Guidelines for writing a motivation letter (MBA)

Basic information about the motivation letter

The letter should be written in clear, professional, and error-free English. It may be forwarded to the University of Northampton for an approval decision. Please use a word processor or proofreading tool to ensure the quality of the text.

A motivation letter is a kind of essay, which should have a clear structure, paragraph divisions and complete sentences. The letter should give an idea of your English language skills, so pay attention to spelling, good grammar and a clear structure. There are many tools available for this, for example in word processing software. However, do not use generative AI tools to produce your text.

Structurally, you can divide your essay into, for example, an opening paragraph or introduction, a discussion of the main topic, a conclusion. You can use subheadings if you wish.

Always try to back up your arguments with examples. E.g. "I have experience working in a team. In company X, I worked in two different teams where I took on different roles... I learned from teamwork to commit to common goals and to give constructive feedback to others..." 

The purpose of the motivation letter is to convince the reader of your motivation and willingness to study the programme to the end. You can answer questions such as:

• Why do you want to study for an MBA? Do you have a particular experience that has led you towards an MBA? How will the degree benefit you in the future?
• What are your expectations of studying for an MBA? 
• What issues have you encountered at work or in your past life that you hope to gain more tools for from your MBA studies?
• If you have an important hobby, interest or volunteering activity, you can also tell us how it has influenced your experience and skills.
• How will you manage your time during your future studies?
• Much of the learning, according to current thinking, comes from participating in discussions and actively contributing to group activities. Tell us about your experience of teamwork and how you feel you benefit from it. Do you have specific skills that can benefit other students, such as analysis, problem solving, visualising complex issues?
• What strengths do you have, both in terms of your personal qualities and through work and other experience? How do these strengths help you to succeed in your studies?
• What are your plans and dreams for the future after you finish your studies?

Reserve enough time to write a motivation letter. Writing is a multi-step process, including structuring the structure and issues to be addressed, writing a draft and finalising it. The first draft is never the best or final.

Write a letter, e.g. in MS-Word, to make use of the proofreading and spell-checking tools. 

Save the letter as a PDF file.

Length of the motivation letter

The recommended length of a motivation letter is between 2500 and 3000 characters, including spaces. This means about 500 words, or one A4 of concise text. Aim to write around 3000 characters. If your letter is shorter than this, we are likely to send you a request to rewrite it, which will delay the processing of your application. suositeltava pituus on 2500 – 3000 merkkiä sisältäen välilyönnit. Tämä tarkoittaa noin 500 sanaa eli yhden A4:n verran tiivistä tekstiä. Pyri kirjoittamaan noin 3000 merkkiä. Jos kirjeesi on lyhyempi kuin tämä, lähetämme sinulle todennäköisesti pyynnön kirjoittaa se uudelleen, mikä viivästyttää hakemuksen käsittelyä. 

For example, if you write text in a Word document, it will calculate the number of characters/words you use. 

Don't make these mistakes:

Do not list your work experience in the same way as on your CV. Rather, you should tell them, for example, what you have found important and motivating in your work, what experience and skills you have gained in the company, or what you have learned, for example, in management. If your CV is attached, you don't need to list your jobs or describe all your work experience, just focus on what you have learned in your career.

Don't copy letters written by others or ready-made letters you find online. Also, don't use AI tools to write your letter, as your motivation letter should describe your individual situation in your own words. AI-generated text is quite easy to identify compared to letters written by the applicants themselves. If copying is detected, your application will be rejected or your study rights may be terminated without warning. The letter must be written by the applicant.

Don't leave writing a letter to the last minute! 

Good luck with your application!