Exchange Motivation Letter

To be selected for the exchange program and moreover, to be selected for the
preferred exchange destination over the general options available, one has to pay
immense attention while crafting the motivational letter for the exchange
program. The core theme of such a letter is the short introduction about the
writer supplying the concrete reasons to pursue education at the particular host
organization or university.

Few Guidelines to follow while drafting the exchange motivation letter:

1. The letter of exchange motivation has to be written in formal and standard

format
2. It should be properly addressed to the head of the specific department or
the head of the project.

3. The letter of motivation should include the details about; what interests
you in the project, the reason for you selecting the project, your
expectations from the project, your plan of action and goals during the
project etc.

4. Include the details about your academic achievements, any extracurricular

accomplishments, if you have volunteered in any college or social
organization, any internships or practical work experiences.

5. Do not forget to state the name of the country and the university/ institute
where you wish to go for the exchange program. Also include the reason
why you have selected that specific country and university/institute.

6. While justifying the selection of a particular project or research work don't

unnecessarily emphasize on the features of the country but emphasize on
the project itself.

Sample exchange cover letter:

Sender’ s
Name &
Address

Date:

Recipient’s
Name
Address

Dear Mr. Smith,

Through this letter, I take the opportunity to state my wish to be placed at your
organization through the exchange program. I wish to do this in the coming
summer months of 2014.
Since the knowledge of the exchange program, I have had a desire to explore the
chances to be placed abroad. The strong reason behind this is that I would like to
gain international experience and to work in an international company.

The reason to select your organization is that I study….and I strongly believe I

can gain valuable experience by working with you.

I would also love to learn the varied culture of your country and learn a foreign
language. I am very excited to undergo this exchange program to achieve my
career goals. I look forward to hear from you soon.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Name

Tips :

 I anticipate developing both personally and professionally from an

international experience.
 I have a deep interest in the culture, history, and language of the
country, which I am excited to continue to explore and experience.
 As someone who prides themselves on their ability to
communicate across cultures, I believe I would be the perfect fit for
a program that incorporates students from around the globe.

By showing universities that you have taken your choice to study abroad
seriously, you also show them that you are ready to take your education
seriously.

 Although I have never lived or studied abroad before, I love to

travel and experience new cultures, and therefore, I’m looking for
an opportunity to expand my horizons while doing something I
love.
 Although I have never been abroad, I have done a lot of research
to make sure this country is the right match for me. I also look
forward to the challenge of living and studying independently
abroad, which I am sure I am ready to handle.
Universities don’t expect that everyone applying to an international program
has had study abroad experience before. However, by letting them know you
are up for the challenges that may arise, you set yourself apart from other
students who may choose to ignore the subject entirely.

I am the kind of person who gets along well with others due to
being open and considerate of people and their beliefs.
 Above all else, I pride myself on my cultural sensitivity when I find
myself in the company of others who do not share a similar
background as mine.
Chances are that you will not be the only international student in your
program. Therefore, it’s important to demonstrate that you get along well with
others. Note that this is not the same as saying you are the most social or
friendly. Whether you are intro- or extroverted, recruiters just want to know
you are capable of maturely handling multicultural interactions.
-

Motivation letter
Dear Members of the Selection Committee,

My name is Kylie Jenner and I am a second-year student in Advertising & Public

Relations at the Faculty of Marketing, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics. I am
delighted to seize this unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which will expand my solid
education and create new opportunities for my future career. I am particularly interested
in studying in the Netherlands because of its multicultural environment, innovative
education system and a wide range of programs taught in English.

As I have always planned to spend some time abroad during my studies, I am eager to
enrich my knowledge, get insight into Dutch educational system, develop my professional
individuality and experience the student’s life abroad. I am excited to exchange ideas
with different people all over the world and hear their perspectives. Since my studying
field is connected to communications, it is important for me to deeply understand cross-
cultural differences and improve international communicative skills. Therefore, doing an
exchange semester is an integral part of my studies. 

Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences is my first choice for my stay due to a variety of
programmes they offer and The Business Innovation Research Centre. On the
Rotterdam University’s website I went through a list of the professors and one of them,
Dr. Peter Ester, a sociologist with over 35 years of experience in cross-national and
cross-cultural survey research, has really touched me with his publication “Foreign Policy
and The Cultural Factor”.
This topic is one of my major interests and I am intrigued to enhance my research
experience at Rotterdam University’s facilities and work with such professors. Another
reason for me to choose this university is the fact that Rotterdam is known as a young
and dynamic city with a passionately beating heart, so I am.

I am also interested in studying at Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Groningen) and

HAN University of Applied Sciences (Arnhem). Aside from great exchange programmes
and an outstanding reputation in Business & Management field, these universities offer
additional courses about Dutch culture, history and language. It is a perfect addition to
my curriculum.

I have an excellent command of English language which would enable me to adjust

easily to an English speaking country and university. My first experience as a foreign
student was back in the summer of 2011. I have been studying at EC English Language
School for three weeks in Malta but I must admit I was not very into English at that
moment. However, everything has changed in the summer of 2014 when I travelled to
New York City to study at ELS Language Center. Being there for three weeks made me
eagerly want to be an exchange student in my university years and English language has
become my passion. 

As a regards my interests, I am glad to say that I have dozens of hobbies and activities
which I like to do. I have always kept healthy lifestyle that is reflected in my big love for
sports such as volleyball, gymnastics, running, skateboarding, snowboarding, cycling and
hiking. The fact that the Netherlands is the country where cycling is a common mode of
transport makes me even more excited to go study there. Besides, I am very into
photography, art, travelling, music, languages and cultures. 

Finally, I would admit that I am extremely self-motivated and once I set a goal, I strive to
achieve it. I have travelled internationally alone on numerous occasions and I am fully
confident that these experiences and my open-mindedness make me an ideal exchange
student and perfect for this programme. It would be a pleasure and an honour to
represent my home university and my country during next fall semester at the
Netherlands.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to your positive response.

Yours sincerely,

Kylie Jenner

Contoh 2

ear Sir or Madam:

With this letter, I would like to express my interest in studying at the University of XY as an
Erasmus student.

I am currently studying Master’s Degree programme in Regional Geography at the ABC

University in London. Having looked through the materials of the Foreign Department of my
university, I was very delighted to find the opportunity to spend one semester learning
geography at the University of XY. I have decided to apply for this programme because I am
sure it would strongly enrich my future studies and help me in my prospective career.
Moreover I consider this programme as a great opportunity to get in touch with British culture
and educational system. Last but not least, I am very curious about different approaches to
the geography at the foreign university.

I have chosen to apply for University of XY, because I really like its module system of study. I
specially appreciate the wide range of offered modules and the freedom in making your study
plan. Many of the modules offered are unique for me, because there is no equivalent at my
home university. Very important for me is also an “Excellent” rating for teaching of the
Geography department and the overall friendly atmosphere at both the university as well as
the city. The third main reason why I have chosen XY is its Urban and Regional Policy
Research Institute. It specializes in interdisciplinary research on key regional and urban policy
issues, which is the field of geography very familiar to me.

During my prior studies I have found out, that I would like to specialize in Urban and Transport
Geography. The University of XY gives me a chance to get in touch with these subjects
through modules from both Department of Geography and Department of Town and Regional
Planning. In my last year at the ABC University I worked on an empirical study with main
focus on transportation costs of suburbanisation and urban sprawl. I really liked my project
and I am keen to continue in it. I would like to use my stay in XY for further developing my
skills in empirical research and starting working on my diploma project. The possibilities that
gives me University of XY further expand those at my home university. I would take modules
focusing on Transport and Urban geography and European Studies.

I would very much like to spend one semester at the University of XY. This would give me a
chance to deepen my geographical knowledge in the inspiring, creative, and cosmopolite
environment of one of the largest British universities. Furthermore I could improve my English
and increase my confidence in passing the TOEFL examinations after I return. Moreover, I
am confident that my experience in London would be extremely exciting, fun, and valuable for
both my studies and overall general development.

Thank you for considering my request. I look forward to your positive response.

Yours faithfully,
Suzan Parent

Contoh 3

February 28th, 2012

Dear Members of the Selection Committee,

I thank you for considering my request to attend the fall semester of 2012 at Korea
University. If selected, I will be a fourth year student in Mathematics.

I want to participate in an international exchange for various reasons. This is a unique

opportunity for me to live in another country and immerse myself in a different
culture and language. I am particularly interested in travelling to Korea because of the
richness of its culture and for its reputation for welcoming international visitors. Their
unique history and the separation of the two Koreas are of great interest to me, as well
as more recent Korean culture, such as K-Pop. Contrary to Canadian society, South
Korea’s population is very homogeneous, as there is only one Korean ethnicity and
there are few foreigners. Seoul will also be a great place to observe the clash between
the highly traditional and modern sides of South Korean society.

I chose Korea University because it is one of the highest ranked universities in the
country, and it is located in Seoul. Attending this university will help me learn to
work in another way, and to appreciate how Korean schools approach mathematics.
Although mathematics is the same internationally, schools abroad teach it in various
ways, which in turn will increase my capacity to adapt to different teaching methods.
This was particularly important to me, as I have always wanted to teach mathematics
abroad. This exchange program is therefore the opportunity of a lifetime to observe
how teaching is done in East Asia. Korea University also offers courses in my field of
study which are not available at the University of Ottawa, such as Bayesian Statistics.

I have always been a highly motivated person, as is apparent through my academic

success. This summer, I will work on a research project in statistics with one of my
university professors. Finally, I have travelled internationally with family and friends
on numerous occasions and am fully confident that these experiences and my open-
mindedness make me the ideal candidate for the exchange program.
I thank you for taking the time to consider my application. I am looking forward to
hearing from you. Please feel free to contact me at the email address given below at
any time.

Signature
Eddison Tollett
Student number: 1234567 [email protected]