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Howtowriteanexcellentmotivationletter
AnimportantpartoftheapplicationprocedurefortheMSc
programmesattheRotterdamSchoolofManagement(RSM),
ErasmusUniversityisthemotivationletter.Tohelpgiveyouanidea
ofwhatwearelookingfor,wehaveputtogetherthisshortarticle
withbackgroundinformationandtips.
Whydowewantamotivationletter?
Themaingoalofthemotivationletteristofindoutifyouarethe
kindofstudentwearelookingforinourMScprogrammes.
Importantprogrammecharacteristicsare:
OurMScprogrammesareinternational
OurMScstudentsarehighperformers
ThesecharacteristicsarefundamentalsuccessfactorsforourMSc
programmes.Itisthereforeofvitalimportancethatonlystudents
whohavearealinterestinstudyinginaninternationalsettingand
arewillingtoactivelycontributetotheprogrammeareadmitted.
Theinternationaldimension
TheimportanceoftheinternationaldimensionofourMSc
programmesexplainswhywewouldlikeyouto:Tellusaboutyour
internationalbackground:wherewereyouborn,wherehaveyou
lived,whatisyournationality,wheredidyougotoschool,inwhat
kindofinternationalactivitieshaveyouparticipated.Youcanalso
writeaboutwhatyoufeelyoucanaddtotheinternationaldimension
oftheprogramme.
Studentswithoutaninternationalbackgroundmayfindthisquestion
tobequitedishearteningandworrythatthiswillputthemata
disadvantage.Ouradvicehereisnottoworry.Ifyoudonothavean
internationalbackground,youdonthaveitandyoucannotbe
blamedforthat.Youmayhaveparticipatedinotherinternational
activities,likebackpackinginAustralia,asummerlanguagecourse
inSpainormaybeyouattendedaninternationalorabilingual
secondaryschool.Allofthesetypesofactivitiescanbeusedas
examplesofyourinternationaldrive.
Explainyourmotivationforwantingtoparticipatein
theMScofyourchoice
Theseconditemwewouldlikeyoutoaddressinyourmotivation
letterisyourambitiontobeadmittedtooneofourMSc
programmes.Somequestionstoaskyourselfare:
Whyhasattractedyoutothisparticularmastersprogramme?
Whyareyouattractedtoaninternationalmastersprogramme?For
ourDutchapplicantsitisveryimportanttoexplainyourmotivation
forchoosingtheInternational,Englishlanguageprogrammeas
opposedtotheDutchlanguageprogramme.
WhyRSM?
Inthethirdquestionweareinterestediniswhyyouwouldliketobe
chosentoparticipateinaMScprogrammeatRSMasopposedto
anotheruniversity.Weareinterestedinthisbecauseithasbeen
proventhatstudentswhomadeadeliberate,wellthoughtoutstudy
choice,performbetterandcontributemoretothelevelofthe
programme.ForRSMitisclearthatambitiousandhighperforming
studentsinfluenceeachotherinapositiveway.
Yourfutureplans
Inthefinalquestionweaskyoutotellusaboutyourplansforthe
future.
Inconclusion,themotivationletterforoneofourMScprogrammes
isanimportantpartofyourapplicationpackage.Itissomethingto
betakenseriously,butalsosomethingtohavefunwith.Telluswho
youare,whatyourdreamsandmotivationsareandmost
importantly,whyyouthinkyoushouldbeselectedtostudyatthe
mostprestigiousbusinessschoolintheNetherlands!