It is March 2021 and I’m sitting in my room in St. Petersburg. There are a couple of days left before the admission deadline to the University of Tartu. I have a laptop in front of me, a text editor is open on the screen, and I have been looking at the blinking cursor for an hour. There are a couple of days until the end of the application process to the University of Tartu, and I can’t squeeze out a single letter. I was fighting the writer’s block. I pulled myself together, turned off notifications on social networks for a couple of hours, and wrote that elusive motivation letter. I clicked the confirm application button, and two months later, I received a letter of admission to the master’s programme at UT.
Many applicants face writing a motivation letter sooner or later. This part of the application often becomes decisive when applying to a university because many people have a good average score. Still, not everyone can prove their uniqueness and appropriateness in a letter.
Today I will share my tips on writing a motivation letter and getting one step closer to enrolling in the programme of your dreams!
THE FIRST STEP
Where to start? Let’s understand the structure.
A motivation letter is a kind of essay where you describe your life experience, achievements, skills, and plans for the future. The volume of such a paper can vary from 500 to 2000 words.
The letter’s content depends on the requirements of the specific study programme. Therefore, firstly it is worth studying carefully which aspects need to be addressed in different cases.
Next, let’s look at the typical sections usually present in each motivation letter.
Introduction
The few first sentences will introduce the reader to your background and motivate them to read further.
The main part
Usually, in this section, you need to describe in more depth your background, achievements, internships, competitions won, and indicate the motivation for studying on a specific study programme.
Conclusion
The final phrases summarize all of the above and clear the last concerns about the suitability of your candidacy.
THE SECOND STEP
Introduction: Getting rid of the fear of a clean paper
The first lines of the motivation letter immediately catch the reader’s eyes. If you write this part correctly, there is a chance that your letter will be read to the very end.
But the most challenging thing is to start! An empty sheet in front of your eyes does not motivate you to write an incredible motivation letter. To break this barrier, just start with the usual presentation of you: write down who you are and what programme you apply to.
Then briefly write about what you did, where you studied, what you dream about professionally. Next, you should link your past experience with a specific programme and a specific university. Briefly explain why and how you can be beneficial to this university.
THE THIRD STEP
The main part: Proving that you are the most suitable candidate
And since the letter’s reader has already formed the first impression about you, it’s time to back up this impression with concrete facts. In this part, it is necessary to focus on the curriculum and the university. I advise you to explore the possibilities of the programme: what courses to study, which professors give lectures. Then connect these facts with your past experience and plans for the future. It is crucial to list your advantages and reveal them with concrete examples.
Write about your research work and how it can be developed using the resources of the curriculum or university. For example, if you studied environmental problems in your region, you could connect it to the fact that the university is actively involved in ecological projects.
THE FOURTH STEP
Let’s look for strengths in different areas of life.
To fully convince the admissions committee, it is necessary to write about your skills and achievements. This part is where you can mention the internships, scientific work (publications, participation in conferences), and social activities (student organizations, volunteer activities) you’ve participated in. When describing your achievements, do not forget about the specifics. Did you conduct a social study? Indicate how many people participated in it and what you get as a result. Remember to be honest and mention additional benefits to the university.
THE FIFTH STEP
Spectacular conclusion and checkout
In the final part, it is necessary to summarize the main points of your motivation letter and once again point out the mutual benefits of your admission to a specific programme.
After all the parts are written, it is necessary to check the text for comprehensiveness (check again with the requirements of a particular program) and spelling errors. Spell-checking systems of text editors or third-party services such as Grammarly can help with this. It would also be a great idea to give your letter to friends to read (especially those who have already written motivation letters) and get helpful advice and an additional point of view.
Writing motivation letters is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. The main thing is to write the first words on a blank sheet as quickly as possible. Wish you luck in this motivation letter’s fight! I hold my fingers crossed and hope you get that admission letter soon.
All pictures belong to the author.
