When it comes to scholarship applications, the motivation letter is one of the most crucial elements as it can potentially set you apart from the other applicants. The motivation letter defines a student’s interest and need for assistance as well as introduces the applicant to the scholarship panel.
This letter should include your achievements and explain what makes you the ideal candidate. How do your skills and abilities contribute to the university or country? You should show the desire that you want to learn and contribute new knowledge.If it’s your first time writing one don’t worry, we have a few tips to help you get started.
Before Writing your Motivation Letter
Investigate the University and program you want to study. What profile does the institution or the scholarship provider looking for? Browse its official page, review the sections: About, Our Culture, Philosophy, among others, and analyse the institution. Do they value leadership more or the ability to work as a team? Are they socially responsible and concerned about the environment? What is the role of ethics? Or are they more focused on numbers and concrete results?
This research will help you shape your motivation letter according to the interests of the institution and find out if this opportunity suits your interests.
Check the section of the testimonies of students. Sometimes they have official videos and what they say might also help you to find out if you like the program and then address some of those points in your motivation letter accordingly.
Tailor your motivation letter
This is about you. Your story, your experience, your vision. Where are you coming from and where are you going? How will you benefit from continued education in this field? How will you use this knowledge to make a difference, big or small? You also need to establish why you deserve to be considered over other applicants.
What specific experiences do you have now that set you apart from the rest? What specific plans do you have that will address a current issue in the world? Even if you currently have limited knowledge about the issue, use that to your advantage.
Explain how you could thrive with more education and solve even more problems in the future. Make your scholarship application letter exclusive to you, personalize it, delve deep into your passion and drive to study your subject, and create a response that could only ever relate to you. It is this individuality and uniqueness of what drives you, how your experience has shaped your perspective, as well as your ambition that will make you stand out.
The Content
Some of the points you can consider addressing in your motivation letter can include:
- Any work-related experience you have. This can include both paid and unpaid internships.
- What you hope to gain from your education. Think of which problems you aim to solve or uncover.
- Why does the program mean so much to you? How the research projects and facilities of the institution and country will help you to achieve your goals? What are your holistic plans for the future?
- Why did you choose that specific country/university/department?
Last Check
Structure: Make sure your ideas are expressed clearly and the letter has a natural flow of reading. Identify your strengths and show them in a concrete and coherent way with the program to which you are applying.
Clear: Easy to read, avoid complex words, and separate the paragraphs by the topics you are addressing.
Short: If you are clear, you do not have to extend more than 1 page. In fact, it is often necessary for the motivation letter to meet this requirement. If not, a page and a half are enough. If you are extending too much, read it again, is there something that doesn’t contribute to the main points or could be removed?
Much can be said about writing the best motivational letter but we hope that this will give you a place to start and steer you in the right direction.
All the best!
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