Motivation letter for study example. Recommendations on how to correctly write a motivation letter: sample in Russian and English. Who reads motivation letters and how?

A motivation letter, or motivational essay for a university, most often called a Motivation Letter or Personal Statement by foreign universities, is a student’s essay, usually ranging from 500 to 1500 words, designed to convince the admissions committee that the essay author is ready to study in the chosen program.

Typically, in a motivation letter, a student defines his career goals, talks about his strengths, and describes how the program he is enrolling in will help him achieve his career and life goals.

Samples of motivation letters to university

You can buy examples of motivation letters in English and Russian for students admitted to universities in the UK, USA and Holland here. More than 20 images of motivation letters on various subjects.

Samples of motivation letters in English and Russian from students admitted to universities in the UK, Canada and the USA in 2014-2015. Examples of motivation letters are presented in PDF format.

How to write a motivation letter for university?

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Copying the text of a motivation letter written by another student may be detected by the university admissions committee, which will lead to a refusal to consider your application by the admissions committee.

For the best result, it is advisable to imagine that communication is taking place with your best friend, who is told all the delights of studying abroad.

After listening to the recording, it will become clear what theses will form the basis of the essay.

Motivation letter to the university

Phrases that can be used in the body of the letter:

I am particularly interested in this job, as... - I am interested in getting this job, as...
I would like to work for you, in order to... - I would like to work in your company
My strengths are... – My strengths
I would say that my only weakness / weaknesses are… . But I am looking to improve in this / these area/s. – I can say that my only weakness is... But I’m working on it
I would be well suited to the position because... - I consider myself a suitable candidate for this vacancy because
My area of expertise is... – I specialize in
Even under pressure I can maintain high standards.

Motivation letter: example, sample

Important

After graduating from school, I had a desire to get an education in the economic field and enter one of the most prestigious universities in Europe. Since childhood, I have loved to read. At the age of 10, the completely non-children’s book “The Financier” fell into my hands quite by accident, and to the surprise of my parents, I did not let it go. Back then I couldn’t even imagine that this book would have such an impact on my views and dreams.

2. Justification of interest in a particular discipline or specialty The next part of the motivation letter should contain a clear justification for the choice of this area of study. It can contain both a description of your previous experience and indicate your desired professional prospects in the future. I would really like to get an education in economics at Charles University.

Motivation letter

Info

How will studying at this university allow you to develop in the future? The acquisition of this specialty will continue what you have already started? Correct text structure So, let's divide your motivation letter for studying abroad into three blocks: introduction, main block and conclusion. The first describes the author's academic life, where he studied, practiced, his goals, profile. The main block is a brief description of the author’s motivation for studying at this particular university.

Finally, indicate your planned place of work and the country where you would like to apply your knowledge. How to write a motivation letter for admission to a foreign university First, answer the previously written questions orally. Record all your ideas on a voice recorder. Then write down all your ideas for visualization.
Then you can break them down point by point. Paragraph 1.

An example of a motivation letter for studying abroad - in Russian for a master's degree

The introduction is the part of the letter that should make the reader read your letter. Make it interesting: use quotes, a description of a life event, an unusual fact.

The conclusion is an equally important part of the letter. The conclusion should leave a positive impression of what you read.
In conclusion, you don’t need to summarize every paragraph, but you can present the problems proposed in the letter from a different angle, connect them to larger global problems, or describe your goals and motivation more fully.
Edit the letter in several stages. First, just write the text, after a day or two you should read it, and later, proofread it in detail for grammatical and spelling errors.

How to write a motivation letter for studying abroad.

You should pay special attention to writing a motivation letter to a university. Despite the fact that writing a motivation letter is a creative process, there are a number of principles and unspoken rules for writing it. A well-written motivation letter can be a decisive factor in admission to a particular university in the Czech Republic.

Attention

Below are samples of a motivation letter and tips for writing it: 1. Biographical facts You should start your motivation letter with facts from your personal biography. A personal story, like nothing else, can show your sincerity when writing a motivation letter.

My own experience gives the letter emotionality and sincerity. (Full name, place of birth, education received, social experience.) Example: Good afternoon, My name is Olga Ivanova, I was born in Russia, in the city of Moscow.
To order a motivation letter, click on “ORDER A MOTIVATION LETTER” and fill out the form. After receiving your application, we will immediately contact you and inform you of the cost of the service and possible payment methods. As a rule, applicants associate admission to Russian universities with writing various types of tests, memorizing answers to questions on various subjects, and interviews with members of the admissions committee.
However, there are completely different admission criteria for admission to foreign universities. In foreign universities, the emphasis is on checking the depth of knowledge of the applicant and his professional suitability. The level of proficiency in foreign languages and the degree of motivation are assessed.

In addition to the basic documents required for admission, most Czech universities require applicants to write a well-written motivation letter in Czech.

Sample motivation letter for studying in Russian

In most cases, a properly formatted motivation letter is 50% of the way to getting into your dream university. That is why you should not take its writing lightly. A motivation letter is a 1-2 page essay in which the candidate describes his interests (academic), experience, goals, life position and achievements. A motivation letter can tell you a lot about the author:

firstly, the selection committee will be able to get an idea of the candidate’s personality, his ability to think critically, and analyze the situation
secondly, about the candidate’s ability to logically, coherently and grammatically correctly express his thoughts in writing

Agree, based on the letter, you can draw certain conclusions about a candidate who dreams of a diploma from a world-famous university - that’s why you need to write a motivation letter.
But practice shows the opposite: nine out of 10 people, when planning to write a self-presentation, are faced with the problem: what to present and where to start? Experts who help students write a motivation letter for graduate school offer several tricks that help start the process:

Ask questions: “Why do I need to study abroad for a master’s degree?”; “Why do I want to become a student at a particular university?”; “Why do I need the chosen specialty?” and “What will completing a master’s degree give me?”
The listed questions should be spoken out loud and answered orally, while trying to record the entire speech on a voice recorder.

The most common mistakes when translating a motivation letter into English are the coordination of tenses in complex sentences, incorrect word order (translation requires restructuring of the sentence), and incorrect use of the singular and plural during translation. This is not a complete list of possible mistakes when translating a motivation letter into English. Therefore, it is better to improve your Writing skills with the help of quality resources and advice - and write a motivation letter in English. A sample motivation letter in English can help you write your own letter. You can find examples of motivation letters in English on the portal ru.scribd.com.

This is just a visual, small hint for the author. Editing Be as careful as possible when editing your finished essay. Any mistake will be considered as negligence in writing the letter.

Proofreading the text and its final revision may take several days. Do not waste your time, perhaps this will be a decisive plus in your favor. Editing is carried out step by step. 1. Checking the document for integrity; 2. Checking for the presence of a logical connection between all blocks of the letter; 3. A minimum of adjectives that express excessive emotions; 4. The motivation letter should not be too long; two A4 pages will be enough; 5. Unified style of text in the letter; 6. Text checking by a professional in English.
In the Western world, the issue of alternative energy sources is given much more attention than in Russia, unfortunately, so I expect to make a tangible contribution to the development of this sector in my home country. To achieve my goal, I plan to build a career in companies that are world leaders in the energy sector: Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil or British Petroleum. It seems to me that the most suitable option is to start working in a team of internal consultants: this way I can gain comprehensive experience, learn all the functions and features of this business. My interest in this topic and determination will help me in a few years to lead this team and stimulate the development of alternative energy sources in Russia.

There are 2 reasons why a motivation letter needs to be prepared carefully.

The first reason is your chance to stand out among equal and even stronger competitors. The best students from all over the world enter foreign universities. The school scores and level of English of your competitors, if not higher than yours, are certainly not lower. You may not have time to retake English; your school grades will not change. A brilliant motivation letter will set you apart from others.

The second reason is that a motivation letter can smooth out the shortcomings of individual components of your application. Perhaps you chose a program that does not match your previous education, do not have relevant work experience, or simply missed a few points on the GMAT. A motivation letter will help you present this information correctly and shift the emphasis to your strengths.

In the video of our founder Yana Drapkina-Uehara: 6 steps in preparing a motivation letter, difficult cases, examples of successful applications from our practice.

I. Read the requirements for a motivation letter

If the requirements are not listed on the program website, register online in the university's application submission system and find a description of the requirements in that system. Pay attention to the required volume of words or printed characters and the issues that you must cover in your essay. Check how many motivational essays the university requires from you: most undergraduate and master's programs will only require one motivation letter from you, however there are exceptions, for example: the University of Edinburgh usually requires two essays for its master's programs.

Example of motivational essay questions for the MSc Management program at the University of East Anglia in 2016: “The volume of a motivational essay should be about 500 words. Describe the reason why you chose the program, how it relates to your future career plans, your work experience, internship, volunteer work, other experience related to the program, what you hope to gain from completing the program.”

II. Determine the structure of your motivation letter

What sections – paragraphs – will be included in your essay, how these sections will be related to each other; don't forget to include an introduction and conclusion. Think over and perhaps outline for yourself what you will write about in each section of your motivational essay.

Below we have listed the most simple structure of a motivational essay to university, successfully tested on motivation letters from more than 100 Russian-speaking students who entered foreign universities:

Introduction.
Career goals for enrolling in the program.
Career plan: how the goals described above will be achieved.
Which of the qualities, skills and knowledge required for the described career plan do you have, and what do you need to develop?
How the program you are enrolling in will help you develop the relevant qualities, skills and knowledge and achieve the career goals outlined above.
How can you be interesting/useful to the university and fellow students?
Conclusion.

If you are not confident enough to write in English, it may be more convenient for you to write your motivational essay in Russian and then translate it into English.

Watch Yana Drapkina-Uehara's video: the writing plan with which Yana entered the MBA program in England and which she taught to her clients, life hacks for successful writing and common mistakes.

III. Define your career goals and describe them

Most foreign universities include a question about the student's future career in the motivation letter. The older the student or the higher the level of his education, the more specific and thoughtful the description of his career plan should be. Which industry interests you most and why? Are there any companies you would like to work for and why? If you want to start your own business, describe why you are choosing the entrepreneurial path and what area you will work in.

Try to determine your career goals for the next 2-4 years for a bachelor's degree, 5-7 years for a master's degree and an MBA. The goals should be:
- Not simple, but realistic;
- Professional goals must be correlated with life goals;
- Specific, demonstrating your understanding of the industry, the area where you want to work;
- Aimed at improving not only your life and the contents of your bank account, but also the lives of people around you, your society, country and, possibly, the world as a whole.

Try to connect your career and life goals. In the example Below is a combination of career and life goals by a student from Moscow who enrolled in the BSc Biomedical Science program at UCL London: “I have always been interested in the nature of living things. Illnesses that befell my family members and some friends taught me that health is one of the most important things in life. Yet, most people get sick throughout their lives, and I have always seen being able to help find a cure for illnesses as a good purpose in life.”

IV. What to do if you don’t have a career plan yet?

For many students entering undergraduate studies, there is no clear understanding of what and where they will do after graduation. In this case, it is worth describing the field in which you see yourself and informing the admissions committee that by studying at their university, you hope to create a more detailed career plan.

Below is an example of a career path described by a student who had not chosen an exact profession and enrolled in the BA Film Studies program at the University of Reading: “I have not yet decided what type of career path in cinematography I should choose. I hope this course would help me gain a clearer understanding of the activities involved in the filmmaking process, so that I could make an informed decision regarding my career.”

V. Tell us about your qualities, knowledge and achievements

How and what to tell about yourself in a motivation letter confuses many applicants: we don’t often write our own biographies. However, this task can be greatly facilitated if you approach it using the following steps:

1. Determine what special qualities and knowledge are needed for success in the program you have chosen and in your future profession, and which of these qualities you have. Describe these qualities, giving examples from school, work and life.

2. Determine what universal human virtues, available to you, will help you achieve success on your chosen path. Describe these strengths, giving examples from your academic, professional, social, athletic, etc. life.

3. If you have interesting hobbies or you participated in events that may be useful in your studies or will help you become an interesting participant in the life of the university, briefly describe them.

4. Communicate what qualities and knowledge are needed to successfully progress in your career. Would you like to develop while on the program; Often in questions of motivational essays, universities call these qualities “points of improvements.”

5. Don't praise or belittle yourself., but describe yourself as objectively as possible, citing facts, relying on the opinions of others and, if possible, quoting them.

Study the brochures and website of your chosen university. Most often, the university openly communicates what qualities students should have and what criteria they must meet.

Below is An example of a description of personal qualities by a student from Moscow admitted to the MBA program at Aston University Business School: “I enjoy the challenges and the learning experience I can gain from them. At university, I learned to value quality knowledge and efforts needed to acquire it. Throughout my career I learned how to be a results-oriented manager and motivate others. I believe, my most important quality in this respect is my ability to collaborate and communicate effectively. However, I believe that to implement my business ideas, I still need to learn more about organizations and entrepreneurship in global business.”

VI. Tell us why you are interested in this program and university

Remember that the person reviewing your application will likely be an expert in the relevant subject area and will want to see evidence of your genuine interest and understanding of the subject. A motivation letter for a master's degree must demonstrate a deeper understanding of the subject than an essay for admission to the first higher education. Samples of motivation letters in English and Russian.

VII. Put the resulting parts together

Following the essay structure, compose a first version of your essay and refine it, making sure that all parts of your work are logically connected to each other.

VIII. Check and edit your motivation letter

In a motivation letter, thoughts should be expressed simply and clearly. This can be easily achieved by limiting the sentence length to 12-20 words. Avoid being either overly familiar or overly formal. Write in a way that is easy to understand. Make sure each sentence contains important information and is not a repetition of what has already been said or a waste of words.

Some essays begin with catchy quotes, others contain jokes or the essays have an unusual structure. Sometimes this works, but it can also have the opposite effect. Admissions officers may not share your sense of humor or views, so be careful about trying to make your essay too unusual.

Check your grammar, spelling and punctuation. An essay written with errors creates a negative impression of the skills and effort put into the application.

You can’t rely entirely on your computer’s “Spell Check” function. Print out the letter and read it carefully several times, trying to detect any errors or typos.

Let people whose opinions you trust read your letter. Make sure that the text of your letter is clear to readers.

To qualify for admission to any Russian university, it is enough to graduate from high school, submit the necessary package of documents and pass the entrance exams. It is based on their results that the admissions committee evaluates the degree of preparation of the applicant and determines the level of his social skills. Things are much more complicated.

In addition to providing a certificate and confirming the level of language proficiency (certificate), the future student must provide a motivation letter in English.

A motivation letter for studying abroad is a mandatory document, according to which the admissions committee of a foreign university evaluates the personal and professional qualities of the applicant, as well as the level of his theoretical preparation in 2019. In addition, it best explains the choice of a particular specialty and the desire to study it.

For applicants who have successfully passed the test and scored the maximum score, writing such a sheet is a formality, since they are most likely to be admitted to the university.

An example of writing a motivational essay

However, for people who are missing several points, it can become a real salvation and guarantee admission to a university. In the case when a student wants to change his specialty, or for admission to a master's program, it also plays a vital role, since it explains the reason for such a decision.

A motivation sheet for entering a university is written in free form in the first person or in the form of a short interview. The dialogue format involves composing 10-15 questions and sequential answers to them. Despite the arbitrary nature of the writing, the letter is an official document for which certain requirements are put forward.

As a rule, they do not relate to the design of the letter, but relate to its content. The motivation letter for must contain the following information about the applicant:

some facts from the biography;
explanation of interest in the chosen specialty;
explanation of interest in a specific university;
description of plans for the future;
direct contact with representatives of the educational institution.

The finished letter must meet all these criteria. There is no need to provide dry or overly detailed information about yourself. All information should be exclusively relevant to the essence of the issue and cover only one single topic - a reasonable desire to enroll in a specific university. At the same time, its content should attract attention and make you want to read the entire letter to the very end.

The average length of a finished essay or dialogue is 500-800 words, but can be exceeded up to 1200-1300 words.

Drawing up a motivation sheet: introduction and presentation of biographical information

Compiling a motivation sheet itself is a fairly simple task. Anyone can write it, and the process itself is not difficult. However, teachers do not finish reading at least half of each of these creations. The letter should not only motivate the commission members to read it, but also meet specific requirements.

It is very important that it is not offensive or familiar in nature and is easy to understand.

The first part of a letter to study at a foreign university should not only contain most of the important information, but also be interesting to read. The story should begin with biographical notes. At the same time, they must be provided in such a way that they fully reflect and explain the desire to study in a specific specialty. In addition, the beginning of a letter for admission to a master’s program must be written sincerely and from the heart, based on the person’s personal experience and his worldview.

Personal history is not a necessary part of the narrative, since sometimes basic biographical information such as full name, place of birth and basic training is sufficient. If there was training in language courses, then this fact should also be indicated, as well as the result obtained at the end of them.

However, having a real-life story that dramatically changed your life significantly increases the chances of the letter being read in full. It fuels general interest in the story and encourages further study. A good example would be a description of family traditions like the following:

My name is Peter Yakimov, I am a native of the city of Tula. It cannot be said that since childhood I dreamed of building residential buildings, and I did not like playing with cubes. However, when at the age of 13 my father and I started building a garage, I could not imagine what it would develop into. I was so carried away by the decorative decoration of all the walls and ceilings that I decided once and for all to become an architect.

Such an introduction is a good example of the beginning of a letter, since it contains all the necessary information about the applicant and encourages further acquaintance with him.

How to write a motivation letter, watch the video.

Structure and content of the main part of the motivation sheet

The emergence of interest in a certain specialization is good, but it is necessary to explain why the choice fell on this particular institute. For example, such an opus might look like this:

My grandfather fought with Germany in World War II, and my father served in the GDR. On this basis, various disputes arose in the family more than once. Therefore, as a child, I decided for myself that I would never go to this country. However, having reached the age of 15, I realized that today's Germany is significantly different from the previous one and is an advanced state in the field of education. Only here will I be able to fully realize myself and learn all the intricacies of architectural and engineering art.

After explaining your interest in the university, you need to describe your future plans to emphasize the feasibility. A sample of this part of the essay might look like this:

Studiesplays an important role in my life. However, self-realization and application of the information received is a much more significant aspect for me. I understand perfectly well that theoretical knowledge is nothing without practical experience. Therefore, in the future I plan to continue working on self-improvement of construction skills and want to get a job at one of the leading German design agencies.

The final part of the motivation letter is an appeal to the selection committee and the institute as a whole. In this part of the letter, it is best to avoid loud words and flattery, but simply express in a few words the truth about the attitude towards a particular university and citizens of a foreign state in general. In most cases, 1-3 sentences are completely enough to successfully complete a motivation letter for admission to study or a master's degree.

To study at a foreign university, there are some requirements for the package of documents. It must include a resume, recommendation and motivation letter for the applicant. If the first two documents are familiar to a Russian person, then what is the third accompanying notice? It turns out that the selection committee attaches great importance to his role. And how well it is written determines whether its author will be chosen as a candidate worthy of studying at a particular university.

What does it contain?

The incentive to action is nothing more than motivation. An increase in wages is an incentive for an employee to perform his or her job duties better. When entering a foreign university, an applicant submits documents for consideration without being present there. Therefore, a motivation letter, an example of which will be given below, should have a motivating effect on the commission in order to admit its author to the educational institution.

In this letter, the writer describes his education, professional skills, and his position in public activities. A correctly composed letter can cover failures in academic life and create a positive portrait of a student applicant.

Where to begin?

This question arises for everyone who needs to write something about themselves. It would seem, what could be simpler? Who, if not the author, knows their strengths and weaknesses. But practice shows the opposite: nine out of 10 people, when planning to write a self-presentation, are faced with the problem: what to present and where to start?

Experts who help students write a motivation letter for graduate school offer several tricks that help start the process:

Ask questions: “Why do I need to study abroad for a master’s degree?”; “Why do I want to become a student at a particular university?”; “Why do I need the chosen specialty?” and “What will completing a master’s degree give me?”
The listed questions should be spoken out loud and answered orally, while trying to record the entire speech on a voice recorder. For the best result, it is advisable to imagine that communication is taking place with your best friend, who is told all the delights of studying abroad.
After listening to the recording, it will become clear what theses will form the basis of the essay.

Correct text structure

A motivation letter, like all statements, should consist of three blocks: an introductory, main and final description. The first part of the essay provides specific information about the author's academic life. Here you indicate the place of study, practice, the name of the master's program, the purpose of studying in this specialty and why the specified profile is attractive to you.

The main block is motivational. Description of a university program that can provide the necessary skills in a specific field of activity, thanks to which the applicant will be able to achieve the goals described in the introductory part. The conclusion is the planned place of work and the country in which the author of the presentation wants to apply the acquired skills.

So, a motivation letter, a sample structure: what to study, why the specialty is relevant for the author and what results to expect.

Language of presentation

If the program for which you are applying for training is English-language, then filling out the documents must be in English. When writing a self-presentation to German universities, the national language of the specified country is used.

Experts recommend writing the text immediately in English, otherwise it will be difficult to avoid translation later. If the vocabulary is not enough to draw up documents in a foreign language, then you will have to be careful about translation. It is necessary not just to translate words with a dictionary, but to convey the meaning of the message.

A motivation letter in Russian is appropriate for Russian organizations. It can serve as an accompanying document to your resume. And an employer who did not impose requirements for its presence will most likely single out the employee from the total number of applicants.

Universal motivation letter. Exists or not?

Each institution and the programs it puts forward are unique. When applying to several master's programs at once, you should know that you should not use the same cover letter. The personal information of the author can remain constant in it: place of work and practice. The specifics of the university program dictate the rules for preparing the presentation.

Therefore, a motivation letter, a sample of which is not a problem to find, is not a skeleton for writing your own essay. It can help the author visualize the structure of the text to compose his own, unique document.

Editing

A motivation letter for admission to a foreign university must be completed correctly. Every error in the text is perceived by the commission as a dishonest attitude of the applicant. Therefore, it is advisable to spend several days checking the text, proofreading it and correcting errors. Basic editing steps:

Document integrity. There should be a logical connection between the blocks of presentation.
Minimizing emotional adjectives.
Text length. It is advisable to fit the letter on two A4 pages.
Following one style throughout the entire presentation. It is desirable that it be of an official nature.
Contact a professional (an English teacher will do).

After such editing, a motivation letter for a master's degree can form a positive portrait of the author.

Errors

The cover letter should not contain the information provided in the applicant's application form. A catchy beginning is the likelihood that the commission members will get to the main part of the text, and not immediately write a refusal to accept.

Externally, the document should look beautiful: no marks, clear structure, presence of signatures, high-quality printing, error-free filling of the address of the recipient and sender.

The motivation letter should describe the personal and unique qualities of the person. It cannot be universal for everyone. After reading the presentation, you need to make sure whether the text fully reveals the identity of the author. There should be no humor or sayings in it.

Motivation letter: example of an introductory part

As an example, here is an excerpt from an essay by a student who wants to go to university:

“The saying of the Greek mathematician Archimedes says: “Give me a support and a lever, and I will move the Earth.” The basic principle of a lever is that as its length increases, the force required to perform a task decreases. This fundamental law is also applicable in life, in which experience and opportunity act as levers. The totality of these life components is the individual’s motivation to achieve the goal.

However, lever alone is not enough; correctly placed and stable supports are also needed. Their role in life is given to the desire to learn. The absence of a dream to achieve anything in life leads to the fading of the desire to gain experience and opportunities. The thirst for knowledge, the desire for success, and the acquisition of experience must always be in balance. And I am one of those who have been looking for these opportunities all my life to build a successful lever that can help me achieve my goal in the field of life sciences.”