Cover letters-for-academic-positions ( Sudanese Researchers Foundation), By Dr. Suad Badri. Recorded on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR6nf5-npsY Contributed to this session Dr. Hisham Yousif, Dr. Hassan Hamdoun, Dr. Omayma H. , Eng. Gasim Ibrahim, & Mr. Omer Alimam. Hosted by Dr. Anwar Dafa-Alla Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR6nf5-npsY

1. COVER LETTERS FOR ACADEMIC
POSITIONS
SUDANESE RESEARCHER’S INITIATIVE
HTTP://WWW.GRAD.ILLINOIS.EDU/SITES/DEFAULT/FILES/PDFS/ACADEMICCOVERLETTERS.PDF

2. THE BASICS
A cover letter must accompany and
be tailored to any application you
submit.
 Before applying for any position, do
your homework and check the
institution you are applying for, the
research group you are planning to
join, the group's publications, and
any recent publications by other
groups related to the project they
announced.

3. THE BASICS
Address to the individual named in
the advertised posting, or with
“Dear Members of the Search
Committee.”
The cover letter is a writing
sample. It must be well written.
Proofread and spell check!

4. OPENING PARAGRAPH
Introduce yourself
Refer to the specific position for which you are
applying and how you learned about the position
or institution.
Briefly, but specifically, explain why you are
interested in the position and institution, linking
that to their mission statement.
Outline the reasons why you are applying for
this position and what makes you an excellent
candidate.

5. BODY PARAGRAPHS
Address requirements and desired skills
outlined in the job posting.
Provide brief, specific examples to demonstrate
your skills and experience—do not to simply
repeat your CV.
Stress interest in conducting research and
elaborate on the institution’s current research
topics.
Emphasize interest, commitment, and past
experience in related fields.

6. CONCLUSION
Reinforce your interest and enthusiasm.
Indicate what you would like to see as next
steps. For example, state that you look
forward to speaking with the people in
charge.
Thank them for their time and
consideration.
End with a professional closing such as
“Kind Regards” or “Sincerely,” and your full
name

7. EXTRA TIPS
 After you finish writing the 1st draft, take few hours or 1 day break
before you start revising, editing and proofreading what you wrote
so that you can catch the errors with a fresh eye.
 Ask a qualified person to check your final version, sometimes our
minds overlook our writing flaws
 Re-read your final version and make sure that you corrected all
mistakes, even the tiniest mistake might make you look careless
and give a bad first impression about you.
 You know that professors receive 100s of applications/position, so
make your application stand out and unique. Try not to use the
standard available online examples
 Formatting is really important so please don't forget about it. Pay
special attention to the tiny details that people overlook or forget
about most of the time.
 For online applications, always save a copy of your cover letter in
a Word document.
Curtsey; Rasha AlBashier

9. Sample Cover Letter
Ms. Jane Doe
Environmental Foundation Scholarship 123 E.
60th Street Washington, D.C.
Dear Ms. Doe,
I learned about the Environmental Foundation Scholarship you are offering
from FastWeb and am interested in applying for the award.
I am a freshman at State University, where I have been majoring in Biology
and have been very active in the Environmental Club. Upon graduation,
I hope to continue my studies in graduate school so that I can eventually
achieve my goal of becoming an environmental scientist.
I believe my credentials fit well with this award, and I would appreciate it if
you would accept my application for the scholarship.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Sarah Parks
456 Elm Road New York
Note: This is a very simplified version, fir for the limitations of this presentation