A letter of intent tells an employer or a school that you are committed to a specific job or program, explains why you chose them and sets out what you bring and what you plan to do. Keep it to one page. Pick job or academic below and your letter is written as you type, ready as a free PDF.
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What to include in a letter of intent
The reader wants to know two things: are you serious about this particular place, and are you ready for it? Each part
of the letter answers one of those questions.
A clear statement of intent. The first sentence names the job or program and says you intend to pursue it. No warm-up.
Why this place. One or two reasons that only apply to this employer or school: a program, a team, a placement, a person whose work you know.
What you bring. Your most relevant experience, with one example and a number if you have one.
Your goals. For a job, what you plan to achieve and why you intend to stay. For a program, what you will study and what you will do afterward.
Practical details. Your start date or intake, and how to reach you.
A short, polite close. Thank the reader and offer more information. "Sincerely" and your name.
When you need one
"Letter of intent" is mostly a North American term, and it is used in a few distinct situations:
Hiring pools and residencies. School districts, hospital nurse residency programs and
graduate schemes often hire in batches and ask for a letter of intent with your application instead of a cover
letter for one vacancy.
After an interview or offer conversation. Some employers ask you to confirm in
writing that you intend to accept a role if it is offered, or that you want to stay in the running.
Internal moves. Applying for a trainee program or a promotion at your own employer.
Graduate and professional programs. Many master’s, PhD and certificate programs ask
for a short letter of intent, sometimes in place of a full statement of purpose.
If you are writing to a company that has not advertised a job, you probably want a letter of interest instead.
Letter of intent, cover letter or statement of purpose?
Document
Written for
Focus
Cover letter
One advertised job
How you meet the requirements in the ad
Letter of intent
An employer, hiring pool or program
Your commitment, your reasons and your goals
Statement of purpose
A graduate program
Your academic story and research plans, in more depth
When an application asks for one of these by name, write that one. If a graduate program asks for a "statement of
purpose", see our statement of purpose guide; if
a job ad asks for a cover letter, use the cover letter builder.
Tips that make a difference
Say "intend", not "hope". The point of the letter is commitment, so write with confidence.
Prove you did your homework. Mention a real program, unit or faculty member. Check every name and spelling.
Use one strong example per point. A single result with a number beats a list of qualities.
Match the instructions. If they ask for a word limit, specific questions or a file name, follow them exactly.
Send it with your resume or CV, laid out in the same style. Our letter styles match our free resume templates.
A letter of intent for a job or program is not usually a binding commitment, but employers and schools take it at
your word. Business letters of intent are different and can be partly binding. This is general information, not
legal advice.
Letter of intent examples
Three for jobs and three for academic programs. Load any one into the tool, then change the details to your own.
Job
New teacher to a school district
A student teacher tells the district where they did their placement that they want to stay.
Letter of intent: Grade 5 Teacher
Dear Dr. Angela Morris,
I am writing to state my intent to work at Cedar Valley School District as a Grade 5 Teacher, and I am available to start in August 2027. I would like to explain why I have chosen Cedar Valley School District and what I would bring to the role.
I completed my student teaching at Lincoln Elementary this year, and I saw first-hand how the district’s small-group reading program helped children who had fallen behind. I want to teach somewhere that puts that kind of effort into every student.
During my placement I planned and taught a six-week unit on fractions, and the class average on the end-of-unit test rose from 64% to 82%. I also ran parent conferences for 26 families with my mentor teacher.
I plan to build my career in Cedar Valley. In my first year I want to bring every student in my class up to grade level in reading, and in time I would like to help run the after-school reading club.
Thank you for considering my letter. I would welcome the chance to talk about how I can contribute to Cedar Valley School District, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, Daniel Reyes
Why it works: It names the school, the program and a measured result, so the reader knows exactly who this is and why they fit.
Job
New graduate nurse to a hospital residency
For a nurse residency program that asks for a letter of intent with the application.
Letter of intent: New Graduate RN Resident (Cardiac Step-Down)
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am writing to state my intent to work at Riverside Methodist Hospital as a New Graduate RN Resident (Cardiac Step-Down), and I am available to start in February 2027. I would like to explain why I have chosen Riverside Methodist Hospital and what I would bring to the role.
My final clinical rotation was on your cardiac step-down unit, and the way the charge nurses taught at the bedside convinced me this is where I want to start my career.
I passed my BSN with a 3.7 GPA and completed 240 clinical hours, 120 of them in cardiac care. I worked two years as a patient care technician, so I am used to twelve-hour shifts and to working closely with a busy team.
I want to earn my Progressive Care certification within two years and stay with the unit after the residency ends.
Thank you for considering my letter. I would welcome the chance to talk about how I can contribute to Riverside Methodist Hospital, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, Aisha Thompson
Why it works: It connects a clinical rotation to the unit the writer wants, and it makes a clear commitment to stay after the residency.
Job
Current employee to a management trainee program
An internal move: the employer already knows the writer, so the letter focuses on readiness.
Letter of intent: Assistant Store Manager Trainee
Dear Karen Wu,
I am writing to state my intent to work at Brightway Grocers as an Assistant Store Manager Trainee, and I am available to start in March 2027. I would like to explain why I have chosen Brightway Grocers and what I would bring to the role.
I have worked at the Midtown store for three years and I want to keep growing with Brightway. The trainee program is the clearest route to managing a store of my own.
As shift supervisor I schedule a team of 14 and have cut our weekend overtime by a third since January. I have also trained six new cashiers, and four of them have since been promoted.
I would like to complete the program within a year and take on an assistant manager role at any store where I am needed.
Thank you for considering my letter. I would welcome the chance to talk about how I can contribute to Brightway Grocers, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, Marcus Bell
Why it works: It uses things the manager can check, like store results and training already done, rather than general claims.
Academic
Master’s program in public health
For a program that asks for a short letter of intent instead of a long statement of purpose.
Letter of intent: Master of Public Health (Epidemiology)
Dear Admissions Committee,
I am writing to state my intent to apply to the Master of Public Health (Epidemiology) at the University of Texas Health Science Center, starting in Fall 2027. This letter sets out why I have chosen your program, what I bring to it and what I plan to do with it.
Your program’s field placements with the Houston Health Department are the main reason I am applying. I want to learn epidemiology by working on the same community health problems I see every day.
I have a B.S. in Biology and two years of experience as a community health worker. I helped run a diabetes screening project that reached 1,200 residents, and I built the spreadsheet we used to track follow-up visits.
I want to focus on chronic disease surveillance and, after graduating, work for a city or county health department on prevention programs.
Thank you for considering my application. I would be glad to provide any further information the admissions committee needs, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, Priya Natarajan
Why it works: It links real work experience to a specific course and a clear career goal, in under 300 words.
Academic
PhD program with a named research interest
Names a research area and faculty whose work fits, as PhD committees expect.
Letter of intent: PhD in Environmental Engineering
Dear Graduate Admissions Committee,
I am writing to state my intent to apply to the PhD in Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan, starting in Fall 2027. This letter sets out why I have chosen your program, what I bring to it and what I plan to do with it.
I am applying because of the department’s work on low-cost water quality sensors, especially Professor Alvarez’s research on nitrate monitoring in rural wells.
For two years I have worked as a research assistant in a soil chemistry lab, where I ran field sampling for 40 sites and co-authored a conference poster on nitrate runoff. I hold a B.S. in Civil Engineering with a 3.8 GPA.
My aim is to develop sensor methods that small water utilities can afford, and to continue in academic research or a government lab after my PhD.
Thank you for considering my application. I would be glad to provide any further information the admissions committee needs, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, Jonah Feldman
Why it works: It is specific about the research question and shows the writer has read the faculty’s work, without overclaiming.
Academic
Transfer from community college to a university
For an undergraduate transfer application that asks why you want to move.
Letter of intent: B.S. in Computer Science
Dear Admissions Committee,
I am writing to state my intent to apply to the B.S. in Computer Science at San Diego State University, starting in Fall 2027. This letter sets out why I have chosen your program, what I bring to it and what I plan to do with it.
I am drawn to your cybersecurity concentration and the student-run security lab, which would let me apply what I learn in class to real problems.
I will complete my associate degree at Fresno City College in June with a 3.9 GPA. I tutor introductory programming in the campus learning center and recently placed second in a regional capture-the-flag competition.
I plan to complete my degree in two years, take part in the security lab, and start my career as a security analyst.
Thank you for considering my application. I would be glad to provide any further information the admissions committee needs, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, Sofia Ramirez
Why it works: It explains the move in positive terms, focusing on what the new school offers rather than what the old one lacked.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a letter of intent and a cover letter? +
A cover letter answers a specific job ad and shows how you meet its requirements. A letter of intent says you are committed to working for an organization or joining a program, explains why, and sets out your goals. It is often asked for by school districts, hospital residency programs, graduate programs and employers with ongoing hiring, rather than for one advertised vacancy.
Is a letter of intent the same as a statement of purpose? +
They overlap. A statement of purpose for graduate school is usually longer (often 800 to 1,000 words) and goes deep into your academic story and research interests. A letter of intent is shorter, more formal, and laid out as a letter, typically one page. If a program asks for one by name, use that format and follow any word limit it sets.
How long should a letter of intent be? +
One page, usually 250 to 400 words. If the employer or program gives a word limit, follow it exactly.
Who do I address it to? +
A named person if you can find one: the hiring manager, the residency coordinator or the program director. Otherwise use "Dear Hiring Manager" for a job or "Dear Admissions Committee" for a program. The tool does this for you when you leave the name blank.
What about business letters of intent? +
In business, a letter of intent (LOI) is a different document: it sets out the main terms of a deal, such as a purchase or a lease, before a contract is signed, and parts of it can be legally binding. This page does not cover those. Ask a lawyer to draft or review a business LOI.
Is this letter of intent template free? +
Yes. Fill in the form, download the PDF or copy the text, all free, with no watermark, and you just need a free account to download. Your draft stays in your own browser.