How to Write a Graduate Cover Letter (UK Guide and Template)

A cover letter does what a CV cannot: it connects your experience to one specific job and shows you actually want it. For graduates with limited experience, that connection often matters more than the CV itself.

This guide covers when you need a cover letter, UK conventions, a paragraph-by-paragraph structure, a full example for a marketing assistant role at a small company, and a short version for email applications. Pair it with our graduate CV template, and see our guide to graduate jobs in the UK for the wider search.

Do you need a cover letter for a graduate job?

Usually, yes. If you apply with a CV, send a cover letter unless the advert tells you not to.

Prospects advises including one with every application unless the advert says otherwise, and the National Careers Service recommends one whenever you apply with a CV. How much weight it carries depends on the employer:

• Small and medium-sized employers (SMEs): the University of Cambridge Careers Service says you will typically be asked for a CV and cover letter. The letter is often read by the person you would work for.
• Large graduate schemes: many use their own online form with motivation questions. If there is no upload field, those answers do the cover letter's job, so the same principles apply.
• Speculative applications: the letter is the application. The National Careers Service says to explain what kind of job you are looking for and why you want to work there.
• "Optional" uploads: treat optional as recommended. It is a free chance to stand out.

How long should a graduate cover letter be?

One side of A4 at most, in three to five short paragraphs, which is Prospects' guidance. In practice that is roughly 250 to 400 words.

A few formatting conventions:

• Use the same font and size as your CV, as both Prospects and the National Careers Service suggest.
• Save it as a PDF so it opens cleanly on any device, unless the employer asks for Word.
• Put your contact details and the date at the top, and the job title and any reference number in the opening line.
• Name the file clearly, for example "Jordan-Ellis-Cover-Letter.pdf".

Who should you address it to, and how do you sign off?

Address a named person wherever you can. UK convention pairs "Yours sincerely" with a named greeting and "Yours faithfully" with a generic one.

To find a name, check the advert, the company's team page and LinkedIn. Prospects says phoning the organisation to ask who is recruiting is also acceptable, and for agency roles you should address the recruitment consultant. Generic greetings are for when you have genuinely tried.

Avoid "To whom it may concern", which reads as dated, and never open with "Hi" on a first application. For email applications, "Kind regards" is a common and acceptable sign-off.

How do you structure a graduate cover letter, paragraph by paragraph?

Use four paragraphs: what you are applying for, why you can do the job, why you want this employer, and a confident close. This follows the structure recommended by both Prospects and the National Careers Service.

Paragraph 1: the opening

Name the role, where you saw it, your degree and when you can start, in one or two sentences. Skip "My name is...": they can see it at the top.

Paragraph 2: why you can do the job

Pick the two or three most important requirements in the advert and prove each with a real example, ideally with a number. Use the advert's own keywords, and add context your CV cannot give rather than repeating it. The National Careers Service suggests backing up statements with facts using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), which in a letter can shrink to a sentence or two per example.

Paragraph 3: why this employer

Show you have done your research: their products, customers, recent news or values, and how they connect to what you have done or want to do. Test it by asking whether you could send this paragraph to a competitor. If you could, rewrite it.

Paragraph 4: the close

Restate your interest, say you would welcome an interview, note any dates you are unavailable and thank them. Prospects advises mentioning salary only if the employer asks for it.

A fill-in template

Use this as scaffolding, then rewrite it in your own voice so it does not read like a template:

1. Opening: "I am writing to apply for the [job title] role (ref. [reference]) advertised on [where you saw it]. I graduated in [year] with a [classification] in [subject], and I can start [date]."
2. Evidence: "Your advert asks for [requirement 1], [requirement 2] and [requirement 3]. As [your role, project or job], I [what you did], which [result, with a number if possible]. [One or two more examples, one per requirement.]"
3. Why them: "I have followed [something specific about the employer] since [when or how you found it]. It matters to me because [link to your experience, studies or goals]."
4. Close: "I would welcome the chance to discuss how I could contribute to your team. I am available for interview [your availability], and my CV is attached. Thank you for considering my application."

Example graduate cover letter: marketing assistant at an SME

Below is a full example for a fictional graduate applying to a marketing assistant role at a small independent homeware brand. The applicant, the hiring manager and every detail are invented, and the company is deliberately not named, so swap in your own experience and research.

Why this example works

• The role and reference number are in the first sentence.
• Paragraph two mirrors the advert's three requirements, in order, with numbers attached.
• Paragraph three could only be sent to this employer.
• Every claim comes from a degree, a society role or a part-time job, which is exactly what graduates have.
• At around 330 words, it fits comfortably on one page.

Short version for email applications

When you apply by email, put a shorter version of your letter in the body of the email and attach your CV. Prospects suggests pasting the letter into the email rather than attaching it, partly to reduce the risk of spam filters catching it.

Keep it to three short paragraphs, with the role and your name in the subject line:

How should you tailor a cover letter for an SME vs a large graduate scheme?

Keep the structure; change the emphasis. SMEs want to know you can contribute quickly and fit a small team, while large schemes score you against published criteria, often at high volume.

The pace differs too. The Cambridge Careers Service says SMEs recruit year-round, typically 2 to 3 months from application to start, compared with up to 12 months for graduate schemes. And the volume at large employers is high: the Institute of Student Employers' Student Recruitment Survey 2025 found an average of 140 applications per graduate vacancy.

For SMEs, also consider speculative letters. Many small firms hire without advertising widely, a pattern we cover in the hidden graduate jobs market.

What are the most common graduate cover letter mistakes?

Most mistakes come down to being generic. Prospects warns that recruiters quickly spot letters sent to many employers.

• Wrong names. A previous employer's name or the wrong job title. The National Careers Service says to check the company name and recruiter's details.
• Repeating your CV. Add context and motivation instead.
• Focusing on what you want. "This would be a great opportunity for me" tells them nothing. Prospects says to focus on what you offer.
• Claims without evidence. "I am hard-working and a great communicator" needs an example, or cut it.
• Apologising for limited experience. Lead with what you have done.
• Running past one page.
• Copying a template word for word, including this one, which Prospects specifically advises against.
• Typos. Proofread after a break rather than straight after writing, and read it aloud.

Final checks before you send

Run through this list before you click submit:

• A named greeting with the matching sign-off.
• The correct role title and reference number.
• Two or three requirements from the advert, each backed by evidence.
• One paragraph that could only go to this employer.
• One page, saved as a PDF, in the same font as your CV.
• A saved copy, because the National Careers Service notes you may be asked about it at interview.
• A diary note to follow up: Prospects suggests a brief email if you have heard nothing after two weeks.

Before sending, run your CV through the free AI CV review so both documents are equally strong. Find roles worth writing for on GradWorx Search, which lists hundreds of live graduate roles, internships and placements, or try GradWorx Discover to be matched to roles with the reasons explained. And when the interview invitation arrives, our guide to graduate interview questions and how to answer them is the next step.