What is entrant’s motivational letter and tips for writing it

Many graduates of schools in our country are dreaming of high-quality education abroad. Some of them easily overcome difficulties and set out to study in another country. Each European institution has a number of requirements for foreign students. In the list of documents for admission to a higher education institution is a motivational letter. Entrepreneurs react very carefully to this point, because only a few of them tried to write a motivational letter. On our information portal KudaPostupat, let’s introduce readers to the concept of a motivational letter. What it is? When and how to write it?

What is this motivational letter?

This is a document in which the entrant describes why he wants to study at a higher education institution and why he should be enrolled at the university. A motivational letter (essay) is still named:

• Personal Statement;
• Statement of Рerson;
• Motivation Letter;
• Statement of motivation;
• Statement of intent;
• Personal essay.

It is provided along with a package of documents for admission to a foreign educational institution. Ukrainian students underestimate the importance of a motivational letter, therefore, they are not always responsibly approached to write it. And it is in vain. After all, we can say that this letter is the most important among other documents. Why? Because the future student should describe as clearly as possible:

• abilities;
• principles;
• skills;
• a life position;
• an education;
• a professional experience.

The admissions commission makes conclusions about the entrant from its documents and the motivational letter itself helps to make a picture of the student, in particular, to learn about his thoughts on education, about plans for the future, the realization of dreams through the chosen specialty and profession. It is difficult for us, Ukrainians, to imagine that the advantage of enrolling in a higher education institution may not be the student who has passed the exams or external independent assessment. And for someone who has shown himself to be a positive person with an active life position and far-sighted plans for the future. And this whole picture of a person is a motivational letter. And this is true. The more meaningful and competent the letter will be written, the greater the chances of a future student to reveal their personality, ability, experience, to emphasize their pluses. After all, the goal of each higher institution is not just smart people, and people who will charge others with their energy, motivation, will share experience and knowledge.

Algorithm of actions

The purpose of the entrant is to write a letter of motivation so that the admissions committee drew attention to him, distinguished among all other entrants, interested. It is important to adhere to such an algorithm of action when writing a letter:

1. Study the requirements of a higher education institution for writing a motivational letter. Each university has priorities, according to which the institution creates a list of its requirements for writing a letter. The list includes the questions, the answers to which the admission committee would like to see in the letter of motivation.
2. Make the structure of the motivational letter. The entrant must clearly define the structure of the letter for himself before proceeding with writing. Distribute what you will talk about in each part. After all, you need to write about your goals, achievements, skills, reasons for joining an elected institution of education in this specialty.
3. Write text. You must write answers to all the questions that are listed among the requirements of a higher education institution to write a letter. A plus will be a creative approach to assembly.
4. Check Written. Prevent grammar mistakes. Read and make sure that the text is literate and easy to perceive.

A structure

A letter of motivation must be written correctly with a clear presentation structure. But this does not mean that the letter should be written dry. A creative approach can be applied to writing. It is not necessary to hope that the letter will be written easily from the first attempt. You may have to “perspire” to formulate all the abstracts, identify your positive sides and convince you that your candidacy is correct.

Each higher education institution submits its requirements for writing a motivational letter. This is the size, a number of words, information that should be set out in the letter. The size should be 1-2 pages in A4 format. Stroke 12, leading (extra space) between lines 1.5. The motivation letter should consist of the following parts:

• An introduction;
• The main part;
• C

The beginning of the letter should be of interest to the members of the admissions committee, to cause interest in the person, to express a desire to read on. Stretch the introductory part is not worth it.

The main part is a story about yourself. The purpose is to reveal yourself as a person. First of all, you should tell why the choice fell to this educational institution. What prompted the choice of a given country, university, specialty. If there was a trip to the selected country before, then it makes sense to tell it. And also to share knowledge about the educational institution, teachers, methods of training, etc. You need to open our knowledge of the future specialty as best we can. If you have your own scientific papers, articles, then you have to write about it. The presentation of the material should be professional, but at the same time, the entire story should not be based only on dry facts. The more examples of life, the smarter and easier to read the letter. It is better not to use one-size-fits-all sentences, but to be non-standard in filing information.

Also, in the main part, it is necessary to “advertise” themselves, that is, to tell about personal qualities. The reception committee is interested:

• if the entrant is a communicative person who finds a common language in the team;
• if he\she respects the customs and traditions of other peoples;
• if is it possible with such a person to start developing own project or task.

You need to focus on your strengths and thus prove that you deserve to get such a desirable place among the students of this educational institution. It is also necessary to emphasize their goals and ways to achieve them. If the entrant has a hobby (sport, music), then this should be mentioned. In this way, to make it clear that a person is not only fixated on the study, but a fully developed personality.

In the final part of the letter, you need to summarize all the above. Tell about plans for the future, dreams about work, how you plan to build a career. Due to the final part, the members of the admissions committee have to make sure that this educational institution and specialty will help future entrants in the implementation of their plans, goals, dreams, career achievements. A good argument will be the story that not only studying at universities can help the entrant in his life plans, but also the student will be useful to the institution – write a scientific article, a report, take part in scientific research. It should be noted that the studying of a student at this university will bring benefits to society and the country.

A language and a style of motivational letter

Most often motivational letters are written in English. Upon entering the higher education institution, the student encounters the requirements for a certain level of English language proficiency. Most universities require a high level (IELTS certificate). The style of writing should be simple, modern, without the use of outdated words, literary epithets. Do not use proverbs, sayings, informal words, abbreviations. Suggestions should be short-lived. Each part of the letter must have a logical extension in the form of the next part. The final part should have a logical conclusion. Basically, the size of a motivational letter is one or two sheets of A4, the volume is about 500 words. You should check the text for grammatical and punctuation errors. If these will overwrite the text, it will be difficult to read, distract the reader from the main idea. Members of the admissions committee read hundreds of letters, so your motivational letter needs to be highlighted so that attention is delayed on it.

If the entrant intends to apply for entry into several educational institutions, then it is not necessary to attach a motivational letter with the same text for all selected higher educational institutions to the questionnaire. After all, you need to take into account the specifics of the university and specialty.

Tips for writing a motivational letter

Before the student starts writing a letter, he/she is tormented by thoughts of making the letter special, not similar to others, so as to attract the attention of the members of the admissions committee. To make the letter successful, you have to stick to a few tips:

• The motivation letter must contain the maximum information about the applicant. After reading the essay, the admissions committee should feel that they have met the entrant Such an effect can not be achieved if the information is superficial and boring.
• Almost all educational institutions publish a list of questions that the entrant must answer in his/her letter of motivation. It is better not to ignore these questions, but give detailed answers to them.
• It is necessary to take into account all the wishes of the university to write a letter. Even if it’s a request to write an essay by hand and choose the color of the ink.
• It is necessary to try to reveal in the letter questions about the choice of the country for further education, higher educational institution, specialty, course. Make an emphasis on why this university will help in the realization of career goals. This is necessary in order for the commission to have a complete impression of the entrant and concluded, why it should be taken for study.
• In the letter of motivation, you must necessarily submit yourself in the best possible light. Describe all your positive qualities, tell about your achievements, your plans for the future. Show your personality. You can describe one or more examples of life. Such stories will tell about a person more than the listing of its benefits and quality. This will already be a good feature for the entrant. But, in no case, you can overpraise yourself. One interesting example of life will be quite enough.
• The writing style should be simple. The text has to be understandable, easy to perceive, correctly written. Writing in English, which is little used in life, is usually difficult. But, thanks to a well-formed motivational letter, there is an opportunity to improve language skills while studying at a foreign educational institution. Exceeding the limit set for the motivational letter is not required. If you write too much, then it will be said that the entrant cannot fulfill the set goals.
• What will be left in the motivation letter? Do not need:
• Add photos, pictures, videos;
• Often use jokes in the text;
• Use the original format;
• Write about yourself in a third person.

Problems in writing a motivational letter

A successful letter writing may not be for the first time. There are some issues that should be avoided when writing a story:

• Dramatic or arrogant approvals;
• Not clear and blurred sentences, phrases;
• Listed achievements;
• The use of informal words, abbreviations, dictums, proverbs, poems;
• Use of jokes. Members of the commission may not share a sense of humor with the entrant, therefore, it is not necessary in this way to make a motivational letter unusual;
• Grammatical and spelling mistakes. Essay with such mistakes will have a negative impression of the entrant, his mental abilities;
• Long, complicated sentences.

Checking the motivation letter

After writing an essay, it is necessary to re-read it several times. Pay attention to writing style, grammatical, punctuation mistakes. Sometimes, the author may not notice mistakes, so it makes sense to consult a professional to check the text. Or, at a minimum, to a person who speaks a language and can check for mistakes in the text. A professional consultant can not only recognize the mistakes, but also indicate what is possible to correct in the structure of the text and suggest how to avoid standard, meaningless sentences.

Therefore, the motivational letter is one of the important documents that are submitted by entrants at the entrance to higher educational institutions of the world. Letters are carefully read by the members of the admissions committee, which later decides whether or not a university needs such a student. The letter of motivation should be written not in the last minute, but earlier, that it was time to think about each written word and its decision on admission to a foreign high school on a particular specialty.

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