How to write a motivation letter, with an example

A motivation letter answers a different question from the CV. The CV shows what you have done. The motivation letter shows why you want this, and why you in particular are the right person to get the place, the money or the role. The drive is at the centre, not the list of what you can already do.

This guide shows you the difference from a regular cover letter, how to build the letter, and what actually convinces the reader. At the end you get a short example you can build on.

What a motivation letter is, and when you need it

A motivation letter is a short text in which you explain what drives you towards something specific, and why you fit it. You meet it most often in four situations:

• University admission. Many higher-education programmes, especially foreign universities and some Norwegian programmes, ask for a motivation letter in addition to your grades.
• Scholarships and grants. Whoever hands out money wants to know why you, and what you will use it for.
• Volunteer and elected roles. Board positions, positions of trust and volunteer roles are often chosen on motivation and attitude, not on the CV alone.
• Internal applications. If you apply for a new role where you already work, they know your experience. Then it is your motivation and direction that are new.

What all four have in common: they want to understand the person behind the application, not just credentials on paper.

The difference from a regular cover letter

This is where many people become unsure, and that's understandable, because the two are similar. The words "application", "cover letter" and "motivation letter" are often used interchangeably, and a job application always contains a good dose of motivation. The difference is not a sharp line, but a question of the centre of gravity.

A cover letter for a job builds on experience. You respond to the requirements in the ad and prove with examples that you can solve the tasks. The motivation is there, but it isn't the main thing. If you want the whole recipe, you find it in the guide on how to write a job application.

A motivation letter shifts the centre of gravity. Here the drive is the main thing: why you want this, what has led you here, and where you want to go next. It is typically used where there is no list of requirements to respond to, or where your experience isn't what decides. A 19-year-old applying for a place at university rarely has much relevant experience, but may have plenty of motivation and direction. That is what the letter should bring out.

In short: the cover letter mostly answers "can you do this?", the motivation letter mostly answers "why do you want this, and why you?". In practice you need a bit of both, but you weight them differently depending on what you are applying for.

The structure that works

A motivation letter has the same four parts as a good cover letter, but with the motivation more prominent. It fits on one page.

The opening

The first sentence decides whether the rest gets read. The most common mistake is to open with formalities: "I hereby wish to apply for admission to." Turn it around. Open with the drive, and show that you have understood what this actually involves.

Weak: "I hereby wish to apply for admission to the bachelor's in nursing."

Better: "What first made me certain that I want to become a nurse was a summer as a care assistant, where I saw how much one calm conversation meant to a frightened patient."

The second sentence says something about you as a person and shows that the motivation has a concrete root.

The body

This is where you back up the motivation. A claim that you are "passionate about the subject" means nothing on its own. Connect it to something you have actually done, chosen or experienced. Two or three short paragraphs are enough.

Weak: "I am very motivated and committed to this field."

Better: "I volunteered as a homework helper alongside my studies, and discovered that I enjoy myself most when I explain something difficult to someone who is stuck. That is the side of the subject I want to build on."

Choose examples that point towards what you are applying for, not just what looks good.

The link to the place

One paragraph on why exactly this place, programme, scholarship or role. Not general praise, but something concrete: a particular area of study, a value the organisation stands for, an opportunity you can't find elsewhere. This paragraph is what separates a real motivation letter from one that could have been sent anywhere.

The closing

Close with direction, not with hope. Not "hoping for a positive reply", but what you will use the place, the money or the role for. That shows the motivation points forward, not just backward.

The most common mistakes

• General enthusiasm. "I have always been interested in this." Everyone says that. Be concrete about what and why.
• Empty adjectives. "Dedicated, eager to learn, committed." Show it with an example instead of claiming it.
• Retelling the CV. The letter should add the motivation and the story the CV can't show, not repeat the points.
• The same letter everywhere. Swap the name, and it shows. The core must be written again each time.
• Too long. Over one page, and the most important thing drowns. If they state a word count, follow it exactly.

A short example

Here is an extract that shows the tone. It is for an internal application, but the principle is the same for studies, scholarships and volunteer roles.

When we redesigned the customer service flow last year, I was the one handling the complaints that came in afterwards. It gave me a clear picture of where the system failed, and I noticed that I wanted to be part of fixing the cause, not just clearing up the symptoms. That is why I am now applying for the role of support team leader.

I know the team and the tools, but that isn't the main reason. It is that I want to build a support function people actually want to call, not dread calling. Over the last year I have, unprompted, made internal templates that noticeably cut our response time, and I want to take that way of working into a leadership role.

Notice what drives the extract: a concrete event, an honest reason, and a direction forward. No empty adjectives, no retelling of the job title.

If you want to see more complete letters with structure, you find them in the guide with cover letters and examples. If you would rather have a ready layout to fill in, see the cover letter template. Both can be angled towards motivation when the situation calls for it.

In short

A motivation letter is short, concrete and honest about why you want this. It resembles a cover letter, but shifts the centre of gravity from experience to drive, and is most often used for university admission, scholarships, volunteer roles and internal applications. Open with the motivation, back it up with something you have actually done, be concrete about why exactly this place, and close with direction. Do that, and the letter reads as the real thing, not as a template.

If the motivation letter is going with a job application, the CV is the next step. See how to build a CV that gets read, or find a position to apply for first.