• Search Search Please fill out this field.
  • Career Planning
  • Finding a Job
  • Cover Letters

Cover Letter Spacing Guidelines

what line spacing should a cover letter be

Cover Letting Spacing Overview

  • Using Letter Samples and Templates
  • Review Sample Formatted Cover Letters

PeopleImages / Getty Images

Technology has made it easier than ever to apply to jobs. But there’s one part of the process that’s hard to automate: cover letters.

Maybe that’s why so few candidates write them. Only 42% of applicants say that they submit this crucial document when they apply for a job. However, most hiring managers still want to see cover letters from job applicants. Even if they didn’t, it would be a shame to miss out on the opportunity to sing your praises to decision-makers. Write a thoughtful, professional cover letter, and you’ll stand out from the competition before you’ve even spoken with the hiring team.

If it’s been a while since you’ve written a cover letter—or any formal business correspondence—you might feel a little intimidated. Even the  formatting requirements  can feel confusing when you’re rusty.

The good news is that there’s a clear formula for organizing your cover letter. These cover letter spacing guidelines will help you compose a message that makes the best possible impression.

The format of a letter refers to the way the letter is arranged on the page. The format includes spacing, indentation, margins, and more.

When you're writing a cover letter, the spacing is important regardless of what form your letter is in. An email cover letter needs to be as properly formatted as a typed cover letter.

Read below for cover letter spacing and general formatting guidelines for both typed and email cover letters. Two sample cover letters, one for a typed letter and one for an email letter, are included.

  • Format an email cover letter just like a traditional business letter, with spaces in between each paragraph and your signature.
  • Align your cover letter to the left.
  • Single-space the paragraphs in your cover letter or email message.
  • When you're sending a typed letter, include a handwritten signature and a typed signature underneath it.
  • When you're sending an email message, follow your signature with your contact information. If you have a formatted email signature, use this to close your message.

Your cover letter should be one page or less. Use a 10- or 12-point font that is easy to read, such as Times New Roman, Calibri, or Arial.

How to Use Letter Samples and Templates

Cover letter examples and templates  can help you visualize the layout of your letter. They also show you what elements you need to include, such as introductions and body paragraphs.

Along with helping with your layout, letter samples and templates can help you see what kind of content you should include in your document, such as a brief explanation of a layoff.

You should use a template or an example as a starting point for your letter. However, you should always personalize and customize your cover letter, so it reflects your skills and abilities, and the jobs you are applying for.

Remember that hiring managers want candidates who are passionate about this particular job, not just any job. Use your cover letter as a sales document to persuade the hiring team that you’re the right person for the job.

Review Sample Cover Letters

Here's an example of a properly spaced and formatted printed cover letter, as well as a sample email message.

Sample Spacing for a Printed Document

Your Name Your Street Address Your City, State Zip Code Your Phone Number Your Email Address

Dear Hiring Manager:

First Paragraph: The first paragraph of your letter should include information on why you are writing. Mention the position you are applying for.

Middle Paragraphs: The next paragraphs of your cover letter should describe what you have to offer the employer. Make strong connections between your abilities and their needs. Use several shorter paragraphs or bullets rather than one large block of text. Keep the paragraphs single-spaced but leave a space between each paragraph.

Final Paragraph: Conclude your cover letter by thanking the employer for considering you for the position.

Signature: Sincerely,

Signature (Handwritten)

Signature (Typed)

Sample Spacing for an Email Message

Subject: Your Name - Sample Position Application

Middle Paragraphs: The next section of your cover letter should describe what you have to offer the employer. Provide details on your qualifications for the job. Keep the paragraphs single-spaced but leave a space between each paragraph.

Final Paragraph: Conclude your cover letter by thanking the hiring manager for considering you for the job.

Signature: Include your contact information in your signature at the bottom of your email message.

Best Regards,

____________

FirstName LastName Email Address Phone LinkedIn Profile (Optional)

Jobvite. “ Job Seeker Nation Survey 2017 ,” Page 19. Accessed June 15, 2021.

Nancy M. Schullery, Linda Ickes, and Stephen E. Schullery. “ Employer Preferences for Résumés and Cover Letters ,” Business and Professional Communication Quarterly . Accessed June 15, 2021.

  • Resume templates Simple Professional Modern Creative View all
  • Resume examples Nurse Student Internship Teacher Accountant View all
  • Resume Builder
  • Cover Letter Templates Simple Professional Modern Creative View all
  • Cover letter examples Nursing Administrative Assistant Internship Graduate Teacher View all
  • Cover Letter Builder
  • Cover Letter

Cover letter spacing: guidelines and examples

Debbie Bride

Cover letter spacing for printed, pdf, and email formats

Cover letter spacing for a printed or pdf document, cover letter spacing for an email message, letter document format, email format.

Cover letter spacing — it’s the invisible part of your effort to make a striking first impression in a job search . What isn’t seen on the page is pivotal to whether readers pay any attention to what they do see. The starkness of black text on white alone won’t do it. But the amount and distribution of white space can have a make-or-break impact on how your carefully crafted wording comes across.

Let’s take a closer look at why cover letter spacing is a vital formatting consideration. It should never be an afterthought, nor approached half-heartedly. Here’s what we’ll discuss:

Why is cover letter spacing important?

How can you optimize white space, simple guidelines for cover letter spacing.

  • Cover letter spacing for printed or pdf documents
  • Cover letter spacing in the body of an email

Cover letter spacing is important for the same reason white space is considered your best friend when designing and formatting any document. It’s about a negative element on the page  — nothing at all — having a positive impact. The absence of text naturally draws the reader’s eye to where the text appears. As a visual lure, this makes the page inviting to read. Experts contend that the uncluttered result can actually be calming.

Most of us know what “I need space” means when someone is feeling stifled, physically or psychologically. Have you ever pondered the fact that words on a page need space too? On the written page, both literally and figuratively, white space is as vital as the air that we breathe.  “White space is about letting your writing and your reader breathe,” says Writers Write blog author Mia Botha. “When your text forms a solid block it overwhelms your reader. The reader is negative about it before they even begin to read.”

The layout, design, and formatting of a document have a bearing on the amount of white space surrounding blocks of text on all sides, between lines of text, and between words or even characters. 

Adjustments to the following formatting settings will affect the spacing of cover letter text. 

  • Margins — the most obvious white space areas on any document, framing the text on all outer edges of the page
  • Indents — space between the margin (usually left) and text, typically to indicate a new paragraph or to format bullet points or numbered lists
  • Line spacing — the separation between lines of text in a paragraph, typically single-spaced or double-spaced but can also be customized incrementally in between
  • Paragraph spacing — the amount of space between paragraphs
  • Text alignment — right, left, centered or justified alignment of text block edges in relation to the side margins

Here are some other ideas for adding white space to your cover letters.

  • Use bullet points, or even numbered lists, in the middle section to highlight impressive achievements, in quantifiable terms if possible. Three to five listed points are ideal.
  • Vary the length of your sentences by not shying away from shorter ones and breaking up longer ones.
  • Break apart paragraphs so each focuses on only one point. This will add variety to the amount of white space between paragraph endings and the right margin.

How to write a cover letter - expert guide [2024]

Here is exactly how you can write a cover letter that will stand out from the crowd, and help you land that interview.

We’ll start with general spacing guidelines that apply to all cover letters, whether printed, submitted online as a pdf, or placed in the body of an email. Then we’ll look at differences in the guidelines for print, pdf, or email cover letters.

  • Single-space your cover letter text within paragraphs or address sections.
  • Skip a line in between paragraphs, before and after the salutation , and before the sign-off (e.g., Sincerely, Regards).

For our purposes in this blog, single-spaced cover letter text more accurately means not double-spaced . Often, depending on the font and word count, the single-spaced default setting may be too tight and create an imbalance of text-dense areas and white space on the page. 

Changing the line space setting to 1.5 is a commonly recommended alternative. That’s one of the preset options available using Word and Google Docs, which both enable you to customize line space settings as well.

  • Do not indent the first line of paragraphs. The space between paragraphs makes that unnecessary.
  • Use an easy-to-read font such as Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, or Georgia, in a font size between 10 and 12 points. Experiment with different styles and sizes, always aiming for optimal legibility.
  • Keep your cover letter short — ideally 250 to 350 words, and never more than 400 words. Following an outline of the key cover letter sections — introduction, middle paragraphs and closing — can help you stay focused and concise while still covering everything you need to say.
  • Always use the left text alignment setting (sometimes called left-justified or ragged right). This creates extra white space at the right-margin end of most lines, which guides the reader’s eye from one line to the next. It also enhances your cover letter’s overall visual appeal and reader-friendliness.

The justified text alignment setting —  giving your text blocks straight edges on both left and right sides — should not be used in job application documents because it’s detrimental to legibility. Forcing all lines of text to be the same horizontal length causes erratic gaps between characters and words. This unnaturally “trapped” white space makes the text more difficult to read.

In addition to the general guidelines above, line and paragraph spacing for a printed or pdf cover letter are as follows:

  • Your name, occupation, and contact information section is single-spaced.
  • Skip a line before and after the date.
  • The recipient’s name, title, and address section is single-spaced.
  • Skip a line before and after the salutation, introduction and middle section, and closing paragraph.
  • Skip three lines below the sign-off (e.g., Sincerely, Regards).*
  • Your name and title are single-spaced.

* A three-line gap allows you to insert a handwritten signature on a printed hard copy of your cover letter. If the letter is being sent electronically as a pdf, you have the option of placing a scanned digital signature, but it’s not necessary or expected. If you don’t, just skip one space below the sign-off.

Eye-pleasing header adds bonus white space

A distinctive cover letter header adds a personal branding touch that sets your job application apart from the rest. And it also has built-in spacing benefits, drawing the reader’s eye to where your name, occupation, and contact information appear on the page. This is offset from your letter’s body text by white space, making the page much more inviting to read.

Cover letter margins should be consistent with the standard for business documents — one inch on all sides — which is also the default Word and Google Docs setting.

The subject line should indicate your name and the position you are applying for.

Otherwise, in the top part of your letter, there is no need for your contact information, the recipient’s name and address , or the date. The letter thus begins with the salutation.

After the sign-off, skip one space before adding your name, occupation and contact information, single-spaced. Or, you can skip two or three spaces if you opt to insert a digital signature.

Otherwise, the same general guidelines apply regarding single-spaced text components, space between paragraphs or sections, left alignment, and font legibility.

Should cover letters ever be double-spaced?

The answer to this frequently asked question is “no.” Cover letters should not be double-spaced the way many of us associate with school essays.

Cover letter tips: 20 ways to make yours work

Cover letters are a critical part of the job application process, and yet many struggle with how to write them. The cover letter writing tips in this guide will help you move beyond amateur errors and into the realm of a job-winning professional.

Cover letter spacing examples

Below is a sample cover letter you can customize, for printing a hard copy or sending online as a pdf attachment.

Jordan Belford Flight Attendant Somewhere Drive, Chicago, IL 60643 Phone: (312) 555-5555 [email protected]

August 6, 2022

Ms. B. Speedie Go Now Airlines Thereway Road, Chicago, IL 60642

Dear Ms. Speedie,

Having clocked over 2,500 hours in both long and short-haul flights and having acquired six years of experience as a flight attendant, I’ve learned that a variety of passengers bring with them a variety of challenges. I take pride in excelling in every aspect of customer service.

In my six years at Wings, I was involved in change initiatives across pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight customer service. From the moment passengers walk up to the check-in desk to the moment they leave the airport, they associate their experience with your airline. Ensuring their well-being, safety, and comfort at every stage is our job. I received 97% positive recognition from passenger surveys and consistently high ratings from my team.

I hold all of the relevant certifications, including the FAA Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency. I am an advanced first aid provider and I helped lead the Wings training on emergency response. I have coordinated the in-flight and air-to-ground responses to terrorist threats, abusive passengers, and (more happily) multiple childbirths. I have passed my experience on to over 170 flight attendants and value my role as a leader in the cabin crew.

My contributions have made a broader impact on Wings, in ways I hope to replicate in the future:

  • Designed a more efficient boarding protocol — speeding up procedures by 16%
  • Improved customer satisfaction metrics by 12% on long-haul flights
  • Updated the cabin crew first-aid manual after noticing deficiencies in advice

Putting passenger needs first is at the heart of everything that I do. The most-common passenger feedback describes me as warm-hearted, soothing, and attentive. Being professional in the air does not preclude being caring.

I would love to hear more about the Go Now Airlines culture in a potential interview.

Jordan Belford

Below is an email cover letter example you can modify as appropriate.

SUBJECT: Daniel Drake — Human Resources Director Position

Dear Ms. Fair,

I would like to convey my genuine interest in being considered for the Human Resources Director position at the Gromwell Group. During the last eight years, I have had the pleasure of serving as an HR Administrator for two of the busiest staffing firms in New York. 

My wealth of experience has instilled a unique passion for the human resources field, where I have found my strengths are most needed and best applied. I am highly skilled in overseeing HR systems, handling employee relations, and ensuring compliance with all rules and regulations. 

My research tells me that the Gromwell Group has earned the "Top Staffing Agency" award two times in the last seven years. I am not surprised, as I am well aware of the reputation Gromwell has for expending the time and effort to provide clients with high-quality services.

Is there a time we can arrange to further discuss the value I can bring to the Gromwell Group as Human Resources Director? I hope to hear from you soon about this wonderful opportunity. 

Best regards, 

Daniel Drake Human Resources Director (718) 555-5555 [email protected]

Key takeaways for cover letter spacing

  • Cover letter spacing is integral to the recipient’s overall first impression and willingness to read any or all of the text.
  • White space around and in between lines of text provides “breathing space” for both the reader and the writer’s words.
  • There are many ways to ensure cover letter spacing enhances legibility, including line and paragraph spacing adjustments, one-inch margins, left text alignment, and brevity.
  • Start building your cover letter with our well-designed cover letter templates.

Does my cover letter need an address?

How to Format a Cover Letter That’ll Get You an Interview

person sitting at a kitchen table with a dog next to them, both looking at a laptop

Do you ever feel like your resume couldn’t possibly tell the whole story of who you are and why a company should hire you? That’s because it doesn’t. But a strong, well-written, and correctly formatted cover letter helps fill in some of the gaps.

“Cover letters are worth the time ,” says Muse coach Jennifer Smith. “They provide an opportunity to expand on key points from your resume, show off your personality, and solidify your interest.” Perhaps most importantly, “They show an employer you put the time and energy into applying.” And—luckily—they don’t need to be difficult to write.

Most cover letters have a similar format that make them much easier to write than you might think. And we’ve laid it out exactly—so you can get that application in already.

Read More: Cover Letters Are Hard to Write—But These Templates Make It a Breeze

How to format and organize your cover letter content

Here’s the format most hiring professionals that read your cover letter will be looking for:

Your heading goes at the top of the page and contains your contact info as well as some other basics that a hiring manager or recruiter might use to learn more about you once they’ve read your cover letter.

So this means:

  • Phone number
  • LinkedIn profile link (if you have one)
  • Pronouns (if you’re comfortable including them)
  • Personal website or portfolio link (optional)
  • Relevant and professional social media profiles (optional)

Nowadays it’s very uncommon, but if you’re asked to mail a paper cover letter, you would also include in your heading the company’s information:

  • Hiring manager’s name (or whomever the letter is addressed to)
  • Company name
  • Company street address
  • Company city, state, zip code

But you’d be more likely to send your cover letter in the body of an email than by snail mail if you’re not applying through an online system. In this case, your heading info would go after your name at the end.

Start your salutation with “Hello,” “Dear,” or “Hi” for more casual companies.

Then, you’ll usually address your cover letter to the hiring manager. Alternatively, Muse coach Leto Papadopoulos recommends job seekers “open the letter with ‘Dear Hiring Team’ because even if you can uncover the name of the hiring manager, they are usually not the first to read the cover letter,” she says, and “I like to acknowledge the recruiting team!”

You can also address your cover letter to the team you’d be joining or “[Position] Hiring Manager.” But you should never start your cover letter with “ To Whom It May Concern .”

Read More: The 3 Rules of Addressing Your Cover Letter

Your introduction should be one paragraph long, include the name of the position you’re applying to, and express why you’re applying and what excites you about the opportunity. But most importantly, you want to grab your reader. You can even “kick off with a brief but attention-grabbing anecdote,” Smith says. “Show off your personality.”

Read More: 30 Genius Cover Letter Openers Recruiters Will LOVE

Body paragraphs

Write two to three body paragraphs that sell you as a candidate. “Show, don’t tell,” Smith says. “Craft a narrative about how your experience led you to apply for the job you want.” Instead of regurgitating your resume, look at the job description and pull out a few skills you specialize in that the company is looking for. Then, elaborate on them by bringing up examples of how you’ve used these skills to help your past employers (and by extension will give the reader a preview of how you’ll help them).

Wrap everything up with your conclusion paragraph. Reiterate your interest in the company and your most important qualifications. Then, “Close with a statement about contributing your skills and experiences to the success of the company in the position you’re applying for,” Smith says.

Use a professional sign-off like “Sincerely,” “Respectfully,” or “Thank you for your consideration,” then add your first and last name.

If you’re sending your cover letter in the body of an email, add any info you would’ve included in your heading below your name.

Example cover letter

Check out this cover letter example, which follows the above cover letter format:

Curtis Chen [email protected] | 999-999-9999 linkedin.com/in/curtis-chen | he/him | Baltimore, MD

Hello Arianna,

When I saw the posting for the UX designer position at CloudCo, I was immediately drawn to it because of your unique approach to online storage. CloudCo is the only player in the space right now that has promised to keep their personal storage tiers under $10—and instead pass on the cost to the larger clients. I’d love to bring my dual experience as a front-end engineer and a UX researcher to make your interface more intuitive and keep individual customers renewing their contracts.

For the last two years, I’ve worked as a UX researcher for OnlineOffice Inc, where I was part of the team that launched the updated office suite. During the development process, I interviewed more than 50 users of both OOI’s and competitors’ products. I was able to translate their desires into actionable suggestions for the design and product teams, contributing to a product launch that has already grown OOI’s user base by 120% in the first year. Through these experiences, I learned to use both qualitative and quantitative data to advocate for users and make decisions about the most important product features. As your UX designer, I’d apply this knowledge to help boost the user experience for your personal-tier products.

I also spent three years as a front-end developer on a product team at TeckyCompany. In this role, I learned what it’s like for those actually building products, including what kinds of features take the most time and work. As your UX designer, I’d use this experience to weigh design decisions and collaborate with the product team. I’m used to working at startups where, as much as you’d like to, you can’t get everything done at once, so I’ll be able to prioritize features that will help users most while still making reasonable asks of the product team.

Cloud Co’s business model has shown me that not every tech startup prioritizes its larger clients over the individual user. I’d love to bring my development and UX experience to your team to help provide the very best experience for your subscribers.

Sincerely, Curtis Chen

Read More: 4 Cover Letter Examples That’ll Make Writing Yours Way Easier

Tips for formatting your document like a pro

When you’re formatting your cover letter, you want to prioritize readability and professionalism. But you should also keep in mind that many cover letters submitted online will be uploaded to an applicant tracking system or ATS , which is software that employers use to organize and search candidate application materials. ATSs are very advanced but there’s some formatting they have trouble with.

Follow these guidelines to format your cover letter correctly for both human and computer readers:

  • Font : Stick to the default fonts that come with your word processor—classics like Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Cambria, Calibri, and Georgia.
  • Font size: The ideal size will vary based on which font you choose, but keep it between 10 and 12 pt. Any smaller and you’ll have recruiters squinting at their screens. Any larger and they’ll be wondering if you’re trying to compensate for not having a lot to write about.
  • Margins : You can’t go wrong with the usual one-inch margins all around, but you can make some slight adjustments if needed. Papadopoulos suggests decreasing the header space first.
  • Alignment: All your text should be left aligned and there’s no need to indent every paragraph.
  • Line spacing: Single space your cover letter (1.15 spacing works if it looks too cramped). Include an extra line between each section and paragraph.
  • Length : “A cover letter should comfortably fit on one page,” Papadopoulos says. Your cover letter should be at least three paragraphs long, but generally no more than five—unless the job description says otherwise. If it’s too long, check out this guide for cutting your cover letter down .
  • File format : You can submit your cover letter within the body of an email or as a separate file. But if it’s a separate file you’re uploading to an online system, stick to docx or pdf only. ATs cannot reliably “read” other file types.
  • File name : Always include your name and the phrase “cover letter,” and you can also include the name of the position. Just make sure it’s easy to read and follow any instructions in the job posting.

Formatted cover letter example

Here’s how the above example looks in a properly formatted cover letter document.

what line spacing should a cover letter be

Cover Letter Spacing – A Complete Guide

Avatar image

In This Guide:

What's the proper cover letter spacing?

Use a cover letter template

Key takeaways on cover letter spacing.

Resume image 1

We all love the feeling of sending in the perfect cover letter, complete with an impressive list of qualifications and skills.

However, many of us focus our attention on the content without considering the format and correct cover letter spacing.

As silly as this may seem, employers look for applications that display meticulous organization. They want to know that their employees can follow instructions and write professionally.

Too much or too little white space in a cover letter can disorient the reader. Luckily, there is an easy way to ensure your cover letter is perfect.

Are you ready to take your cover letter to the next level? In this article, you'll learn:

  • How to space your cover letter
  • Where to add extra spaces
  • How to change spacing settings on Google Docs and Microsoft Word
  • Why use a cover letter template
  • Where to get a cover letter template

What's the proper cover letter spacing?

Upload & check your resume.

Drop your resume here or choose a file . PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

what line spacing should a cover letter be

You should format cover letters in single spacing. However, you must leave one extra space between each paragraph.

It includes spacing between the greeting and opening paragraph, the final paragraph and closing, and the closing paragraph and your name.

View these cover letter examples for a clear picture of spacing.

Those using Google Docs can set the default spacing on your document before beginning.

  • Click on the "Format" drop-down menu at the top of the document
  • Select "Line & Paragraph Spacing"
  • Select "Single"

Those using Microsoft Word can follow these steps before beginning:

  • Click "Design" on the top menu of the document
  • Select "Paragraph Spacing"
  • Select "No Paragraph Space"

If you forgot to set single spacing before typing, you could adjust spacing later. Select all of the text and follow the steps above to match your document type.

If you need more tips, here are our guidelines for how to format a cover letter .

Most of us are applying to multiple jobs at once. Finding and applying to jobs can be exhausting, and you must tailor every cover letter to the company and position to which you are applying.

Luckily, there is a shortcut. You can build each one from a cover letter template .

Several other benefits of cover letter templates include:

  • Prioritization: It can be challenging to know which information matters most to employers. Templates will show you where each section belongs.
  • Professionalism: Templates are well-organized and pleasing to the eye. Hiring managers who view countless applications daily will appreciate your attention to detail.
  • Saves time and effort: Cover letter templates are easy to use. They allow you to breeze through formatting and move on to the more important content.

When you write your next cover letter, remember these tips:

  • Ensure that you single space your document.
  • Set single spacing as the default on your document, or adjust spacing at the end.
  • Add extra spaces in between each paragraph.
  • Consider cover letter templates.
  • Prioritize your information.

Your professional cover letter will make a great first impression on your future employer.

Author image

  • Cover Letter Guides

Should You Have Hobbies & Interests on Your Resume?

How to create a cover letter for an internal position, how hotjar built a 100% distributed company, are cover letters necessary in 2023, top questions you’ll be asked in a chief marketing officer interview, typo on your resume here's what to do..

  • Create Resume
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Preferences
  • Resume Examples
  • Resume Templates
  • AI Resume Builder
  • Resume Summary Generator
  • Resume Formats
  • Resume Checker
  • AI Resume Review
  • Resume Skills
  • How to Write a Resume
  • Modern Resume Templates
  • Simple Resume Templates
  • Cover Letter Builder
  • Cover Letter Examples
  • Cover Letter Templates
  • Cover Letter Formats
  • How to Write a Cover Letter
  • Resume Guides
  • Job Interview Guides
  • Job Interview Questions
  • Career Resources
  • Meet our customers
  • Career resources
  • English (UK)
  • French (FR)
  • German (DE)
  • Spanish (ES)
  • Swedish (SE)

© 2024 . All rights reserved.

Made with love by people who care.

Explore Jobs

  • Jobs Near Me
  • Remote Jobs
  • Full Time Jobs
  • Part Time Jobs
  • Entry Level Jobs
  • Work From Home Jobs

Find Specific Jobs

  • $15 Per Hour Jobs
  • $20 Per Hour Jobs
  • Hiring Immediately Jobs
  • High School Jobs
  • H1b Visa Jobs

Explore Careers

  • Business And Financial
  • Architecture And Engineering
  • Computer And Mathematical

Explore Professions

  • What They Do
  • Certifications
  • Demographics

Best Companies

  • Health Care
  • Fortune 500

Explore Companies

  • CEO And Executies
  • Resume Builder
  • Career Advice
  • Explore Majors
  • Questions And Answers
  • Interview Questions

Cover Letter Spacing and Margins

  • Cover Letter Format
  • Salutation and Greeting
  • Who To Address When Unknown
  • How To Start A Cover Letter
  • How To End A Cover Letter
  • Best Cover Letter Font And Size
  • Cover Letter Spacing
  • Cover Letter Length
  • Key Elements Of A Cover Letter
  • How To Write An Address
  • Official Letter Format
  • Cover Letter Opening

Find a Job You Really Want In

Writing a standout cover letter is about more than just having great content. Coming off as professional in both form and function is going to help you get noticed by hiring managers. That means using proper spacing, margins, indentation, and length. Do these things correctly and your cover letter will be well-organized, clear, and easy to read. Whether you’re sending a physical cover letter or an email, we’ll provide guidelines to make your cover letter format perfect. We’ll also show you a sample cover letter for both a physical copy and an email version. Key Takeaways: Your margins should be 1-inch on all sides, but if you’re going over one page , then you can consider making the margins smaller Your cover letter should be similar to your resume with font and font size, which should be no larger than 12-point font. A cover letter should be between 200-300 words, but try to keep it on the shorter end if possible. In This Article    Skip to section Cover Letter Spacing Guidelines Proper Cover Letter Length Cover Letter Examples Margins and Alignment in a Cover Letter Guidelines for Cover Letter Font Sending Your Cover Letter Final Thoughts References Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs Show More Cover Letter Spacing Guidelines

We’ll start with proper cover letter spacing, which is the first thing any hiring manager is going to notice upon first glance. Follow these rules and your page will look professionally done.

Spacing varies slightly depending on if you’re sending a physical cover letter or a digital cover letter.

Physical Copy Guidelines:

Single-space your cover letter

Start with your contact information in the following order:

Your name Your current address City, state, zip code Phone number Email address

Add one space

Write the date

Add the contact information of the letter’s recipient in the following order:

Hiring manager’s name Company Address Company city, state, zip code Hiring manager’s phone number Hiring manager’s email address

Write your salutation

Write 3-4 paragraphs, with one space between each one

Add one space after your final paragraph

Write your closing sign-off (e.g., Sincerely)

Put three spaces between your closing and your typed name

Put your signature in the space between your closing and your typed name

Tip: You can use the same header for your cover letter as your resume.

Email Cover Letter Spacing Guidelines:

Start with a salutation

>Write 3-4 paragraphs, with one space between each one

Add two spaces

Write your contact info in the following order

Full name Position Phone number Email address

If you have a formatted email signature , you can use that for step 8. You can add a digital signature between your closing and contact info if you think it looks snazzy (or, better yet, you think your prospective employer will think it looks snazzy).

Tip: When emailing a cover letter, keep your subject line clear and professional. State your name, the position title, and the fact that you’re sending along documents for an application. It should look something like “Donald Duck — Sales Representative Application.”

Proper Cover Letter Length

How to write a cover letter

Just like your resume, your cover letter should never exceed one page . Ideally, the body of your cover letter should be between 200-300 words (aiming for the lower end of that spectrum is your best bet). Hiring managers have to sift through tons of these cover letters, so keeping things short and sweet is beneficial.

A cover letter should have three paragraphs, four at the most.

Opening paragraph. Your opening paragraph should introduce yourself and your background, grab the reader’s attention with a big accomplishment, and let the company know why you’re applying. If you were referred by someone in the company, this is a good place to mention it.

Body paragraph(s). Your middle paragraph(s) should focus on your professional qualities and experiences that relate to the company for which you’re applying. Don’t repeat credentials from your resume, because the hiring manager has probably already looked at it. Dig deeper and highlight why you’re the perfect fit for the position.

If you’re having trouble deciding which elements of your professional history are best to include here, read the job description again. Note the required qualifications and significant responsibilities.

Then, look back on your experience for moments where you applied similar skills or achieved results comparable to what the new company wants to achieve. Any time you can give percentages, dollar figures, or numbers to describe your duties, it will be more impactful.

Closing paragraph. Your closing paragraph thanks the employer for considering your application. You can also express how eager you are to learn more about the role and the company.

Cut out unnecessary information and you should have no trouble fitting everything in a 300-word count maximum.

Tip: Never address your cover letter with “To whom it may concern” . Do your best to find the name of the person who will be reading your cover letter, and address it to him or her. If your best efforts turn up nothing or you’re still unsure, use “Dear Hiring Manager” or one of its alternatives .

Cover Letter Examples

Physical copy example:

Jonathan Cash 123 Apple Street Anywhere, CO 12345 (999) 765-4321 [email protected] August 22, 2020 Phyllis Vance 789 Company Lane Somewhere, CO 56789 (543) 210-9876 [email protected] Dear Ms. Vance, I was excited to see a job posting for the Sales Representative position on NextCompany.com. I have been working in sales since I was a child with my first lemonade stand, and have 6+ years of formal experience working in sales. During my time at CurComp, I have developed my knowledge of marketing strategies, my ability to generate interest in new products, and my skill at maintaining strong, lasting customer satisfaction. My proudest achievements as a sales representative have been exceeding sales quotas by 10% or more each quarter, closing $900,000 in 2018 (25% above goal), and ranking as the top salesperson in the company in Q2 of 2019. Helping customers see the value of products that I truly believe in is the greatest source of satisfaction in my professional life. I would be thrilled to be in a position where I could implement my proven strategies to sell products offered by NextCompany, which have garnered the attention and excitement of industry experts for years. Thank you for considering me for the Sales Representative position. I look forward to discussing the role further and learning how my brand of salesmanship could fit into NextCompany’s business model. Sincerely, Jonathan Cash

Email cover letter example:

Dear Pat Murphy, ABC Inc. needs an Accountant who is determined, organized, and has years of expereince maintaining financial records. Luckily, I meet all three of those criteria. After getting an MBA with a specialization in Accounts from the University of Florida, I began working in the financial sector. For more than six years, I’ve helped companies upkeep and maintain financial records, run risk assessments, and handle all payroll and invoice documentation. I’ve also dedicated my Saturday’s performing pro bono accounting consultation for a local food bank. I was glad to see that ABC is also greatly involved with aiding the impoverished areas of our city, which further drew me to apply for this role. In my current position with XYZ Corp., I lead a team of 12 junior accountants managing a total of $10M+ in assets and cash. By setting up a new invoice system for contractors, I was able to reduce overhead by 8% and increase the efficiency of contracted projects by 6%. My proudest moment at XYZ, though, was finding a budgetary error that was bleeding over $15,000 monthly from the company. When I identified and fixed this problem, XYZ awarded me “Top Performer of the Month” in January 2020. With me, you get more than a regular CPA — you get a top-notch presenter who thrives in collaborative, deadline-driven work environments. I look forward to speaking more about how I can help XYZ achieve its goals in the years to come. Sincerely, Joanne Diggerly Johnston, HI 54321 (555) 432-1098 [email protected]

Margins and Alignment in a Cover Letter

Like most documents, your cover letter should be aligned to the left. You should use 1-inch margins on all sides, but if you’re going over one page, then you can consider making the margins smaller. But really, if you’re sticking to our cover letter length guidelines (more on that below), then you should have no issues with standard 1-inch margins.

At no point should you indent any of your paragraphs. And don’t go bigger than 1-inch margins, because it’s going to look super obvious that you’re trying to make the letter’s content look beefier than it is.

If you’re writing your cover letter in Microsoft Word, you can change margins by pressing Page Layout followed by Margins . If you’re writing your cover letter in Google Docs, you can change margins by pressing File and then Page Setup .

Guidelines for Cover Letter Font

A good rule of thumb is to make your cover letter as aesthetically similar to your resume as possible. That means using the same font. Basic, everyday fonts like Times New Roman, Arial, Helvetica, or Calibri are all good options.

Font size should generally be 12-point. If you’re trying to include more content, you could consider bringing that down to 10-point, but play around with margins as well to see which option allows you more space while keeping the letter visually pleasing .

Things to avoid like the plague are: underlining, highlighting, colored lettering, and CAPITALIZING. You can consider using bold or italicized text but use these sparingly to emphasize the key points of your cover letter. And if you choose to use bold, don’t also use italics (and vice versa).

Tip: Look at whether your prospective company uses “serif fonts” (tails at the end of letters, like in Times New Roman) or “sans serif” fonts (no tails at the end, like Arial). Then, use a font in the same style for your resume and cover letter.

Sending Your Cover Letter

If you’re sending your cover letter as a file, make sure to give it an appropriate name. For example, “John-Doe-Cover-Letter” tells the recipient exactly what the file is.

Be advised that many companies use an applicant tracking system when reviewing resumes and cover letters, so using a compatible file format like PDF or .doc is your best bet.

Sending your application documents as PDFs ensures that formatting will remain consistent across devices and operating systems. That makes it a strong choice most of the time, unless the employer specifically asks you not to send a PDF. Instructions directly from the employer always trump any advice we give here.

Final Thoughts

Cover letter spacing and margins might be the last thing on your mind, but they’re the first thing that a hiring manager or recruiter is going to notice. A bit of creativity is great when you’re applying for jobs, but some standards exist for a reason.

Stick to 1-inch margins and single-spaced, unindented paragraphs, and you’ll be off to a great first impression .

Careerservices.illinoisstate.edu. “ PDF .”

Owl.purdue.edu. “ Quick Formatting Tips // Purdue Writing Lab .”

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

' src=

Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

Matt Warzel a President of a resume writing firm (MJW Careers, LLC) with 15+ years of recruitment, outplacement, career coaching and resume writing experience. Matt is also a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Marketing Focus) from John Carroll University.

Responsive Image

Related posts

what line spacing should a cover letter be

How To Sell Yourself In A Cover Letter (With Examples)

what line spacing should a cover letter be

How To Write A Letter Of Intent For A Job (With Examples)

what line spacing should a cover letter be

How to Use ChatGPT for a Cover Letter

How to Write an Official Business Letter

How To Write An Official Business Letter (With Format And Examples)

  • Career Advice >
  • Cover Letter >

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Quick Formatting Tips for Cover Letters

OWL logo

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Remember that the basic format of a cover letter follows that of a business letter. As you design the page, think about the following:

  • Keep it to one page.
  • Write one introductory paragraph, one to three paragraphs to highlight your skills, and one concluding paragraph.
  • Single-space your cover letter.
  • Leave a space between addresses and dates in the heading.
  • Leave a space between your heading (contact info) and greeting ("Dear...:").
  • Leave a space between each paragraph.
  • Leave at least three spaces between your complimentary close ("Sincerely,") and typed name.
  • Sign your name in ink between your complimentary close and typed name.

Margins and Alignment

  • Use standard margins (one-inch margins, usually).
  • Can use smaller margins (to about 0.7-inch) as long as you are consistent on all sides.
  • Align all paragraphs to the left of the page. (You can also indent the first line of each paragraph, but that is not used as often.)

Design Your Way logo

  • Color Palettes
  • Baseball Team Colors
  • NHL Team Colors
  • Superhero Fonts
  • Gaming Fonts
  • Brand Fonts
  • Fonts from Movies
  • Similar Fonts
  • What’s That Font
  • Photoshop Resources
  • Slide Templates
  • Fast Food Logos
  • Superhero logos
  • Tech company logos
  • Shoe Brand Logos
  • Motorcycle Logos
  • Grocery Store Logos
  • Pharmaceutical Logos
  • English Football Team Logos
  • German Football Team Logos
  • Spanish Football Teams Logos
  • Graphic Design Basics
  • Beer Brand Ads
  • Car Brand Ads
  • Fashion Brand Ads
  • Fast Food Brand Ads
  • Shoe Brand Ads
  • Tech Company Ads
  • Motion graphics
  • Infographics
  • Design Roles
  • Tools and apps
  • CSS & HTML
  • Program interfaces
  • Drawing tutorials

Design Your Way

The Nantes Logo History, Colors, Font,

what line spacing should a cover letter be

What Font Should a Cover Letter

what line spacing should a cover letter be

Dallas Mavericks colors – Hex, RGB,

what line spacing should a cover letter be

The RC Lens Logo History, Colors,

Design Your Way is a brand owned by SBC Design Net SRL Str. Caminului 30, Bl D3, Sc A Bucharest, Romania Registration number RO32743054 But you’ll also find us on Blvd. Ion Mihalache 15-17 at Mindspace Victoriei

[email protected]

  • What's That Font

What Font Should a Cover Letter Be? Best Choices

  • BY Bogdan Sandu
  • 24 September 2024

what line spacing should a cover letter be

Every cover letter, like a fine piece of art, deserves design that speaks volumes.

Choosing  the right font for a cover letter  is crucial. Fonts such as  Times New Roman ,  Arial , and  Calibri  can make or break your first impression.

Job application design  isn’t just about words; it’s about readability and professionalism. Your choice  resonates  through every line, subtly communicating your attention to detail.

Professionals often overlook the impact of typography on their cover letters. By the time you’re done here, you’ll understand  the guidelines for formatting, the best fonts for cover letters , and how to make your letter stand out.

We’ll delve into  serif vs. sans-serif , font size, and what makes a font  ATS-friendly .

What Font Should A Cover Letter Be

Choosing the right font for a cover letter is crucial for ensuring readability and professionalism. Here are some recommended fonts and considerations:

Recommended Fonts

  • Arial : A modern sans serif font known for its legibility and clean lines. It’s widely accepted and looks professional.
  • Calibri : The default font for Microsoft Word, Calibri is simple and effective, making it a safe choice for most cover letters.
  • Cambria : A serif font designed for screen reading, Cambria offers a traditional look that is still easy to read.
  • Helvetica : Known for its neutral and clean design, Helvetica is popular in modern business settings.
  • Georgia : This classic font is designed for clarity on screens, making it suitable for online applications.
  • Garamond : With its elegant serif design, Garamond conveys a timeless professionalism, ideal for formal positions.
  • Verdana : Specifically designed for readability, especially in smaller sizes, Verdana is a solid choice for cover letters.
  • Avenir : A modern font that can add a creative touch, suitable for design or media-related jobs.

What Font Should a Cover Letter Be

Alright, let’s dive into what might seem simple but is super important – the  font  on your  cover letter . Now, this isn’t just about making sure it looks pretty. It’s about readability, professionalism, and making sure it gets past the  Applicant Tracking System (ATS) .

A good starting point?  Times New Roman . Classic, reliable, every hiring manager has seen it. It’s your safe bet, especially for traditional industries like banking or law.

But if you’re aiming for a modern vibe, consider  Arial  or  Calibri . Clean lines, no fuss. These sans-serif fonts get the job done, making your letter easy on the eyes. More importantly,  Arial  and  Calibri  are ATS-friendly, ensuring your application isn’t tossed out by the system because it couldn’t pull out keywords properly.

For a bit more character, there’s  Garamond  and  Georgia . These serif fonts add a touch of elegance, balancing modern with traditional elements. Ideal for creative applications, they keep your text professional yet distinctive.

Font Size and Readability

Important note:  Size matters . Go too small, and it’s a squint fest. Too big, it looks like you’re trying to fill space. Stick to  12-point  for a nice balance.

Line spacing ? Don’t clump it up. Keep it around 1.15 or 1.5 to give those eyes a break.

Then there’s  margins . Don’t go crazy with narrow margins, trying to fit every single detail of your life in there. One-inch margins are pretty standard – orderly, neat. It shows you know how to present information cleanly.

Serif vs. Sans-serif

A quick word on this – Serif fonts, like  Times New Roman  and  Garamond , have those little decorative lines at the end of strokes. They’re traditional and indicate formality.

On the flip side, Sans-serif fonts like  Arial  and  Helvetica  are as straightforward as it gets. Sleek, modern, and perfect if you’re in tech or a creative industry where clean aesthetics are key.

Alternative Fonts to Use

Okay, so maybe you want to stand out just a little bit more without going overboard. Here are some solid alternatives.

Helvetica is a solid choice. It’s modern, professional, and very readable. If you’re about clarity and minimalism, this is your go-to.

helvetica-1 What Font Should a Cover Letter Be? Best Choices

Dallas Mavericks colors – Hex, RGB, CMYK, and Pantone

The nantes logo history, colors, font, and meaning.

What Font Should a Cover Letter Be? Best Choices

You may also like

what line spacing should a cover letter be

The Amazon font. What font does Amazon use? (Answered)

  • Bogdan Sandu
  • 5 January 2023

what line spacing should a cover letter be

The Spotify font and what font does Spotify use (Answered)

  • 8 January 2023

Redirect Notice

Format attachments.

You'll find several kinds of fields in your grant application forms - check boxes, dates, data entry fields, and attachments. This page provides guidance on attachments: documents that are prepared outside the grant application using whatever editing software you desire (e.g., Microsoft Word), converted to PDF format,  and then added or uploaded to your application. We require PDF format to preserve document formatting and a consistent reading experience for reviewers and staff.

We have very specific attachment formatting requirements. Failure to follow these requirements may lead to application errors upon submission or withdrawal of your application from funding consideration.

  • We do not require a specific citation format.
  • The use of "et al." in place of listing all authors of a publication is acceptable practice.
  • Most style guides include format guidance for citations and all formats are acceptable.
  • SciENcv , a tool to prepare biosketches for NIH and other agencies, uses a standard format used by the National Library of Medicine (see Citing Medicine ). If your organization does not already have a standard, you may want to consider this one.
  • Remember to comply with our public access policy by including the PMC reference number (PMCID) when citing applicable papers that you author or that arise from your NIH-funded research.

Combining Information into a Single Attachment

  • If you need to combine information from different sources into a single document prior to uploading, do not use “bundling” or “portfolio” features which combine multiple documents into a single file by providing links to the individual files.

Electronic Signatures

  • Electronic signatures on PDF attachments within your application are not allowed.
  • To adhere to policies requiring electronic signatures on PDF attachments (e.g., electronically-signed other support format pages), you can electronically sign the document and then “flatten” the PDF .
  • Documents with signatures (e.g., letters of support) can be printed, signed, scanned and attached in PDF format.
  • Save all document attachments with descriptive filenames of 50 characters or less (including spaces).
  • Use unique filenames for all attachments in an application (or within a component of a multi-project application).
  • Use any of the following characters: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore, hyphen, space, period, parenthesis, curly braces, square brackets, tilde, exclamation point, comma, apostrophe, at sign, number sign, dollar sign, percent sign, plus sign, and equal sign.
  • If including spaces, use one space (not two or more) between words or characters. Do not begin the filename with a space or include a space immediately before the .pdf extension.
  • Avoid the use of ampersand (&) since it requires special formatting (i.e., &amp).
  • Ensure file size is greater than 0 bytes - we cannot accept a 0 byte attachment.
  • Keep attachment file size to 100 MB or less.

Flattened PDFs

A PDF that has fillable fields, electronic signatures, text boxes or images inserted, becomes layered with each of these elements representing a layer. The existence of these layers interferes with the handling of the documents in eRA systems. Consequently, PDF documents included in applications, progress reports, and other information collected in eRA Commons must be flattened. A flattened PDF is simply one in which all the layers are merged together into a single flat layer. Many simple PDFs are already flattened - all the information is contained in a single layer. Uploading a PDF that isn’t flattened may result in an eRA Commons error message. You will need to replace your PDF with a flattened version to complete the submission process.

Font (Size, Color, Type density) and Line Spacing

Adherence to font size, type density, line spacing, and text color requirements is necessary to ensure readability and fairness. Although font requirements apply to all attachments, they are most important and most heavily scrutinized in attachments with page limits.

Text in your attachments must follow these minimum requirements:

  • Some PDF conversion software reduces font size. It is important to confirm that the final PDF document complies with the font requirements.
  • Type density: Must be no more than 15 characters per linear inch (including characters and spaces).
  • Line spacing: Must be no more than six lines per vertical inch.
  • Text color: No restriction. Though not required, black or other high-contrast text colors are recommended since they print well and are legible to the largest audience.
  • Palatino Linotype

Legibility is of paramount importance. Applications that include PDF attachments that do not conform to the minimum requirements listed above may be withdrawn from consideration.

Format Pages

  • Some attachment instructions refer to required format pages (e.g., biosketch, other support, training data tables).

Headers and Footers

  • Do not include headers or footers in your attachments. We add headers, footers, page numbers, bookmarks, and a table of contents when we assemble your grant application upon submission.
  • Some funding opportunities and form instructions provide guidance on organizing the content of attachments including specific headings that must be included.

Hypertext, Hyperlinks, and URLs

  • Refer to NOT-OD-20-174: Reminder: NIH Policy on Use of Hypertext in NIH Grant Applications .
  • Hyperlinks and URLs are only allowed when specifically noted in funding opportunities and/or form field instructions. It is highly unusual for a funding opportunity to allow links in Specific Aims, Research Strategy, and other page-limited attachments.
  • Hyperlinks and URLs may not be used to provide information necessary to application review. Applications must be self-contained and reflect the information available at time of review.
  • Reviewers are not obligated to view linked sites and are cautioned that they should not directly access a website (unless the link to the site was specifically requested in application instructions) as it could compromise their anonymity.
  • NIH ( http://www.nih.gov/ )
  • http://www.nih.gov/

Figures (e.g., Images, Graphics, Charts, Graphs, and Tables)

  • Images and other figures must be readable as printed on an 8.5” x 11” page at normal (100%) scale.
  • Figures should be included in the Research Strategy, Program Plan, or equivalent attachment and count towards page limits.
  • Figures should not be included in the Specific Aims attachment. Figures can interfere with the NIH post-award process to categorize awards in RePORT .
  • Unless otherwise stated in the funding opportunity, the Project Summary/Abstract and Project Narrative attachments should only include text (no figures). Figures can interfere with NIH post-award process to categorize awards in RePORT .
  • Applicants should use image compression such as JPEG or PNG to reduce overall application file size.
  • For advice on creating effective figures, refer to Tips for Tables, Charts, and Figures .
  • Consider including Accessibility elements like structural headers and meaningful Alt Text in your figures to maximize visual and descriptive clarity for all readers.

Language and Style

  • Use English. (See 2 CFR 200.111, English language .)
  • Avoid jargon.
  • Spell out acronyms the first time they are used in each application section or attachment. Note the appropriate abbreviation in parentheses. The abbreviation may be used in the section or attachment thereafter. Find a list of Abbreviations used in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Marking Up Attachments

  • Do not markup your PDF documents with comments, sticky notes, or other features that are added on top of your PDF document content. This information may not be retained in your final application image.
  • Do not use bracketing, indenting, highlighting, bolding, italicizing, underlining, margin lines, change in typography, font, or font color, or any other type of markup to identify changes in Resubmission Applications .

Orientation

  • Both portrait and landscape attachments are accepted. However, keep in mind that landscape can be difficult to read online and may require reviewers and staff to scroll to see all available text.

Page Limits and Lines of Text Limits

  • ​Page limits defined in a funding opportunity should be followed when different than those found in the Table of Page Limits . Page limits defined in a related NIH Guide notice should be followed if different than either the Table of Page Limits or the funding opportunity.
  • ​If no page limit for an attachment is listed in either the Table of Page Limits, Section IV of the funding opportunity under Page Limitations, or in a related NIH Guide notice, you can assume the attachment does not have a limit.
  • Some page limits apply to multiple attachments that when combined must stay within a designated limit. You may want to prepare your information in a single document to ensure you are within the page limit, then later break the information up into the various separate attachments. Our systems will accommodate a certain amount of white space resulting from splitting the information into the separate attachments when verifying compliance with a limit.
  • We systematically check many page limit requirements and provide error or warning messages to minimize incomplete or non-compliant applications. These systematic checks may not address all page limit requirements for a specific opportunity and do not replace the checks done by staff after submission. You must comply with all documented page limits and should not rely solely on system validations.
  • Page limits are strictly enforced to include all text included on the page including any headers. Limits measured in lines of text are not systematically enforced. In the case of the Project Summary/Abstract and Narrative attachments on the R&R Other Project Information form, we only systematically enforce egregious issues (text exceeds one page). Our manual checks would not remove an application from consideration if only the header information put the content over the specified line limit.
  • When preparing an administrative supplement application, follow the Table of Page Limits using the activity code of the parent award and any additional limits specified in the funding opportunity or a related notice.
  • Do not use the appendix or other sections of your application to circumvent page limits ( NOT-OD-11-080 ) .

Paper Size and Margins

  • Use paper (page) size no larger than standard letter paper size (8 ½" x 11”) .
  • Provide at least one-half inch margins ( ½" ) — top, bottom, left, and right — for all pages. No applicant-supplied information can appear in the margins.
  • Avoid scanning text documents to produce the required PDFs. It is best to produce documents using your word processing software and then convert the documents to PDF. Scanning paper documents may hamper automated processing of your application for agency analysis and reporting.
  • We recognize that sometimes scanning is necessary, especially when including letters of support or other signed documents on business letterhead.

Security Features

  • Our systems must be able to open and edit your attached documents in order to generate your assembled application image for agency processing and funding consideration.
  • Disable all security features in your PDF documents. Do not encrypt or password protect your documents. Using these features to protect your documents also prevents us from opening and processing them.

Single versus Multi-Column Page Format

  • A single-column page format easily adapts to various screen sizes and is highly encouraged.
  • Multi-column formats, especially for information spanning multiple pages, can be problematic for online review.
  • Videos cannot be embedded in an application, but videos are accepted under limited circumstances as post-submission material. For additional guidance, check NOT-OD-24-067 .
  • The cover letter submitted with the application must include information about the intent to submit a video. If this is not done, a video will not be accepted.
  • Key images, “stills,” and a brief description of each video must be included within the page limits of the Research Strategy. Sufficient descriptive information must be provided within the Research Strategy to understand the information presented in the video, as not all reviewers may be able to access the video, depending on technological constraints.

IMAGES

  1. Everything You Need to Know About Cover Letter Spacing

    what line spacing should a cover letter be

  2. Cover Letter Spacing & Margins (Double Space or Not?)

    what line spacing should a cover letter be

  3. Cover Letter Spacing and Margins

    what line spacing should a cover letter be

  4. Cover Letter Document Spacing

    what line spacing should a cover letter be

  5. Cover Letter Spacing & Margins (Double Space or Not?)

    what line spacing should a cover letter be

  6. Cover Letter Spacing & Margins (Double Space or Not?)

    what line spacing should a cover letter be

VIDEO

  1. How To Change Line Spacing On Wix Website

  2. How to Change Line Spacing of Your Document in Google Docs Mobile App

  3. The Best outline and useful vocabulary to include in your Cover letter

  4. Cover Letter Writing Tips and Design

  5. How To Write A Cover Letter

  6. The Secret Formula For A Great Cover Letter!

COMMENTS

  1. Cover Letter Spacing & Margins (Double Space or Not?)

    Cover Letter Line Spacing. Line spacing for a cover letter should be 1.5. Shorter line spacing is hard to read. Taller spacing looks simplistic. Some experts say to adjust line spacing to fit the page. That's wrong. If you follow the 3-paragraph letter format, 1.5 is perfect. Cover Letter Margins. Cover letter margins are 1".

  2. Cover Letter Spacing Guidelines

    Cover Letter Spacing Guidelines. By. Alison Doyle. Updated on June 18, 2021. In This Article. Cover Letting Spacing Overview. Cover Letter Spacing Guidelines. Using Letter Samples and Templates. Review Sample Formatted Cover Letters.

  3. 6 Tips for Formatting a Cover Letter, With Examples

    Set margins to one inch on all sides. Use 1.15 line spacing throughout and insert a blank line between each paragraph. Format your cover letter as a PDF. Name your cover letter file with your first name, last name, the words "cover letter," and the job title or company name.

  4. Cover Letter Spacing: Guidelines and Examples

    In addition to the general guidelines above, line and paragraph spacing for a printed or pdf cover letter are as follows: Your name, occupation, and contact information section is single-spaced. Skip a line before and after the date. The recipient's name, title, and address section is single-spaced.

  5. Cover Letter Spacing and Margins

    Here's what the spacing on a cover letter written in an email should look like: Here's how a properly formatted email cover letter looks. When sending a job application by email, mention your name, the job title, and the fact you're applying for the job in the subject line.

  6. How to Format Your Cover Letter in 2023

    Line spacing: Single space your cover letter (1.15 spacing works if it looks too cramped). Include an extra line between each section and paragraph. Length: "A cover letter should comfortably fit on one page," Papadopoulos says. Your cover letter should be at least three paragraphs long, but generally no more than five—unless the job ...

  7. Everything You Need to Know About Cover Letter Spacing

    Those using Google Docs can set the default spacing on your document before beginning. Click on the "Format" drop-down menu at the top of the document. Select "Line & Paragraph Spacing". Select "Single". Those using Microsoft Word can follow these steps before beginning: Click "Design" on the top menu of the document.

  8. Cover Letter Spacing and Margins

    Your margins should be 1-inch on all sides, but if you’re going over one page, then you can consider making the margins smaller. Your cover letter should be similar to your resume with font and font size, which should be no larger than 12-point font. A cover letter should be between 200-300 words, but try to keep it on the shorter end if ...

  9. Cover Letter Spacing Done Right [Top Formatting Tips]

    Stick to the following directions: Keep your cover letter single-spaced—using double space will make your letter look outdated and simplistic. Hit Enter to divide your cover letter into easily scannable paragraphs: Between addresses and dates in the heading. Between your heading and greeting. Between each paragraph.

  10. Tips for Professional Cover Letter Spacing

    Line spacing should typically be single-spaced, 1.15-spaced, or 1.5-spaced. Margins should be .5 to 1 inch. Don't use indents or tabs. Use a simple resume font like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. The cover letter should fit on a single page, typically between half a page and 3/4 of a page.

  11. How to Set Cover Letter Margins for a Professional Look

    Cover letters submitted with a resume and job application function as a formal business letter and have a similar format. Each cover letter you submit should be in paragraph format, with a formal greeting, a respectful closing, and your signature. Here are tips to consider when formatting your customized cover letter: Review the job description ...

  12. Quick Formatting Tips for Cover Letters

    Single-space your cover letter. Leave a space between addresses and dates in the heading. Leave a space between your heading (contact info) and greeting ("Dear...:"). Leave a space between each paragraph. Leave at least three spaces between your complimentary close ("Sincerely,") and typed name.

  13. Should a Cover Letter Be Double Spaced?

    No, a cover letter should not be double spaced. Double-spacing your cover letter takes up too much room on the page, making it difficult for you to provide employers with a full summary of your accomplishments. Instead, single space your cover letter and add a blank line in between each paragraph. Format your cover letter properly to increase ...

  14. How to Format Your Cover Letter in 2024 (Guide + Examples)

    Spacing. Cover letters should have one space between lines of text, two spaces between paragraphs and two spaces between each section. Consistent spacing keeps a cover letter well-balanced. Margins and alignment. The standard rule of thumb for cover letters is that margins should be 1 inch, and text should be aligned to the left of a document.

  15. How To Format a Cover Letter (With Outline and Examples)

    Spacing within your cover letter Good spacing is essential for your cover letter. White spaces on your letters will make it easier for the hiring manager to read quickly. Follow these guidelines: Make your cover letter single-spaced. Add a space between each section: contact information, salutation, opening paragraph, middle paragraph, closing ...

  16. How Long Should a Cover Letter Be? Length & Word Count

    As featured in *. Typically, a cover letter should be 250-400 words or three to four concise paragraphs. The ideal cover letter length is a half-page to one page long. This length allows you to introduce yourself, highlight your most relevant qualifications, and express your enthusiasm for the position without overwhelming the reader.

  17. Professional Guide for Cover Letter Spacing

    Here are a few tips for writing the best cover letter: Line spacing should typically be single-spaced, 1.15-spaced, or 1.5-spaced. Margins should be .5 to 1 inch. Don't use indents or tabs. Use a simple CV font like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. The cover letter should fit on a single page, typically between half a page and 3/4 of a page.

  18. How to Format a Cover Letter: Examples for 2024

    In a nutshell, this is how to format a cover letter: Use one-inch margins, single line spacing, and 11 to 12-pt font. In the top-left corner, put your contact details, city and date, and the employer's contact details. Open with a personal salutation.

  19. Format for a Cover Letter

    Avoid a vague subject line like " [Name] Cover Letter" unless you have a strong professional relationship with the recipient. Use a clear subject line like " [Name] Resume and Cover Letter RE: [Open Job Position].". 3. Upload your cover letter. Type or copy and paste your cover letter into the body of your email.

  20. Resume Line Spacing: Why It's Important and How to Format

    3. Make use of the white space on your resume. Use your resume line spacing to create a balance of white space between sections, headings and each line of your resume sections. For example, create a larger line space between headers (like your section headings) and the following text, such as a 1.5-point line spacing.

  21. What Font Should a Cover Letter Be? Best Choices

    Every cover letter, like a fine piece of art, deserves design that speaks volumes. Choosing the right font for a cover letter is crucial.Fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri can make or break your first impression. Job application design isn't just about words; it's about readability and professionalism.Your choice resonates through every line, subtly communicating your ...

  22. Format Attachments

    Line spacing: Must be no more than six lines per vertical inch. Text color: No restriction. Though not required, black or other high-contrast text colors are recommended since they print well and are legible to the largest audience. ... The cover letter submitted with the application must include information about the intent to submit a video ...