Help with motivation letter

Hello, this is the letter of motivation I've written for UCU, I'd like some insights! Thanks!

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am hereby applying for entrance to one year of studies as an exchange student at University College Utrecht starting at the 2013 fall term. I am currently studying Materials Engineering at UFSCar – Federal University of São Carlos – a pioneer university in this field in all Latin America. I have been pre-selected among candidates from the entire country to participate in the international scholarship program Science without Borders.

From ever since I could remember, curiosity has been a defining trace in my life. It has always acted as a never ending desire to know and comprehend the world around me, which inevitably led to an early and lasting investigative tendency. In this sense, I think aspiring to study a wide range of areas within a Liberal Arts and Sciences course is the natural development of my true passion for knowledge, and why the way UCU’s program is structured appears fitting to me. Among this wide field of interests, I would have to say Physics interests me the most. This is probably because the discipline incorporates the real essence of scientific reasoning and critical thinking, which I see as fundamental tools to explore and discover.

At the same time, a chance to study in the Netherlands is a chance to live in the heart of Western Europe. It is impossible to understand any current westerly matter without rooting back to European history, and therefore I find the opportunity to experience, at close range and in first person, the life and culture of such people and places absolutely fascinating. Utrecht’s central position within the country and its intense cultural life are in themselves a further motivation.

Moreover, the broad education I aim to obtain studying at UCU would be a certain and valuable exercise to my mind as a whole. I understand in the contemporary world it is essential to accumulate different ways of analyzing and understanding data, and ultimately of thinking, in order to successfully navigate through academic and professional problems of all kinds. I am convinced the knowledge and experience I intend to gain during this program will be of great aid on my pursue to one day become an outstanding scientist or researcher. Particularly, the very possibility of studying an English-taught program abroad as an exchange student will without doubt support any future endeavor in taking part at international projects.

Finally, I believe my desire to learn and my respect for knowledge results in a stance as a student which can be beneficial to a classroom environment. I tend to see myself as attentive, interested and participating, that is, entirely willing to take part in a healthy apprenticeship relation. Consequently I have had a distinguished student profile throughout my entire academic history. Also, by attending University College Utrecht I could bring with me my Brazilian and Latin American cultural heritage, contributing to the beautiful multicultural aspect of the Dutch society, and to the international community inside the campus.

All things considered, the unique and broad program opportunities UCU offers, extremely fitting to my equally broad field of interests, along with the unquestionable gains which come along with an international experience such as this, make me secure the University College Utrecht is an excellent start for an ambitious future in any field of research in which I may come to work.

Sincerely,