Sample cover letter for Full Time position at Bocconi

Dear Sir/Madam;

With this letter I would like to express interest in the MSc in Finance Degree program in the Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi starting .... I aspire to enter the program and I am confident that my strong academic background in Finance will fulfill your requirements.

I graduated from ..., which sparked my interest in Mathematics and related sciences. Considering the major trends of modern, world where business plays a crucial role, and my set towards mathematics, soon I felt an exceptional interest in finance. Since then I am eager to build my life in a way that will allow me to work in this sphere.

In 2011, aiming to turn my dream into reality, I passed all the necessary exams with an average score above 91% and was accepted to the .... In the university I have chosen the faculty of management called ..., which provides a great deal of training in finance. I strive to graduate from the university with distinction and obtain a “red” diploma. At the moment I am one of the top ranking students in terms of grades with GPA over...

In 2014 in order to try my strengths in finance and business I took the Bloomberg Aptitude Test (BAT), where I scored a 630 (98th percentile). After completing MSc in Finance and getting required work experience I would love to pass the CFA exam. With an excellent background that I would receive at Bocconi, I would be able to become the CFA charterholder and thus to prove my qualification.

Over the course of undergraduate years at GSOM, each student has an opportunity to take a semester at a business school abroad. I studied at the ... during the fifth semester. The university was not chosen by accident but was a thoroughly thought-out decision. NUS gave me the opportunity to dive into a completely different culture, get to know new people, explore Asian countries and learn the differences and similarities of various countries’ perception of finance. That semester was a turning point of my life. I have learned to respect the beliefs of others and to adapt to different environments; the exchange helped me to gain deeper understanding of the outward things and to discover new aspects of myself. I have lived with people from all over the world, who helped me to deepen my knowledge of foreign cultures even beyond Asia. That experience made me grow a lot as an individual and encouraged me to move abroad.

It should be noted that my introduction to foreign cultures began long before that exchange program. Since I was 7, I have been intensively studying languages. During school summer holidays I often attended language schools in Europe. At the moment I am fluent in English, and intermediate in French and Italian. The wish to improve knowledge of Italian language became an important factor for me to select Italy as a country for further education. 

Throughout the bachelor studies I had a chance to intern at two different firms. In the summer... I worked as an intern in Finance department in ... . There I got a chance to finally put acquired knowledge into practice and see how the things work. In 2014 I passed the internship in ... Bank. Working in the Credit and Risk Analysis department I mastered my skills of risk assessment, quantitative analysis and diligence. Due to lack of personnel in the department at that time, I was given a lot of responsibility and I literally participated in every single activity of the department - the thing that taught me to act decisively and feel responsible for my actions. This work experience inspired me to try myself as a credit analyst. Gathering and analyzing data about clients and their environment, risk assessment and decision-making appeals to me as it organizes the most exciting part of the credit procedure.

At this point I am not sure that I will devote myself to credit analysis, but it can become a good starting point. A job in a bank would help me to gain experience in finance and a clearer understanding of my future career path. While I have not clearly defined life purpose, in my aspirations I always thought beyond just making money. The amount of bright minds in Russia has always astonished me. So many innovative ideas and visionary projects are being shattered into pieces due to the lack of intelligent financing and knowledgeable investors! In a long-term perspective, I would love to connect brilliant young Russians with investors from all over the world.

In order to accomplish my goals I was looking for an appropriate university paying special attention to quantitative issues of sciences due to my penchant for mathematics. As I found out, Bocconi is famous for its in-depth teaching of quantitative aspects of finance. Moreover, Bocconi’s finance program was ranked 8th in the world by the Financial Times’ MSc in Finance Rankings 2014.

In view of the foregoing I concluded that this university is perfect for me. I will have the opportunity to live in the adorable city while acquiring knowledge and skills essential to pursue my dream. Therefore, I desperately wish to be accepted. Considering my ambition and background in finance, I am confident that I can match your credentials and maintain high standards at your university.

Thank you for considering my application, and I look forward to your positive response. Truly yours,