How to write a graduate cover letter

Last updated 26 August 2026 · Capply team

The structure that works

1. Opening (2 to 3 lines): what you are applying for and the single strongest reason you are a credible candidate. Skip "I am writing to apply for..." as your only content; state the role, then say something.
2. Why them (one paragraph): a specific, checkable reason you want this company, something you could not say about their competitor. A project they ran, a market they are entering, how they train their graduates, a person you spoke to at an event. "Prestigious firm with an excellent reputation" is filler and reads as such.
3. Why you (one to two paragraphs): pick the two or three requirements the advert emphasises most, and evidence each with a concrete example from your degree, work, projects or societies. Use the same action-and-result style as a CV bullet, but with room to explain the situation.
4. Close (2 to 3 lines): restate your interest, note availability, thank them. No begging, no "I believe I would be a perfect fit" without evidence attached.

What recruiters are actually checking

• Did you tailor it? The fastest tell is whether the letter could be sent anywhere else. Specificity about the company and role is the whole game.
• Can you match evidence to requirements? This is the skill the letter exists to test, and the same skill application-form questions and interviews test later.
• Can you write? Clear short sentences, no waffle, no clichés, zero typos. The letter is itself a writing sample.

Clichés to cut on sight

• "I am a highly motivated individual with a passion for..."
• "Your prestigious company" / "your esteemed organisation"
• "I work well both independently and as part of a team"
• "I believe I would be an asset to your company"
• Restating your CV line by line; the letter should add context and motivation, not repeat the document sitting next to it.

Using AI to draft without sounding like AI

A generic AI-generated letter has the same problem as a template: it reads as one. The productive way to use AI is to feed it the actual job description and your actual experience, get a structured first draft that matches your evidence to the advert's requirements, and then edit it into your own voice, adding the specific details only you know. That is how Capply's cover letter builder works: paste the job description, add your key experiences, and it produces a tailored draft built on the structure above for you to refine. Your letter is never stored; it is generated, handed to you, and discarded.