Example of a Parcoursup cover letter for an effective application
Not all courses on Parcoursup require a cover letter. Yet whether it's compulsory or not, a well-constructed letter is always an advantage: it's the only space where you talk about yourself beyond your grades. This guide shows you how to write an effective "Projet de formation motivé" (motivated training project), within the limit set by the platform, with concrete examples for applying to the Master in Management (Programme Grande École), Bachelor in Business or BBA International at Excelia Business School.
In brief
The Parcoursup cover letter, or "Projet de formation motivé", is limited to 1,500 characters, or around 250 words, and must answer three questions: why this course, how you match it, and what you have already done to find out.
At Excelia Business School, the post-baccalaureate courses (the Master in Management, Bachelor in Business and BBA International) are all applied for via Parcoursup, each with its own requirements. They are also state-accredited: leading to a Grade de Master for the Master in Management, and a Grade de Licence for the Bachelor in Business and BBA International.
Why is the Parcoursup cover letter decisive?
It allows admissions teams to assess genuine motivation and to distinguish between similar profiles, within the 1,500-character limit set by Parcoursup.
This section of the application is called the "Projet de formation motivé": Parcoursup does not ask you to redo your CV, but to explain why you are aiming specifically for this course rather than another, whether at Excelia Business School or another institution. How to get into a business school details the other parts of the application to prepare in parallel.
A panel reading several hundred letters first remembers those that go straight to the point: a vague letter, that could be sent to any school, does not fulfil its purpose.
How to structure a Parcoursup cover letter?
Five stages are enough to build an effective letter: an opening hook, the steps taken, the argument for the project, the experiences highlighted and an engaging conclusion.
Following this order avoids losing focus within the 1,500 characters available:
- The opening hook: a sentence that clearly expresses your motivation from the outset, without a stock phrase
- The steps taken: what you have done to really get to know the course, not just read its profile
- The argument for the project: the link between your background and the precise requirements of the course you are aiming for
- The experiences highlighted: a concrete example that illustrates a quality, rather than a statement of intent
- The conclusion: a sentence that confirms your motivation to join the school
Each of these five stages fits into one or two sentences, and that's perfectly fine: the length constraint forces you to choose, which serves the letter more than it limits it, at Excelia Business School as elsewhere.
Which steps and experiences should you highlight?
Concrete steps and personal experiences make an application more credible than a statement of intent, because they can be verified.
Looking at course profiles to pick out their key requirements helps you link them to what you have experienced: an internship, involvement in a society, a personal project. An open day or an immersion on campus also count as steps taken, provided you draw a precise observation from them rather than simply mentioning that you attended.
Making the most of an experience means recounting it in one sentence and then drawing out a quality useful for the course you are aiming for: organisation, public speaking, rigour, curiosity. What matters is not the nature of the experience, but what you say about it, a principle that applies whether you are applying to Excelia Business School or any other school.
Example cover letter for the Master in Management
A good opening hook for the Master in Management at Excelia Business School links a genuine interest, whether international or commercial, to the concrete requirements of the programme.
"Curious and attentive to global economic issues, I wish to join the Master in Management to develop expertise in management in an international environment." This sentence works because it names a precise interest before linking it to the course.
The Master in Management trains managers who will go on to hold responsibilities in an international economic context, and offers mobility between several campuses: points worth mentioning if your background or your project genuinely relate to them.
Example cover letter for the Bachelor in Business
For the Bachelor in Business at Excelia Business School, which also offers the possibility of a double degree, the same logic applies to a more operational project, geared towards entrepreneurship or management.
"Passionate about project management since an internship in a small business, I wish to join the Bachelor in Business to acquire concrete skills in management and business." The hook here starts from a lived experience, which avoids the pitfall of a vague project.
The Bachelor in Business trains students in management and business, with professional experience throughout the course: arguments to draw on if your letter is aimed precisely at this programme.
Which mistakes should you avoid in your Parcoursup cover letter?
The mistakes that cost you the most:
- spelling mistakes
- phrasing that is too casual or too stiff
- copying and pasting templates found online
- a mismatch with the requirements of the course
A letter riddled with mistakes suggests a lack of seriousness, an overly stiff letter reveals nothing about you, and copy-pasting is quickly spotted, as the same templates come up every year.
The Master in Management, the Bachelor in Business and BBA International at Excelia Business School are just three of the courses accessible after the baccalaureate on Parcoursup: reviewing this list helps confirm that your letter matches the course you have chosen, and not another one.
Once your letter has been proofread and your choices submitted, all that remains is to confirm your application within the Parcoursup timetable.
Apply to the Master in Management via Parcoursup
Access Parcoursup to prepare your choices with us
Frequently asked questions
- How many characters are allowed for a Parcoursup cover letter?
The Parcoursup cover letter, called the "Projet de formation motivé", is limited to 1,500 characters, or around 250 words, which corresponds to half a page.
- Should you personalise your letter for each course?
Yes. A letter that is too generic, usable for any course, does not convince a panel that reads several hundred of them: it is better to link each argument to the precise requirements of the course you are aiming for.
- What should you put in the opening hook of a Parcoursup cover letter?
The opening hook should clearly express your motivation from the very first sentence, avoiding stock phrases: naming a genuine interest before linking it to the course works better than a list of qualities.
- Does an open day count as a concrete step?
Yes, provided you draw a precise observation from it rather than a simple mention: what you learned or confirmed about the course matters more than the fact that you attended.
- Should you write the same cover letter for the Master in Management, BBA International or Bachelor in Business?
No. Each course requires an opening hook suited to its project:
- Master in Management: the opening hook links an interest to a long-term professional ambition, in connection with the 5-year course
- BBA International: the opening hook starts from a lived intercultural experience (time abroad, language practice) and shows a concrete wish to build an international career
- Bachelor in Business: the opening hook draws on a concrete experience geared towards entrepreneurship or management (student job, society project, small personal venture)
