Motivation letter  
               
              A motivation letter is a personal presentation accompanying your CV. It is your chance to motivate where 
              you come from and where you want to go to in life. Give some relevant and interesting insights about 
              yourself to prove that you are the right and most motivated student to go on exchange to the university of 
              your choice. 
               
              A motivation letter consists of the following components: 
              1.  Introduction: Who are you, what do you do, why do you want to go abroad? What motivates you to 
                   study abroad? What will the experience offer you? 
              2.  Why choose this country/this city (optional): Why do you want to study in this country? What attracts 
                   you?  
              3.  Why do you choose this university? What would you like to study and why at this university 
                   (academically)? What does this university offer that attracts you?  
                   Keep in mind that course registration cannot be guaranteed (indicate how flexible you are). 
              4.  What does studying abroad add to your future? How do you want to continue your studies, thesis, minor, 
                   Master’s programme, or future job? What do you expect to learn? What skills do you expect to acquire? 
                   What role could studying abroad play in this? 
               
              Tips: 
              •    Before you start writing your motivation letter, tell someone (parent, friend, fellow student) why you 
                   want to go abroad, why you have chosen a particular country, city and university. Ask the other person 
                   to ask you critical questions if some elements are unclear. This way your own motivation will become 
                   clearer. 
              •    Imagine a fictitious person to whom you are writing the motivation letter. That makes it easier to write 
                   the letter. Direct the letter to no one personally. To begin your letter by addressing “Dear Sir / Madam” 
                   is sufficient. 
               •   Your letter should be clear and to the point. Make sure your letter is not too long, one page maximum. 
               •   Ensure a balance between academic motives (professional, get a chance education from a renowned 
                   researcher, etc.) and personal motives. It is good to show your personality in a motivation letter, but stay 
                   professional. 
               •   Double check that the spelling and grammar are correct. Have a friend or family member read the letter 
                   to see if they can spot errors. 
               •   The motivation letters of your first and second choice university may overlap slightly. Make sure to 
                   motivate why you choose for a specific university (e.g. courses, lecturers, ranking, location, etc.). 
               
               
               
              This information has been compiled with great care, but the UvA cannot guarantee that the information is 
              complete and up to date. - version January 2021 
               
                                                    
              Website: www.studyabroad.uva.nl/exchange  
              Contact: international-fgw@uva.nl