Letters / Absorbing breadth of knowledge to fulfil my background - motivation letter for Holland Scholarship [6]

prospectivestudents.leiden.edu/scholarships/scholarship/holland-scholarship-programme.html#general-conditions

Please help me with reviewing my motivation letter for applying for Holland Scholarship at Leiden Uni.
Thank you!

Dear Sirs, Madams,

Growing up in a single family, instead of succumbing to tight financial situation, I have been quite fortunate to be able to enrich myself in terms of humanities, which has fuelled me to further my educational goal in studying International Studies at Leiden University.

With my mother's understanding and sacrifice over the years, I have devoted my time to improve my artistic as well as academic accomplishment. For instance, based on my painting experience begun at five years old, I was among top 10% at the entry exam of National Taiwan University of Arts in fine arts department. In terms of my potentialities in languages, my learning curve of English may be a perfect example. As I was being gradually eager to read more without the limit of translations, I started to study English with an exceedingly concentrated willpower. By the time I graduated from high school, I got an A from a C. In addition to focusing on my own studies, I also worked as an English & art tutor and art editor after graduating from high school as a way of contributing to my family's budget.

Recently I was selected to be a volunteer in the Centre for Chinese Studies, a respected national research institution in Taiwan. During this time I learned how scholars from all around the world see Chinese culture and had the opportunity to meet people from linguistic and literary backgrounds since this centre has sometimes cooperated with Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

After graduating from Leiden University, I am planning to work in a museum or, some projects related to the holding of exhibitions and writing articles about aesthetics in order to improve and help people to understand other cultures and aesthetics. After gaining some practical work experience, based on my interests in looking for nebulous meanings or origins of languages, I would like to enrich my academic background by applying for a Master's degree in linguistics; I believe that I would benefit greatly from the advanced philological training in many ways. For instance, I can, not only strengthen my translating skills, but also learn how languages are connected with cultures; these skills and profound knowledge that I am going to learn as a master's student will all eventually improve my work in helping people to appreciate varied beauty of other cultures.

If selected for this scholarship, I will continue to apply the same diligence to my collegiate studies as I have to this point, absorbing breadth of knowledge to fulfil my background. I hope that you will consider my application favourably, and help me to achieve my educational goal. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Charlotte Fang

Letters / 'immersed in fine arts' - Motivation letter for applying for BA International Studies to Leiden Uni. [2]

Dear Sirs/Madams,

After being immersed in fine arts more than a decade, I would like to study International Studies at Leiden University, for the 2016 autumn term.

As I was a student of National Taiwan University of arts, which counts a second place in the field of fine arts in Taiwan, I believe that the only way to enhance myself as well as my artworks is to study broadly from languages to literatures, politics and cultures since they all effect essentially to paintings. Although I have majored in western arts, I still find the colour-matching, compositions or metaphors vary from country to country. That is, without sufficient knowledge and living experiences of Europe, I can hardly use the similar colour of which I am often in awe to many European artists. Take my one month trip in Edinburgh where I was stunned by the Glasgow boys' works for example. By reading histories, knowing English and visiting Glasgow, I understood a little more as to why Joseph Crawhall's paintings could be so much harmonious. I would not have known this had I simply seen his paintings through pictures.

As soon as I realised how much easy I understood the subtle meaning in Chinese literature by using Mandarin rather than other languages, I started taking language courses and subsequently developed a passion for finding the various logics and ambiguous values in many different languages. Therefore, I have chosen to apply to Leiden University because it provides many language courses and relevant subjects, not to mention the professional teachers, well-equipped libraries, and humanity projects such as a VIDI project about manuscripts from which I learnt a lot. Moreover, the convenience of travelling to many other places is one of the boons of studying in Leiden University which I can meet people from various backgrounds, visit museums and diversify my work experiences.

I do not excel at all subjects; however, I am proud of my improvement and passions for arts and languages. For instance, due to my strong interests in drawing, I started attending art lessons at the age of five and have passed two national drawing exams with high grades. My interests in reading the classics as well as watching Chinese opera have fuelled me to be more creative. At 16, I arranged my first exhibition; I have learnt quite a lot from making invitation letters to dealing with the decoration and frames. The paintings I exhibited helped me earn a one thousand Euro scholarship yearly due to my excellent performance of painting. Finally, in high school, it was not until I wanted to read more stories without the limits of translation did my English score rise from C to A.

As an avid learner, I have also arranged myself some lessons-aside from language courses- during the home-schooling period, such as: visiting exhibitions, learning Pipa, a Chinese instrument, and watching classic movies. Also, after learning some languages, I have tried to translate several articles in terms of art supply materials in the hope to help Chinese users understand more about paintings.

During my spared time, I have helped a local teachers' union in terms of designing some posters and cards, taught English as well as drawing to adults and painted some pictures for book covers. All of which may not be seen as profitable, yet I have benefited greatly because I could share my passions to others via the media I love.

As for volunteering works, due to my close connection to libraries, I have been helping my high school library for decorating for nearly two years, and recently I have been selected to be a volunteer in the Centre for Chinese Studies, a respectful national research institution in Taiwan.

After I finish Leiden University, before applying for a Mater degree in humanity fields, I am planning to work in a museum or, some projects in terms of holding exhibitions, writing articles about aesthetics in order to improve and help people to understand other cultures and aesthetics which, after studying International Studies,

I hope that you will consider my application favourably, and help me in my goal to use my education and artistic backgrounds to benefit the institution where I first discovered my passion for languages and cultural activities.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,
Charlotte Fang