Motivation Letter for Master's Application in Human Rights and Multilevel Governance

Hi, I'm new here so I'm not very familiar with the site yet. I'm planning to apply for a master's degree in Europe and was obligated to write a motivation letter. Any review or feedback is very much welcome and appreciated.

Prompt:

A letter of motivation (also called a “statement of purpose”, “personal essay”, or “Cover Letter”) is a brief essay in which you explain what you hope to achieve, as well as what qualifies you as a top candidate for the admission, why you selected that specific programme, why you have chosen 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 at the University of XXX. It has always been my ambition to fulfil the rights of people with disabilities. Concrete plans should be carried out to realise an inclusive condition for disabled people. With the fulfilled rights, they would be able to contribute to society to the best of their abilities.

My interest in human rights study is directly connected to a personal experience. During my childhood, my family was having difficulties finding a school that would accept my autistic sibling. The experience has led me to be more 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.

I have graduated from the International Relations bachelor’s programme with a Magna Cum Laude honour, 3.63 out of 4.00 GPA. I had been entrusted as the Head of the Research and Development Department of the International Relations Students Association at my campus. I also was a Manager in AIESEC in South Tangerang and was chosen to carry out the Java Model United Nations 2017 project as the Chief Officer of its Substance Department. I had been given opportunities to present my country in ASEAN Youth Leaders’ Exchange and Action Programme in Singapore and Japan Cultural Camp programme in Kyoto and Osaka, Japan. In 2017, I was awarded a fully-funded scholarship to study at Western Sydney University, Australia, for one semester. Further, I was chosen as one of the presenters in The 5^th International Conference on Social and Political Sciences (ICSPS) 2019, in which the European Alliance for Innovation (EAI) later published my journal in the European Union Digital Library (EUDL). Being chosen as a presenter at an international conference was a huge honour for me as most of the presenters were university lecturers or prominent researchers from The Indonesian Institute of Sciences.

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 in 2020. 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. In August 2021, I had been given the opportunity to participate in the child marriage focus group discussion as a project assistant freelancer held by the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection.

The Human Rights and Multilevel Governance major offered by the University of XXX has greatly piqued my interest. I aim to work at the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection focusing on fulfilling the rights of people with disabilities, 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 Human Rights Practice would give me more insights into creative solutions to tackle inequalities of children with disabilities. 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. If I happen to get accepted, I plan to join the Indonesian Students’ Association in Italy to promote information regarding studying in Italy to Indonesian students, particularly at the University of Padua. Moreover, I am also planning to join the university’s Human Rights Centre and the department’s yearly human rights publication to be able to be a contributing team in that annual research.

Ultimately, studying at the University of XXX 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,

XXX