If you are planning to study abroad, a Statement of purpose is one of the important documents required for admission and a student Visa. Statement of Purpose showcases your willingness to pursue your dream course. Whether you are planning to study in UK, USA, Australia or Germany, every university requires you to submit a statement of purpose. SOP helps the admission committee of your dream university to understand you, your goals, your motivation for the chosen course and university etc. let’s explore how you can draft an SOP for Germany that will make your application stand out.
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What is SOP?
Students are required to submit an SOP during an application and Visa process while planning to study abroad. A Statement of Purpose is an essay detailing your academic and professional skills, your reason and motivation for applying to a specific course, your goals in life and what makes you stand out from the crowd. While a CV is factual, a SOP is the subjective part of the application process that allows the selection committee to know about you and what makes you a suitable applicant. It is an essential document in your selection process.
Importance of Writing SOP for Germany
- It gives the admission committee insight into your life, your goal and motivation. It’s like a narrative for your entire application.
- It is the subjective aspect of your application and by giving a description about yourself, an SOP helps the admissions committee to take decision in your favour.
- An SOP details your reasoning behind choosing a particular course and how it is a perfect fit for you and your career
- It is an important document to understand the mindset and aspirations of the student.
- Since meeting the minimum academic eligibility requirements for applying is not enough, an SOP shows what makes you competent and unique from all other applicants and why you should be selected.
5 Tips While Writing an SOP for Germany
- Write your essay in the form of a story about your life and explain how choosing this program is the next logical step in your career path
- Instead of just stating your passions, explain how they developed and why you want to pursue them further – and how this program or opportunity will allow you to do so
- Detail your academic interests with examples of work/projects/internships you have done
- Explain the study projects that you’ve worked on, define your professional interests along with your feasibility of staying in Germany
- The focus should be on describing yourself and how this opportunity will help you and not how great their university is
Step By Step Guide To Writing SOP For German Student Visa
German colleges pay close attention to SOPs and are very curious in the reasons that applicants choose a particular course. It is getting harder for the selection committee to choose qualified students as demand for study abroad opportunities in Germany rises. Make sure you are giving a clear image of what you intend to accomplish in the future in order to stand out with a strong SOP. Here are some pointers to help you create a strong sop for German universities:
- Get started by creating your curriculum vitae (CV). You can avoid repeating the same information in the SOP by doing this.
- Recognize the demands of the university and the programme. This will enable you to determine whether the course satisfies your criteria. Asking straightforward questions like, “Is the programme more about developing professional skills or is it more about research?” will help you.
- You must reflect on and summarise each event that has influenced your life and personality. Consider your academic successes or other distinctions that have improved you as a person. Talk about your aspirations, hobbies, career objectives, challenges, assets, principles, and vision.
- Take a deep breath and begin writing them down in brief bullet points now that you have a clear understanding. Write honestly and freely, trying to stay true to your thoughts. Postpone the editing till later.
- You were seeking an academic upgrading in a specific field when you decided to go to a German university. It has less to do with your desire to study in Germany and more to do with what you hope to achieve once you have finished. It is best to read the testimonials of graduates of German universities before drafting your post-study objectives. You can demonstrate your excitement to admissions officers by tying life experiences to your post-study objectives.
- Make a list of your prior career and academic experiences. For instance, if you are interested in and have expertise with green technology, you can state that you would like to improve your abilities in advocating for green technology and renewable energy.
- For the last round of editing, ask any English specialists you know to look over your spelling, grammar, and punctuation. You can also examine the accuracy of your document using free online programmes like Grammarly.
- If you haven’t already, add some graphic components, including a header and footer, using programmes like MS Word. To give the document a more polished appearance, save it as a pdf.
Also Read: SOP for Canada
Format for Writing an SOP
There is no fixed format while writing a Statement of Purpose. It should be written in the form of an essay. SOP should not be over 2 pages and the word limit is about 700-1000 words.
Also Read: Sample SOP for Australian Student Visa
Sample of SOP for Germany
I have completed Bachelor of Science in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from Independent University, Bangladesh (TUB) having a very sound academic background in Electrical circuit, Digital Signal Processing, Electrical System, Control System, Power Transmission and Distribution System, Engineering Mathematics, Microprocessor and Interface, Telecommunication System, Digital Logic Design, Circuit & Systems. I have participated in a training program on ‘Programmable Logic Control’ & ‘AUTO CAD’ jointly owned by IEEE IUB SB and EEE Dept. of IUB. I completed a thesis titled “Design of MPPT Techniques for Photovoltaic Inverters’. At present, I have been working in a company named “Arena Builders Limited” as an Assistant Engineer – Electrical. My entire research work titled “Power Factor Correction for Wind Power Generation Systems using Modified Vienna Rectifier Has already been submitted in The 5th International Conference on Developments in Renewable Energy Technology (1CDRET18).
I have chosen the Master’s program of “Electrical Engineering” at the University of Applied Sciences in Kempten due to some specific =sons. The Master’s program of study is chosen because it is closely related to my previous study, makes me specialize in this field of study, enlarge my academic & professional career and also will help me to proceed for further study in this field. I believe that I will be able to make contributions in this field of study which I have chosen by researching activities and gathering knowledge through practical works & studies. I also believe this master’s program of study at the University of Applied Sciences Kempten will serve my purpose.
I have chosen Germany to study because German Universities have a very strong reputation for engineering and research from very long ago and the curriculum of education offered by Kempten University of Applied Sciences is better and acknowledged throughout the whole world. Standard lab facilities, excellent teaching staff as well as a better educational environment also attract me. I believe that my decision to pursue this that the Master’s from your University will not only impart a sound education in latest technologies but will also push me to attend in the computing world and with its reputed faculty, excellent facilities and tradition of academic excellence will be the ideal place to work towards the fulfilment of life goal. The knowledge, skills and experiences I will be pinned through such a dynamic program would bring newer insights into my future professional career, personal outlook on life & society and control of the environment in today’s globalized world.
Dos & Don’ts While Writing
Dos
- Do take ample time to write and start as early as possible
- Do prepare a rough outline before writing
- Do look at a few samples of SOPs before starting
- Do portray your original ideas
- Do present your ideas in a factual and reflective way.
- Do proofread and remove redundancies and errors
Don’ts
- Don’t try to write your SOP in one day
- Don’t start your SOP by mentioning the same things as your CV
- Don’t tell the admissions staff too much about their own institution
- Don’t include questions in the SOP
- Don’t copy or reword someone else’s SOP
- Don’t lie on your SOP
- Don’t try to use fancy language
- Don’t campaign for your beliefs
Are you planning to study in Germany but not sure where to start from? Contact our Leverage Edu experts for end-to-end guidance from application to Visa process. Call us at 1800 57 2000 to book your FREE 30-minutes counseling session today.