Motivation letter for universities in Germany and the Netherlands

If a bachelor’s or master’s programme in Germany or the Netherlands asks you for a motivation letter, this guide explains how to write it: what to check before you start, a structure you can adapt, what to put in each part and the mistakes to avoid. Requirements differ from programme to programme, so treat this as general advice and always follow the instructions of the programme you are applying to.

What a motivation letter is

A motivation letter explains why you are applying to a specific programme and why you are a good fit for it. Where a programme asks for one, it is read alongside your grades, certificates and other documents.

It is not the same as a UCAS personal statement. For UK undergraduate courses, UCAS sets one format for everyone. Since 2026 entry, the UCAS personal statement is three separate questions instead of one long text: why you want to study the course or subject; how your qualifications and studies have prepared you; what else you have done outside education and why it is useful. A motivation letter has no common format. One programme may ask for a free letter of a set length, another for answers to its own questions in an online form, another for a letter that covers specific points. If you are also applying to the UK, read our guide to the UCAS personal statement, and do not reuse the same text for both.

Check the programme’s requirements first

Before you write a single sentence, find the requirements on the programme page or in the university’s admission rules, and note:

• Whether a letter is required for your programme and your applicant group, or only recommended.
• The length, and whether it is counted in words, characters or pages.
• The language. Usually the language of the programme, but check.
• The format. A letter, a form with questions, or a document with a set structure.
• The questions or topics it must cover. If the programme lists them, your letter should answer each one, in the same order if that makes sense.
• Where and how to submit it. A university portal, uni-assist or another route.
• The deadline, which may be earlier than the general dates for that country.

If the programme gives no instructions beyond “motivation letter”, look for a limit elsewhere, for example in its admission regulations or FAQ, and if there is none, keep the letter concise.

Admission requirements are set by each institution and can differ between programmes (Study in NL, Admission requirements). In Germany, too, admission criteria are set per programme, and uni-assist’s master’s information page tells you to check the university’s own rules first.

If you would like a second reader for your letter, our Personal Statement help also covers motivation letters: you write each draft, we check it against the programme’s requirements and give feedback, with two rounds of draft feedback. We confirm the exact price before you pay.

Feedback on your drafts: You write the statement yourself; we review each draft and show you how to make it stronger.

A structure you can adapt

If the programme does not prescribe a structure, this one works for most letters:

1. Opening. Name the programme you are applying for and say in a sentence or two what draws you to it. Skip general introductions about yourself.
2. Why this programme. Show that you know what it offers: its focus, modules, methods, projects or research areas that matter to you. Be specific enough that the paragraph could not be sent to another university unchanged.
3. Why you are ready. Connect your education and experience to the programme: relevant subjects, projects, a thesis, internships, work, or skills you have built.
4. What you want to do with it. Explain what you want to learn and where you want it to take you, in study or work. Keep it realistic and linked to the programme.
5. Closing. A short summary of why you and the programme fit, without repeating everything.

For a bachelor’s programme, the focus is more on your interest in the subject and how your school studies prepared you. For a master’s programme, give more depth: what you studied in your bachelor’s, what you want to specialise in, and how the programme fits that plan.

What makes a letter convincing

• Specific evidence. “I enjoy problem solving” says little. A short description of a project, what went wrong and what you did about it says much more.
• Reflection. For each experience, say what you learned and why it matters for this programme.
• Fit with the programme. Refer to what the programme actually offers, not to the university’s general reputation.
• Honesty. Only include what you can talk about in detail. If a programme interviews you, it may ask about anything in your letter.
• A clear, calm tone. Confident without exaggeration. You do not need to sound impressive; you need to sound like someone who has thought about this choice.

Language and style

Write the letter in the language the programme asks for. Some programmes, especially master's degrees, are taught in English (international programmes). For these you usually prove your English and may need little or no German. The DAAD International Programmes database lists them. In the Netherlands, English is the main language of master's programmes at research universities: 71% are taught only in English (2025-26).

If you are writing in a language that is not your first, clear and simple sentences work better than complicated ones. Read the letter aloud, check grammar and spelling carefully, and ask someone to tell you where the meaning is unclear. Make the corrections yourself so the letter still sounds like you.

If the university has rules about using AI tools in application documents, follow them. In any case, the letter should be your own work: it is meant to show how you think and write.

Germany: practical points

• Find out how to apply. Not every programme at a uni-assist university is handled by uni-assist. Check on the university's website whether your programme and applicant group apply through uni-assist, directly, or with a VPD. The answer also tells you where your letter goes.
• Through uni-assist, you upload it. The uni-assist application is fully digital: you upload scans (PDF) of your official documents in My assist and do not send paper copies by post. uni-assist’s Assemble your documents section lists what to prepare, including anything your university asks for.
• It must be complete before the deadline. The uni-assist deadline is the university's deadline: the online form and all documents must be in your My assist account before it. Incomplete applications are not forwarded to the university. uni-assist recommends applying at least 8 weeks before the university's deadline, so there is time to add missing documents.
• With a VPD, the letter goes to the university. With a VPD, uni-assist does not forward your application. You must upload the VPD with your application to the university yourself, before the university's deadline.
• Check your programme’s date. 15 July (winter semester) and 15 January (summer semester) apply to many, but not all, programmes. Many universities set earlier deadlines, for example for master's programmes or the Studienkolleg. Always check the deadline of your programme on the university's website.

Step by step: uni-assist application and VPD.

Netherlands: practical points

• Studielink is only the start. You register your application in Studielink, and the university then tells you what to submit and where, which may be its own portal (Study in NL, How to apply).
• Numerus fixus programmes select their students. The application deadline is 15 January 2027, 23:59 Netherlands time. If a numerus fixus programme has more applicants than places, the institution runs a selection between 15 January and 15 April, and applicants in the selection receive their ranking number via Studielink on 15 April. If your programme asks for a letter as part of selection, the programme page says when it is due.
• Other bachelor’s programmes. 1 May 2027 is the general Studielink deadline for programmes without a numerus fixus; the institution decides the final date for each programme.
• Master’s programmes set their own requirements and deadlines, so the programme page is your guide.

Step by step: Studielink application.

Checklist before you submit

• You have checked the programme’s own requirements, and the letter follows them: length, language, format and questions.
• Every question or topic the programme lists is answered.
• The letter names the right programme and university, and nothing is left over from a letter for another one.
• Each claim is backed by an example from your own experience.
• The text is your own and reads naturally when you say it aloud.
• Grammar, spelling and formatting have been checked, and the file is in the format the portal accepts.
• It is ready well before the deadline, together with your other documents.

Common mistakes

• One letter for every programme. A letter that could go to any programme says little about why you chose this one. Adapt at least the parts about the programme and your fit.
• The wrong university’s name. An easy slip when letters are adapted in a hurry, so check names and programme titles last.
• Ignoring the programme’s questions or length. Follow the instructions exactly.
• Repeating your CV. The letter should explain and connect your experiences, not list them again.
• Too much about the country or the city. A sentence can be fine, but the letter is about the programme.
• Vague future plans. “I want to be successful” does not help the reader. Say what you want to learn and why.
• Leaving it to the end. In Germany, an application through uni-assist has to be complete before the deadline, and university portals in the Netherlands work to their own deadlines too.

Prepared by the Wisemore editorial team · Last checked: 13 Oct 2026