The Statement of Purpose (SOP) is a mandatory component of the international student visa application process. It is an opportunity for the applicant to inform the visa issuing authority about their background, academic achievements, and professional goals. The SOP should highlight the applicant’s motivation for studying abroad and for pursuing a specific course of study. It should also clearly state the applicant’s future career goals and how their chosen programme of study will assist them in achieving these objectives.
Normally, statement of purpose does not have any set requirements for word count or page count. However, the average length of the Statement of Purpose is 4 to 10 pages. It solely depends on how well the applicant followed the SOP guidelines and included all necessary information. Likewise, each applicant shall need to provide information in their own words addressing the points as they relate to their individual circumstances. This document is used by visa officers to assess the applicant’s qualifications and potential to complete their study programme successfully.
Guidelines for a Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Information about yourself including applicant’s family background. If married, should provide information about your spouse, including education and qualification levels, career information, and the date of your marriage.
- Detailed information about the applicant’s academic career, from SLC / SEE to the highest qualification attained, including the date, month, and year of commencement and the date, month, and year of completion. And at the end of this section, mention English requirement language test (IELTS / PTE) with date of test, overall score and each band score.
- Detailed information about any prior work experience, including the date, month, and year of commencement and the date, month, and year of completion. Information on how your work history relates to your current qualifications and potential future opportunities in abroad.
- Justification of any gap (Gap between any academics or work experience if applicable).
- Information on research conducted on similar programs/courses taught in the home country. (Reason for not choosing home country)
- Information on research / comparison of Australia, Canada, USA, UK, and UK as study destinations, as well as European countries, Asian and neighbouring country. (Reason for not choosing other countries)
- Explanations of the benefits of choosing Australia as a destination. (Reason for choosing Australia as a study destination)
- Justifications for why the applicant picked this institution. It would be preferred to have information on how the selected university or college compares to other universities or colleges which offer similar course. Demonstrate knowledge about the selected institution (no. of campuses, origin, student support services, accommodation & transportation options).
- Knowledge about the selected course(course duration, no. of units, credits, career outcomes and internship opportunities).
- Detailed information about future career goals, emphasize the intended field, job titles, designation and targeted companies for employment upon returning to the home country along with expected monthly / yearly salary.
- Proposed strategies for carrying out the career plans? How you plan your career from initial to long-term goal. (Starting from return back to home country to 10 years of working.)
- Return on Investment (ROI) or Cost and Benefit Analysis – Explain how the money spent studying in Australia with an international degree will benefit you after you return home, highlighting short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals.
- Reasons highlighting the benefits of returning to home country – family circumstances, family assets, potential job opportunities, and so on. (Incentives to return back to home country)
- Student obligations under higher education visa subclass 500.
- Declaration (optional)
By stating above mentioned points, one can easily prepared a strong Statement of Purpose. Besides that, it is highly recommended for applicant to write SOP in their own words and avoid copy / paste from others phrases or information.
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