How do I write a cover letter for an Erasmus grant?

Every year, thousands of French students wish to continue their studies at a university abroad, and take advantage of the opportunity to carry out a work placement.

But a stay abroad represents a substantial budget, and in the vast majority of cases, professional internships are unpaid, forcing students to find low-paid odd jobs.

The Erasmus program offers valuable assistance to students who need to finance their university studies. In this article we’ll give you some advice on how to prepare your application for a European mobility grant.

Together we’ll look at how to write a cover letter to convince those who will be reviewing your application.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR WRITING YOUR ERASMUS COVER LETTER

As mentioned above, writing an Erasmus cover letter is essential for all students wishing to obtain a scholarship.

The purpose of this written document is to talk about your studies and career goals, and to explain why you want to continue your studies or do an internship.

WRITE A SHORT, CONCISE ERASMUS COVER LETTER

Every month, the Erasmus program receives thousands of applications for study-abroad grants, so you need to think about who will be reading not only your cover letter but also the rest of your application.

If the employee in charge of your file doesn’t understand the purpose of your cover letter, he’ll read it diagonally and won’t take more than 2 minutes to understand its meaning.

Your letter should be no longer than 1.5 pages, avoiding repetition and handwriting.

USE POLITE EXPRESSIONS

This advice seems obvious to us, but some students forget to take care of the form of their cover letter with polite formulas.

If you don’t know the person you’re talking to, always start with “Dear Sir/Madam” and a careful introductory sentence: “I’m writing to you about my application for the Erasmus program for my studies in Spain”, and so on.

DON’T FORGET TO FINISH WITH THE USUAL FORMULATIONS LIKE :

“We look forward to receiving your reply.
“In the hope that my application will be of interest to you, please accept, Sir or Madam, the assurances of my highest consideration.

STRUCTURE YOUR COVER LETTER

The form of your Erasmus cover letter should be easy to read and not tiring for the person in charge of accepting you into the program.

Space your paragraphs with a line break, and don’t write more than 3 lines per paragraph, as most people don’t read beyond 4 lines.

Follow the conventions of an introductory section presenting your project, a section with your arguments (one idea per paragraph) and a conclusion.

AVOID THE SAME STANDARD ARGUMENTS FOUND IN EVERY COVER LETTER

Indeed, most of the arguments put forward for joining the ERASMUS program focus on improving oral and written language skills.

Instead, focus on your medium- to long-term professional goals, emphasizing the new skills you’ll be able to develop as a result of an internship with a company.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND A UNIVERSITY IN SPAIN, PLEASE GIVE DETAILS OF YOUR REASONS FOR CHOOSING THIS UNIVERSITY:

Why this establishment and not another?
What attracted you to this academic field?
What theoretical courses does the university offer?
And why does this course fit in with your background?

EXPLAIN HOW THE ERASMUS PROGRAM CAN HELP IMPROVE YOUR PROFESSIONAL FUTURE

This is the central idea that should emerge from your cover letter, and we recommend that you place this argument at the end of your cover letter, for example in the section dedicated to the conclusion.

You won’t have to talk about your enthusiasm for discovering a different culture and improving your language skills.

Make the difference by stressing the uniqueness of your career path and the financial support that this scholarship represents, and emphasize the academic and professional opportunities available.

Last but not least, a stay at a Spanish university will give you the opportunity to get to know another academic system, with extensive internship possibilities.