Motivation Letter to Apply for a Master's Degree at the University of Padua, Italy

Letter of Motivation

Hi, I want to apply for a master's degree abroad and have chosen this particular department. Kindly provide feedback on my motivation letter, there's no definite word count, but the maximum page is one page. Any feedback is much appreciated. Thank you.

Prompt:
A letter of motivation is a brief essay in which you explain what you hope to achieve, as well as what qualifies you as a top candidate for admission, why you selected that specific programme, why you have chosen the University of Padua among other universities. The letter of motivation is an extremely important part of the application documents because it provides the evaluation committee with a description of your personality, as well as in what way you plan to contribute to and benefit from the programme you are applying to.

Response:

Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to express my interest in the Department of Human Rights and Multilevel Governance postgraduate programme, as it has always been my ambition to work in the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection in Indonesia.

During my childhood, the difficulty of finding a school that would accept my autistic sibling has led me to be aware of the inequality faced by children with disabilities. My interest in the issue of equal education for disabled people has been strengthened during my undergraduate study. I found the problem extremely alarming. However, it has not yet been explored as much as other inequality issues. Throughout my university study, I have participated in various volunteer programs related to education, becoming an English teacher in remote areas of Indonesia and Thailand. Furthermore, I assisted students with disabilities at my campus to help their study as the university has not yet had adequate teaching staff to help each disabled student. As part of graduation requirements, I was obligated to write a thesis and took a topic about the role of the ASEAN Disability Forum in Indonesia.

Upon graduating, I have gained professional experience through working in an education management company that focuses on providing opportunities for Indonesian students to pursue a better education quality abroad, particularly in Turkey. I had been given a chance to motivate school students to study in Turkey through online seminars, as I had previously been awarded a Turkish government scholarship. Additionally, I have briefly participated in research regarding students with disabilities in my birth province and found out that the regional regulation regarding inclusive education for people with disabilities has not yet been well implemented. Similarly, teachers in public schools have not yet been fully aware of the definition of disability itself. They argued that their schools do not have adequate facilities for students with disabilities, hence, do not usually accept such students.

The Human Rights and Multilevel Governance major offered by the University of Padua has greatly piqued my interest. I aim to work in a field that can provide action plans to fulfil the rights of people with disabilities from the grassroots level to the government in the future, specifically providing equal opportunity for them to pursue education. The major does not solely focus on the human rights aspect but offers how it can be fulfilled in multilevel policies. Courses like Children's Rights and Theory and Practice of Multilevel Governance would give me more insights into how human rights can be promoted in a wide range of institutions. Moreover, the department's yearly journal publication about human rights has greatly interested me and I would like to be part of the contributing team in that annual research. Likewise, the university provides practical training through internships with relevant institutions. The combination of the theoretical and practical knowledge that the campus offers would equip me in realising my career plans.

Italian culture has always been an interesting subject for me as the country has a long influential history. I am particularly interested in its classical music and language. Ludovico Einaudi is my favourite Italian composer. In addition, I have learned the basic Italian language and would like to enhance my skill in this language further. Having the opportunity to study in Italy would allow me to master an additional foreign language, which would certainly be beneficial for my future career in the long run.

Ultimately, studying at the University of Padua is an opportunity that I would love to dedicate myself wholeheartedly. The courses offered in my chosen programme are specifically in line with my future goals. Considering my academic performance and eagerness to learn, I hope to be given a chance, as I am confident of meeting your expectations.

Thank you for considering my application.

Yours sincerely,
XXXX

The motivation letter does not make any reference to a standout accomplishment of any sort that makes you an outstanding candidate. The full letter is only of average quality in terms of referencing to your credentials and accomplishments. There are far more qualified student applicants with actual, mentionable credentials. Your reference to these are so geneve, the motivation letter is actually quite boring to lead. Specially since you have no plan to contribute to the program you are applying to.

You have more tourist reasons to study in Italy than you do academic reasons tostudy at Padua. Truth be told, the reviewer will set aside your application in the reject pile even before he finishes reading it. Reconsider your motivations and actual accomplishments. Then write a 2nd, hopefully more improved version for your application.