A motivation letter is your chance to tell the story your CV cannot tell on its own. It explains why you want this specific opportunity, what drives you, and how your background has shaped your goals. Used well, it can move a borderline application into a shortlist.
The challenge is that motivation letters are often confused with cover letters, and the two are not the same. This guide clarifies the difference, walks through exactly how to write a motivation letter, and gives you 5 full examples plus a ready-to-use template.
What Is a Motivation Letter?
A motivation letter is a 1-page document that accompanies an application and explains why you are a strong fit for the opportunity. It focuses on your personal story, your goals, and your alignment with the programme, organisation, or role.
Motivation letters are most commonly used for:
- University and postgraduate applications
- Scholarship and grant applications
- Internships (especially in academia or research)
- Non-profit and volunteer roles
- Some international job applications (particularly in Europe)
Unlike a cover letter, which focuses on matching your qualifications to a specific job, a motivation letter goes deeper into your why.
Motivation Letter vs Cover Letter: The Key Difference
These two documents are related but serve different purposes. Using the wrong one for the wrong context weakens your application.
When unsure which to send, default to what the employer or programme specifically asks for. If they say "motivation letter," do not send a standard cover letter.
When Do You Need a Motivation Letter?
1. University applications
Postgraduate programmes (Masters, PhD, MBA) often require a motivation letter (sometimes called a "personal statement" or "statement of purpose"). This is where the admissions team learns who you are beyond grades and test scores.
2. Scholarship applications
Scholarships focus heavily on motivation. They want to know why you deserve the funding, what you will do with it, and how it aligns with the scholarship's goals.
3. Internships
Academic and research internships often ask for motivation letters. So do competitive internships in fields like policy, journalism, and the arts.
4. Non-profit and volunteer roles
Non-profits hire on mission alignment as much as skills. A motivation letter lets you show commitment to the cause.
5. Some international job applications
In parts of Europe (particularly Germany, the Netherlands, and the Nordics), "motivation letter" is used interchangeably with "cover letter" for job applications. If the posting asks for one, treat it like a more personal version of a cover letter.
The 5-Part Motivation Letter Structure
Every strong motivation letter follows this structure:
- Header (your details, recipient's details, date)
- Greeting (addressed to a named person where possible)
- Opening paragraph (why you are applying and your hook)
- Body (2-3 paragraphs): background, skills, and alignment with the opportunity
- Closing paragraph (call to action, contact details, thanks)
Part 1: Header and greeting
Include your name, email, phone number, and the date at the top. Below that, add the recipient's name and organisation.
Address the letter to a specific person if possible. "Dear Dr Chen" is much stronger than "To Whom It May Concern." For guidance on how to handle unknown recipients, see our guide on how to address a cover letter without a name.
Part 2: Opening paragraph (why you are applying)
Your opening must do two things:
- State what you are applying for (specific programme, role, or scholarship)
- Hook the reader with something specific about your motivation
Weak: "I am writing to apply for your Master's programme in Public Health."
Strong: "I am writing to apply for the MSc in Global Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Two years of running a small community health project in northern Ghana convinced me that clinical skills alone will not solve population health problems, and your programme's emphasis on health systems is exactly the foundation I need to bridge that gap."
Part 3: Background (your story so far)
Spend one paragraph on the experiences that brought you to this point. Focus on the experiences most relevant to the opportunity.
Part 4: Skills and fit
Spend one paragraph showing why you are a strong candidate. Mention specific skills, achievements, or qualifications. Where relevant, link them to specific aspects of the programme or role.
Part 5: Closing paragraph
Close with a clear statement of your commitment, a thank-you, and an invitation to continue the conversation.
Motivation Letter Template
[Your Full Name]
[Phone] | [Email] | [LinkedIn or Portfolio URL]
[Date]
[Recipient's Name]
[Title]
[Organisation]
Dear [Recipient's Name],
[OPENING: State what you are applying for and your primary motivation. Give the reader one specific hook that is unique to your story.]
[BODY 1: Your relevant background and how it led you to this opportunity. Include specific experiences, projects, or turning points.]
[BODY 2: The specific skills, knowledge, and achievements that make you a strong candidate. Connect each to what the programme or role requires.]
[BODY 3 (OPTIONAL): Your long-term goals and how this opportunity fits into them.]
[CLOSING: Thank them for the opportunity to apply, reinforce your enthusiasm, and invite them to continue the conversation.]
Yours sincerely,
[Your Full Name]5 Motivation Letter Examples
Example 1: Master's Programme Application
Dear Dr Chen,
I am writing to apply for the MSc in Computer Science at the University of Edinburgh, with a specialisation in Human-Computer Interaction. After 3 years as a software engineer at a consumer fintech company, I have developed strong technical skills, but I have also seen first-hand how the gap between engineering decisions and user needs affects real products. Your programme's combination of technical rigour and HCI research is the exact foundation I want for my next step.
My path to HCI has been direct but self-taught. During my undergraduate degree in Computer Science at Bristol, I completed 2 projects with the university's inclusive design lab, one of which studied accessibility barriers in banking apps. In my current role, I have led 3 projects where the main challenge was not the engineering itself but understanding user behaviour well enough to design the right intervention. In one case, redesigning our onboarding flow based on 15 user interviews reduced drop-off by 40%.
I would bring to Edinburgh strong programming skills in Python, JavaScript, and Swift, a foundation in statistics and experimental design, and 3 years of industry experience that has taught me how research translates (and sometimes fails to translate) into shipped products. Your recent work on trust and AI interfaces, particularly the paper by Dr Chen's group on explainability in financial services, is closely aligned with what I want to spend my career on.
My long-term goal is to combine research with product work, either in an industry research lab or a mission-driven company. The MSc at Edinburgh would give me the methodological foundation to do this credibly.
Thank you for considering my application. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my research interests in more detail.
Yours sincerely,
Arjun Rao
Example 2: Scholarship Application
Dear Scholarship Committee,
I am applying for the Hughes Hall Global Leaders Scholarship with the goal of pursuing the MPhil in Public Policy at Cambridge. My motivation comes from 4 years working at a regional NGO in Kenya where I saw how much good policy design gets lost in implementation, and how political economy so often determines whether reform succeeds.
The scholarship would be transformative because it would give me access to the academic rigour and the networks I currently lack. I grew up in Nairobi, the first in my family to attend university, and funded my undergraduate degree through a combination of scholarships and part-time work. I have always been driven by public service, but I have also learned that good intentions without the right tools produce weak policy. Cambridge's MPhil, with its emphasis on both quantitative methods and political economy, is where I can build those tools.
In my current role as programme coordinator at Twaweza, I have led 2 evaluations of education policy implementation across 4 counties. That work has taught me how to gather evidence, but also how to present it to policymakers who have many competing demands. I have also published 2 short policy briefs, one of which was cited in a national discussion on early childhood funding.
If awarded the scholarship, I plan to return to East Africa and work in policy advisory roles, either in government or with a think tank. The communities I come from will be better served when policies are designed with better evidence and a sharper understanding of political realities.
Thank you for considering my application. I would welcome the opportunity to expand on any of these points.
Yours faithfully,
Wanjiku Mbatia
Example 3: Non-Profit Role
Dear Ms Rodriguez,
I am applying for the Programme Coordinator role at Street Smart. I have been a monthly supporter of your work for 3 years, since I first volunteered at one of your weekly outreach events in Hackney. What drew me in then and continues to hold my commitment is the focus on structural change, not just direct service.
My background combines 6 years of programme management in corporate settings with 4 years of volunteer leadership in homelessness charities. At my current company, I manage a £2M portfolio of change projects across HR and operations. That experience has taught me how to run complex programmes with multiple stakeholders, which I believe is directly applicable to the expanding grant portfolio you mentioned in the job description.
On the volunteer side, I have served as regional lead for Crisis Volunteer Network since 2022, where I coordinate 45 volunteers across 6 shelter sites. This has given me experience managing volunteer programmes specifically, including recruitment, training, safeguarding, and retention.
I am at a point in my career where I want my full working week, not just evenings and weekends, to go towards work I care about. The Programme Coordinator role at Street Smart is the right bridge: it uses my programme management skills while putting them fully in service of a mission I have already committed to.
Thank you for your consideration. I would welcome the chance to discuss how my experience can support your team.
Yours sincerely,
Tom Richards
Example 4: Internship Application
Dear Dr Patel,
I am writing to apply for the summer research internship with your Climate Economics group. I have been following your work on the economic modelling of climate transition risk, and your 2024 paper on the physical risk channels in developing economies shaped my own dissertation proposal. This internship would be my opportunity to contribute to the next stage of that work.
I am a second-year Economics student at UCL with a strong interest in environmental economics. My academic work so far includes a first-class mark in my Econometrics module, a paper on carbon pricing in the EU ETS that was the top-scoring submission in my Economics of the Environment course, and a summer research project at LSE's Grantham Institute where I helped build a dataset on green finance flows.
The skills I would bring to your team include strong econometric methods using Stata and Python, a foundation in climate science from a 6-month online course with MIT, and familiarity with the specific datasets (IEA, OECD, IMF) you typically work with. I am also comfortable with long-form writing, which I understand is part of the internship's output.
My longer-term ambition is to do a PhD in climate economics. This internship would help me understand the realities of research work and build the foundational experience I would need to apply for doctoral programmes in 2 years.
Thank you for considering my application. I have attached my CV, transcript, and a writing sample.
Yours sincerely,
Sophie Laurent
Example 5: Voluntary Leadership Role
Dear Mr Davies,
I am writing to apply for the Trustee role with Youth Rising that was advertised through Charity Job. Having served as a volunteer mentor with your organisation for 4 years, I have a deep understanding of what the charity does day-to-day. Joining the board would let me contribute strategically to a cause I have been close to for years.
My professional background is in financial planning, and I am a qualified chartered accountant with 12 years of experience at mid-tier firms. In my current role I sit on the finance leadership team and have direct responsibility for a £40M annual budget. I believe this experience is directly relevant to a charity looking to strengthen its financial oversight as it grows.
Beyond the technical finance skills, my 4 years of direct mentoring with Youth Rising mean I understand the operational reality of the work. I have supported 6 mentees through A-levels, 4 of whom are now at university, and I have seen at the individual level the difference your programmes make. That grounding keeps me honest when making strategic decisions about resources and priorities.
I am committed to giving 10 hours a month to the trustee role, plus attendance at all board meetings. I am specifically interested in supporting the finance committee and the governance review you mentioned in the recruitment pack.
Thank you for your consideration.
Yours faithfully,
James Patel
Common Motivation Letter Mistakes
1. Sounding generic
A motivation letter that could be sent to 10 different programmes or organisations is too generic. Every letter should include specifics that apply only to this opportunity.
2. Repeating your CV
The letter should complement your CV, not repeat it. Focus on the story and motivation, not the bullet-point list of achievements.
3. Being too humble or too grand
Both extremes hurt. "I am probably not the strongest candidate, but..." is weak. "I am uniquely positioned to transform this organisation" is overreach. Aim for confident, specific, honest.
4. Writing more than one page
Motivation letters should be one page. Reviewers often read dozens of them. A tight, focused letter will always beat a longer, rambling one.
5. Copying from templates without adapting
Template phrases like "I have always been passionate about..." are fine as a starting point but must be replaced with your specific story.
6. Forgetting to proofread
A motivation letter with typos or grammar errors tells the reader you either do not care or do not pay attention to detail. Neither impression helps.
Motivation Letter Formatting Guidelines
- Length: 1 page (400-600 words)
- Font: Professional options like Calibri, Arial, Garamond, or Lora, sized 11-12pt
- Margins: 1 inch on all sides
- Alignment: Left-aligned, not justified
- Spacing: Single-spaced with space between paragraphs
- File format: PDF (preserves formatting across devices)
For more formatting guidance, see our best font for CV guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a motivation letter different from a personal statement?
They are largely the same document. "Personal statement" is more commonly used in UK university applications, while "motivation letter" is more common in European master's programmes and scholarship applications. Both describe your motivation and fit for an opportunity.
Do I need a motivation letter for a standard job application?
No, not usually. Standard job applications require a cover letter, which is shorter and more focused on skills. Use a motivation letter when specifically requested, especially for academic, scholarship, non-profit, and international job contexts.
Can I reuse the same motivation letter for multiple applications?
No. Each motivation letter must be tailored to the specific opportunity. The opening and closing should always name the programme or organisation, and the middle sections should reflect specific alignment with the role.
Should I mention weaknesses or gaps in my motivation letter?
If there is a gap or weakness the reader will definitely notice (a low grade in a key module, a career gap), address it briefly and honestly, then pivot to how you have grown. Do not dwell on it. For more on this, see our strengths and weaknesses guide.
How formal should the language be?
Formal but not stiff. Write in full sentences, use professional vocabulary, and avoid contractions. At the same time, let some personality come through. A motivation letter that reads like a legal document will not stand out.
Key Takeaways
- A motivation letter is a 1-page document explaining why you are applying and why you are a fit, used mainly for academic, scholarship, non-profit, and international job applications
- Use the Header → Opening → Background → Skills → Closing structure
- Tailor every letter: name the organisation, the role, and specific alignment
- Back every claim with a concrete example or achievement
- Keep it to one page with professional formatting
- Do not confuse it with a cover letter, which is shorter and skills-focused
- Always proofread before submitting