What Reviewers Look For in the NL Scholarship Motivation Letter

This rubric looks at whether your letter makes a clear case for your academic readiness, relevant experience, future direction, and fit with the Netherlands, institution, and programme. It also checks whether your examples show what you did and what changed, rather than relying on titles, broad claims, or prestige. A strong letter helps the reader see why your preparation and plans matter for this scholarship application.

What We Check

Mistakes We Flag

Calling yourself a strong student without evidence

Saying you are talented, excellent, or hardworking is not enough by itself. Show a course, project, decision, output, or result that demonstrates readiness for the proposed study.

Listing roles or activities without your contribution

Job titles, memberships, and volunteer roles do not explain what you actually did. Name a responsibility, choice, task, or problem you handled, along with what changed because of it.

Making broad future-impact promises

Claims about becoming a leader or helping society need a realistic next step. Identify what you plan to do, investigate, build, improve, or contribute, and who would benefit.

Using generic reasons for studying in the Netherlands

References to internationality, English-taught education, or general reputation need a connection to your goals. Explain how a specific Dutch, institutional, or programme feature would help you study, practice, access, or contribute in a way that matters to you.

Treating the letter like a programme admission statement

Programme interest and qualifications alone may not explain why you are applying for the scholarship. Make the relevance of your evidence to scholarship selection, access, or any visible institutional requirement clear.

References

Frequently Asked Questions