How to Write a Motivation

Tips for writing a motivation letter
Following these tips can help make your motivation letters stand out and convince decision-makers to consider your application further.

Follow any guidelines. Follow any formatting, length and content guidelines provided by your prospective school or nonprofit. If the organization does not provide any details, write approximately 1/2 to one page of text with a basic 12-point font, such as Times New Roman or Arial.
Write with personality. Write in a natural voice that reflects how you would speak to your recipient if they were in a room with you. Include interesting details that help your motivation letter stand out from others. Humor can be misinterpreted, so opt for a more serious tone.
Use accessible language. Identify any unnecessarily complex terms or jargon when you are proofreading and replace them with simpler words. Write short, active sentences that cannot be misinterpreted.
Focus on your strengths. Write about your personal strengths, rather than your challenges or limitations. Writing about your strengths helps the recipients of your motivation letters understand your value to their organization and keeps your letter's tone positive.

Conclude your motivation letter
Write a conclusion to your motivation letter that summarizes your goal and leaves a positive final impression. You should also thank your recipient for considering your application and encourage them to contact you if they have any questions.

Expand your outline for your body
Expand the points in your outline to form your motivation letter's body. Take a new paragraph for every new topic. Remember, your motivation letter aims to convince your recipient of your value, so use compelling facts to be persuasive.

Write an introduction
Write an introduction that introduces yourself to the recipient. Address your recipient by name, if possible, to give your motivation letter a personal touch. Your introduction should capture your recipient's attention and encourage them to read on, so include details about your achievements in this section

Write an outline
Write a point-form outline noting the content of your motivation letter and its order. Write points covering the following topics:

Why you want to study the course or volunteer with the program
Your skills or qualities that will benefit the school or nonprofit
Why you are interested in the school or nonprofit organization
Think critically about whether you are including all relevant details. A motivation letter for a Ph.D. program will need more details about your experiences and specific future plans than a motivation letter for a bachelor's program, for example. Cross-reference your outline with information from the school or nonprofit organization to show you have the qualities and qualifications they are looking for. Assess your format and structure and determine whether moving points around would create a more logical flow.

Revise your outline until you are satisfied with it. You can reference your completed outline when writing your polished motivation letter to stay on track

What is a motivation letter?
A motivation letter is a personal document detailing your professional skills and reasons for applying for a course of study, a scholarship or a volunteer job. This letter accompanies your application and supporting documents, such as a transcript of your grades or a resume. A motivation letter is sometimes called a "statement of purpose" or a "motivational letter."

Motivation letters are not commonly used for paid job applications, which are typically accompanied by cover letters. A cover letter is an introduction to your resume and gives examples of how your job experience matches the opening you're applying for, while a motivation letter focuses more on your personal story and details your interests, personality and motives for applying for a program.