Sample Letter of Intent

A letter of intent is a document outlining an agreement between two or more parties before the agreement is finalized. Such agreements may be business agreements, employment agreements, or for graduate school.

Letters of Intent resemble written contracts, but are usually not binding on the parties. However, some letters of intent contain provisions that are binding, such as non-disclosure agreements, or provisions promising exclusive rights to negotiate.

The purposes of a Letter of Intent may be:

• to clarify the key points of a complex transaction for the convenience of the parties
• to declare officially that the parties are currently negotiating, as in a merger or joint venture proposal
• to provide safeguards in case a deal collapses during negotiation

View sample business letters of intent.

In this context a letter of intent is used by a student to formally state which graduate school he or she intends to attend. A letter of intent is written by a student who is looking to sell himself to a graduate school or an athletic department at a college/university. The purpose of the letter of intent is basically the same as that of a cover letter: it is a sales pitch. You are selling yourself and your abilities.

View sample graduate school letters of intent.

A letter of intent may also be referred to as a memorandum of understanding, and generally applies to business transactions or negotiations. A letter of intent is also used for employment purposes. For example, a potential employee may indicate their intention to work for a certain company before actually doing so. Perhaps the potential employee is still in school or currently works for another company.

View sample employment letters of intent.