If you decide to take a degree course, you should be ready for various demands and high expectations from you as an applicant. Have you checked on the academic requirements of this particular course? Do you have all the forms to fill out? That is not all. A university may also request for your CV or examples of your writing tasks. It can even ask you to take a preparatory exam exactly for this course. If you want to take a course in the framework of your Master’s program, consider that it is extremely competitive. Consider that a top MBA course may even request for recommendation letters from academic supervisors, teachers, or senior colleagues. A motivation letter for the course is also on the list of the required documents. It may become one of the most time-consuming and challenging projects. You may use tips and advice from a reputable motivation letter writing service to handle this task.
A personal statement, motivational letter, or cover letter can present you as a personality. Also, it can share a story of your past and present along with your ambitions and interests. You have completed a lot of forms and written a detailed CV; that was really difficult to do. Now you are up to the most challenging part as writing motivational letters always confuses the applicants.
How can you start?
You should apply only after you have read all the details on the university website. What is the course devoted to? Do you understand which priorities the educational authorities set? Have a look at the Survival Guide to be ready to solve problems and overcome the obstacles.
If the course is really popular, there can be several hundred applicants! All students have completed their motivation letter, and the committee should review all of them. You would like to join the best ones. So, you should submit an exclusive motivation letter that makes you look creative, smart, and willing to study. Your letter should draw the attention of the committee and encourage them to choose you.
It is obvious that the letter should be composed in excellent English.
Sound original and personal
Working on a motivational letter, students try to look more sophisticated than others. You are aware that there will be experienced people reading your letter. So, you have to look unique and special. Every student has to prove that there is the most appropriate applicant and that his or her personality suits the program.
What are the course organizers looking for? They need applicants who can cope not only with the academic load but also with a wide range of social activities. The participants are expected to attend all the events and be active in all fields.
In brief: you have to be creative. You cannot submit a letter that will be similar to hundreds of others. Your letter should look and sound different if you wish to succeed. Show your wit and unconventional approach. Try to select the format which will let strangers understand what kind of personality you are. Be yourself. Write songs, compose poems, and joke if you feel like that. Make the committee notice you!
Ensure consistency and professionalism
As obvious, the first impression cannot be overestimated. Decide how you can make the committee interested in your motivation letter. What aspects can make them pay special attention to the arrangement of ideas, appearance of the letter, structure of paragraphs, overall length, font size, and the hook in the initial paragraph.
Ensure that the format of the letter is consistent. It will look professional if you stick to the same style of abbreviations, font, and structure. Make sure that you have corrected all the mistakes throughout your letter. Do not miss any errors as your care about minor details makes a difference.
Do not forget to mind excessively long sentences. They do not add to your image of a smart applicant. Instead, they make your letter confusing for the readers. Complex phrases and sophisticated vocabulary do not add you any points. Common words and sincere tone will help you excel.
State why you are interested in attending this course with all possible details
- Have you got any passion? Is it related to the course topic? How can you prove that? Have you already studied any topics associated with this one? What is your life goal? How is the course related to it? If you can add any personal stories or anecdotes, it will make your story more colorful.
- Demonstrate your willingness to meet new people and learn new things. State that you are open to new things and friendly. Does the idea of spending hours with new people make you feel enthusiastic?
- State that you have a strong interest in the culture of this country, as well as its language and traditions. Any course gives excellent opportunities for cultural exchange and visiting places. Conduct some research before you start writing your application. Try to add a few lines about some aspects of the culture or new places that excite your interest.
Tips for writing motivation letter
You are not sure that you can make your motivation letter look outstanding. Then it will be valuable for you to have a look at our tips for applicants eager to produce a positive impression:
- Make sure your personality is visible. You have a unique personality. The same concerns your feelings, opinions, and interests. Now you have got a chance to let other people understand why you are special. Your genuine desire to be sincere will let you make your letter sound personal and different from others. Use your natural voice in writing and think about the committee as about your acquaintances whom you can talk with in person. Check if you have included any exciting details or vivid examples.
- Study all the application guidelines. You cannot follow the rules if you have not learnt them. Study every guideline on the length of the paper, ideas to present, and formatting. In case you are free to use any format, write about a page, not more, using Arial or Times New Roman as a 12-point font that is easy to read.
- Emphasize the strengths you have. There are certain limitations and weaknesses you are fighting, but try not to focus your paper on them. You want to impact your audience and make them believe that you can bring maximum value to the company; so, you should highlight what you are strong at. Positive attitude is also a feature that adds to the value of your motivation letter.
- Use common language. You should avoid impressing the readers with the complexity of the style. All jargon or complex terms should be taken out of your letter at the stage of proofreading. It is much more reasonable to replace them with the vocabulary everybody can understand. Clarity of ideas, concise sentences, and active structures produce a nicer impression. Avoid the complexity of all aspects of your letter.
Writing a motivation letter: common mistakes
– Giving the same information in the motivation letter and resume.
– Working on one letter for all courses you try to apply for. Every university sets its specific requirements and offers its unique advantages. So, it is sound to address those specific aspects rather than to sound too general.
– Sounds boring from the very beginning. There is no need for a dull lengthy introductory part. Such clichés as “As a child, I would…,” “For as long as I can recollect …” spoil an impression.
– Writing too much about yourself. The body of your letter should contain separate paragraphs devoted to a separate idea in each of them. You have provided a lot of information in your resume; now, it is time to focus on extra details.
– Referring to the achievements of other people. Tell only about your personal hopes, ambitions, hobbies, and interests.
– Lame jokes. People have different attitudes towards humor. Your jokes may seem to be not funny or even offensive to people from other backgrounds, ethnicities, or religions.
Conclusion
So, you need a formal motivation letter for courses at certain educational establishments, as well as volunteering or non-profit institutions. It is not needed for employment as job applications include a cover letter.
A motivational letter can comprise either three paragraphs (an introduction, a body, and a conclusion) or up to seven paragraphs.
The introduction lets you introduce yourself and tell about your goals; the body presents your experience, and the conclusion is to reveal appreciation.
Be honest in your application and demonstrate sincere interest.