How to write motivation letter. This article is dedicated to those of you who are looking for information on how to make a motivation letter for study abroad. I have written about an example of a motivation letter before. The explanation about how to make a motivation letter that I write will be an example explanation.
Previously, keep in mind that the motivation letter was written to tell the selection committee whether to enter a university or scholarship program about what motivates you to apply. Thus, motivation letters imply personal information related to studies and other related matters, such as career and scientific contributions.
There is no standard structure regarding the arrangement of motivation letters. The substance of the letter is more important than the outline because what the committee saw was the substance. As long as the motivation letter written succeeds in conveying the information needed by the committee, the chances of being accepted are greater. Writing style is also not too important as long as it is conveyed lightly, well and correctly.
How to write motivation letter
Based on the example of a motivation letter that I wrote earlier, I have described several practical steps so that readers have an idea of how to make a good and correct motivation letter. Beforehand, it is necessary to know that several rules must be known in advance, including:
First, motivation letters are personal, so information that reveals personal ambitions, visions and expectations must be written clearly.
Second, motivation letter is an instrument to create a “first impression” about yourself on the committee at the institution you are applying for. This first impression is always important even though other documents and other stages of selection are equally important.
Third, motivation letters are written based on knowledge of the institution you are applying for. This means that if the motivation letter is intended to register at a university, the university’s “profile” needs to be raised, even if it is only briefly. If written to apply for a scholarship, the “profile” of the scholarship provider should also be mentioned.
Fourth, motivation letter is a super short version of life’s journey and aspirations. The point here is a motivation letter which contains an explanation of what makes you motivated. These reasons can come from the past as well as aspirations in the future. Also read: List of Study Abroad Scholarships.
The four points above need to be remembered as a guide only. The rest, knowledge about how to make a motivation letter that is needed is the technical steps. For the part explaining the technical steps of writing, I will include another capture of an example of a motivation letter that I have written in another post.
Practical steps to write a motivation letter
The following is a screen capture of the motivation letter that I have written, with the date and the destination campus in disguise:
From the example above, we can arrange several steps that must be taken as part of how to make a good and correct motivation letter, including:
√ One full sheet or one half sheet is usually sufficient. Make sure there are no more than two sheets as they are too long unless asked for.
√ At the top is written the institution of destination and date of writing and at the bottom the name is written along with your signature.
√ In the content section, each paragraph contains information containing the intended study program and its reasons. These reasons can be described in sufficient detail from the study background to the career ambitions to be achieved in the future.
√ The information submitted does not have to be sequential, the important thing is that it includes the target program and university , motivation to register, future vision, career, contribution that can be given, and the suitability of the personal vision with the vision of the program or scholarship being applied for.
Also read : Research Proposal Systematics Referring to the example above, the authorship structure can be made as follows:
The first paragraph describes the study program being applied for and its relevance to your goals.
The second paragraph is about educational background which shows the relevance of future study plans.
The third paragraph contains research or work experience relevant to the study plan.
The fourth paragraph contains non-academic skills as added value to academic abilities. Readers can also list academic and non-academic achievements here.
The fifth paragraph describes the research proposal and why you want to do research on this theme.
Also read: Example of a Research Proposal The sixth paragraph contains information on the reasons for choosing a destination university. Readers express their knowledge about the “profile” of the destination university to give the committee the impression that you are serious about finding information about your dream place to study.
The last paragraph shows the benefits, contributions, or contributions given by applicants if they get the opportunity to join the study program. Contributions can be to the program, it can be on a national scale to the country, or it can be global at large.
Again, the order of each paragraph doesn’t have to be the same. Make sure the selection committee gets the information it needs about yourself and your motivation to register. The writing flows as much as possible and can be understood in one reading.
