Cover letter guidance for International students

Purpose of the cover letter

A cover letter is a personal introduction about your interest in an opportunity (this could be a graduate job, an internship, or another type of work experience).   

Curriculum vitaes (CVs) are more of a factual presentation of relevant qualifications, skills, and experience.

The cover letter helps you convince the employer of your suitability and it’s also a useful document for expressing your enthusiasm and emphasising your individual skills and strengths.

Writing style

A well-written and tailored cover letter in combination with a focused CV can be really effective. Here is our key advice on how to create one: 

• Your cover letter should be no more than one page of A4. 
• The job role or work experience opportunity should target the criteria. 
• Make sure you show your enthusiasm for both the opportunity and the employer. 
• Write in clear and concise sentences to draw attention to your suitability. Avoid writing in elaborate language. Think Business English style. 
• Ensure your letter has a strong structure with a clear introduction, middle paragraphs, and a conclusion. 
• Try to address your letter to a named person where possible. For example, "Dear Mrs. Wood". If you don’t have a name use either “Dear Sir or Madam”.   
• Finish your letter with either “Yours Faithfully” (if addressed to Dear Sir or Madam) and if you have a name, end with “Yours Sincerely”.   
• To begin your letter, you can use AI tools like chatGPT. However, remember that automated recruitment systems can detect AI-generated documents. It is important to note that an effective cover letter is authentic and includes relevant personal experiences and key skills you have developed. AI-generated cover letters are also easy to spot and this will not make you stand out in the recruitment process.

For further information on cover letters read our guide.