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A letter of motivation is the deciding factor for students seeking to pursue their academic goals at prestigious universities. That’s why it needs to be perfect and appealing enough to make you stand out in the crowd and win approval. We have cracked the basics of writing a motivation letter that can make you the top applicant.
You just need to follow each step according to the guidelines mentioned and add your personalised data. To receive the email confirming acceptance of your application from the review committee.
Step 1: Let the Thoughts Flow
An idea is the core of writing; that’s why, before writing a single word in the application, you need to express your thoughts and organise them.
Brainstorm and Take Notes
Take a deep breath and sit at your table to brainstorm peacefully, don’t hold the thoughts back, and let them flow. Ensure to keep taking detailed notes to refer back while writing the letter. You can list all the primary or secondary ideas from the brainstorming session, because sometimes secondary information can help fill the personal interests section.
Thoroughly Research the Institute and its Program
Before writing a single word in the application, ensure to conduct deep research about the school to which you are applying. Track their current or previous activities and minutely read the qualifications they are looking for in the ideal prospect. When you are clear about their requirements, just mould your narrative around them and present yourself as the best fit.
Ask Yourself Why You Deserve the Chance
This is the make-or-break question included in the motivation application, which is why you first ask yourself why you deserve the chance, not someone else. Look back at your academic progress, your achievements, your interests, or factors that have influenced you in pursuing this specific subject area.
Simply mention the reasons you chose the particular school or program, and make the letter personalised.
Step 2: Map Your Ideas
Now, it is time to turn the raw data into connected sentences to make up your letter of motivation. Ensure that only the most relevant information chunks are included and maintain a balance between personal and professional information.
Create an Outline
Use your detailed notes that you have written before and create an outline of the essay. You can divide it into sections, such as the introduction, body, and conclusion. If you are not okay with making an outline, then consider turning the data into a flow chart to organise your unstructured ideas.
Outline
- Hook and Introduction
- Description of your experience
- Your interest in the program you are applying to
- Answer to specific questions asked
- Conclusion and summarisation of the whole essay
Write the First Draft
Use the outline as stepping stones and fill in the required information ruthlessly in it. You should add every bit of information in it that is important or relevant, with a comprehensive description.
Remember, it is the first draft, and you have the freedom to make it as lengthy as you want. Keep referring to both your notes and the outline pointers, so as not to miss anything relevant.
Review the Letter
Let the first draft rest for a few days, and then jump into editing and proofreading it. So that you can remove the grammar and other errors with a fresh mind to ensure accuracy and consistency, don’t forget to cross-verify your facts to ensure credibility and ruthlessly trim all the unnecessary details to cut it to size.
If you fail at reviewing or improving the letter by yourself, then consider taking expert editing and proofreading services.
Consult an Expert
Taking expert opinion is usually beneficial in such highly critical matters of your life because they can see those hidden gaps that you may not. You must ask your professor or anyone who’s already secured the scholarship to review your letter of motivation. Prefer to consult with someone already enrolled in the specific program to get a personalised review.
Make the Recommended Changes
Don’t just rely on the recommendations of the experts and conduct a critical review of the prose by yourself as well to convince yourself that their suggested changes are worthwhile to implement. Simply make the changes in the manuscript, and you can even take custom essay writing services as well to get the work done by experts.
Step 3: Structure Your Letter of Motivation
When you have the body content of the application ready to submit, move on to the letter's formal structure. Ensure you read the instructions and strictly follow the required format to avoid your application being auto-rejected.
Address the Recipient
Try to find the name or position of the person who’s going to review your application and insert that specific term in your letter. In case you don’t know the name of the individual, then try to address the reader by their position.
Only use standard forms of address, such as “To Whom It May Concern,” Dear Sir/Madam,” as a last resort.
State a Clear Goal
Use the first paragraph of your letter as a recap of the whole content that will be discussed in the preceding paragraphs. Try to keep it limited to two to three sentences and directly mention that you are interested in the specific program of the particular university.
Recap and Summarise Your Objective
After writing the engaging opening sentences, use the following paragraphs to describe why you are interested in this specific program. You can mention your previous academic or even professional record here, reflecting your interest in the subject area.
Instead of mentioning that I studied the XYZ program, explain how the particular ideas or courses sparked interest in me. Discuss all your objectives behind choosing the specific country, program, and university to present yourself as the best candidate.
Highlight Your Relevant Expertise
Ensure to talk about the projects you have done or the courses you have taken outside of your academic responsibilities. To show your eagerness to contribute something meaningful to the subject areas.
Avoid overstating your personal strengths, such as intelligence and hard work, to avoid sounding overconfident or arrogant. Stick to concrete facts and avoid presenting subjective analysis of anything mentioned.
Restate Your Position
Conclude your letter of motivation with a simple wish to secure the scholarship and study the specific program. Try to keep the conclusion limited to three sentences and only restate the introductory phrase, the summary of the body points, and add a thank you note for the readers.
Don’t forget to show your gratitude by closing with something like “Respectfully yours,” and your full name.
Tips to Make Your Letter of Motivation Outstanding
- Use Simple & Understandable Language: Don’t use complex sentences or difficult vocabulary to show your firm grip on the language. Instead, use short, precise phrases or sentences to make the content easier to understand.
- Keep Your Tone Positive & Professional: Maintain a balance between friendliness and professionalism to sound natural. When discussing challenges, focus more on solutions than on the severity of the problems.
- Stay Honest: Avoid exaggerating your previous experience or presenting fabricated data, as it can undermine your overall perception. Don’t lie about your qualifications, as it can show you as an underconfident applicant.
