I am a student from Vietnam and am applying for university (Bachelor degree) in Europe. Can you please help me review my Motivation letter below? I tried to focus on 3 points: (1) Who I am (showing through my background in brief and what I believe in); (2) Why I am choosing this program (reason for my passion and future career path) ; (3) Why I chose this university.
I have read many advices on how to write a Motivation letter and there are some things I tried to avoid:
- Not talking about what is already listed in my CV (only explain the reasons for why I chose participating in those activities)
- Talking mainly about myself, not just about the school because they already know what they can offer
So here is my motivation letter. Thank you all in advance

Dear Sir/ Madam,
I am writing to apply for the BA (Hons) International Business Management program starting this February 2017 in which I am enormously interested.
I was born in the Czech Republic and moved to Vietnam after finishing 4th grade. Despite my poor Vietnamese and slight culture shock, I adapted to the new environment very quickly and kept being graded as “Excellent” for the next 8 years, including 3 years studying in an English-specialized class. Last year, I was also accepted into 2 universities (Vietnam National University - University of Languages and International Studies; and Foreign Trade University in Hanoi) thanks to nonstop determination and hard work.
However, it was during my high school years that I fully acknowledged the value of studying for myself (and not for my parents) and more importantly, the impact of experiences – whether good or bad because after all, the outcome depends on people’s mindsets and their attitude towards what they encounter.
I gradually learnt that when participating in “ *** ” - one of AIESEC (the largest student organization)’s projects on developing youth leadership as an attendee in my 11th grade. And this perception has led me to many other amazing opportunities afterwards – joining voluntary activities related to organizing events and managing projects, and becoming an AIESEC member. All those experiences totally changed me – from an insecure, reserved girl to a more confident, open-minded and daring person who is ready to learn by doing and dedicated to contribute to the community around. And I desire such experience for everyone, especially the youth, therefore, my passion lies in creating programs to raise and develop people’s awareness, not only of the problems in the society, but also of their own potentials.
International Business Management at the first glance may seem as an irrelevant major, but as for my future career, I wish to work for a social enterprise or an NGO, which will fulfill my desire to strengthen the relationship between businesses and their social responsibilities. I strongly believe that that’s the long-term solution for creating a better environment for human's development because each individual’s growth is crucial when dealing with the social challenges as well.
After experiencing one year of impractical learning at Foreign Trade University in Vietnam and carefully researching this program’s modules, I have no doubt that the experiential learning and international environment at *** can not only enrich my knowledge and professional outgrowth but also prepare me for my future career path.
In conclusion, I would like to say that I am eager to gain new experiences, improve my skills and
broaden my understanding. I hope to contribute my talents and efforts to your institution and become a worthy member of the team.
Thank you for considering my application and I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,