How to Write a Motivation Letter for Studying Abroad
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Imagine finding the perfect study abroad opportunity and preparing your documents to start the most exceptional experience of your life. But suddenly, you discover that the university is asking you to write a compulsory document. A motivation letter for studying abroad is a short essay that shows you’re a qualified and worthy student for this opportunity.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <p>Preparing your motivational university letter can be stressful, but you have to be ready and work hard to leave a good impression. If you're worried, take a deep breath and grab your notebook. We’ve grouped a list of common questions that the admission team may ask you to write about. Work your way through it and you’ll be feeling less worried and move forward with confidence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <p><strong>P.S. </strong>Before we dive into the questions, keep in mind that a motivation letter for studying abroad is also called a statement of purpose, or personal statement.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <p>Let’s get into it!</p> <p> </p> <h2><strong>Here are the most common questions you'll have to expand on in your motivational letter</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:heading --> <p> </p> <h3><strong>1. Why did you apply to this university?</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Your answer will tell the university if you've researched the university and how eager you are to study there. Here, you can mention their dynamic campus, superior programs, top-class professors, or the modern technology they use.</p> <p> </p> <p>Try to praise them on things that are worthy of praise, but always be honest. Universities want people excited to study, not to go to Barcelona for the nice beaches. And this question will help the university differentiate between students who are really interested and those who are applying blindly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3><strong>2. Why do you want to study this specific program/major?</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This question is one of the most important questions. It's basically to test if you’re committed to it for the next couple of years. Before you answer this, you need to go through the curriculum for all the academic years and check the subjects. By this point, you should have a pretty clear picture of the program and why it is interesting to you. It might be because you enjoy specific subjects, have a particular career path in mind, or whatever resonates with you.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --><!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3><strong>3. Why do you want to study abroad?</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Interestingly enough, many people don’t have a solid ‌answer to this question. They tend to answer with something like “Because it looks like a good opportunity,” or “I just want to leave my country.” Don’t be too vague, too passive, or too aggressive. Instead, be genuine and precise and try to identify your key points, such as gaining international exposure, becoming globally employable, broadening your horizons and mindset, or levelling up your skills and knowledge.</p> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --><!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are actually way more reasons to study abroad. Read about it <a href="https://www.blog.educatly.com/blog-details/1/11%20Reasons%20Why%20You%20Should%20Study%20Abroad" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here</a> to get inspired and ace your motivation letter for studying abroad.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:image {"id":5644,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <p><img alt="motivation letter for study abroad" src="https://api.educatly.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBdWFXIiwiZXhwIjpudWxsLCJwdXIiOiJibG9iX2lkIn19--ccadc4a6d01c1794398aceda461578fb4a456495/motivational%20university%20letter.jpg" style="width: 720px; height: 480px;" /></p> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3><strong>4. What do you want to do after graduation?</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The primary goal of this question is to see your ambitions and intentions for the future. It doesn’t have to be fully mapped out in a step-by-step route but think more in terms of career objectives or specific fields you’re interested in joining after graduation. You could also mention a few roles that are related to the studies that you want to pursue in the future, such as social media marketing, full stack developer, or sales executive.</p> <p> </p> <p>Also, try adding a nice aspirational touch to show your over-achiever mindset, such as bigger goals in life you want to achieve. If you’re becoming a doctor and your dream is to find a cure for a disease, mention it! No dream is ever too big. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <p> </p> <p><strong>What NOT to Write in Your Motivational Letter:</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>DON’T say that you’re planning to stay in the country even after your visa expires. That would get you in trouble and show that you have bad intentions. And, please oh please, don’t mention you’re moving to a country to get married to someone local (yes, we’ve read that many times before on essays…) PLEASE never do this or you will get an automatic rejection! The whole purpose of studying abroad is to learn and build a career, so keep that the main focus of studying abroad.</p> <!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph --><!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3><strong>5. Why should we give you this opportunity?</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This question puts you in the spotlight, and it's an excellent opportunity to shine on and impress the admission team with your achievements. Mention your educational experience and how it could support your future plans, as well as how committed and open you are to experience a new culture. This will make you look like the perfect fit for this opportunity. You can also highlight your accomplishments and good grades, so they make sure you will not drop out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <p><strong>The bottom line:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This guide will help you write a very strong motivational university letter that shares your values and intentions with the university and helps you get the acceptance letter in no time. Remember to take your time and jot down some key points you want to cover before writing your motivational university letter. This will help you ace this and submit the document confidently, and we know you can do it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --><!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <p>On the other hand, if you need more help, Educatly has got you covered. All you need to do is <a href="http://educatly.com/signup" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">sign up to Educatly</a> and <a href="http://educatly.com/profile" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">update your profile</a> to get a customized browsing experience.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <p>You don't need to worry when you're with Educatly! Here’s to the splendid experience that awaits you! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <p> </p> <p><strong>Don't forget to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/educatly/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">follow Educatly</a> for more on studying abroad and education.</strong></p> <p><!-- /wp:heading --></p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p>
