How to Address a Letter of Intent for Graduate School

The Recipient

• 1

  Get the name and address of the person you will write to. Make sure the name is spelled correctly. Also, make sure you have his correct title.

• 2

  Punctuate and capitalize correctly.

• 3

  Go with the last name. Don't address the individual by his first name. Use an appropriate title and the last name.

The Inside Address

• 4

  Use the title along with the first and last name of the recipient.

  Example:

  Professor Larry Brown

• 5

  Include the full address where the letter is being sent. This includes the name of the recipient, the name of the department, the institution, the campus address and the city, state and ZIP code.

  Example;

  Professor Larry Brown

  Graduate School of Education

  University of South Dakota

  414 East Clark

  Vermillion, SD 57069

• 6

  Place the inside address below the date and above the salutation.

Other Elements

• 7

  Start with the heading. According to the Purdue Online Writing Lab, the basic business letter includes your complete address and full date and is placed about one inch from the top of the paper.

• 8

  Follow with the inside address four spaces below the heading. Include the name and address of the person and/or institution.

• 9

  Follow the inside address with the salutation two spaces below the inside address. Begin with "Dear" followed by the name and title of the person who you are writing.

• 10

  Write the body of the letter. Begin two spaces below the salutation. Single space the body.

• 11

  Complete the letter with a closing two spaces below the body. "Sincerely" or "Yours truly" are common closings.