Hello! I have written a motivation letter for an exchange semester. It would be great if I could get some input on it. Thank you!



Motivation letter

Dear Sir or Madam,

It is with great excitement I apply for the student exchange programme at University of Ottawa winter session 2014. I am currently an undergraduate student doing the second semester of a Bachelor’s degree in Comparative Politics at University of Bergen. In addition I have studied New Media which basically is a combination of media science and information science.

As a student in the field of political science I have become very interested in the case of Quebec’s position within the Canadian federation. I see an exchange semester in Ottawa as a great opportunity for developing far more in-depth knowledge of the situation today and in historical context. I think the fact that Ottawa is located on the border between Quebec and Ontario, and not to mention that the university is bilingual will most certainly provide a solid foundation for this.

After studying the courses on your website I have found a great selection that will be relevant for my interests. These include the ones regarding Canadian politics, but also North American relations and federalism which are important subjects for a decent understanding of Canadian politics.

Another major reason for applying is the opportunity of improving my English skills. I think my English skills both written and oral are quite good and as my high school diploma states, I have taken several English courses in addition to the one that is compulsory. Nevertheless, this was almost three years ago, so I think that having to use the English language both academic and in daily life will give my skills quite a boost.

I hope a semester at the University of Ottawa will help me grow personally and provide knowledge I will be able to use for future studies at my home institution, hopefully also at a Master’s level.

Best regards,
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