Scholarship / The DAAD Motivational Letter - "The reasons, which motivate me to apply for this funding program" [6]

Hi everyone! Please check my essay and if possible, correct any existing mistakes.

Thanks in advance! :)

Motivational Letter

Dear Selection Committee,

I am writing this letter with a will to obtain a unique chance to be the DAAD scholarship program participant. After looking for the different kinds of material support for study in Germany, I consider application process for this scholarship as the most suitable for a few reasons. Firstly, it is the fact that knowledge of German is not mandatory in comparison with the other programs such as the scholarships of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Heinrich Böll Foundation etc., where an applicant has to demonstrate it at least on Level B2. Secondly, I appreciate the point that in the case of admission to the interview of the selection process second stage, I must have it in Moscow. In other funding programs, this process implies the interviews only in Germany and consequently making the trip there. Unfortunately, in the near future, I will not have enough time for this due to high workload in my university and enterprise as well. In addition, I can apply for this scholarship before being already enrolled in any German university, unlike, for instance, Deutschlandstipendium.

Here is my opinion why I choose Germany as the country for master's degree acquisition. The local university system is fittest to me due to its next specifics, learned from German students and internet sources. The important point is the absence of tuition fees. Tuition in Western European, as well as North American universities, requires such fees, which are actually unaffordable to me. The newness of scientific equipment also attracts me. Though my home university's department in Moscow provides its students with well-educated and competitive faculty members, in comparison with German technical universities it is a little bit lagging behind in the aspect of laboratory equipment, especially in metrological devices and machine tools. Thus, by dealing with more modern equipment, I would like to compensate some missing knowledge in my scientific field. Also, I find the system of elective courses in many universities there as very progressive. When I have a choice consisting of three or four courses instead of one designated by unknown specialists, I have the opportunity to plan my career better and independently.

One of my interests, partially interconnected with desired professional activities, lies in intercultural communication, learning of the different nations' mental specifics. And I realized that tuition in Germany can significantly improve my expertise in this theme. I made such conclusion after participation in a few volunteer projects of the IJGD organization in Georgensgmünd, Hamburg and Essen, where I gained a lot of international practice. Moreover, I have some personal bonds with Germany which I want to strengthen further in the future. My native city in Russia is Engels, the former Volga Germans Republic capital. It maintains its own German cultural center, where my mother was working in 1990's and my first desire to learn more about this country and its people originated after her numerous stories about collaboration with this institution.

Recently, I have revealed the personal necessity of German language learning, since it may be the very beneficial skill in my profession. Germany is one of the top exporters (8,04% of the global export market in 2015) and for many manufacturing enterprises in Russia presence of an employee with high proficiency in this language would be desirable. There is no another country where I could master the standard variant of this language with the best results. And the fact that the DAAD offers German courses additionally encourages me to apply for this scholarship.

After obtaining a master's degree abroad, I would like to work in the sector of machine tools production as a technical manager or a mechanical engineer. Reading a lot of technology news, I understood that German companies still wish to participate in the Russian's industrial development. For instance, recently, DMG-MORI, a famous German-Japanese CNC machines manufacturing corporation has opened its new center in Ulyanovsk. Furthermore, in my research institution Ť...ť I program via a CAM-system the machining centers produced by DMG-MORI. In general, I am pleased by the characteristics of the details, processed by this technological equipment. During my study in Germany, I hope to visit this or at least some other similar enterprises. My most crucial professional goal is to make a noticeable contribution in quality management in Russian industry, also by means of effective cooperation with German and other foreign firms.

My first choice - M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering program at Fachhochschule Lübeck - University of Applied Sciences is motivated by the next taught disciplines which might be helpful in my career. The module ŤProduct Development in Productionť is interrelated with Research & Development (R&D). This theme accompanies with my professional goal because generally, it denotes production improvement. The module ŤPrototyping and Virtual Realityť would deepen my practical knowledge of the R&D activities, since physical and virtual prototypes are widely used there. Besides, the reason for the first priority given to this university is the big quantity of electives - 12 modules in sum. The second priority - M.Sc. in Systems Engineering and Engineering Management program at Fachhochschule Südwestfalen - University of Applied Sciences was chosen because of the core module ŤSystems Engineeringť covering the main topics of product lifecycle management. I consider comprehension of this subject as a prerequisite for being a high-qualitative specialist in modern industry, with its abundance of complex systems. The program is also interesting to me due to its content representing intermixing of technical and managerial disciplines. The last choice - M.Eng. in Design and Development in Automotive and Mechanical Engineering program at Hochschule Esslingen - University of Applied Sciences is substantiated by the will to enlarge my competency in machinery design. Though this program has not electives, it provides a strong basis in the methodological, ecological and economical aspects of design, as well as vibration problems, advanced CAD-systems and structural integrity. What's more, I choose this university because of its location in Southern Germany - the most economically developed and attractive region with its unique traditions needing to get explored.

To sum up, I believe that the successful partnership with the DAAD should be my first step in getting the valuable introducer of German corporate culture and production standards. With the confidence of being selected, I am looking forward to a reply.

Sincerely,
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