千里之行，始于足下。要申请留学，这第一封联系信是必不可少的，其目的是要和国外大学建立联系，并向它们索取申请材料。一般来说，国外正规的大学接到这样的信都会给你回复的。就这一点来说，人家的习惯要好得多。申请资料主要由申请表格组成，但也包括对学校、院系和专业的介绍材料。只有得到了这些资料，你才能展开申请。

这封最初的联系信不必写得太长或太详细。这封信通常是由秘书或其他办事人员来处理的，你未来的教授一般不会看到，也不会成为你正式申请材料的一部分。你大可不必为这封信伤太多的脑筋。内容上，一要表明你计划攻读的学位和专业，一要简单介绍一下你的背景和资历，以说明你为什么有资格攻读你想攻读的学位和专业。此信目的是要国外学校对你产生兴趣，并把申请材料寄给你。

这类最初的联系信函虽不可缺少，但并非是申请的关键。我们在软件中举了几个实例。

　　请注意这些信的格式，尤其是信头姓名、地址和信尾落款的书写方式。本章有意使用了不同的书信格式，供读者参考和仿效。但本节所展示的格式适用于其他信件。自己写信时到底使用哪种格式，可根据自己的爱好和习惯不拘一格，但最好以方便阅读为原则。

 

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am a lecturer teaching video production at the Tsinghua University of China, one of the country's leading institutions of higher learning. I now wish to scale higher intellectual heights by pursuing advanced studies in a quality graduate program at an American university. Towards that end, I am writing to ask for a package of your application documents. Your timely assistance will be greatly appreciated.

I did my undergraduate studies at the Tsinghua University, where I now teach, and obtained a Master's Degree in 1996 at the Beijing Institute of Broadcasting, the best higher-learning institution of its kind in China. In the past two years, I have been serving as a popular teacher of television shooting and the making of documentary films. In this capacity, I have published a number of research papers concerning China's booming media industry.

As I try to ground myself more solidly in my teaching and research career, I need to broaden my vision and perspectives. Checking into the Peterson's Guide and other sources, I have found that your university offers the kind of graduate program that caters to my type of research interests. It is therefore hoped that this letter will start me off in a process that will lead to my enrolment in your program next year.

Yours sincerely