Do you need some advice about how to write a good motivation letter? We collected for you some do's and don'ts that you might want to read before writing your own cover letter.

The cover letter is one of the most important application documents, as it provides relevant information about the applicant’s goals and perspectives such as personal motivation, plans, enthusiasm and past experiences. These pieces of information give a comprehensive picture of the applicant.

Here are some tips on what is advisable and what is not advisable to write in a cover letter:

Introduce yourself in a few sentences and explain where and what you are applying for

This is a short introduction where you need to provide basic information about yourself for example your name, age, origin, previous education (high school or university), and also mention the source where you heard about the university.

Introduce yourself through your previous studies and results

Here you can give more detailed information about your educational background. Expand what professional and academic results and experiences you had over the years. If you have any achievement that connects to your educational carrier highlight them.

Then explain your professional or study goal in more detailed

Explain what you want to achieve, what your short-term and long-term goals are and how the university – where you are applying – could help you achieve your objectives. Also, it is worth mentioning some information about the university to show that you are well-prepared and informed about the terms of the study programs.

Tell why you consider yourself eligible to be admitted

Tell what positive qualities you have that make you fit to study at your chosen university. These can be positive personality traits, but they can also refer to professional achievements.

Summarize the positive benefits you could have from studying at university

Here, by referring to the positive qualities, convince the university that they would have one more outstanding student, and mention what benefits you could gain by studying at the university.

THINGS TO AVOID

• Do not write down your whole life story. Try to introduce yourself through your educational background and your experiences, mentioning your positive qualities that you have gained during your studies.

• Avoid repetitions. You probably want to refer back to your positive traits or your results and achievements in order to highlight them even more, but I suggest you mention one thing only once, otherwise, it can live a negative impact on the reader. Furthermore, repetitions can make your motivation letter boring.

• Do not forget the „less is more” Do not try to put everything in your letter because it can be confusing and the reader will get lost in it.

• Proofreading! If you want to look through and precise, try to avoid spelling mistakes in your writing. The demanding spelling is important to make a good impression as a potential student.