you should make a case for why it is necessary that it do so. But you should emphasize the field the department is hiring in when proposing courses and describing research interests. Still others of you will have written interdisciplinary dissertations, combining history and literature or literature and philosophy or touching on visual culture as well. In this case, your task is to persuade the hiring committee that your primary commitment is to literature. Once again, you should not try to conceal the interdisciplinary nature of your project, but rather make a case for it. But you should also take care to emphasize the literary in the courses and research projects you propose.

            2) your dissertation :

            a) What is the topic of your dissertation? It’s helpful to have a vivid word or phrase that you use consistently when describing your work; it’s also helpful to have a brief example of your topic that will be immediately familiar to others. And be prepared to explain where you set the limits of your topic: what doesn’t count as x , and why?

            b) What is the argument of your dissertation?

           c) How do the parts of your dissertation contribute to the argument of the whole? Some dissertations are organized chronologically (the pre-history of topic x , the height of topic x , the aftermath of topic x ); others are organized as a taxonomy.

            d) What is the significance of your argument? More specifically, how does it change our understanding of your topic? and how does your focus on this topic change our reading of the works you are considering?

            e) Why did you delimit your project in this way? How would it be different if you had   focused on another period, another nation, another genre, different authors? Is there any work you’ve left out that you should be able to account for in some way?

            f) What is the most significant change you’ll want to make as you turn this dissertation into a book?

            g) How did you come to write this dissertation? What is the narrative of its development?

            3) your teaching :

            a) You will need to prepare an array of courses you’d like to teach. You might find it useful to sketch out a syllabus for each, but listing the readings you’d assign is less important than providing a rationale for the course as a whole. You should be able to describe, in two or three sentences, what you’d want your students to learn. You’ll tailor your course offerings to specific schools, but for now you should prepare courses in the following categories:

            a multi-genre survey of your field (Renaissance Literature)             a single-genre survey of your field (Twentieth-Century Poetry)             an introductory survey course: usually either British literature to 1800, British literature after 1800, or US literature             several undergraduate seminars in your field, organized in different ways  (interdisciplinary, single-author, thematic)             several graduate seminars in your field             a first-year seminar or other intro to the major course             a writing-intensive class

            b) You should also gather anecdotes about your teaching: your greatest success; the skill you’ve struggled most to master; your most innovative assignment; your most unusual group of students.

            3) your scholarship :

            a) What other research interests are you pursuing or do you intend to pursue?

            b) What do you think is the most significant recent development in your field? How does your work relate to it?

            c) Who is the critic you most admire? Your most important intellectual influence?

              d) How does your work differ from the work of your advisors?           

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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.

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• Guide to Academic Job Applications

Academic statements are the documents that make up the academic dossier or application packet. This dossier usually comprises the academic cover letter, usually called a “job letter” or letter of interest, a curriculum vitae (CV—see our CV guide), recommendation letters from your referees, a research statement, a teaching statement, a diversity statement, and transcripts or proof of degree. Either upon application or later in the process, you may also be expected to provide a writing sample, a sample syllabus or course plan, or other materials.

First, a few general notes about these statements and your writing process, including formatting, timing, and preparation.

General Notes

The job letter should be on letterhead, with all other documents, including the CV, offered in a plain paper format. Margins are the standard one inch, and font should be any standard font at 12pt (or whatever is readable for that font). For multi-page documents, include a page number in the header or footer from the second page on; it is also useful for the second and subsequent pages to include your last name or initials. The standard length for the documents are:

• Job letter: 2 sides
• Research statement: 2 sides
• Teaching statement: 1 side
• Diversity statement: 1 side

This is not always the case, and you should always read the application instructions carefully to discover the expected length. I recommend writing your base documents to these lengths, as they tend to be most common, and then either compressing or expanding as needed during the tailoring process.

Preparation

By the summer before you intend to begin applying, you should already have a sound, updated CV that needs only tailoring to make it suitable for your application process. You should also already have done the background research and know the various job boards, email lists, wikis, etc, where jobs in your field are typically posted, and you should be checking them regularly, even years before you anticipate being on the market if possible. You thus know where and when postings usually appear, you are accustomed to finding them, and you know what the language of postings in your field looks like and feel ready to use that language to describe yourself and your candidacy. You are already talking to your advisor and trusted faculty members about your goals so that you can be as prepared as possible when you do hit the market, and you are considering carefully which faculty members would be best to ask for letters of recommendation for any of the various types of post to which you might apply. You may be consulting with Career Services and have forged a supportive relationship with a career advisor who can give you help and advice through the application process. You have also thought about the kind of institution you want to work at, the area of the country or world you would prefer to be located in, and what kind of work atmosphere you will thrive in.

The late summer/early fall of the academic year before the year in which you plan to begin your first tenure-track position (or post-doc, for post-doc fields) will be your year on the market. Even though you are extremely busy finishing up your research or continuing your writing project, you must begin drafting what I call the “base documents”. It takes a long time to create them, and your application process will be made considerably quicker and easier if you already have sound, well-written base documents that merely need to be edited rather than starting from scratch a few weeks or a month before your first deadline. Together, the job letter and your other job documents should create a consistent picture of you as a thoughtful, productive researcher, a rigorous instructor, and someone whose awareness of issues of diversity and inclusivity in higher education will inform every part of their career as a faculty member.

The Academic Job Letter

The academic job letter is a very specific type of cover letter covering a prescribed set of qualifications, credentials, and information. It is typically used for academic faculty (research or teaching) jobs.

The job letter should be on the letterhead of the institution with which you are currently affiliated, in this case, your CU department’s or research institute’s letterhead. Use 1” margins all around, 12pt Times New Roman, Garamond, or another standard font, and begin it with standard business letter headers, including an addressee block and a date line. If you have trouble obtaining the department/institute letterhead, use general CU letterhead. You can usually edit the address in letterhead header files, and should do so to reflect the address of your current department. If you are no longer associated with CU, make a personal letterhead; it is not considered appropriate to use the letterhead of a past institution on a current application.

General Advice

• Show, don’t tell: support your claims with evidence from your research, teaching, and service.
• Stay on message: present a coherent portrait of yourself across your various documents. This begins with the cover letter.
• Use positive language: it is tempting to hedge or temper your claims about yourself and your work by verbally stepping back from them through use of the verbs try, attempt, or endeavor. Do not do this. Use clear, assertive, and above all definite language to describe your work. In the words of Yoda, “Do or do not; there is no try”.

For a research-focused job letter, follow this paragraph format. (Format after Karen Kelsky of The Professor Is In .)

Department of X University Y Street Address City, ST 00123

September 1, 2020

Dear [Name] and members of the search committee,

Paragraph 1: “I write to apply” to the job. This paragraph contains the job information, including posting ID number, and your brief summary of education and interests.

Paragraph 2: Primary research project. This paragraph outlines your current primary project, and includes sources of support.

Paragraph 3: Primary project’s contribution to the field.

Paragraph 4: Primary project’s resulting publications and conference papers.

Paragraph 5: Second or next project, including publications, conference papers, and grants, both current and anticipated or planned.

Paragraph 6: Teaching, as it ties in with your research.

Paragraph 6a: Optional second teaching paragraph.

Paragraph 7: Tailoring paragraph; outlines your specific interest in the job and department. If your research indicates a benefit to including this detail, talking about how much you love the area where the institution is situated would be most appropriate to include here.

Paragraph 8: I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you.

For a teaching-primary letter, try this outline instead:

Paragraph 1: “I write to apply” to the job. This paragraph contains the job information and your brief summary of education and interests. Include teaching specializations and expertise.

Paragraph 2: “My teaching focuses on” and include a brief summary of your philosophy and the instructional goals relevant to your field. Be sure to include specific examples from your own experience!

Paragraph 3: Demonstrated effectiveness in teaching. Include awards, increased responsibility, and quantitative evaluations. Do not  include quotes from your students. Use objective, evidencebased language rather than emotional statements to describe your teaching effectiveness.

Paragraph 4: Additional areas of teaching. Include programs you’ve directed, innovative curriculum, and any study abroad program experience.

Paragraph 5: Research description. (Here is where you talk about your dissertation or current research project.)

Paragraph 6: Publications. (This may not be needed for instructor- only posts.)

Paragraph 7: Tailoring paragraph; outlines your specific interest in the department and job, focusing on instruction. Include courses you’d like to develop, teaching collaborations with other faculty, or any program or curriculum potential you see.

The foundation of a solid job letter is your research into the target institution. Research is what allows you to show that you are an excellent candidate for the specific job to which you are applying. For example, if the department doesn’t have a graduate seminar series or a pedagogy course for doctoral students, a plan to form one, especially in a department that currently has concerns around student engagement and persistence or future faculty preparedness, could make you look especially appealing. If, however, the department already has a mentoring or study abroad program, talking about starting one shows that you didn’t do your research. This research allows you to tailor your representation of your research interests and teaching specializations, as well as your service experience and plans, to the department’s strengths (and also its notable gaps).

This research includes reaching out to your personal and professional network in order to get candid, immediate information and impressions about the department, the institution, and the specific role being offered. It can sometimes be difficult, especially with broadly written postings, to determine exactly what the department is looking for, and information from people who are currently or who have recently been members of that department can make the difference between a compelling dossier and a generic, overly-broad depiction of your candidacy.

It is also very important that you use the opportunity your job letter offers to present yourself as a fellow professional seeking a professional role in the department, rather than a downtrodden grad student humbly petitioning the search committee for access to the ivory tower. If you refer to department or university faculty in your job letter or other documents, do so briefly and professionally. Your publication plan is specific and well-thought-out. Your second research project is conceptually well-developed and you have a detailed plan for it, including (at least in broad strokes) how you will pay for it and where you plan to publish your findings.

Your research into the department and institution will allow you to identify the gap the department is attempting to fill and present yourself as the candidate who will completely occupy that space with regards to your research, teaching, and service. Your careful presentation of your research and teaching record and your demonstration of a fully realized next research project will show that you understand the demands of a faculty position and are capable of getting tenure.

Research Statement

The research statement is an explication of your research trajectory. It shows the committee where you are, where you’ve been, and where you are going in your research, and helps them to see the way you form ideas and develop them into projects; a well-articulated research statement can be a powerful argument for your potential as a colleague and contributing member of a department, institution, and field.

Your research statement should be on plain paper with 1” margins, in 12pt Times New Roman, Garamond, or another standard font. Begin with a line containing your name, centered, and then below it, also centered, the title “Research Statement”.

Remember to focus on the research, rather than yourself or your feelings about your research. Be sure to include details around methods, theoretical underpinnings, and contributions to the field for every project you mention. Do not omit publications, conference panels or talks, and grants related to these projects. Be direct and positive in your language (never “attempt to show” or “try to prove”).

Consider using the structure below, expanding or compressing your discussion depending on application instructions around length.

Paragraph 1: Briefly sketch the theme and topic of your current research and locate it within your discipline.

Paragraph 2: Summarize your dissertation research, including details around methods, theory, and your core arguments.

Paragraph 3: Contribution to the field.

Paragraph 4: Publications arising from or associated with the dissertation, including your book plan, if appropriate. (This may be 2-3 paragraphs if you have additional research projects.)

Paragraph 5: Summarize your next project. Include topic, methods, theory, and contribution to the field. Detail the grants you plan to apply for and the publications and conference talks that you expect to result.

Paragraph 6: Conclusion. Briefly summarize the impact of your research agenda on your discipline, the wider community, and even humanity (if applicable).

Starting Points

Starting points. The answers to some or all of these questions might be a good starting point for your research statement if you are stuck. Not all the information these questions elicit will be a good fit for your research statement, but it may help you better write about your work.

• What got you started in your research?
• What motivates you to research?
• How are your research past and research present connected?
• What techniques and approaches have you used successfully in your research?
• What are some challenges you have overcome in your research, and how did you succeed?
• How have you used your research to teach and mentor your students?
• What are the specific research concerns of your target department and institution?
• How do those concerns affect your work, and how will your work affect them?

Teaching Statement

The teaching statement is an articulation of your teaching philosophy and methods as they relate to your field, and shows how they are informed by your understanding of pedagogical best practices as well as the type of research you engage in.

Your teaching statement should be on plain paper with 1” margins, and in 12pt Times New Roman, Garamond, or other standard font. You have one side unless otherwise indicated in the application instructions. Begin the statement with a line containing your name, centered, and the document title directly below, also centered.

Make sure that you are demonstrating a clear understanding of your discipline and its contributions to the greater good, and that you are representing yourself as a rigorous and informed instructor with high standards and expectations. Supply concrete examples of methods, techniques, and assignments drawn from classes you’ve taught.

Do not fall back on clichés about your subject matter or your love of teaching. Do not be excessively humble or emotional in your writing, and make sure that your teaching statement doesn’t detract from the picture your other documents paint of a rigorous, successful academic. Do not offer student testimonials about your temperament, relatability, or how your class changed someone’s life.

Make a broad claim about a general good that can be achieved through teaching. Show how you bring about this good through specific teaching strategies. Give concrete examples of how you use these strategies in pursuit of this good. Provide evidence that you have effectively brought about this good. Stay on message (your statements and job letter, together, should be consistent in how they portray you as a scholar and professional). Your strong conclusion should wrap all these things up nicely while staying on message.

If you are having trouble getting started, try answering some or all of the following questions. You may not use all or most of this pre-writing in your final statement, but your answers may help clarify your thoughts and provide a starting place.

• Why do you teach?
• What do you expect the outcomes of instruction to be?
• How do you know when you have succeeded in teaching?
• What do you personally value about teaching and learning?
• How does the context of your topic influence your teaching?
• How has your research affected the ways you teach?
• What pedagogical techniques and approaches do you use in your teaching?
• How do you approach evaluation and assessment?

Diversity Statement

Your diversity statement demonstrates your awareness that higher education has typically been harder to access for underrepresented and economically disadvantaged groups, and shows that you understand that the content of higher education curricula has both reflected and contributed to the marginalization of these groups. In your diversity statement, you will show how your awareness of these facts affects your research, teaching, and service.

The diversity statement should be on plain paper with 1” margins in 12pt Times New Roman, Garamond, or other standard font. Begin with your name, centered, and the title “Diversity Statement” below it, also centered.

Remember that you do not have to occupy a minority position to have an opinion on diversity; as a job seeker—in any role and sector of employment—you must be prepared to work with and teach people who are different from you. Consider how the way you do your work has changed as a result of your understanding of questions of diversity and inclusivity. Stay away from vague generalities about “differences having value” in favor of a concrete articulation of your strategies, developed through experience and reflection, for putting your awareness of diversity concerns into practice in your teaching, research, and service.

Remember to do you preliminary research for this statement as well. What programs and initiatives already exist at the institution? What are the major concerns of this institution around diversity and equity? Make sure that your statement is speaking to those concerns.

Avoid comparing an experience in your background or a personal trait to an historical basis for discrimination or refusal of access to education if the comparison is inapt. (Examples: “that time I was bullied for being smart”, left-handedness, red hair, etc.) Don’t simply tell a story about a time when you had feelings about privilege or obstacles to success, and don’t be overly general about a vague “commitment to diversity”. Most importantly, don’t worry too much about offending search committee members who may be annoyed by calls for diversity and inclusivity in higher education. They are unlikely to read this statement anyway, so you might as well be honest.

Answering the following questions may help if you are struggling with a starting point for your diversity statement.

• What’s your story?
• What obstacles (whether yours or those of others) have your experiences exposed you to?
• What privileges have you experienced or observed?
• What do you know about the institutional and legal barriers that have historically existed between marginalized groups and higher education, and how does this understanding inform your stance around diversity, inclusion, and equity?
• What are some specific ways you have helped students to succeed, and how do these efforts demonstrate your commitment to equity and diversity?
• What programs or initiatives have you participated in that aimed to increase success and retention for underrepresented or socioeconomically disadvantaged students?
• What ideas do you have for such programs or participation in the future?
• Help & Support
• Guide to Academic Job References
• Guide to Academic Networking
• Guide to Negotiating an Academic Job Offer
• How to Apply for a Postdoc
• How to Write a CV
• Interviewing for an Industry Job
• Negotiating Your Salary & Benefits
• Networking for Your Industry Job Search
• Get Involved
• Professional Development

All Formats

8+ Academic Application Letters

Academic application letters are always needed in the processes that are needed in the field of academics. No matter how and where you are to use it, it is very important to always assure that your academic Letter of application will help you get your purpose. Also, it will allow you to have a more professional take in the transactions that you want to create within the premises of the school.

Academic Job Application Letter

Academic Scholarship Application Letter

Free Academic Position Application Letter

• This letter may be sent if you want to apply for an open teaching position. If you are planning on using academic letters of application for this purpose, you need to be able supply all the qualifications that you have in terms of academic experiences and excellence.
• There are also other academic jobs which you may apply at and where this letter is essential. A few of these job functions are being the school’s librarian, administrative secretary, registrar, and a lot more jobs that is needed to supply the needs of specific school premises and departments.
• The goals that you want to achieve which is your driving force in getting a scholarship and attaining a quality education which you may use in your future endeavors.
• The information that you may provide about yourself especially in terms of academics and activities that you have done for the past years as a student.
• Your ability to pass all the requirements that is expected for you to provide and the assurance that you will do your best to represent the school the best way possible.

Free Sample Application Cover Letter

Free Application Form for Travel Grant

Free Academic Application Cover Letter

Letter of Application for Academic Promotion

Letter of Application for Academic Advisor

Academic Transactions

Other uses of academic application letter.

• Application for a study grant abroad
• Application for academic promotion
• Application for academic adviser position
• Application letter for admissions

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