How to Write an Application Letter in Ghana (With Samples)

You've found a job opening you want and your CV is ready, but the job opening also asks for an application letter — and you're not sure how to start it, what to put in it, or how to send it.

This guide answers those questions in plain language. You'll learn the two ways application letters are sent in Ghana, how to write each part so it shows your impact, and you'll get five samples you can adapt today.

The quick answer: an application letter is a short letter — ideally about half a page — that says which job you're applying for, shows two or three results that prove you're a good fit, explains why you want this employer and asks for an interview. In Ghana, it's usually sent by email: either as a formal letter saved as a PDF and attached together with your CV, or written directly in the body of the email.

What is an application letter?

An application letter is a short letter you send to an employer to ask for a job: it introduces you, explains why you want the role, and points the reader to your CV.

You may also hear it called a cover letter or letter of application, and in Ghana these mostly mean the same thing. "Application letter" is the term you'll see most often in job openings, especially for government jobs, national service postings, teaching and nursing.

Your CV shows what you've done, while your letter shows who you are and why you want this job — together, they make the employer want to meet you.

Two ways to send an application letter in Ghana

Most applications in Ghana now go by email, but the letter itself can take one of two forms, and the job opening usually tells you which one to use.

For example, when the University of Ghana's Health Services Directorate recruited national service personnel, it asked applicants to email an application letter addressed to the Director together with a detailed CV — that's the formal letter format, sent by email.

If you're not sure which to use, go with the formal letter as a PDF attachment: it works for every employer, and you can still add a two-line note in the email body.

Format 1: the formal letter (PDF attachment)

What each part means:

• Your details (top right): your name, phone number, email and town. A P.O. Box or GhanaPost GPS digital address is optional, because employers will contact you by phone or email. A free Gmail or Yahoo address is fine, as long as the part before the @ is your name rather than a nickname.
• Who it's for (left): the job title of the person and the organisation exactly as written in the job opening, for example "The Director, Health Services Directorate". Add a postal address only if the job opening gives one; the title and organisation are what matter.
• Salutation: "Dear Sir/Madam" if you don't know the person's name, or "Dear Mrs Asante" if you do.
• Heading: a short, bold line that names the job. Many Ghanaian letters write it as "RE: APPLICATION FOR THE POSITION OF…", following the traditional formal-letter style; with or without "RE:", both are correct, as long as the job title is clear.
• Sign-off: "Yours faithfully" after "Dear Sir/Madam" and "Yours sincerely" after a person's name is the traditional British rule, and it's the safest choice. "Kind regards" is also acceptable, especially in emails. What really matters is avoiding casual endings such as "Thanks", "Cheers" or no sign-off at all, followed by your signature and full name.

Format 2: the email application

• Subject line: follow the job opening's instructions exactly; if there are none, use Application for [Job Title] – [Your Full Name].
• Body: the same four parts as the formal letter, a little shorter, starting with "Dear Sir/Madam" or the person's name, and ending with "Kind regards" or "Yours sincerely", your full name and phone number.
• Attachment: your CV as a PDF, so it looks clean on any device, with a clear file name such as Kofi_Mensah_CV.pdf.

How long should it be? Aim for about half a page — roughly 200–250 words — and never more than one page. Recruiters read many applications for each job opening, and a short, focused letter is far more likely to be read in full.

How to write an application letter in 6 steps

Step 1: Research the job opening and the employer

Before you write anything, read the job opening carefully and note the exact job title, who to address, the deadline, and how they want to receive your application — for example "send one PDF" or "include two referees". Then spend five minutes on the employer's website or social media pages, because one specific fact about them will make your letter stand out from generic ones.

Step 2: Open with the job and where you saw it

Your first paragraph should be one or two sentences that say which job you're applying for and where you found the job opening, so the reader immediately knows what your letter is about.

"I am writing to apply for the position of Accounts Officer, which I saw on Jobberman."

Step 3: Show the impact you've made

This is the most important paragraph. Pick the two or three strongest results that match what the job opening asks for, and prove each one with a number or a concrete outcome rather than a list of duties.

"During my national service at the Ghana Health Service in Ho, I processed over 300 payment vouchers with no errors found in the year-end audit, and I cut the time needed to prepare monthly expenditure reports in Excel from five days to two."

Don't repeat your whole CV; choose the highlights that matter most for this job and let your CV give the full picture.

Step 4: Explain why you want this employer

Show that you're not sending the same letter to everyone by mentioning something specific about the organisation and how you'd contribute to it.

"I admire the bank's work supporting small businesses across the Volta Region, and I would like to help a team that serves local traders every day."

Step 5: Ask for the interview

Close with confidence: mention that your CV is attached, ask for the chance to talk, and thank the reader for their time.

"Please find my CV attached. I would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss how I can contribute to your team. Thank you for your time and consideration."

Step 6: Proofread before you send

A single spelling mistake can make a good letter look careless, so read it out loud slowly and check the names, job title and the organisation's name. If you can, ask a friend to read it as well, because a fresh pair of eyes catches mistakes you no longer see.

5 application letter samples you can adapt

All names, phone numbers and email addresses below are made up, so copy the structure and the tone, then replace the content with your own results. Samples 1–4 use the formal letter format (sent as a PDF attachment); sample 5 shows an email application.

Sample 1: Application letter for national service

Sample 2: Application letter for a fresh graduate (entry-level job)

Sample 3: Application letter for a teaching job

Sample 4: Application letter for a nurse

Sample 5: Email application

7 mistakes that get application letters ignored

1. Sending the same letter to every employer, which recruiters recognise immediately because it doesn't mention their organisation or the specific job.
2. Getting the job title or the organisation's name wrong, usually after copying an old letter, so check both against the job opening before sending.
3. Repeating your whole CV instead of highlighting the two or three results that matter most for this job.
4. Writing too much. Aim for about half a page; a letter that runs over one page makes busy recruiters skim or skip it.
5. Ignoring the job opening's instructions, such as not addressing the letter to the person named, using the wrong subject line, or sending separate files when the job opening asks for your letter and CV in one PDF.
6. A casual tone, such as text-message spelling or a sign-off like "Thanks" or "Cheers", which makes the letter look rushed.
7. Contact details that let you down — an email address built on a nickname, or a phone number that's wrong or switched off.

Let CVchale write your application letter

Writing a new letter for every job opening takes time, and CVchale's AI can do most of that work for you:

1. Tap the "Write my letter" button in the banner below.
2. Paste the job opening, or type the job title and the organisation's name.
3. CVchale uses your CV to pick out your strongest, most relevant results.
4. Get a tailored letter as a PDF or an email, edit anything you like, and download or copy it.

Since every application letter needs a CV behind it, you can build both in the same place. If you're starting with your CV, read our guide on how to write a CV first.

Frequently asked questions