Scholarship Motivation Letter - Lund University, Sweden 2022

letter of Motivation

Your scholarship motivation letter should explain why your academic performance and reasons for applying to Lund University make you a suitable potential recipient for a Lund University Global Scholarship. Priority will be given to students with high academic performance, who are assessed as a good fit for the programme, who demonstrate a strong commitment and desire to study at Lund University

Please help reviewing my essay, I apply for (1) MSc International Marketing and Brand Management, (2) MSc Data Analytics and Business Economics in Lund University, Sweden. Thank you.

"Your life's course should not be determined by doing what's safe and easy but by reaching for what's challenging and hard: the classes that seem impossible on the first day, but you study enough to pass, the jobs you're not quite qualified for, but you work like crazy to acquire the skills." - Sheryl Sandberg. This sentence has been meaningful and important throughout my academic and career journey.

I have shown a strong commitment and enthusiasm in my education since my undergraduate studies. I dared to commit studying for two different majors and universities simultaneously, which was challenging and a very rare thing for many students. In 2016, I was enrolled in Marketing Communication - LSPR Communication and Business Institute. A year after, I realized that many marketing careers required quantitative and analytical skills, then I was enrolled as a student in Mathematics - Universitas Indonesia, a top rank University in Indonesia. Juggling between two studies with an extremely busy schedule and tight deadlines, I successfully finished both degrees with excellent GPA record: 3.70/4.00 (cum laude) and 3.12/4.00 respectively. I studied many things such as Consumer Behaviour, Business Administration, Strategic Branding, Statistical Methods, Data Science, Regression Analysis, and Risk Management with 292 SKS credits (438 ECTS) in total. It has been an excellent introduction and therefore has equipped me with solid foundation as well as the skills such as multitasking and hardworking which are undoubtedly essential for my master's studies.

Right after I graduated, I blended my subject interests and satisfy my curiosity in market research by landing a career at NielsenIQ in May 2021 as a Consumer Insight Executive Trainee. I have involved in various market research projects such as Consumer Satisfaction Tracking, Brand Health Tracking, and Assurance & Benchmarking studies for Tech & Telco sectors. Based on the experiences, I come with realization that there is still a shortage of knowledge in integrating and translating data into useful information for clients. Furthermore, how the data can benefit further after understanding consumer trends and recommendation from business and marketing perspectives. In the future, I want to continue to serve in marketing research firm and implement marketing with data-driven and innovative decision-making skills. I look forward to work with many different clients and projects to help them understand the market and develop products or services which meet people's needs. Many organisations may excel in the technical and marketing side singularly, yet few are able to collaborate them effectively. This aspires me to act as the "bridge", to lead and produce innovate strategies for a better impact. Therefore, I need to build my capability and credibility through advanced education.

In 2019, I went to education fair (EHEF) in my country and met Kieve Sailing and Richard. As I research, Lund University School of Economics and Management looms large in my mind for its reputation, accreditation, and international environment. First, I opt for International Marketing and Brand Management programme for its core module of consumer, research, and tools for innovation. Second, I consider studying Data Analytics and Business Economics for its focus on integrating data to deal with specific business issue. The research excellence and the opportunities to hands-on industry projects while studying also interest me.

I choose to study in Sweden, for its global reputation in democracy, equality, innovation and standard of education. I do believe that I can learn better method and some innovative strategies in a country which are listed as the most innovative in the world. With many well-known global companies and cultural brands, I would find a vibrant and intellectually stimulating atmosphere to study.

This is a waste of space in your motivational letter. Sure the words of Sherly Sandberg were inspirational to you, but it should not take up a whole paragraph in the presentation. A mere reference and a short interpretation of what she said, as it applies to your background should be sufficient. It should not be the basis of your total motivational letter. She is not the one applying for the scholarship. Using someone else's words to qualify yourself as a candidate is not very useful, specially when used to open the letter of motivation. Someone else's motivational speech should never be the total basis of your success or failure in life since you are 2 different persons. What the other says can never be totally applicable to you.


A cum laude graduate in college only means you are a hard working student who likes to study and recieves consistent grading marks every semester. it is not reflective of intelligence as say a Summa or Magna Cum Laude would reflect. Cum Laude graduates are a dime a dozen worldwide. It does not make you a unique student at all. Mention it, but do not give it more importance than it should have. Being a Cum Laude graduate does not make you special. It places you at the bottom rung of the college honors roll. It is the least considered college honor due to its commonality among undergraduates.

It does not carry the same impressive weight with the committee members as you think it would have. Specially since you failed to graduate with honors of any sort in the second course. Most of the applicants to this scholarship will also be claiming Cum Laude status. Stand out in some other way. Focus on the classes related to your chosen masters where you performed at the highest level possible during the semesters you attended. That might add more weight to the weak Cum Laude claim.