How to write a letter of motivation for admission to the university

Motivation letter for admission to a higher education institution allows you to highlight your motivation and abilities, present yourself clearly, and show that you are ready to enter the university. Use the letter as a personal description of your uniqueness to reflect who you are and why you want to be a student at this particular university.

A letter of motivation is an opportunity for the applicant to explain why he considers himself the best candidate for admission to a specific program of higher education. This document requires an in-depth study of the university’s academic environment and educational programs.

Such a letter has a double value:

On the one hand, it can influence the admissions committee’s decision on admission. On the other hand, writing a cover letter allows the applicant to carefully consider his decision and justify it to confirm his motivation for admission or to revise his plans.

So, as noted by the former minister of education Hanna Novosad, the motivation letter is not critically important when calculating points during admission. But it allows universities to choose the best students, and applicants to think about whether they want to study at this educational institution.

There are both supporters and critics of motivational letters

People’s deputy Inna Sovsun noted that it is difficult to determine whether the student himself wrote the letter of motivation or whether it was a hired company. In a highly competitive environment, even one point for a cover letter can be important. And how these letters will be evaluated and who will evaluate them remains a question.

Ukraine is just beginning to implement the practice of submitting motivational letters upon admission. So the question arises of how to write them correctly. And what their structure and content should be.

To write a good motivational letter for university admission, we suggest the following five tips:

1. Study yourself thoroughly. Think carefully and understand why you are interested in this particular university or program. Write down five unique traits, abilities. Or qualities that make you exceptional. Select only those that you plan to use in your letter to demonstrate that you are a valuable candidate.
2. Research your chosen field in detail. Choose the university and specialty you are interested in and study them. Learn about the mission, vision, and motto of the university or department. As well as the expected learning outcomes for the degree. The more detailed and specific you are in your letter, the better. It is also recommended to look at examples of motivational letters on the Internet.
3. Create the first version of the letter. This is an important part of the process of writing a quality letter. In some cases, it may take 3-4 drafts to create the final version. Each time, start by writing down the main ideas and work on each section separately.
4. Read the letter again and make sure you have answered all the important questions. Who are you and why are you applying? How did you find out about the university, faculty, or specialty? Why exactly do you want to study at this university, faculty, or chosen specialty? What makes you the best candidate for adoption? Summarize your qualifications, life experience, work, and personal qualities that have prepared you for university studies.
5. Complete the letter. Make sure the letter fits on one page and is written in the correct font, and checks spelling and grammar. Ask several people to read the letter and make corrections. This will help improve the text.

A cover letter is your chance to present yourself as a motivated, bright. And capable individual ready to enter a university, educational program, or course. Make your letter a personal statement of your uniqueness to show who you are and what you want to be accepted.

Motivation letter: structure

The structure of a cover letter includes the following elements: “header” with information about the addressee and addressee, appeal, introduction, main part, and conclusion.

• “Cap” contains information about the name of the university and the address of the addressee. As well as the surname, first name, patronymic, mailing address, and contact details of the addressee.
• The appeal is an important component of the letter and gives it an official character. It is usually highlighted in bold or italics and placed in the center of the letter.
• The introductory paragraph explains the purpose. Аnd reason for writing the letter. In it, you can briefly explain why you chose a particular university and how it will contribute to your professional development.
• The main part of the motivation letter contains facts that can convince the admissions committee of your academic performance and ability to become a successful student. You can describe your academic and social achievements, skills that will be useful for your studies, and your professional goals and motivations.
• The final part of the motivation letter should be a summary that emphasizes your willingness to learn and confidence in choosing the educational program.

It is important to consider this structure when writing a cover letter to clearly express your motivation, goals and confirm your willingness to study.

During the admissions campaign, the entrant includes the text of a motivational letter with each application. If necessary, the applicant can send copies (photocopies) of documents confirming the information specified in the letter of motivation to the email address specified by the university.

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