SOP Guideline

[kazi]

(The introduction should be unique with attractive words and messages. The introduction
should not consist of any generic information rather it is advisable to talk about any
specific instance that motivated you to pursue this course)

[First up, innovatively introduce yourself (in about 100 words) and create a strong
impression on the reader from the word go. Talk about your interests, passion,
ideologies or anything that helps introduce you best. I once read an SOP and the
applicant started with a very bold and effective opening line – "For many years I
was worried what I would do if I didn't become an accountant – it all started with
my first visit to my uncles accounting firm while I was in grade 10. It was that day
and I never considered anything else as a profession thereafter. I instantly took a
shine to the world of accounting". This is very positive as an introduction and is
an indication of confidence as well. Your introduction will be the first impression,
so put in the best effort and be enthusiastic when you talk about yourself. If there
has been that vital turning point in your life, state how it has influenced your
choices.]

01. Education Background and Job experience:

At first, description of education history and employment history

● Once you are off to a flying start in your introduction, move onto other topics.
Refrain from talking about your childhood dream or schooling background unless
you achieved something noteworthy back then or if it's still relevant.

● If you are applying for a Bachelor program, simply jump to your Year 12/Levels
to start with. Share why you chose the particular stream or field in year 12 (like
Commerce/Arts/Science etc.) and briefly outline any particular instance or
experience in life that prompted you to choose the stream.

● If applying for a Masters program then walk the reader through your choice of
Bachelor Degree in your home country and what prompted you to choose the
Bachelor degree. Your SOP is your sales pitch, so be unrestrained in displaying
your accomplishments such as good marks in certain subjects or any other
achievements that are relevant and proudly state each one of those.

● If you have work experience then you need to chronologically outline it on your
SOP. Ensure you state the dates accurately; mention your job title, company
name and location properly. A line or two describing your experience with the
company or your duties and responsibilities would be a good thing to add as it
lends a level of credibility to your claims.

02. Why you want to study this course?

***You need to state WHY THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME for you to pursue Bachelor /
Masters.

**** If you have done your Masters once and going to do another Masters, justify the
reasons to do the 2nd Masters.

**** If you are currently studying Bachelor / Masters in Bangladesh and now want to
finish your Bachelor / Masters in Australia with Credit exemption or without credit
exemption, describe the scenario.

***If you have professional experience, provide your reasons why you are leaving the
job to pursue this course. What skills or knowledge are you planning to enhance
through this course?

****Student should detail any previous course/s and employment related to the intended
study and explains how the intended course is related to previous qualification and /or
employment.

****If the intended course is unrelated to previous study or work the student must
explain the reason for the change in career stream.

***If the course is lower or at the same level as previous qualifications (e.g. has
bachelor, applying to study bachelor at UC) the student must explain the reason for
undertaking a lower or same level qualification which is at a considerable financial cost

● Course Outline: You should point out the core and other subjects your course
will cover

● What's your full cost of this program? Are you aware of full cost of living –
health insurance – travel cost? (Also tell in details about funds your
sponsor is showing (Type of funds, how much fund, which bank?) and plan for
rest of the fund.

03. Reasons for choosing your University:

(Why have you chosen the Uni over other Universities in Australia? What made this
University attractive? What do you know about the Uni?)

● At time of outlining reasons for choosing the particular University, think
practically. It is easy to copy & paste advantages of the University from the
website or brochure but let me remind you, majority of applicants do exactly this,
so it would be ideal if you at least made an attempt to stand out of the crowd. Try
to tell a story, your true story of course!

● There are usually a set of reasons for our choices. Stick to those rather than
pasting everything on your SOP. Let's say you mainly liked the Central location
of Campus, Tuition fee and Ranking of the University. You should then
highlight how these are advantageous to you. So link up the location with
reduced travel time, cost and convenience. Indicate how the tuition fee fits
your family's financial planning and possibly meets your parent's budget
requirements as well as your loan repayment plans. Explain why ranking was
important – if you chose the University because it is in Worlds top 2%
Universities, then show how you found this information on ranking or show how
employers prefer graduates from well ranked Universities. Rankings / Ratings are
based on multiple parameters, so it would make sense to state precisely what
you find attractive about the University such as Teaching Quality, Student
Experience, etc. Doing this extra bit adds the crucial 'Unique Factor' on your
SOP. I recommend students to visit www.qilt.edu.au for conducting research on
Australian Universities.

● Add names of any faculty and their research areas in this program (give names),
research labs/centers, clubs, activities, subjects in the curriculum/electives, and
also the scope of these in enhancing your profile. To give these details you need
to visit the university and program website.

04. Why not in Bangladesh? Why not any other Country?

(Describe any research student has conducted in home country or in other countries
including Australia, before they selected the course at ______________ University.
If your program is offered in your country, why don't you want to study it there? How
is the education system in Australia different to that in your country and how will this
benefit you?)

● Before you try to justify why Australia for your studies, you may
explain why not your home country. Quite likely a similar program would also
be available in your home country and the Visa Officer may first be interested in
the "why not" above. Your reasons for not studying in your home country may be
anything from poor infrastructure in colleges, lack of good quality education
providers, excessively theory-based study and so on. Don't just highlight them,
but provide some data to validate your claim. Example, list few colleges you
researched in your home country that offer the program but do not have the
infrastructure compared to the Australian University you are considering.

05. Reasons for choosing Australia:

When it comes to why Australia, consider a comparison with other popular
study destinations and look at parameters like Weather, Affordability, Safety,
even your Australia connections through friends etc. is a positive thing – yes it's
positive unless you say you are blindly following them! Not too long back a
student stated on his SOP, "I chose Australia only for one key reason – to get out
of my comfort zone in my home country. He of course explained that further
however that single reason was highly impactful and made his SOP
look unique.

06. Future Plan, Career outcome and Expected Salary:

(How your study plan in Australia will assist you to obtain employment or improve your
employment prospective in your home country in the future? Identify the skilled
occupation and associated international career opportunities available upon successful
completion of selected course.)

● In this section state how completion of this program will join the dots in your
career plan. In other words you must demonstrate the cost benefit analysis you
have made. Is the program going to enable you to obtain better jobs and how?
Will this program help in promoting you from your current position? I recall a
Bio-Tech background student showing a staff notices from her company. The
notice advertised a Managerial position and one of the mandatory requirements
was "Must have an MBA qualification". Her SOP for MBA program included this
information and she attached the advertisement with her visa file too. This was
an excellent initiative. I also recommend students that they visit an organisation
in their vicinity that is related to their field of study. Meet the Manager to obtain
feedback straight from the industry and include this as part of reasoning for
choosing the program. It would simply reflect your level of seriousness and
research on choosing the program. Again, this type of data adds the crucial
'Unique Factor' to your SOP.

**** Suggested to mention the name of at least three companies in Bangladesh /
overseas where you want to get a job. Also mention the name of the position you want
to secure in that companies. You also should mention the starting salary range.

07. Your Family:

(If you are married and/or have children of any age, provide your dependants plan to
accompany you to Australia, join you later, or remain in your home country whilst you
study in Australia.
Tell about your other family members (Parents, Brothers and Sisters and their current
residency and economic status.)

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