In this guide
Fast answer
An Erasmus motivation letter answers three questions on one page: why this destination, what you will study there and what you will bring back to your degree. It works when it is specific: it names courses at the host university, explains how they fit your programme and shows you can follow classes in their language. What sinks it is the opposite: general lines about “discovering another culture” that would fit any city.
- Still choosing a destination? Each city guide lists universities, areas and costs: for example Bologna.
- Already know which courses you would take? You will need them for the Learning Agreement too.
At many universities the letter only separates candidates with similar grades; at others it is scored or used in an interview. Either way it is the one part of the application where you explain your choice in your own words. Read your university’s call first: format, length and language are set by your university, not by the Erasmus+ programme.
What it has to answer
| Question | What to write | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Why this destination? | An academic reason: a field the university is strong in, a research group, a type of course your faculty does not offer | “I have always wanted to see Italy” |
| What will you study? | Two or three specific courses from the catalogue, by name | A copied list of courses with no explanation |
| How does it fit your degree? | Which part of your programme they cover and what they add to your thesis or internship | Promising everything will be recognised before checking |
| Can you follow the classes? | Your level in the teaching language and how you are improving it | Saying you will learn it there if the call requires a level |
| What do you bring and take back? | Something you will do there (societies, projects) and how you will use it when you return | Clichés about maturity and personal growth with no example |
A four-paragraph structure
- Introduction and choice (3–4 lines): what you study, your year and the destination you are applying for, with the main reason in one sentence.
- Academic fit (the longest paragraph): the specific courses and why you cannot take them at home, or why their approach is different. If the destination offers something distinctive (a lab, an integrated internship, English-taught courses in your field), say it here.
- Preparation: language, courses or experience that show you will make the most of the semester. A certificate or a course in progress beats an adjective.
- After Erasmus: what you will do with it when you come back (thesis, master’s, the sector you want to work in) and a closing line.
Length: unless the call says otherwise, one page, 300 to 500 words. If it sets a character count, stick to it exactly.
An example of the central paragraph
This is an example of the level of detail; the course names are invented and must be replaced with the real catalogue of your destination.
*”I am applying to the University of Bologna because its economics degree has a public economics track that my faculty only offers as a fourth-year elective. I would take ‘Public Sector Economics’ and ‘Policy Evaluation’, which complete the two public finance courses in my programme and would prepare me for the thesis on regional taxation I plan to write next year. Both are taught in English, in which I hold a certified B2.”*
Notice what it has: a verifiable fact about the university, two named courses, the link to your own programme, a concrete plan for afterwards and the language. Not one adjective about the city.
Mistakes that cost points
- A generic letter: if it works for another city by changing the name, it does not convince.
- Talking only about the city: beaches, food or nightlife are not academic reasons.
- Courses that do not exist or are not offered in your semester: check the university’s course catalogue, the same one you will later use for the Learning Agreement.
- Ignoring the language: if teaching is in the local language, state your level and how you will improve it.
- Going over the length or writing in a different language from the one requested.
- Typos and misspelled names of the university or coordinator.
Before you submit
- Read it aloud: any sentence you would not say is one too many.
- Ask someone on your course to read it cold and tell you why you want to go there. If they cannot, it is not specific enough.
- If you apply for several destinations, write a different central paragraph for each or, if only one letter is allowed, explain what they have in common.
If you are deciding between cities, you can ask students who are there now in the Odisea WhatsApp groups. The groups are in English.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should an Erasmus motivation letter be?
Whatever your call says. If it sets nothing, one page or 300 to 500 words is the norm.
Which language should I write it in?
The one your university asks for. If you can choose, writing it in the host’s teaching language shows your level, but only if you can do it without mistakes.
How much does the letter count in Erasmus selection?
It depends on the university. At many, grades and language decide almost everything and the letter breaks ties or feeds an interview; at others it has its own score. Read the criteria in your call.
Do I need to name specific courses?
It is what most separates a good letter. Two or three real courses from the host’s catalogue, explained, are worth more than any sentence about the city.
Can I use the same letter for several destinations?
Only the structure. The academic paragraph has to change for each university, because the courses and the reasons do.