Why This Programme: Motivation Letter Paragraph
The why this programme paragraph in a European motivation letter: how TU Delft, KTH, Chalmers and Sciences Po ask it, plus why-Europe and goals lines.
Why This Programme: Motivation Letter Paragraph
Answer "why this programme" with the programme's own structure, a track, a course or the thesis, and one gap in your preparation it closes. TU Delft, KTH, Chalmers, Sciences Po and Politecnico di Milano all ask the question in some form. Of the pages we checked, only a scholarship, Utrecht's NL Scholarship, asks why you want to study in the country.
Most advice treats "why this programme" as a chance to praise the university. The pages below ask something narrower. Sciences Po wants "which aspects of the programme appeal to you—such as the curriculum, academic objectives, or pedagogical approach". Chalmers wants "the connection between your current studies and your choice of programme". Our view: a why-this-programme paragraph that would still be true if you swapped in another university's name has failed. And "why Europe" usually earns a clause, not a paragraph. When your paragraph is drafted, a motivation letter review checks whether it says why you chose this programme.
Every page quoted below was checked on 31 October 2026. Most print no cycle year; the Utrecht scholarship page is for 1 September 2027 entry.
How each school words the question
| School | The question, verbatim | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| TU Delft | "Your motivation for choosing this MSc programme. Why you are interested in TU Delft and what you expect to find here. If this MSc programme has specialisation(s), which specialisation interests you the most and why?" | 1,000–1,500 words |
| KTH, Computer Science | "why you have chosen this programme at KTH, what you hope to gain from it and how your interests and skills will help you succeed in your studies" | under 500 words |
| Chalmers | "State the reason why you have chosen a specific Master's programme and Chalmers University of Technology. Explain the connection between your current studies and your choice of programme" | 1 page |
| Sciences Po | "clearly explain which aspects of the programme appeal to you—such as the curriculum, academic objectives, or pedagogical approach—and why this programme is a meaningful and coherent step in your academic journey" | the limit in the form |
| Politecnico di Milano | "why you selected that specific programme, and why you have chosen Politecnico di Milano among other universities" | max. 2 pages; letter optional |
| Utrecht, NL Scholarship | "Your motivation, which should explain the relevance of your time in the Netherlands and at Utrecht University to your future goals." | questions in the online form |
Read the table for what it does not ask. No row asks you to rank universities or praise their reputation. Polimi comes closest with "among other universities", and even that asks for your reason, not a ranking. Sciences Po adds a warning: "Applicants are expected to demonstrate that they have thoroughly researched the programme in order to substantiate their motivation."
Two rows split the question. TU Delft asks about the programme and the university separately, then the specialisation. Chalmers asks for the programme, the university and the link to your current studies. Answer each part in its own sentence so the reader can find it.
The three-part paragraph
A why-this-programme paragraph needs three moves:
- A programme feature, named from the programme page: a track, a course, a thesis arrangement, a lab or a teaching method.
- Your gap or your evidence: what you cannot yet do, or what you have done that this feature builds on.
- The use: what the feature lets you do next, ideally the career or research step in your later paragraph.
If you cannot complete move 2, the paragraph will drift into praise. The gap is what makes the feature matter to you and not to every applicant.
Constructed example: weak and strong
Two constructed examples, written by us, not real applicant statements. Context (invented): Rohan Mehta, a mechanical engineering graduate from Pune with two years in an automotive supplier, applying to a European master's in sustainable energy. Track and course names are invented for this guide; use the real ones from your programme page.
Weak: I have chosen this programme because your university is one of the top technical universities in Europe, with excellent faculty, modern laboratories and a strong international reputation. Studying in such an environment will help me grow both personally and professionally.
Strong: I am applying to this programme for its Energy Storage track. At my current employer I test battery cooling plates, but I only test them; I do not yet understand the cell chemistry that decides how much heat they must remove. The track's first-year electrochemistry course is the piece my mechanical degree did not cover. I would then like to write the thesis with an industry partner on cooling design for second-life batteries, which is where I want my next job to be.
The weak version is 40 words and fits any university. The strong version is 83 words and fits one applicant and one programme. It names a track and a course (move 1), the gap in cell chemistry (move 2), and a thesis and job direction (move 3). It answers TU Delft's specialisation question and Chalmers' connection question without changing a word.
The countercase: a research master's or a scholarship form may ask the parts in separate boxes. Then split the three moves across the boxes in the order the form asks. Do not force them into one paragraph.
Why Europe, why this country
Of the six pages in the table, one asks about the country: Utrecht's NL Scholarship, which wants "the relevance of your time in the Netherlands and at Utrecht University to your future goals." The scholarship offers "€5,000, €10,000 and €15,000", and you "must apply before 1 February 23:59 CET" (the page prints no year). It is answered in the online form, not in your programme letter. Our NL Scholarship motivation letter guide covers it.
None of the five programme pages in the table asks "why Europe" or "why Sweden". Our recommendation: when the page does not ask, give the country one clause tied to the programme, not a paragraph about culture or travel.
Two constructed lines, written by us:
Weak: I have always dreamed of studying in Europe because of its rich culture, high quality of life and diverse society.
Strong, as a clause: Studying in the Netherlands, where the programme places its thesis internships, would keep my courses, thesis and first job search in one place.
The strong clause gives a reason tied to the plan, not to the scenery. Check that your programme really offers what your clause names. It also answers the scholarship's "relevance … to your future goals" if you are asked. For Germany, which has its own conventions, see why Germany in a motivation letter. For a UK personal statement, see why UK in a master's personal statement. For US statements, see the why USA paragraph guide.
Career goals that sound real
The career paragraph is move 3, written out. EPFL's master's application page asks for your "career strategy". Chalmers asks for "what your expectations are for your future career and the impact it may have on the society where you will practice your profession". Sciences Po wants goals that are "specific and forward-looking". A goal sounds real when it names a role, a kind of employer and a problem, and when it is the same goal your why-this-programme paragraph pointed to.
Constructed example, written by us, not a real applicant statement. It continues Rohan's letter from the example above.
Weak: After my master's I want to become a leader in the renewable energy sector and make a positive impact on society.
Strong: After the programme I want to design cooling for second-life battery packs at a supplier that builds grid storage. My aim is to make reused packs safe enough for the smaller utilities that cannot buy new ones.
The strong version names a role, a kind of employer and a problem, and the problem is the thesis topic his why-this-programme paragraph already named. Its second sentence answers Chalmers' "impact … on the society" in one line: who is better off if he does that job. For the last line of the letter, see our motivation letter opening and closing lines. Our guide to career goals in an SOP for international students has more constructed paragraphs.
Check your why-this-programme paragraph
- The swap test. Replace the university's name with another. If the paragraph is still true, rewrite it.
- One named feature. A track, course, thesis arrangement or lab, taken from the programme page.
- One gap. A thing you cannot yet do, stated plainly.
- One use. A next step that matches your career paragraph.
- Each part of the question answered. TU Delft's specialisation; Chalmers' connection to your studies; Polimi's "among other universities".
- "Why this country" only if asked, and then tied to the work.
- No praise words with no fact behind them: "prestigious", "world-class", "renowned".
Questions about the why this programme paragraph
How do I answer why this programme in a motivation letter?
Name one feature from the programme page, say what gap in your preparation it closes, and say what you will do with it. Sciences Po asks for "which aspects of the programme appeal to you"; Chalmers asks for "the connection between your current studies and your choice of programme".
Should I explain why I want to study in Europe?
Only if the page asks. Of the pages we checked, Utrecht's NL Scholarship asks about "your time in the Netherlands"; the five programme pages do not ask about the country. Otherwise, one clause is enough.
How long should the why this programme paragraph be?
There is no published rule for the paragraph. In a KTH letter "less than 500 words", our recommendation is about 80 to 120 words, as in the example above.
Can I name professors in a master's motivation letter?
You can, if the page asks for it or a named course or lab makes your point. ETH's mathematics master's, for example, asks you to explain your "choice of potential courses, areas of specialisation and supervisors for project work". See our ETH Zurich motivation letter guide. Sciences Po names programme understanding as one of four areas it assesses; see Sciences Po's four required areas.
Get a free review of your motivation letter
Get a free Quick Review of your motivation letter against GradPilot's one-page European motivation letter rubric. It checks whether you say why you chose this programme at this institution, answer what the programme asked, and give a specific forward plan. For a longer UK or European letter, use the master's motivation letter and personal statement rubric.
More motivation letter guides:
- Motivation letter opening and closing lines: the sentences before and after this paragraph
- Motivation letter mistakes to avoid for a master's: rule mistakes that cost more than a weak paragraph
- Statement of purpose fit paragraph: the US PhD version of this paragraph
- Graduate school essays hub: every master's statement guide
Sources
Retrieved 31 October 2026, except where noted.
- TU Delft, Required documents, MSc international diploma (no year stated): motivation letter questions and length.
- KTH, Computer Science MSc entry requirements (no year stated): letter content and limit.
- Chalmers, Apply for master's programmes (2027 entry): letter contents, one-page limit.
- Sciences Po, Motivation letter (no year stated): four assessed areas.
- Politecnico di Milano, List of documents required (no year stated): letter definition and two-page limit.
- Utrecht University, NL Scholarship (1 September 2027 start): motivation criterion, amounts, deadline.
- EPFL, Master's online application (no year stated): career strategy and objectives.
- ETH Zurich, Mathematics MSc application documents (no year stated): courses and supervisors in the letter.
Review Your Motivation Letter
See how your own draft reads against the limit and the questions your programme publishes.