How To Write SOP?

What is a Statement of Purpose (SOP)?

The SOP is a professionally documented essay that acts as a culmination of all the highest points of your life. Statement of Purpose can either make or break your dream, hence hiring the experts provides you with a leeway to explore the broadening of your academic horizons.

The Statement of Purpose (SOP) is an important aspect when it comes to your dream to study at a university in Australia. A well-written SOP can help your application stand out amongst the pool of applicants, making you fulfil your desire to study at an Australian University.

Along with grades, achievements and experiences, an SOP is usually a deciding factor for admission into the university of your choice. So, you should make the most of this chance of showcasing your ambitions, skills and experiences by writing an impressive Statement of Purpose (SOP).

Statement of Purpose is required for both visa and university applications. It is a personal statement highlighting a student’s grades, experiences, and achievements. SOP for Australian Student Visa is required as proof of Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) and plays a major role in determining whether an international student will be accepted for admission. It helps in establishing the merit of students in the eyes of the decision committee. Hence, it is extremely important to write a good SOP to get admission to desired course and university.

SOP for Australia should be more objective and based on facts rather than telling a story. This doesn’t mean that students should turn a blind eye and write monotonous information. Popular Australian universities receive a thousand applications every year. Thus, SOPs should be engaging enough to keep the admission committee hooked till the end.

SOP Four Steps Process

The question is how to write an SOP that can ensure your admission into your dream university, and the answer lies in the following Four Steps Process which can make the task of writing an SOP much simpler and organised.

Step 1: Plan

Planning should be the first stage of your SOP writing process. Careful planning of ideas to be included and the details to be avoided can help you make a clear road map of the way you want your statement of purpose to look. Writing down all the important experiences of your life on a piece of paper will come in handy when you will start the actual work of writing. This planning process can even help you sort out as there could be many ideas floating in your mind, leaving you confused. At this stage, you can decide the chronology in which you want to present your life and goals. Try to plan in detail so as to make it a smooth ride ahead!

Step 2: Start

Getting a good start is certainly the trickiest part of the process. Once you get the right start, then there will be no looking back for you. The best start is the one that can keep the reader glued to your draft. Having a creative start with a pinch of a mystery can be quite an engrossing introduction. Even, directly stating your goals and making your intentions clear in the beginning can be a captivating start, giving an overview to the admission committee about you and your life.

Step 3: Formulate

At this formulation stage, you are required to justify your interest in the program and the university, by backing it up with evidence from your life. In short, you can provide a sneak peek into your life, giving the university a fair idea as to what makes you an ideal candidate for the program. The areas to be covered here are:

  • Academic Journey: You should mention your academic profile and how your previous studies are related to the course you wish to apply for. You should include the related projects or internships undertaken in order to show your focused approach towards your goals. In case, you wish to change the stream, you should clearly explain the reasons for the change in your interests.
  • The motivation for the course: This is highly important as the university look for a proper justification for your interest in the course you are applying for. Here, you can include how you got fascinated by the particular program. You can also include the related subjects studied or skills and knowledge added, showing how you strengthened your interest in the program.
  • Relevant work experience: Adding the work experience definitely boosts up your chances of admission especially if you are seeking admission for graduate-level courses. You should mention your role in the professional projects along with the knowledge attained and skills acquired during that time.
  • Non-academic interests or volunteering: This part of the SOP helps you to present other aspects of your persona. As Australian universities focus on holistic learning, demonstrating other skills through your extensive participation in extracurricular activities and volunteering endeavours can give you an edge over other applicants.
  • Accomplishments: You should definitely highlight your significant academic and professional achievements as they will help you vouch for your potential and credibility.
  • Reason for choosing Australia: Australia is one of the sought after countries when it comes to overseas education. However, stating your reasons for preference for Australia helps universities observe your regard for the country and ensures them that you will make the most of this experience.
  • Reason for selecting a particular university and your contribution towards it: It is important to customize your SOP as per a particular university. This requires a significant amount of research about the institution, the program applied for, its curriculum, infrastructure, faculty members, and other opportunities. Providing information about what interests you about the university, specifically, and how are you planning to leverage the opportunity, will work in your favour. You should also mention what you will bring to the university and its community, proving your worthiness as a prospective student.

Step 4: Conclude

In this last step, giving a memorable conclusion will help you create a lasting impression on the Ad Com. So, use this opportunity to underscore your ambition, determination and motivation, leaving no scope for rejection. Finally, edit and proofread the document. You might need a few redrafts before you get a statement you are happy to call your final draft.

Frequently Asked Questions

One of the major differences between SOP for Australia and other countries like Canada, UK, etc is that it emphasizes more on presenting evidence and facts. However, other countries expect good story-telling or narrative.

The difference between SOP for Australian universities and other popular study abroad destinations are listed below:

  • In countries like Canada and USA, SOP is required for both bachelor’s and graduate programs whereas, in Australia, it is required only for business, arts, and education programs.
  • SOP for student visas is more important in Australia, unlike the USA, where the SOP for masters program plays a more pertinent role.
  • A written SOP is required in Australia whereas a video essay is also required for admission to some universities in Canada.
  • SOPs of Australia is more structured as compared to other countries such as Canada, the USA, etc.

Statement of Purpose is required while applying for the Australian visa subclass 500 as an integral part of Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE). This serves as proof that a student intends to stay in the country only for the duration of the study.

SOP for Australia Student Visa plays an important role in visa acceptance or denial. Applicants are called for an interview majorly based on this letter.

  • Maximum limit is 3 pages
  • Written by the student
  • English level in letter should match the student’s proficiency in language
  • Every claim or information mentioned in the statement must be supported by documents.

Now that you have a gist of the structural guidelines for SOP for the Australian student visa, let’s discuss the prompts and content of your statement of purpose.

  • Reason for Studying in Australia: Students should explain why they choose Australia over their home country or any other country. This includes information on how institutions and curriculum in this country is better than in other countries.
  • Economic Circumstances: SOP must establish your ability to support yourself financially while studying in Australia. It should include the following information:
    • Number of family members or dependants
    • Employment details of family
    • Family income
    • Your assets and liabilities such as properties, vehicles, mortgages, etc.
  • Details about Course:
    • Include information about all courses you are intending to study in the SOP for Australia
    • Write about course curriculum, duration, etc.
    • Explain the reason for choosing these courses, their relevance to your academic or professional background, and future.
    • If the course you have chosen is different from your background, explain the reason for the change in career path.
  • Details about University: Mention the universities to which you have applied and explain the reason for choosing these universities of Australia. If your admission is accepted in more than one university, describe which university you will select and why.
  • Gap in Study or Work:
    • Required only if the gap is longer than 6 months
    • Explain the reason for the gap year(s)
    • Attach documents supporting the reason
  • Future Goals: You should demonstrate how studying a particular course in Australia will help in fulfilling your career goals. Focus mainly on the points mentioned below:
    • Career prospects after graduation
    • Current salary offered by organizations for related job roles
    • Business plan if planning to start a business after the study
  • History of Travel: If you have traveled to Australia or any other country before, mention it in the SOP. Also, include details on visa applications submitted before along with reasons for acceptance or denial.

Statement of Purpose is required in only some of the Australian universities. Out of the top 15 universities, as per QS Ranking 2020, only 4 have SOP as an admission requirement. Details about the same are provided below:

SOP for University of Melbourne

  • Word limit is 500 to 600 words
  • Required by Melbourne Business School and Faculty of Arts
  • Details like work experience, extra-curricular activities, achievements, etc should be included

SOP for University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney

  • Required for preparatory courses of Arts & Science, Engineering, Business and Science at UNSW
  • SOP for Australia must be divided into the following categories:
    • Achievements in high school: 2500 characters
    • Reasons for applying to a program: 1000 characters
    • How Prep program will help in preparing for degree program: 1000 characters

SOP for University of Wollongong

  • Required for education courses at University of Wollongong
  • Following questions must be answered in 250 words:
    • Why is teaching a good career choice for you and what was the inspiration for becoming a teacher?
    • Mention any leadership, community or learning and development activity you have been involved in.
    • Explain your time management while planning activities along with your personal life.
    • Describe any instance where you utilized your problem-solving skills.

SOP for Macquarie University

  • Required for Bachelor of Education program of Macquire University
  • Answer to following topics in SOP for Australia within 750 words:
    • What was the inspiration behind choosing teaching as a career?
    • How will you communicate effectively with people of different age groups?
    • Outline your skills that will be useful in teaching.
    • What role does education play in society?

Some universities have a section in the application form where students have to write a Statement of Purpose within 5 to 6 lines. In this case, you just have to mention the objective behind choosing a program.

SOP for Australia should be written in English from the point of view of a student only even if the application is submitted by an agent. Visa SOP has more weightage than that of universities and should be given more attention.

Yes, the Australian immigration committee requires international students to submit an SOP for an Australian student visa. It is an essential part of the process, so much so that your visa can get accepted and rejected on the basis of this. Candidates are called for visa interview post evaluation of SOP only. Learn in detail about guidelines, format, sample of  SOP for Australian Student Visa.

One of the most important aspect that a graduate statement of purpose must cover is your decision of pursuing that particular program. Apart from this, you must also talk about

  • Reason why you have applied for the chosen program in this particular university.
  • How you will become a part of the applied university’s student community?
  • What are your future goals or career aspirations.

Your Statement of Purpose can definitely make or break the chances of securing admission in your dream university. The most pertinent reason behind this is that an SOP is the first communication between the applicant and the admission supervisor. And, it is your chance to convince them about your suitability for the program.