Statement of Purpose is an application essay, applying for a graduate program at a foreign university is required to write in order to be admitted to the program. It is one of the most important aspects of your application because it tells the admission committee who you are, why you are applying, why you’re a good candidate, and what you want to do in the future. In general, the statement of purpose is designed to get a sense of why the student wants to pursue the graduate degree, and their relevant qualifications/experiences/current work.

Common Mistake

• Talking too much about your childhood fantasies
• Not giving it enough time for your future plans of achieving your goals
• Beating around the bush and not paying attention to career goals
• Not conducting your research
• Writing more or less than the needed (not understanding the value of space and word limit)
• Being too direct or too casual in the beginning and conclusion
• Using jargons or technical terms more often
• Never lie or provide false information in documents
• Never copy your SOP or essay from your friends or the internet

Writing Tips

• Why you are choosing a specific program. Information about particular course, professors whose work you admire or whose work aligns with your own research goals, and other factors like location of the university, and college or internship opportunities should be included.
• You should definitely describe your goals and how applying for the graduate study will help you to achieve those goals. Be more specific about your studies and experience related to your future field of study.
• You need to provide as many appealing information as possible (but not too much, follow the formatting requirements).
• Convince that you have a clear vision of the contribution of the program to your future career, a more advanced degree or your life trajectory. Write a specific research project or an idea you intend to develop during your studies
• Show you are the right to fit for the university/college and program, do some research. You can find the information by searching through the university/college website and faculty directory. Look at the course names and publication lists of the professors and seek out fields that interest you and are aligned with your goals.

Statement of Purpose Samples