Where you are applying changes what the statement has to do
A statement that works for an Ontario college will fail at an Ivy League department, and the reverse is just as true. These pages cover what each tier's admissions readers are actually assessing.

Canadian colleges
Publicly funded Ontario and western colleges. The application is assessed twice, once by the college and once by a visa officer, and the second is the one that refuses people.
Lambton College
Sarnia, Ontario
Lambton College is a publicly funded Ontario college in Sarnia, with a large international intake across business, computing and technology programmes.
Cambrian College
Sudbury, Ontario
Cambrian College is a publicly funded Ontario college in Sudbury, strongest in mining and engineering technology, health sciences and business.
Sault College
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault College is a publicly funded Ontario college in Sault Ste.
Canadian universities
Graduate admission is departmental, and for thesis programmes it is supervisor-driven. The statement is a research fit document addressed to a specific person.
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario
The University of Toronto is Canada's largest research university and its graduate admissions are run at department level, not centrally.
University of British Columbia
Vancouver and Kelowna, British Columbia
The University of British Columbia runs graduate admissions through individual graduate programmes across two campuses, Vancouver and Okanagan.
Ivy League and top US programmes
Everyone in the pool has cleared the academic threshold. What separates files is the specificity of the research question and whether a named faculty member would want to work on it with you.
Russell Group and UK universities
UK postgraduate admission runs on a personal statement rather than an SOP, and it is read by a subject tutor who wants evidence of engagement with the discipline before anything about your career.
Irish universities
Shorter statements than the UK asks for, read alongside a qualification comparison. The fit argument has to survive being made in under 800 words.
Group of Eight and Australian universities
Admission and the Genuine Student requirement are assessed separately, and the second asks questions about your intentions that the first never raises.
German public universities
A Motivationsschreiben with a Lebenslauf beside it, following conventions no UK or US reader would expect, and usually an APS certificate before any of it matters.
Institutions we write for
Applicants we have written for apply to these. The document changes by destination rather than by institution, so the argument for each is the one set out on the destination pages above.

United States
28Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA
Engineering, computer science and economics; heavily research-led admission
Stanford UniversityStanford, CA
Computer science and engineering, with the closest ties to Silicon Valley hiring
Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA
Public health, policy, business and the sciences
Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ
Small doctoral cohorts; almost entirely research-funded
Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT
Public health, management and the humanities
Columbia UniversityNew York, NY
Data science, engineering and public health; large taught master's intake
Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY
Engineering, agriculture and hotel administration; strong Indian cohort
University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA
Business, engineering and applied data science
Brown UniversityProvidence, RI
Public health and computational biology
Dartmouth CollegeHanover, NH
Engineering management and small doctoral programmes
Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PA
Computer science, robotics and machine learning; a primary target for Indian CS applicants
Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD
Public health, biomedical engineering and clinical research
Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL
Engineering management, journalism and analytics
University of Michigan, Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI
Mechanical, automotive and electrical engineering; very large Indian graduate cohort
University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX
Computer science, petroleum and electrical engineering
Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station, TX
Petroleum, mechanical and agricultural engineering
University of Texas at DallasRichardson, TX
Business analytics and computer engineering; a common funded-master's route
Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlanta, GA
Engineering and computing, including a large online master's in CS
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUrbana, IL
Computer science, ECE and agricultural engineering
University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA
EECS, data science and civil engineering
University of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
Engineering, public health and management
University of California, San DiegoLa Jolla, CA
Bioengineering, CSE and cognitive science
University of WashingtonSeattle, WA
Computer science and data science; close to the Seattle tech employers
Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN
Aerospace, mechanical and industrial engineering; long-standing Indian intake
New York UniversityNew York, NY
Data science, finance and management at Tandon and Stern
University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA
Computer science and engineering; one of the largest Indian graduate populations in the US
Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA
Co-op based master's programmes in analytics and engineering
Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ
Large engineering and computing intake with accessible entry requirements

Australia
25University of MelbourneMelbourne, VIC
Engineering, IT and management; Australia's most research-intensive
University of SydneySydney, NSW
Engineering, health sciences and commerce
Australian National UniversityCanberra, ACT
Computing, public policy and the sciences
University of New South WalesSydney, NSW
Engineering and IT; the largest engineering faculty in the country
Monash UniversityMelbourne, VIC
Pharmacy, engineering and business; large Indian cohort
University of QueenslandBrisbane, QLD
Mining, biotechnology and public health
University of AdelaideAdelaide, SA
Petroleum engineering, wine science and computer science
University of Western AustraliaPerth, WA
Mining, geology and marine engineering
University of Technology SydneySydney, NSW
IT, data science and engineering with strong industry placement
RMIT UniversityMelbourne, VIC
Applied engineering, design and aviation
Deakin UniversityGeelong, VIC
Nursing, IT and business; a common route for Kerala health applicants
Macquarie UniversitySydney, NSW
Accounting, actuarial studies and cyber security
Queensland University of TechnologyBrisbane, QLD
Engineering, IT and health, with a professional-practice emphasis
Curtin UniversityPerth, WA
Mining, petroleum and construction management
Griffith UniversityGold Coast, QLD
Nursing, public health and environmental science
La Trobe UniversityMelbourne, VIC
Health sciences, nursing and biotechnology
Swinburne University of TechnologyMelbourne, VIC
IT, engineering and design with industry placement years
University of WollongongWollongong, NSW
Engineering, computing and nursing
University of NewcastleNewcastle, NSW
Engineering, medicine and architecture
Flinders UniversityAdelaide, SA
Nursing, health sciences and social work
Western Sydney UniversitySydney, NSW
Nursing, business and construction management
University of TasmaniaHobart, TAS
Maritime engineering, agriculture and marine science
James Cook UniversityTownsville, QLD
Marine biology, tropical health and nursing
Murdoch UniversityPerth, WA
Veterinary science, biotechnology and IT
Edith Cowan UniversityPerth, WA
Cyber security, nursing and hospitality

Canada
20University of TorontoToronto, ON
Departmental graduate admission; MASc is supervisor-driven, MEng is taught
University of British ColumbiaVancouver and Kelowna, BC
Engineering, forestry and public health; thesis admission needs a supervisor
McGill UniversityMontreal, QC
Medicine, engineering and management
University of AlbertaEdmonton, AB
Petroleum, chemical and civil engineering
McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON
Health sciences, biomedical and materials engineering
University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON
Computer science and engineering with the country's largest co-op programme
Western UniversityLondon, ON
Business, engineering and medical biophysics
Queen's UniversityKingston, ON
Mining, engineering and management analytics
University of CalgaryCalgary, AB
Energy engineering, geoscience and computing
University of OttawaOttawa, ON
Engineering, health systems and public policy
Dalhousie UniversityHalifax, NS
Ocean sciences, engineering and health administration
Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, BC
Computing science, data science and interactive arts
University of VictoriaVictoria, BC
Engineering, ocean sciences and computer science
University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB
Agriculture, civil engineering and health sciences
University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK
Agriculture, veterinary medicine and mining
Concordia UniversityMontreal, QC
Engineering, computer science and supply chain
York UniversityToronto, ON
Business, IT and environmental studies
Carleton UniversityOttawa, ON
Aerospace, systems engineering and public policy
University of GuelphGuelph, ON
Agriculture, food science and veterinary medicine
University of WindsorWindsor, ON
Automotive and mechanical engineering, close to the Detroit corridor

United Kingdom
20University of OxfordOxford
Research degrees across the sciences, and one-year taught master's programmes
University of CambridgeCambridge
Engineering, computer science and the sciences
Imperial College LondonLondon
Engineering, computing and medicine; large Indian postgraduate intake
University College LondonLondon
Engineering, urban planning and health
University of EdinburghEdinburgh
Informatics, AI and veterinary medicine
University of ManchesterManchester
Engineering, materials and business analytics
King's College LondonLondon
Nursing, medicine and international relations
London School of Economics and Political ScienceLondon
Economics, finance and public policy
University of BristolBristol
Aerospace, electrical engineering and computer science
University of WarwickCoventry
Business, engineering and mathematics
University of GlasgowGlasgow
Engineering, computing and public health
University of SheffieldSheffield
Materials, mechanical and automatic control engineering
University of LeedsLeeds
Engineering, textiles and business
University of BirminghamBirmingham
Engineering, health and business
University of NottinghamNottingham
Engineering, pharmacy and business
University of SouthamptonSouthampton
Electronics, maritime engineering and acoustics
Queen Mary University of LondonLondon
Engineering, computing and medicine
Durham UniversityDurham
Business, physics and engineering
University of ExeterExeter
Business, environmental science and mining
Newcastle UniversityNewcastle upon Tyne
Marine engineering, computing and medical sciences

Germany
20Technical University of MunichMunich
Mechanical, electrical and computer engineering; extensive English-taught master's
RWTH Aachen UniversityAachen
Mechanical and automotive engineering; the classic route for Indian engineers
Ludwig Maximilian University of MunichMunich
Sciences, economics and medicine
Heidelberg UniversityHeidelberg
Life sciences, physics and medicine
Humboldt University of BerlinBerlin
Humanities, economics and the sciences
Free University of BerlinBerlin
Social sciences, biology and computer science
Technical University of BerlinBerlin
Engineering, urban planning and process technology
Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyKarlsruhe
Mechanical engineering, informatics and energy
University of StuttgartStuttgart
Automotive, aerospace and production engineering
University of FreiburgFreiburg
Renewable energy, microsystems and life sciences
University of GöttingenGöttingen
Physics, mathematics and agricultural sciences
University of BonnBonn
Mathematics, economics and agricultural sciences
University of HamburgHamburg
Climate science, informatics and economics
Goethe University FrankfurtFrankfurt
Finance, economics and biochemistry
University of CologneCologne
Business, economics and information systems
Technical University of DarmstadtDarmstadt
Electrical engineering, IT and mechanical engineering
Technical University of DresdenDresden
Microelectronics, transportation and mechanical engineering
University of Erlangen-NurembergErlangen
Medical engineering, materials and optics
University of MünsterMünster
Chemistry, geosciences and business
University of MannheimMannheim
Business administration, economics and data science

Ireland
16Trinity College DublinDublin
Computer science, business analytics and immunology
University College DublinDublin
Engineering, business and agricultural science
University College CorkCork
Pharmaceuticals, food science and nursing
University of GalwayGalway
Medical technology, biomedical engineering and nursing
Dublin City UniversityDublin
Computing, biotechnology and business
University of LimerickLimerick
Engineering, computing and physiotherapy, with co-op placements
Maynooth UniversityMaynooth
Computer science, electronic engineering and geography
Technological University DublinDublin
Applied engineering, computing and hospitality
Munster Technological UniversityCork and Kerry
Engineering, computing and biomedical science
Atlantic Technological UniversityGalway, Sligo and Donegal
Engineering, computing and medical technology
South East Technological UniversityWaterford and Carlow
Pharmaceutical science, engineering and business
Technological University of the ShannonLimerick and Athlone
Polymer engineering, software and business
Dundalk Institute of TechnologyDundalk
Computing, engineering and nursing
Royal College of Surgeons in IrelandDublin
Medicine, pharmacy and physiotherapy
National College of IrelandDublin
Computing, data analytics and business
Griffith College DublinDublin
Business, computing and law

New Zealand
8New Zealand has eight universities in total, and these are all of them.
University of AucklandAuckland
Engineering, business and health sciences
University of OtagoDunedin
Medicine, dentistry and public health
Victoria University of WellingtonWellington
Public policy, law and computer science
University of CanterburyChristchurch
Civil, mechanical and earthquake engineering
Massey UniversityPalmerston North
Agriculture, veterinary science and aviation
University of WaikatoHamilton
Computer science, management and environmental science
Lincoln UniversityLincoln
Agriculture, agribusiness and land management
Auckland University of TechnologyAuckland
Engineering technology, health and hospitality
Naming an institution here says only that applicants we have written for apply to it. It is not a ranking, a partnership or a claim about admission rates, and we do not publish placement figures we cannot evidence.
Also written for
We write for applicants to these institutions regularly. They do not have pages of their own because the argument a statement has to make at each is the one already set out under Canadian colleges above.
- Conestoga College · Kitchener, Ontario
- Fanshawe College · London, Ontario
- Seneca Polytechnic · Toronto, Ontario
- Humber Polytechnic · Toronto, Ontario
- George Brown College · Toronto, Ontario
- Centennial College · Toronto, Ontario
- Algonquin College · Ottawa, Ontario
- Durham College · Oshawa, Ontario
- Niagara College · Niagara, Ontario
- Mohawk College · Hamilton, Ontario
- St. Clair College · Windsor, Ontario
- Loyalist College · Belleville, Ontario
- Georgian College · Barrie, Ontario
- Confederation College · Thunder Bay, Ontario
- Northern College · Timmins, Ontario
- Canadore College · North Bay, Ontario
- St. Lawrence College · Kingston, Ontario
- Fleming College · Peterborough, Ontario
- Douglas College · New Westminster, British Columbia
- Langara College · Vancouver, British Columbia
- Bow Valley College · Calgary, Alberta
- NAIT · Edmonton, Alberta
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