application letter to a nursing school

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Nursing School Application Cover Letter Example

Need a nursing school application cover letter example? Look no further. Nursing school applications can be tough and writing a formal cover letter requires a bit of guidance. Nursing school application cover letters can be a great way to emphasize your professional work experience or volunteer work as you apply for nursing school. But unlike a personal statement, cover letters are bit more structured and formal writing. Nursing admissions consulting services can certainly help coach students on writing cover letters but reading nursing school application cover letter examples is a good place to start, too! In this blog, we’ll look at what a nursing school cover letter is and how to write a strong cover letter. At the bottom, we’ve also included some samples of nursing cover letters.

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Article Contents 6 min read

What is a nursing school application cover letter.

A nursing school application cover letter works almost the same as a cover letter for any job application. For prospective nursing school students, a cover letter is the introduction to your application package, and a way of introducing yourself on paper to the admissions committee of a school. It is similar to a nursing school letter of intent or nursing school personal statement , but there are some key differences.

Firstly, a cover letter is typically shorter and more formal than a personal statement. It also tends to focus on your professional work experience, volunteer experience and skillset. A nursing school cover letter is designed to demonstrate why you are a good fit for a nursing program and how you will be an excellent future medical professional. A letter of intent or personal statement usually examines your personal motivations, experiences and reasons for wanting to become a nurse. It’s your way of answering the question ‘ why do you want to be a nurse ?’.

A nursing school application cover letter is a formal letter, typically no more than one page long. Or about 200-400 words maximum. Since the word count is low, you’ll need to be fairly concise and get to your point. You’ll also need to limit yourself to only a few points and keep things relevant. Like other formal letters, such as letters of intent, they include several important sections, which we’ve outlined below.

Restate why you are an ideal choice for the program and what you bring to the table. Invite them to get in touch if they have any questions about your application. Use a formal, polite salutation to close your letter. "}]'>

Writing a good cover letter means convincing the admissions committee that you are a prime candidate or a nursing program and to give you a chance to interview with them. To do so, you want to provide evidence of your candidacy by sharing key experiences or skills you have. Then align those experiences to the nursing school’s program values. The cover letter allows you an opportunity to highlight the most important sections of your application package and demonstrate how you will become an excellent future nursing professional. There are many different kinds of experiences you can emphasize in your cover letter, even if you don’t have much work experience in health care or related jobs. Read some physician cover letter examples or MBA cover letter examples to get a better idea of what kind of experiences to include. You can also look at some ERAS experience section examples to see what kind of professional and personal experiences admissions committees like to see.

Next we’ll look at what kind of experiences to include in your nursing school cover letter—and what to leave out!

If you have any nursing certifications such as a CPR course, or have achieved anything noteworthy in your academic or personal life, such as a lifeguarding save at the community pool, definitely include these in your cover letter! These can be excellent examples of what you have to offer the nursing profession, and your dedication to living by the values of the profession. ","label":"Certifications or achievements","title":"Certifications or achievements"}]' code='tab1' template='BlogArticle'>

What not to include

Your cover letter is relatively short, so avoid using too many details or launching into extensive personal anecdotes or stories. Avoid getting lost in the weeds or using irrelevant examples. Be sure to show why your chosen examples are relevant to the nursing school’s values or the nursing profession. It’s also important not to repeat too much information from your resume or other parts of your application. Elaborate and expand, but don’t just rehash old information.

Here we’ve included some samples of nursing school cover letters for your reference. Use these examples to help you write your own cover letter for nursing school!

Dear Director Higgins,

I am writing today as part of my application to your program at [Nursing School]. I am a recent graduate of [Pre-med university] and I am excited to take this next step in becoming a nursing professional. In my application you will see that I exceed the stated qualifications for your program intake, but first allow me to share with you why I believe I will be an excellent nursing student.

Throughout my undergraduate years, I have worked as a server at a family restaurant. In my years of working there, I have cultivated many desirable soft skills that make a good professional nurse, such as strong communication skills, diplomacy and conflict management. In interacting with the customers and other staff, I have developed an ease in managing all kinds of different individuals. Working alongside a restaurant team has also been very rewarding for my personal skill development, as it is a fast-paced and sometimes chaotic environment. It is challenging, but strong teamwork and collaboration is essential, and I have learned effective ways to work as part of the team.

I am also proud to have some experience in caring for patients. Although I have not had the opportunity to provide for human patients, I volunteer my free hours at an animal shelter, helping to care for sick animals, do routine cleaning and medication administration. I am consistently recognized for my strong work ethic, my compassion for the animals we help and my steady hands when helping the staff vet administer injectable medications. I have found working with these animals to be incredibly rewarding, and I look forward to an opportunity to work with human patients as a professional nurse.

I believe my experiences have give me a solid introduction to the work of a nurse, and I am excited to continue my education in health care. I will be an enthusiastic student in the classroom and no doubt an excellent example of the kind of nurse [Nursing School] can produce. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding my application. I look forward to your reply.

Sanjay Deepa

  Writing a letter of intent instead? Read this infographic.

Free Webinar: How to Make Your Nursing School Application Stand Out ","buttonText":"Register Now!","buttonColor":"#ffffff","bannerUnderText":" Limited Spots Available ","trustpilot":false}' :url='"https:\/\/bemoacademicconsulting.com\/nursing-app-webinar-registration"' code='banner2' background-color='#000066' button-color='#ffffff' banner-image=''> Sample #2

Dear Admissions Committee,

I am writing this letter to share my qualifications for admission at [Nursing School] in this application cycle. I am a graduate of [University] and I have dedicated myself to gaining the needed experience in healthcare for the past several summers. My goal is to enter a career as a nurse in a women’s health centre or health clinic.

In pursuit of this goal, I have been gaining shadowing experience with several nurses at the [Name] Women’s Health Clinic in [City]. It was important to me to have multiple shadowing experiences so I could get some insight into my future career from actual practicing nurses and see firsthand what treating patients was like. I have found these experiences incredibly rewarding, as I have been able to assist with patients and earn valuable experience interacting with them in a clinical setting. Shadowing has shown me what I can realistically expect from a career in women’s health, and it has solidified my decision to enter this field of medicine. I have also been fortunate to meet a team of dedicated and talented nurses who have shared with me their insights on working in women’s health. Their advice and guidance on my burgeoning clinical skills has been a valuable teaching experience for me. Several of these nurses have also agreed to write letters of recommendation for me which you will find in my application package.

My shadowing experiences have given me a solid foundation of nursing and I am looking forward to starting my journey to becoming a women’s health care nurse. Please feel free to contact me at the email address or phone number on my application. I look forward to enrolling in the fall semester.

Kind Regards,

Alexandra Clopin

To write a cover letter for nursing school, use a formal letter format with the addressee’s name and title, an introduction, body and conclusion, followed by a formal salutation and closing. You should also include your contact information and details. 

While a cover letter for nursing school is not always required, it can be a good idea to include one anyways. A good cover letter can help your application by providing some context or expanding on the information in your application.

To write a strong cover letter for nursing school, include the best and most meaningful of your professional or volunteer work experiences. Highlight the skills and abilities you have that relate to the nursing profession and provide clear, relevant examples.

Cover letters use a formal letter structure, as well as the familiar introduction, body and conclusion for the main sections of the letter. 

A nursing school cover letter might include examples of your work experience, any skills, achievements or certifications you have that relate to your ability to become a good nursing professional, or how your personal values and commitment align with the nursing school’s mission and values. 

No, a cover letter is not always a requirement for nursing school applications. Some nursing programs may ask for one, or they may state it as an optional part of your application. 

Begin a cover letter for nursing school with a “Dear [Name and Title]. Try to address your letter to a specific person. If you’re not sure who will be reading the letter, use “Dear Admissions Committee” or similar. Avoid using “To Whom it May Concern.”

Cover letters are used to “pitch yourself” and secure an interview opportunity. They are an admission committee’s first impression of who you are and what you bring to the table. To pitch yourself in a cover letter means convincing the admissions committee that you have the experience, drive and skills to succeed in a nursing program. Essentially, you sell them on the idea that you are a prime candidate.

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Business , Letter of Intent

Nursing School Letter of Intent

Nursing schools are institutions that specialize in providing registered nursing students with training and education. The demand for registered nurses is in high demand in medical offices, healthcare facilities, clinics, hospitals, insurance companies, among several other institutions. But before becoming a registered nurse, you’ll need to gain entry into a nursing school. Doing this requires you to write a nursing school letter of intent.

The main reason for writing this letter is to prove to the admissions committee that you want to pursue a nursing program. This letter also includes particulars such as any experience, positions, character traits, skills, and stories that made you passionate about gaining admission to the specific school or program. Moreover, state why the admissions committee should consider you rather than other applicants.

What Is a Nursing School Letter of Intent?

The nursing school letter of intent, which is also referred to as the personal, purpose, or admission essay, is where you try and show to the board why you’re best suited for the nursing program. When writing one, it’s recommended you observe the laid down formatting guidelines, which have become a requirement by many nursing schools.

Other than stating your qualifications, goals, and interests that drove you to wish to pursue nursing, don’t forget to mention what you intend to do after graduating as a registered nurse. Including such details will increase your chances of being admitted into your dream nursing school. Consequently, you’ll be able to achieve both your educational and career goals.

How to Write The Nursing School Letter Of Intent?

When writing the nursing school letter of intent, there are steps you need to observe. Here’s an overview of the steps to follow when writing this letter.

Create A Plan

You shouldn’t jump ahead and write the nursing school letter of intent. Instead, set aside space and time to when you’ll entirely focus on writing the letter. After all, you don’t want any distractions that might affect how well you write the letter, thereby impacting your chances of getting admitted into the nursing school.

Think Of Ideas

This involves writing everything that made you interested in writing in the first place. Highlighting these things will better explain what you’re hoping to achieve while in nursing school and during your career as a nurse. Before writing the ideas in the letter, it’s best you first list them and choose only those that you feel will fit best in the letter.

Share Your Thoughts

After you’re done making a list of things that fascinate you about getting admitted into nursing school and a nurse, later on, classify these ideas into relevant categories. Using these categories, you’ll be in a position to decide where to place the points in the different paragraphs.

Write A Rough Draft

Having a draft is essential to ensure all the facts in the nursing school letter of intent are flowing well by confirming the ideas flow sensibly. The language you use should also be professional as you’ll be addressing the admission committee. In addition, try your best to express your thoughts well.

It’s while writing the draft that you should choose to either send the letter physically or electronically. Nowadays, many nursing schools expect you to submit an electronic application, so adding the traditional business header won’t be necessary.

Read Through The Letter of Intent

You shouldn’t send your nursing school letter of intent without carefully revising all the content included. This includes making sure you’ve used persuasive language and that the formatting is well done. When editing the letter, you’ll detect errors such as spelling and grammatical mistakes, remove unnecessary words, and add any information you might have forgotten.

Sample Of Nursing School Letter Of Intent

Dear (Name),

I am first thankful for looking at my admission and reading through my letter. I appreciate this a lot as I’m interested in joining the nursing graduate program that Columbia University is offering. This program, I believe, will be best-suited to me as I’m a hardworking and passionate individual with a great interest in nursing. Therefore, I’m confident to quickly become an incredible nursing student.

The first time I got interested in nursing was after volunteering to offer my services to a nursing home close to home. This was five years ago, and attending to the older people at this nursing home made me feel the good I was doing to society. My desire to one day become a nurse grew from here, and from then have volunteered for similar causes whenever I get an opportunity.

This nursing school offers my preferred course that will be perfectly aligned with my goals, hence why I’ve decided to apply here. This institution also boasts an excellent reputation nurturing great nursing professionals who establish a name for themselves. Knowing this, I firmly believe this community will provide me with everything I need to achieve my long-term goals.

Thanks for this considering me, and looking forward to representing Columbia University.

Emily Ramsay

Nursing School Letter Of Intent (Word Template)

The nursing school letter of intent is vital to increase the likelihood of getting admitted into nursing school. Highlighted above are what you should do to write one and increase your chances of getting your desired admission. If you had no clue how to write the nursing school letter of intent, this guide has highlighted everything you need to know.

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