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How to Cold Outreach

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Cold emailing isn’t just a skill; it’s like fishing. You need the right bait, the perfect cast, and yes, a little patience for the right catch to come along. When reaching out to a PI, professor, or project coordinator, sometimes your email landing in the right inbox at the right moment is pure chance. 

 

But here’s the thing: you can stack the odds in your favour.

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The secret? Crafting an email so irresistible, it earns you 30 precious seconds of their attention. That’s all you need to get them intrigued enough to respond.

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We know that everyone’s starting point is different. Whether you’re in your first year of university or finishing a master’s degree, your experience and background shape your approach. That’s why we’ve designed customizable cold email templates—complete with real examples—to suit a variety of situations.

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Ready to level up your outreach game? Let’s help you send emails that actually get responses. Explore our templates and start making connections today! 

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And remember, sometimes getting research opportunities is simply a numbers game.

Here’s the golden rule: SHORT, SIMPLE, and LASER-FOCUSSED. Your email should be concise yet packed with enough personalization to make the reader feel like it’s written just for them. No fluff, no rambling—just a clear message that’s tailored to their interests. Add links where applicable to really grab their attention and legitimize your work. Add bullet points to make it super concise, and have a click-baity title. The most optimized times in the day to send emails are early morning before the workday (6–7 AM, you can schedule send ;)) OR at the end of the workday (3–5 PM). Always attach your resume and latest grades if you have strong grades and a strong resume. Otherwise, leave them out and have them follow up (if they want you, they will ask for it).​

Choose the Template that works for you!

Everyone's at a different place on the research journey—you might have a ton of experience or you might just be starting out. To help you succeed, we’ve crafted four templates for cold outreach that are proven to get responses. These templates have been tried and tested by our team to give you the best chance of connecting with researchers,

 

Note, when using the templates, change the highlighted portions to best fit you

Unpersonalized + Experienced

What This Does Well

  • Name-dropping all of the institutes that you’ve worked with is very legit and catches the attention of the reader; it validates your work significantly

  • You can quickly send this to 50+ labs since it's so unpersonalized

What This Fails At

  • Very unpersonalized; sometimes profs can see through it and are unimpressed when emails lack specific references to their work

Subject: Inquiry About Research Opportunities in Your Lab

 

Dear Dr. XXXXXX,


I hope this email finds you well. My name is XXXXX, and I am currently in my second year of the Health Science program at McMaster University. I am reaching out to express my interest in joining your lab because of my strong enthusiasm for understanding the neural mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases, particularly how early detection methods can improve patient outcomes.


In terms of research experience, I have worked as a student researcher at the Centre for Neurological Innovation at Sunnybrook Research Institute, where I contributed to a project investigating the role of microglia activation in Alzheimer’s progression. I also completed a summer internship at the McGill Neuroscience Research Unit, where I developed data visualization tools for analyzing functional MRI scans. Currently, I am assisting with a meta-analysis under Dr. Valerie Fan at the UBC Centre for Brain Health, focusing on biomarkers for preclinical stages of Parkinson’s Disease. Additionally, I was part of a collaborative effort at the Canadian Centre for Computational Neuroscience, where I co-authored a study exploring machine learning applications in predicting stroke recovery trajectories.


Please let me know if there are opportunities in your lab to contribute to ongoing projects or assist with any of your upcoming studies. I would be happy to schedule a discussion at a time that is convenient for you. I’ve attached my CV and transcript for your reference.


Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.


Best Regards,
XXXXXXX
 

Unpersonalized + Inexperienced

What This Does Well

  • The multiple line breaks make this very visually easy to read and engaging

What This Fails At

  • Highlights your inexperience (could be a bad thing if the prof is looking for very technical people)

Subject: Excited to Explore Research Opportunities in XXXXXX

 

Dear Dr. XXXXXX,

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I hope you are doing well. My name is XXXXXX and I am a first-year student in the Life Sciences program at Queen's University.

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I recently came across your work and was interested in your research on synaptic plasticity and its role in cognitive resilience. Understanding how neural connections adapt and how these changes impact memory and learning is a topic I find both fascinating and inspiring.

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Although I have only had an introductory overview of neuroplasticity in my studies, I am eager to deepen my understanding of how these mechanisms can lead to innovative therapeutic approaches for neurological disorders. The potential to uncover pathways that improve cognitive outcomes motivates me to explore this field further

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I would be incredibly grateful for the opportunity to contribute to your research as a volunteer. While I am new to formal lab settings, I approach challenges with persistence and a strong desire to learn. I believe I could bring enthusiasm and dedication to your team.

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Attached, I have included my resume, academic transcript, and a short report from a research project [could be anything; even your Bio IA from IB works] I conducted during my first year. Please let me know if there is anything else I can provide.

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Thank you so much for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

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Best,
XXXXXXX

Personalized + Experienced

What This Does Well

  • Super Engaging; Makes the prof want to keep reading, bullet points are unique (make sure you hyperlink everything)

  • Super personalized to the prof: clearly shows the student is interested

What This Fails At

  • It takes quite some time to send multiple PIs since you have to spend time personalizing them, but it's high effort high reward

  • Only works if you have VERY impressive experience

Subject Line: Exploring Summer Opportunities

 

Dear Dr. XXXXXX, 

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I am a BSc. student and came across your lab’s website (insert hyperlink). I wanted to inquire if your lab is currently recruiting. I would be thrilled to contribute to your work, particularly as I am very interested in your research on plasma clearance methods, such as iohexol and inulin, for detecting early declines in glomerular filtration rate and their potential applications in future diagnostics and therapeutics.

 

If you are currently recruiting, here’s a bit more about my background to help determine if I could be a good fit for your lab. I’ve:

  • Authored a review paper exploring pathological pathways for Type 2 Diabetes: https://www.researchpaperlink.com (link)

  • Developed a cost-effective wearable heart monitor (link)  capable of detecting atrial fibrillation and early-stage heart failure from ECG patterns.

  • Proposed an AI-powered device that analyzes vocal patterns to identify depression and anxiety disorders, published in URNCST journal (insert hyperlink).

 

Looking forward to your response!

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Best,

Name

Linkedin | Another Relevant Website (if applicable)

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OR

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Include an email signature (that contains a logo of your school, contact info, etc)

Personalized + Inexperienced

What This Does Well​

  • Concise & professional, prof doesn’t have to waste time reading

  • Personalized and specific to the prof

What This Fails At

  • Big blocks of text get boring to read and are unengaging

  • Doesn’t seem very enthusiastic, profs want to see personality in their trainees

Subject Line: How can I explore Research with you?

 

Dear Dr. XXXXX,

 

I hope you are doing well. My name is XXXXX, and I am currently a 3rd Year student in the Life Science Program at McMaster. I am reaching out to inquire about potential opportunities to contribute to your research, either as a volunteer or student researcher, for your ongoing or upcoming projects.

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Your work in XXXXX (summarize their work in 1 line) deeply resonates with my interests, particularly your study on [Briefly Reference Paper/Research Topic with Hyperlink], which I found both inspiring and insightful. I would be grateful for the chance to contribute to your lab’s efforts in this area.

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I have attached my resume and transcript for your review and would be happy to provide additional information if needed. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to the possibility of discussing this further with you.

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Best regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Email Address]
[Your Phone Number]

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