Education Cover Letter: 6 Steps to Write a Job-Winning One [+Example & Template]

The different positions in the education sector are endless, from special education teacher to sports coach and back around to math tutor. But the tricks to writing a perfect education cover letter are not.

A requirement for most formal applications, besides a resume or CV, an application letter for education is important for both first-time and well-seasoned teachers. Acting as a first-hand account of who you are, what you’ve done, and why this matters, the cover letter education background is, arguably, the most important part of an education application.

And, out of all the job positions you could apply for, an education position is the one application where it’s essential to have a well-written education cover letter. Not only does a well-crafted, well-written education cover letter portray you in a more, y’know, teacher-like light, but it also gives you the opportunity to flaunt your writing prowess to the school. 

It’s also worth letting this sink in for a moment: how can a school, let alone a parent, entrust their child’s education with a teacher who can’t even ensure that their education specialist cover letter reads well and is clear of grammar mistakes and misspellings? Doesn’t make for a very good impression, does it?

Okay, enough of the lecture. Let’s get into how to write an education cover letter, what an education cover letter looks like (that’s right, we have samples), and how to use an education cover letter template.

As previously mentioned, there’s a range of positions within the education sector, which of course makes for a range of different education cover letters. If this is your first time writing a cover letter for an education position, why not first take a look at the following two cover letter examples for education assistants:

• Higher education cover letter (with experience).
• Education assistant cover letter, no experience.
  

Let’s check out this first sample cover letter for higher education administration:

Now here’s the second sample, which is an early childhood education cover letter no experience:

It’s all very well and good reading cover letter examples for education jobs, but what about crafting your own? Obviously, that’s a little bit trickier.

To help you out, we’ve broken down the education cover letter into 7 key parts. Include every one of these and you’ll have the best cover letter for education positions in no time!

Whether it’s a special education cover letter, an elementary education cover letter, or simply a generic cover letter for an education assistant, make sure to include:

✍🏻 Contact information

Seems fairly simple, but it’s often the most omitted part of any cover letter, let alone an education cover letter. And it really shouldn’t be. Mentioning the contact information of both you and the recipient makes for a formal cover letter, and will really put your cover letter for education position in the top spot. 

But where should you put the contact information in an education cover letter? Easy, just follow the same format as the education cover letter template. Too lazy to scroll down a bit? We got you. 

Here’s how to structure the contact information in an education cover letter:

• Your contact details: name, address, phone number, email.
• Date (Month/Day/Year)
• Their contact details: name, position, school address, contact information (if you know it).

✍🏻 Salutation

Everyone loves a good greeting, and especially a personalized one at that. It’s also just common courtesy to address the recipient of a letter - or an education cover letter.  

If the name of the hiring manager isn’t known, cover letters for education positions can also be addressed to the position of the person you’re sending the application to. For example, a ‘Dear Administrator’ would work as a decent salutation in the event no name is available.

✍🏻 Introduction

It goes without saying that a good cover letter for education officers, or any cover letter in fact, includes an impressive introduction. This should be a brief intro of who you are, what position the application is for, and what the main qualifications are that make you suitable for this role. You may choose to mention your current job position at this time. 

✍🏻 Your qualifications

Education cover letters, be they physical education cover letters or education officer cover letters, all require you to highlight the suitable qualifications and/or achievements that make you the perfect candidate for the role.

No matter the position, it’s also best if you’re able to quantify such achievements, ideally with numbers to really shine a light on what happened and how you made a difference.

For those unable to do this, your education cover letter can instead highlight transferable skills that link with the keywords mentioned in the job description. Even though you may have acquired skills like effective communication, teamwork, and attention external to the education sector, they are still likely to be relevant to most education jobs.

✍🏻 Reasons for wanting to work for the institution

Otherwise known as: what are your motivations for applying to work at that specific school, as opposed to another? Why are you passionate about the specific role you’re applying to? Consider the school’s teaching method, your possible personal links to the school and/or to their mission and vision. All of these ideas should be addressed in the education cover letter.

✍🏻 Closing

You’re nearly there; just need to wind down your education cover letter, and the best way to succinctly do this is to:

• Restate your excitement and passion for the position.
• Give thanks for the recipient’s consideration of your application.
• (Politely) push for a follow-up.
  

It’s really that simple.

✍🏻 Sign-off

Phew, the main part of the education coordinator cover letter or general education cover letter is over, that should be it right? It’s not quite time to let your guard down yet. Before clicking send on your application, remember to end your education cover letter with a formal close. If you’re stuck for examples, here’s a few polite sign-offs to choose from.

If feeling more on the professional side, it’s worth including a signature on cover letters for education jobs in addition to the formal typed sign-off. Simply put pen to paper or copy and paste a signature to the bottom of the document. And then you’re done.

Looking for an easy way to make the perfect cover letter for education position? Look no further than this awesome education cover letter template. Simply insert all the necessary information that pertains to your own education cover letter, and voila! Sorted.

By now, we’ve covered education cover letter examples, how to write an education cover letter for an education position and even an education cover letter template. Surely, there isn’t anything more related to crafting an application letter for education jobs that you need to know about, right?

Well, kind of. In addition to what we’ve already mentioned, there are three super important things to be aware of before writing your own education cover letters.

💡 Include relevant education skills.

It helps for most jobs if you include skills relevant to the job description, so don’t forget to glance over the job posting requirements before writing your application letter for education, and tailor the skills/achievements/qualifications mentioned accordingly. 

Not only will relevance show to the employer that you’ve really understood the role, but - and here’s the good part - it will make your education cover letter more likely to help you nab that job.

Don’t worry if you’re writing a cover letter for education assistant position without any professional experience; just try to add relevant experiences that reflect the relevant education skills required.

For example, let’s say you’re a certified lifeguard. While not quite an educational certificate, this certification still expresses your hardworking capabilities and proficiency in keeping children safe. If that’s something the job requirements are looking for - ie. relevant skills - be sure to include that in your educational assistant cover letter.

💡 Format your education cover letter

Well-written cover letters are a must, and education cover letters are no exception. Make sure your grammar’s up to scratch, there’s no typos, and the letter format is normal (ie. normal margins, decent font size, etc. - you get the picture). 

In general, education cover letters are made up of 3 to 4 paragraphs and don’t exceed a one-sided A4 page. It should be clear what applicants are trying to discuss in each paragraph, and it’s advised to minimize the usage of the pronoun “I” along the way.

💡 Personalize your education cover letter

Everyone loves personalized letters, even cover letters. Don’t lose your dream job because you copy and pasted a generic education cover letter; whether it’s a cover letter for education officer or a physical education cover letter, make yourself stand out as an applicant by personalizing your education cover letter to the person or school that you’re addressing.

This can be done by tailoring your education cover letter to match with the position, school, or district, often through discussing specific achievements that align with their culture, mission and vision, and future goals. Little bit business-y but this will definitely make any cover letter for education job stand out.

Conclusion

We’ve come to the end of this article, so let’s do a quick recap on what to remember when crafting an education cover letter:

• Introduce yourself and why you’re passionate about the role and school you’re applying to.
• Explain and provide evidence for why you’re the perfect candidate for that specific school.
• Highlight transferable skills if you don’t yet have any relevant teaching experience.
  

And that’s it. We’ve given you sample education cover letters, an education cover letter template, and even a clear guide on how to write an education cover letter, but now it’s your turn. Time to get writing!

— Originally written by Eva O'Mara —