Hello everyone,
Could someone please take a look at my motivation letter for my application for the Erasmus University in Rotterdam.
Thanks!
----
Dear Sir or Madam,
With this letter I would like to give you a good impression of me, my international experience and my ambitions. My name is Maarten van den Heuvel and I’ve lived my whole life in a midsized city called Nijmegen. That isn’t a very international orientated city and that’s exactly the reason why I’ve chosen to go to the city of Rotterdam for my study. I want to study in an international environment. However, currently I’m in secondary school. I’m in the last year of my VWO and I’m confident that I will graduate within a few weeks.
I have the Dutch nationality and I’ve always lived here so there I don’t have a very interesting international background, although I’ve always been very internationally orientated. When I was about fourteen years old I wanted to earn a little extra money but I didn’t want to work in a local supermarket, so I started my own little business. I’m quite clever with computers so I started solving computer problems for the people in my neighbourhood. After a few weeks I wanted more, so I taught myself how to make websites. Within a few weeks I had a couple of clients and I started making money. I’m very ambitious so after a few months making websites for local shops I started to expand my advertisements nationally and after that internationally as well. So when I was about sixteen I already had clients from all over the globe. Apart from my own country, I have clients from the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium. This has given me a lot of international experience because they work differently in every part of the world. I work on a freelance basis but I’ve already got contract job offers from companies in the United States, the United Kingdom and Turkey. Which I rejected, because I want to start my study in Rotterdam!
Nowadays I use a lot of English to correspond with my clients that live all over the world. I feel relieved to know that I’ll get a proper knowledge of the English language and that I’ll be able to have a decent conversation with practically anyone in the world. The international aspect of the study is very important for me as well. I think it’s important to get in contact with foreign students for the sake of being prepared to work with people that have different backgrounds.
I know that the RSM Erasmus University is not the only university who offers a study with an international character. However, I must confess, the Erasmus University is situated in Rotterdam, one of the biggest ports in the world. It is, contrary to Nijmegen, a very international city that really makes a difference in the world. Can there be a more ideal place to study International Business Administration? I doubt it.
I am aware of the fact that I’m a very ambitious person who wants to stand at the international top, rather than stand down at the bottom. I believe that I have what it takes to become successful in international business. I found out during my current job that I derive pleasure from maintaining international contacts, and I wish to continue doing so in my future.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. I am looking forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Yours faithfully,
Maarten van den Heuvel