Applications
Statement of Purpose
Also called SOP
What is a statement of purpose?
A statement of purpose is a one-to-two page essay submitted with a graduate application that argues why a specific applicant should be admitted to a specific programme. It covers the academic record that qualifies you, the direction you intend to pursue, why that department is the right place for it, and what you plan to do afterwards. It is not a biography and not a restatement of your CV.
Reviewed
Who needs a statement of purpose?
Almost every master's and PhD applicant to the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. UK and Irish universities usually ask for a personal statement instead, which is a different document.
Common mistakes
- Submitting the same statement to every university with the name swapped
- Spending half the page on your undergraduate project and two lines on why this programme
- Confusing it with the visa statement, which answers different questions