English (UK)
My account

You control your data

We use cookies to tailor the experience of creating resumes and cover letters. For these reasons, we may share your usage data with third parties. You can find more information about how we use cookies on our Cookies Policy. If you would like to set your cookies preferences, click the Settings button below. To accept all cookies, click Accept.

Settings Accept

Cookie settings

Click on the types of cookies below to learn more about them and customize your experience on our Site. You may freely give, refuse or withdraw your consent. Keep in mind that disabling cookies may affect your experience on the Site. For more information, please visit our Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

Choose type of cookies to accept

Analytics

These cookies allow us to analyze our performance to offer you a better experience of creating resumes and cover letters. Analytics related cookies used on our Site are not used by Us for the purpose of identifying who you are or to send you targeted advertising. For example, we may use cookies/tracking technologies for analytics related purposes to determine the number of visitors to our Site, identify how visitors move around the Site and, in particular, which pages they visit. This allows us to improve our Site and our services.

Performance and Personalization

These cookies give you access to a customized experience of our products. Personalization cookies are also used to deliver content, including ads, relevant to your interests on our Site and third-party sites based on how you interact with our advertisements or content as well as track the content you access (including video viewing). We may also collect password information from you when you log in, as well as computer and/or connection information. During some visits, we may use software tools to measure and collect session information, including page response times, download errors, time spent on certain pages and page interaction information.

Advertising

These cookies are placed by third-party companies to deliver targeted content based on relevant topics that are of interest to you. And allow you to better interact with social media platforms such as Facebook.

Necessary

These cookies are essential for the Site’s performance and for you to be able to use its features. For example, essential cookies include: cookies dropped to provide the service, maintain your account, provide builder access, payment pages, create IDs for your documents and store your consents.

To see a detailed list of cookies, click here.

Save preferences

Academic Advisor Cover Letter: Sample & Writing Tips

Distracting students from today’s Instagram drama and getting them to think about their major is no easy task. Prove you can do it in your academic advisor cover letter.

Dave Rygielski
Dave Rygielski
Career Expert
Academic Advisor Cover Letter: Sample & Writing Tips

Academic advisors provide guidance to university students in choosing courses, majors and minors, as well as making sure they fulfil all the requirements of the degree. Long story short—you talk. They listen. 

It’s time to make some money out of what you do best. Here’s how to put being wise and being listened to in an academic advisor cover letter.

In this guide:

  • An academic advisor cover letter sample that aces any examination.
  • How to format your cover letter.
  • A fill-in-the-blanks template that will produce your cover letter for academic advisor jobs within 15 minutes.

Save hours of work and get a cover letter like this. Pick a template, fill it in. Quick and easy. Choose from 21 cover letter templates and download your cover letter now.

Create your cover letter now

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOWacademic advisor cover letter examples

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

Looking for different cover letter examples? Check these out:

Are you writing different CVs for education jobs? See our dedicated guides:

Academic Advisor Cover Letter Example

This academic advisor cover letter sample comes from Joyce, who already has some experience in the field.

Let’s see how she does.

Margarita W. McGee

20 Mitchell St,

Durham DH1 4DQ

312-008-0605

margo74@me.com

Durham, Sept 5, 2020

Professor G. Clarke

Durham University

Stockton Rd,

Durham DH1 3LE

Dear Professor Clarke,

Being an alumna of Durham University, I was elated to find an opportunity for an academic advisor such as myself. With 8+ years of experience at Sunderland, I can boast a track record of reducing dropout rates by 75% and improving the average grades by 8%. I am eager to leverage my experience to improve the outcomes of students at Durham University, which I once was.

At Sunderland, I have advised 80+ students a year, usually mentoring 4-6 at-risk or gifted students more closely. My advisee dropout rate is the lowest of any advisor, at 2.2%. I have maintained a rate below 3.5% for all of my years at Sunderland, in spite of the general drop out rate being 9% when I arrived. Having spent my whole academic career in the field of psychology, I am routinely assigned, and also exercise initiative in mentoring at-risk students. On average, such student’s grades improves by 0.3 after a year’s mentorship. In the past 8 years, these mentorship schemes as well as a strong mental health early prevention program have helped decrease the number of students seeking crisis help or interrupting their studies to almost zero. I have supported 15 students in obtaining external grants and scholarships based on their circumstances. 

I believe my tenure and experience makes me perfectly equipped to help guide the next generation of Durham University students towards success, as I once was. It was Professor Chandler’s kindness and mentorship that not only allowed me to finish my studies, but implanted a deep motivation to help guide the next me.

When would be a good time to schedule a call or interview to discuss how we can improve retention rates and student outcomes at Durham University?

Best Regards,

Margarita W. McGee

How to Write an Academic Advisor Cover Letter

1. Use a Professional Cover Letter Format 

Have you ever received a university application with typos in it? A grant application with blatant errors? What did you think of that person? Not much, I bet. You can’t afford to send a sloppy cover letter. For peace of mind, apply these cover letter formatting rules before and after you finish writing.

Don’t lose points on your cover letter format:

Here’s what to include in your cover letter for academic advisor jobs.

Expert Hint: Do you need a cover letter?HR statistics show almost 50% of hiring managers still expect to get them.

2. Address Your Academic Advisor Cover Letter

Copy over your CV header. Do not skip your physical address—some institutions still favour the traditional methods of reply. Underneath, write down the date and city. Below, the details of the department head or person handling your application.

Make sure you get all the positions, academic and honorary titles correctly, as well as the exact physical address. You don’t want to send your cover letter and all the attachments to the right campus.

Check against this template:

Academic Advisor Cover Letter Header 

[ Your Full Name]

[ Academic Advisor Title ]

[ Physical Address ]

[ Phone Number ]

[ Email Address ]

[ Date ]

[ Department / School Head ]

[ Academic Advisor / Honorary Titles]

[ Academic Advisor Department ]

[ University Name ]

[ Address ]

[ City and Zip Code ]

Expert Hint: When emailing your cover letter, put your name and job title in the subject line. It will make it easier for them to find you later.

3. Identify The Post You’re Applying To and Introduce Yourself

Address the head of the relevant faculty by their proper title and surname. Don’t waste time, start your cover letter by clearly identifying the academic advisor post you want to take. Right away introduce the biggest reason someone might have for employing you.

What are the two biggest metrics for an academic advisor? Grades and retention rates. They both equal money and prestige for the university. This is why you should lead with them. Wanting to help students is noble, but it’s not the students deciding to hire you.

You can just replace the [blanks] with your information:

Academic Advisor Cover Letter Sample: Introduction

Dear [proper academic title] [surname]:

As an academic advisor with [X]+ years of experience at [Institution Name], I am excited to apply for an open position at [Target Employer Name]. With a proven track record in [Skill / Achievement 1] and [Skill / Achievement 2], I am confident I can improve retention rates and student outcomes at [Target Employer Name].

Double your impact with a matching CV and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter builder 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 18 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

4. State Your Case

In the body of your academic advisor cover letter, you should devote up to 120 words to 2-3 of your biggest achievements. Once again, numbers do a better job of illustrating your efficiency to your new employer.

Research every institution independently and focus on their principles and goals for the next few years. Think about how you can help them meet those challenges head on, and what achievements of yours prove that you can handle it.

Academic Advisor Cover Letter Sample: Middle Paragraph

At [Previous Employer], I have advised [X]+ students each year, predominantly in the [department] faculties. I have advised [level of education, i.e. Master’s] level students, and managed to [an improvement you made]. I have maintained [Result / metric] consistently, and I am committed to [area for further improvement]. I am ready to meet your [Specific Employer requirement], as I have extensive experience in [skill / responsibility backed up with result].

Expert Hint: Don’t write a general cover letter. But how to determine what to focus on? Reach out to the faculty through an informational interview, and you’ll be much more certain on what angle to take.

5. Tell Them Why It’s Them

There is a finite amount of colleges in this country. There is also a good number of colleges where you never want to work personally. Unfortunately, that’s not going to be enough justification for Ivy League employers.

Explain in no uncertain terms what you understand about the institution you’re applying to and how it informs your decision. Make them feel like they’re the only place you’re applying to.

Fill in the [blanks]:

Entry-Level Academic Advisor Cover Letter Sample: Third Paragraph

I am extremely excited to even be considered for this position at [target organisation name], as I believe the [university’s/faculty’s/department’s] focus on [principle / value / goal] will allow me to [desired effect for the employer]. I would be glad to bring my expertise in [Skill / Achievement] to improve student outcomes at [target institution name].

Expert Hint: Did you know that BLS data shows that advisors employed in colleges and universities earn an average of £54,000, but in junior colleges, that figure averages out at £63,000? 

6. Request the Interview & Leave a Call To Action

You don’t ask, you don’t get. A piece of advice you’ve probably given a thousand times. Applies here, too. Don’t wait for their decision, ask for a call or interview explicitly to discuss an improvement or benefit you can make happen for them.

End your cover letter with a formal closing, such as ‘Best regards’.

Like this:

Sample Academic Advisor Cover Letter: Call to Action & Closing

Could we have a call or a meeting to discuss how my [your best, most relevant skill/their most important requirement][skills/experience] can help [target institution name] achieve [something important to this institution]?

Best regards,

[Digital copy of your handwritten signature]

[Your full name]

[Phone number]

[Email address]

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

create your CV now

CREATE YOUR CV NOW

Nail it all with a splash of colour, 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 18 CV templates and get started now.

Key Points

Before you send your cover letter for academic advisor positions, make sure to:

  • Format it properly: elegant font, even margins, spacing, a legible header with all the information.
  • 1st paragraph—60-80 words. State the position you are hoping to take, and your credentials in this regard.
  • Main Paragraph—120-200 words. Explain in detail that you are the best match for them by referencing your relevant skills and achievements.
  • 3rd paragraph—40-60 words. Explain your motivation for applying to this particular institution.
  • Sign off and ask for an interview.

Do you have any more questions about writing a cover letter for academic advisor jobs? Did you find our academic advisor cover letter sample helpful? Leave us a comment, I’ll be more than happy to hear from you!

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Approach

At ResumeLab, excellence lies at the heart of our values, underpinning our promise to provide outstanding career resources. Our team of career experts meticulously assesses each article in line with our editorial guidelines, guaranteeing our content's high quality and dependability. We consistently engage in original research, illuminating the nuances of the job market and earning acclaim from various influential news outlets. Our commitment to delivering professional career advice draws millions of readers to our blog annually.

Rate my article: academic advisor
Thank you for voting
Average: 5 (1 votes)
Dave Rygielski
Dave Rygielski
Dave is a career expert delivering a wide range of well-researched advice regarding the job hunting and application process. At ResumeLab, his data-driven resume and cover letter guides help readers capitalize on their potential.

Was it interesting? Here are similar articles