How to Write a Motivation Letter (With Examples)

A motivation letter is a type of letter written to explain your reasons for submitting an application. It’s similar to a cover letter, but while a cover letter focuses on describing your skills and experience, a motivation letter is written to prove your passion for an opportunity.

To write the best motivation letter possible, take a look at the samples we’ve prepared below:

Motivation letter samples

Below are sample motivation letters for five different situations:

Motivation letter for a scholarship

When applying for a scholarship you may be asked to write a brief motivation statement. Here’s an example of how to write an effective motivation letter for a veterinary studies scholarship:

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Motivation letter for a university application

When you apply for college — whether you’re applying for undergraduate admissions or a post-graduate program — you may be required to submit a letter explaining what motivated you to apply.

Here’s a sample motivation letter for a graduate writing program admissions application:

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Motivation letter for an internship

Employers seek highly motivated people to fill their internship roles because they hope to develop interns into full-time staff members. Here’s an example of how to show why you’re applying in a motivation letter for an internship:

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Motivation letter for a volunteer position

Demonstrate your passion for a cause by writing a motivation letter to complement your volunteer application. Here’s an example:

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Motivation letter for a job

Employers will typically request you submit a cover letter, not a motivation letter, but there are a few exceptions. For example, if you’re applying for a job at a non-profit or NGO, you might be asked to submit a motivation letter so the employer can learn more about your commitment to their cause.

Here’s a good example of a motivation letter for a job at a non-profit organization:

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Motivation letter template

Download or copy/paste this motivation letter template into your preferred word processor, and replace the information in the template with your own details:

How to write a motivation letter

Here’s how to write a motivation letter that gets you accepted or hired:

1. Do your research

To be successful, your motivation letter has to convince the reader that you’re the right type of person for the job or program you’re applying to. The requirements in the position ad or application instructions will give you some information to go on, but you can set yourself apart from other applicants by doing some extra research.

Here’s how to research your target organization or program:

• read its mission statement on its website
• scroll through its social media feeds
• look for blogs written by current or former participants or employees

Then, take the information you find and tailor your letter to show how your motivations match their goals.

2. Write a catchy opening paragraph

Unsure how to start a motivation letter? Open with an attention-grabbing first paragraph that convinces the recruiter or hiring manager to read to the end of your letter. To write a catchy first paragraph, try to figure out what about you will stand out most to the reader, based on the organization’s application requirements.

For example, let’s say you were responding to an internship ad that reads:

Seeking to fill a Journalist Intern role. Applicants must be undergraduate students who are majoring in broadcast journalism and are passionate about delivering local news in print and on camera.

Based on the above ad, a good opening paragraph for your letter of motivation would be:

I saw on LinkedIn that you’re looking for a journalist Intern, and I believe I’m the undergraduate broadcast journalism major for the job. Since I was a child, I’ve been recording mock news broadcasts on tape and camera, submitting letters to the editor and news tips to my local news stations, and participating in every school news production possible. Now I’m finally studying to be a professional journalist, and I couldn’t be more excited to apply what I’ve learned so far in your open internship.

Whatever you’re applying for, start your motivation letter with your most relevant information. If you bury your top selling point at the end of your letter, the reader may never even see it.

After you write a good opening statement, continue describing your motivations for applying in 2–3 more paragraphs. And consider adding a bulleted list of your achievements to make your motivation letter easier to read.

3. Close strong

End your letter of motivation with a paragraph that:

• thanks the reader for going through your letter
• restates your desire to get the job, program acceptance, or scholarship
• includes your phone number and email address (if applicable)
• closes with a sentence about how you’re looking forward to hearing from the reader regarding your application

Here’s an example of how to end a motivation letter written for a volunteer opportunity at an animal shelter:

Thank you for taking the time to read through my motives for applying for your open Shelter Volunteer role. I relish the chance to discuss with you in person how my unconditional love for animals of all kinds makes me an ideal candidate. You can reach me at (123) 456-7890 or james.smythe@gmail.com, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

4. Use the correct motivation letter format

Usually, you should use business letter formatting for your motivation letter. This includes:

• your name and contact information
• the contact person’s name and contact information in a left-aligned list
• a salutation that addresses the contact person by name (e.g., “Dear Mrs. Johnson,”)
• 3–4 paragraphs explaining your motivation
• a polite sign-off (we suggest “Sincerely,”)
• your name (either typed or both typed and signed)

However, if you’re writing your motivational letter in a box on an application form, you can just type a few paragraphs. The form you’re filling out will have other areas for your name and contact information.