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Career Paths – Creating a Cover Letter for Academic Positions
Published 16 days ago • 7 min read
Hi Reader, another heads-up for you:
Register for our fifth edition of the career paths webinar!
But now back to our weekly lesson:
Bachelor’s, master’s, PhD, postdoc, group leader, or tenure-track, you might need to prepare a cover letter.
However, there are significant differences depending on your level of seniority that you should be aware of.
So, let’s look at what makes a good academic cover letter.
The Purpose of a Cover Letter
Your cover letter should prove why you are the right candidate for the position/program.
It contextualizes your expertise and experiences, as well as providing the reader with an impression of who you and what your plans are.
As you can see, academic cover letters tend to be text-heavy. For visual purposes, these are one-page examples, although longer ones are more common. You can find templates like the one on the right on Cultivated Culture and the one on the left on resumegenius. PS: There is no need for extremely large paragraphs, but don’t try to reinvent the wheel or be overly concise either.
That means, in contrast to your CV, it is much more tailored to the specific program or position you apply for.
In other words, your cover letter should answer:
Why you are a good fit for the position/program
Why you want to apply to this specific role in this specific institution
What your plans for the future are (and how they might benefit the institution)
Just like in industry, you don't want to regurgitate your CV. It’s about explaining your fit for the position through a narrative:
What a Cover Letter Contains
A cover letter for academic positions is normally 1.5–2 pages long.
Of course, the more senior you are, the longer it can be, whereas for younger applicants, one page is completely fine.
In short, you start with an introductory paragraph that provides a concise summary of your application.
Then follow two to three paragraphs on your experience, your fit with the institution, and your goals. Finally, end with a brief thank-you statement.
Introductory Paragraph
Much advice suggests to include what you are applying for and where you found the advertisement in your first sentence
Whether you consider this sensible is up to you.
Academic cover letters may be longer, but that doesn’t mean they should include unnecessary filler. Instead of writing “I am currently,” you can be more direct by opening with “As a final-year English student at Oxford University…”. Similarly, phrases like “for a number of reasons” add extra words that may cause your reader to start skimming. However, in academic cover letters, it is often valuable to include specific details - such as the people you have met or worked with - because this information helps demonstrate your academic engagement and fit.
To my mind, the first paragraph can instead function as a summary statement that makes the reader interested in continuing.
Since it’s the first thing someone reads, communicating in one or two sentences why you fit and how what you want to achieve aligns with their interests sparks curiosity and allows them to right away get the impression that you might be a good match.
Within the following paragraphs, there are several key points you should aim to cover. However, there is no strict order or strategy you must follow.
Of course, this is just for visualization - demonstrating that there can be different ways to structure the content of your cover letter. Nevertheless, you generally want to stand out through your content, not your structure. Therefore, most people stick to differentiating themselves by research topic, methods, motivation/fit, volunteering, etc., as indicated on the left. Overall, have a look at the job ad, if one exists, and choose what best fits your argumentation. A hybrid format is also fine - just make sure you clearly communicate your points without jumping around too much. PS: find the template here.
In the end, your cover letter should be convincing. How you achieve this is up to you:
Experience and Fit
Outline your major research experiences and explain how they are relevant to the position.
Yes, people want to know what your research was about topic-wise and what you discovered, but avoid excessive detail.
Click to enlarge. Readers of your cover letter may come from different backgrounds, so avoid heavy technical jargon and add an explicit note explaining why it was significant. This example is once again taken from the jobs.ac.uk guide. Because it comes from outside the sciences, it clearly illustrates how important it is to consider your reader’s interests. The guide also provides a rewritten positive example.
From PhDs to postdocs to group leaders, it becomes much more important to demonstrate your methodological expertise.
Have you mastered the methods or instruments that are important in this laboratory or institution?
As a group leader, do you have sufficient (or any special) expertise to guide research in that area?
Similarly, the higher the position you apply for, the more important it becomes to outline how you contributed to the field.
Highlight significant findings, publications, awards, or recognitions to show your influence and standing in the subject instead of discussing the work of others.
It goes without saying that the above includes relevant skills you have acquired.
Why You Chose This Role
You should also explain why you are applying for this specific program/position/institution.
Indicate why the institution, laboratory, or research group interests you.
What do you think is special about it?
To what extent does it contribute to your development?
What does it specifically allow you to do?
For students, elective modules, projects/labs, or teachers are points to mention.
Also, including how the research topics fit well with your future or past path can be a useful perspective to take.
Also, mentioning specific people you are interested in working with can be effective at all levels, as it shows preparation.You may also explain how the institution aligns with your goals and values, although this is often a minor part unless the institution has clearly outspoken values that differentiate it. As seniority increases, responsibilities broaden. For example, applicants for group leader or tenure-track roles should address teaching fit.
For junior applicants, highlighting your ability for teamwork is an idea - it is generally expected that you know how to fit in.
You should talk about you but consider making clear why the institution would benefit from hiring you. This is where your plans and strategy become important.
Research Plans and Motivation
For postdoctoral or faculty positions, outlining your research plans is essential.
Which projects do you want to pursue, and what outcomes do you expect?
Be concrete and try to highlight why it matters. That goes both ways, broadly and more specifically, outlining how your institution will benefit. How does it fit into their current portfolio or why is the new perspective you provide so valuable? When your readers clearly see what they gain by hiring you, your application becomes more compelling. Also, including how you plan to conduct your research is of interest. The visuals of the distribution and hourglass concept come from the MIT EECS Communication Lab as guidance for how to write research statements. In your cover letter, though, you want to be more concise.
Mentioning previous successes in securing grants, as well as a clear plan for future funding, can be useful.
Do you have access or expertise in special methods or valuable contacts?
For more junior applicants, the focus shifts toward ambition and passion rather than detailed project roadmaps.
Put your past and future into perspective. Your past establishes your qualifications, your future should align with the program or institution. By explaining what motivates you, you give the reader a clearer sense that you have thoughtfully considered your trajectory and make it easier for them to identify with your ambition. Just don’t be too broad, or neither purpose will be achieved.
Convey genuine intellectual interest in the topic. It doesn’t require childhood anecdotes, but a brief outline of what drives your interest can be effective.
Pro tip: Subtly demonstrate familiarity with the literature and, where possible, mention specific projects or questions you want to investigate.
Value Beyond Research
Your cover letter can also highlight any additional value you bring.
> For junior candidates, it often means showing initiative and engagement beyond coursework. Examples include:
> For senior candidates, this often means clearly demonstrating recognition and connections.
service in scientific societies,
involvement in events or their organization,
science communication effort,
reviewing for journals,
technical skills such as coding or editing.
Think about what could be of use to your “employer/boss.”
What do they seek from an applicant? Anything that fits into this category can appear in your cover letter.
Transferable Skills
I wanted to dedicate a section to this topic because it differs so much from applications in industry.
The academic world is much more open to transferable skills.
For junior positions, experiences outside the field you apply for can even be a big plus.
As mentioned when we talked about CVs, in academia it is more about you as a person and your potential; anything that enriches your skill set is considered valuable. Just think about what your new position will require and how your previous experiences either posed similar challenges or allowed you to develop valuable traits.
By the same token, your cover letter is your chance to explain why you changed fields or, if you lack a certain skill, what you bring instead.
Really make use of this by showing what you bring to the table that might make you unique.
For more experienced scientists this counts too, but make sure to include only what clearly contributes to your value; otherwise, prioritize more tangible aspects.
Different Ways of Submission
Of note, when you apply for a group leader or a postdoctoral position, you will probably write a traditional cover letter.
However, for applications to bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD programs, it is often the case that you will find an online platform with several questions about your research experience, your passions, and your plans.
It is basically your cover letter cut into pieces. Therefore, don't worry, the very same advice outlined above applies.
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