Education Cover Letter—Examples, Template, & Guide

Perfecting your resume and excitedly sending it out to land you a new job… only to never get a response. Ring a bell? 

Boost your chances of acing this initial job-hunting test by writing an education cover letter that shows your true potential. 

In this article, you’ll get:

• Two sample education cover letters: for experienced and entry-level educators.
• Step-by-step tips on how to write an education cover letter that will land you more interviews.
• An education cover letter template you can copy, adjust, and have ready in 15 minutes.

Save hours of work and get a cover letter like this. Pick a template, fill it in. Quick and easy. Choose from 20+ cover letter templates and download your cover letter now.

Create your cover letter now

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

What users say about ResumeLab:

I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your cover letter.”
Patrick

I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work!
Dylan 

My previous cover letter was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful!
George

Create your cover letter now

Take a look at some of our related cover letter guides: 

• Teacher Cover Letter Sample
• Elementary Teacher Cover Letter Sample
• ESL Teacher Cover Letter Sample
• New Teacher Cover Letter
• Academic Advisor Cover Letter Sample
• Academic Cover Letter Sample
• Cover Letter for Faculty Positions Sample
• Substitute Teacher Cover Letter Sample
• Tutor Cover Letter Example

Looking for more cover letters? Check the full list: Best Cover Letter Examples for Every Industry

Education Cover Letter Examples

First up, let’s have a read through Elizabeth’s cover letter—

Elizabeth is an experienced English teacher, applying to a high school that places emphasis on extracurriculars, exam and college preparation, and overall engagement of students with a focus on appreciating and facilitating their individuality. 

Here’s how she chose to prove her suitability for the role: 

Education Cover Letter Sample: Experienced Candidate

Sounds like the school would be lucky to have her, doesn’t it? If you’re not quite as experienced as Elizabeth, though, you may be wondering how to prove your potential without all those impressive professional achievements. 

No worries—there are ways to write an effective education cover letter with no experience, too. 

Noel’s cover letter is one example. The school to which Noel is applying has a strong focus on STEM and enjoys a reputation for having high-end equipment and technology. The only experience he has is from his classroom hours during his studies to become a teacher, and yet he manages to make it work perfectly: 

Sample Cover Letter for Education Position: No Experience

If this doesn’t convince Principal Hughes to give a new teacher like Noel a chance, nothing will. That’s assuming that his resume was of a similarly high standard. Double-check yours before submitting your application, with this article as a guide: Education Resume Examples & Tips. 

Now then—we’ve seen examples, let’s examine the process! 

How to Write a Cover Letter for Education Jobs

Education professionals work in educational institutions, either as teachers or as aides and assistants. A successful education cover letter should outline what makes you a suitable candidate for the role, including your key skills, specialist knowledge, and experience. 

Here’s how to write an education cover letter just like that: 

1. Apply the Right Format to Your Education Cover Letter

Dog-eared, slightly crumpled pages with messy handwriting and, ugh, vaguely dirty fingerprints—AKA, the average piece of junior high homework. Poor presentation will hurt even the best essay, and it won’t do any favors to your cover letter, either. So, take some time to give your cover letter a professional format: 

• Left-align the text—it makes lines easier to follow with one’s eyes. 
• Include one-inch margins and 1.15 line spacing—no, not for marking, just for the sake of adding a bit of white space. 
• Choose a font that doesn’t draw attention to itself—like Calibri or Arial. You can (and should, in fact) simply match it with your resume font. 
• Use a modern cover letter heading for your contact details. Copy the one from your resume if possible, that will give your documents a matching, branded look. 

As you work on your cover letter, watch the word count, the best cover letter length is between 250 and 400 words split into 3–4 paragraphs, so well under one page. 

2. Use a Professional, Business-Style Header

One more topic to discuss regarding the look of your cover letter is the way you address it. It’s best practice to use a business-style heading in your document—after all, a cover letter is a type of formal correspondence. 

The standard way to do this is to list your contact details first, then the place and date of writing, followed by the recipient’s details. Regarding the latter—

Try to address the letter to the person who’s making the hiring decisions at your organization of choice. This may be the school principal or a member of HR—it’ll depend on the role and the school. The name of the person may be mentioned within the job ad, so double-check if that’s the case. If not, do some research online or call the place and ask. 

Here’s a template of what to include: 

Sample Cover Letter for Education: Header Template

Expert hint: If you’re emailing your cover letter in the body of the message (rather than as an attachment), you don’t need to include a heading. Instead, list your contact details in your email signature, below your name. 

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

3. Write a Compelling Opening Paragraph

If you were successful in learning the name of the person who’ll read your cover letter, great. You can start your cover letter with the best possible salutation: Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name], e.g., Dear Principal Smith or Dear Ms. Watson. 

If this isn’t an option for any reason, default to Dear Hiring Manager—it’s miles better than Dear Sir/Madam or, heaven forbid, To Whom It May Concern. 

Next comes the first paragraph of your cover letter proper, which should do two things: first, introduce your experience and the position to which you’re applying, and second, show your skills and/or value straight away. 

You know how to complete the first goal—just mention the post you’re after and your years of experience in education. 

As for the second part—showing your value—try to outline a relevant professional achievement of yours to catch the reader’s eye. You could also reference something you’d achieve for the school if hired. Take a look at the sample education cover letters up top to see how experienced and new candidates have successfully dealt with this! 

To help you even more, we’ve prepared another education cover letter template: 

Sample Cover Letter, Education: Introduction Template

4. Elaborate on Your Key Strengths and Experience

In the second paragraph of your cover letter, focus on describing which parts of your experience make you the ideal candidate for this role. You don’t need to cover everything you’ve ever done—that’s pretty much what your resume is for. Instead, focus on the things that are directly relevant to the job at hand. 

For guidance on what to include in your cover letter, refer to the job advertisement: it should list specific skills the employer is after, along with key tasks you’d be performing. Focus on two or three key points and draw on your accomplishments to prove you’re a great fit. 

This template should make the task easier: 

Cover Letter Examples—Education Middle Paragraph Template

5. Explain Why You Want This Job

Most educational institutions are quite similar, and outside of pay differences between regions or states, offer comparable perks and benefits. So, what makes you want to work for this particular one? 

For maximum points, try to build your answer around something that stands out about the employer—like their mission, values, focus, recent activities, or planned developments. If you’re not sure what to say, do some research online—most institutions make this kind of information public and widely available. 

Here’s an education cover letter template to help you structure the third paragraph: 

Education Cover Letter Samples: Your Motivation

6. End Your Education Cover Letter on a Strong Note

Now to wrap things up. In the final sentences of your cover letter, offer to discuss your suitability for the role in more detail during an interview. You can also restate your potential to the employer by offering to accomplish a specific goal for them if hired. 

Follow this paragraph with Best regards or Yours sincerely, and your full name. Include a digital signature if possible, for an extra-professional touch. 

Here’s a basic template to help you end your cover letter: 

Education Cover Letter Template: Ending

With ResumeLab’s resume builder you’ll write your resume in a flash. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You’re the perfect candidate and we’ll prove it. Just pick one of 21 resume templates and get started now.

Key Points

Here’s how to write a successful education cover letter: 

• Use an accepted format for your cover letter—it should look like official business correspondence. 
• Address the cover letter directly to the person who’ll read it, and catch their attention with a compelling opening paragraph. 
• In the body of your cover letter, elaborate on the experience and skills that make you the perfect candidate, and outline why you want to work for this particular employer. A compliment or two won’t hurt! 
• End on an offer to share more during an interview and suggest you could put your skills towards achieving a specific goal for the employer. 

Thanks for reading! Are you still not sure about something to do with writing your education cover letter? Perhaps you have some tips of your own to share? Let us know in the comments section below, we’d love to hear from you!

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.