How to write an impressive SOP for a Masters in Australia

Name: XYZ

Course and Institute Applying for: Master Of Project Management at XXX University, Australia

Introduction

I am XYZ and I am an Indian citizen. I hail from Indian state of Maharashtra.  I am born and brought up in a nuclear family that consists of my father and mother.   My father is a Chemical Engineer by profession. My mother is a Higher Secondary School Teacher in a Government aided school nearby. In order to attain great professional growth as a Civil Engineer, I decided to up skill myself by pursuing a post – graduation in Project Management.

My academic and professional experiences

Being an average student in academics, I always strived hard to understand the practicalities of the learnt theories. After the successful completion of my schooling from the Board of Secondary Education, scoring 78% and 86%, I joined ABC Institute of Technology, ________ (place) for Bachelors in Civil Engineering. After the undergraduate program, I was hired by _________ Pvt. Ltd. as an Associate Business Analyst where I worked till February 2019.

What made me choose the Master of Project Management?

My professional experience enabled me to get acquainted with various dimensions of Project Management.  Masters of Project Management is a direct continuation of the undergraduate program that I had already done and my work experience enabled me to get exposed to field more deeply. After the undergraduate program, I was hired by ___________Pvt.  Ltd. as an Associate Business Analyst where I had to help the business analyze a range of projects and operations that the business undertook. During the tenure there I realized that, there are plenty of opportunities in the field for me to take advantage of to build strong career in project management. However, I understood that project management is an entirely unique beast and I needed to fortify myself with a bevy of management and leadership skills to become adept at it. As this thought began to germinate in my mind, I went ahead and started doing various researches to find a befitting program that can help me become the adept professional I wish to become in project management. Such researches took me to finalizing the Master of Project Management program. While pursuing my professional role as Junior Programmer, I realized that I possess the potential to reach new heights in my career and this would improve my future prospects. After considering the options available to me, I decided on pursuing Master’s program abroad from a deemed university and confirmed on Australian universities. While I am aware of the success history of many candidates, I decided to follow their footsteps inspired by their success. On consultation with my seniors, they unanimously agreed with me and lauded my decision. For the great career opportunities and future prospects, I have decided to pursue Master’s program in Australia and boost my success in career. 

Moreover, a foreign degree multiplies my chance of getting good employment opportunities in India. The Australian program can boost my capabilities and potential and distinguish me from the average candidates who have completed conventional courses that are not updated with the recent developments and advancements relevant for functioning in challenging professional roles. The supreme standards of education imparted by the Australian university will mark me a crest above the average candidates and I am ascertained to be flooded with offers and conferred with important, professional roles. There is also a significant difference between the pay scale offered to the professionals who have completed graduate program and the professionals who have complete Master’s program from globally-recognized foreign universities. As a person who requires a high salary package for various reasons, I could benefit from the higher salary bracket that I would be entitled at the completion of the Master’s program in Australia.

Why am I studying in Australia?

On searching for best study destination, I went through the details of many countries like Canada, the UK, the US, Australia, etc. But the inventive and affordable academic offerings are what lured me into Australia in the first place. I understood that doing the master in Australia from XXX University is able to offer me impeccable value for my investments with the tuition fee of only AUD ________, which, when I compare with other countries, is not even half at exceptional quality. In addition to the affordable tuition fee offered by Australia, the living cost in Australia also played a crucial role in helping me make the decision.  I have also learned that on an average the living cost in Australia would cost me about __________ annually which is much more affordable than other countries such as the UK, the US and New Zealand when comparing the quality of education as well. However, as I started learning more about the country and its unique academic stature, I quickly found that there is more to Australian academic sector than meets the eye. I was impressed to learn that the country deployed a range of quality monitoring and assurance systems such as AQF, CRICOS and PRISMS along with many others. This has helped me realize that Australia would surely be able to support me in all of my career aspirations and goals in the best ways. Apart from this, I have understood that Australian universities have associations with some of the leading research and academic institutes from across the world for numerous knowledge change programs to elevate the quality of holistic learning. Since I always was in for my overall growth both in professional and personal aspects, I was really poised to learn about it.

The overall cultural setting of the country also impressed me. The positive experience that students had in Australia and the supportive general population also helped me to confirm my decision. I must also state here that the temperate weather conditions in Australia have also played a major role in my decision as I was convinced that a complementing weather can support my academic endeavors during the program.

Why am I not studying in India or other countries as the UK or the US?

As I started thinking about doing the master’s, I was very particular to do that from an institute where I can gain both pragmatic learning and global insights. Having done my undergraduate program in India, I realized that I would not be able to find a university where such academic experiences can be driven. I understood from a range of researches that I carried out to learn more about the nature of higher education in India that it leans more towards scholarly aspects of the program rather than effectively incorporating pragmatic insights for the holistic development of the students in the program. I have realized that this reduces the students’ employment-readiness and can adversely affect their career growth. I have been able to understand the trend with most of the higher education institutions in India, as well. Since I am looking forward to acquiring a certification in project management which is highly pragmatic and application-based, doing the program in India would not render me with the required practical insights and exposure that I wish to gain. In addition, I have also learned that the quality of education provided in India cannot compete with that of foreign countries such as the UK, the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. As such, I wanted to train myself in project management in a top-notch institute that can offer exceptional quality of education, global insights and exposure to similar-minded people from around the world. 

Though there are institutes such as IIMs and other B-Schools that offer exceptional academic programs, they require years’ of preparation to get into. Hence I decided to pursue the master’s from a foreign university. On the other hand, Australian education sector is a different beast altogether. The programs and training offerings are extremely pragmatic and they respond to the changing and altering demands of the industry. With dynamic and industry-oriented subjects being added to the curriculum, the education sector in Australia is a derivative of the growing dynamics and demands of the industry at large.

During the early stages of my researches, I had the UK, the US, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand in my list of probable countries to study at. However, as I got deeper into the unique characteristics and features of the academic sectors in these countries in terms of cost of study, cost of living, cultural aspects, quality of learning and the recognition all over the world, I realized that I have the best option with Australia. I understood that apart from being too expensive for both living and studying, the UK and the US also had stringent admission criteria along with difficult visa conditions. I was able to learn that the master program in project management in the UK would cost me about €6264 per year which is about INR 7.5 million and about five times that of the cost of studying in Australia.  Similar was the case with the US as well where I found the cost of studying to be from INR 6 to 8.5 million apart from living expenses. They were too high for me to consider. I also realized that getting admission and student visa to these countries would take a lot of time and I did not want to wait wasting my time. When it came to cost of study and living, Canada was the best option that provided maximum value for the money I was willing to make. However, a quick analysis of the programs in Canada helped me realize that the quality of training in Canada were not up to the mark and could not compete with the same of Australia and New Zealand. The case was similar with New Zealand as well—I wanted to learn in a country where there are a number of choices in terms of universities that are ranked among the best in the world. Since such wasn’t the case with New Zealand, and I found that Australia was more student-friendly and had reasonable visa conditions with matchless value for money, I went ahead to understand more about Australia before making the decision final.

Why did I choose to study in XXX University?

On searching about the best universities in Australia, visiting a range of academic-review websites and discussion forums, I came across various reviews of former students of XXX   University where they appreciated the pragmatic learning setting and experiential learning setting provided by the university to train the students. As a student who always loved to learn through collaborative efforts, I was really impressed to find that the university is quite the place I can chase my academic goals. In addition, I realized that the university has been recognized in Australia and worldwide for its excellent and industry-centered learning program that caught the demands of the every-dynamic world effectively.

I also got acceptance letters from three universities but I chose to proceed with the admission from XXX University. However, as I compared the course structure of these universities, I found the curriculum of XXX University to be extremely pragmatic and research oriented giving the students plenty of options to hone their management skills and competences through a range of experiential and collaborative learning options. I have also learned from the researches that as part of the program, I would be getting myself trained in the following subjects: Project management concepts, Initiating and Planning projects, Leading Lean projects, Executing and Closing projects, Commercial project negotiation, Program and Portfolio Management Information systems, Research in Project Management, Complex Project Management, Management and business context, Effective business communications, Project Management Internship, etc.

The Project Management Internship offered by the master’s program of the university intrigued me very much as I learned that I would have the opportunity to undertaking an internship as part of the internship stream instead of the project management practicum or research units. Since such an option would render me with diverse options to actively involve with some of the leading businesses in a bevy of activities related to project management, I became really confident about the master program of XXX University. I also realized that the option to choose four electives an excellent one that can add great value to my knowledge and academic insights. I have found that the university also had some of the best faculties and academic infrastructure that supported the growth and holistic development of the student effectively. Since I was able to reach a conclusion that the university effectively offers a rewarding academic setting for aspirants like me, I went ahead with the decision to study in XXX University.

Why have I not considered other universities in Australia?

One of the major reasons that I did not go to any other university that XXX University provided me with more value for money than the other universities I considered. During my researches to find the most value-adding university for me, I had eminent universities as well in my list. In addition, I compared these universities with the tuition fee offered by XXX University, I realized that the program at XXX University was more reasonably priced. This took me to think that the program at XXX University is able to offer me matchless value for the money I am willing invest for the program.

What are my career aspirations after the program?

At the end of the program, I wish to return to India and build a strong career joining the ranks of a leading company in India. Being one of the fastest-growing economies in the world with promising growth rate of above 7%, India is seen as one of the most important and valuable economies in the world by companies from across the world. This has helped the country create a strong and profound employment market for professionals who are adept in project management. The fact is further supported by the economy’s lineage towards technology and the benefits it brings with it.  At the end of the program, I am eager to return to my home country, India and reunite with my family. Besides, the rewarding career opportunities awaiting me in India I am soon be an heir for my ancestral properties. Such best prospects are waiting me at the completion of the program and I am more than eager to return to India than continue in Australia for lesser prospects. I possess strong economic ties with my family and I have to settle the education loan that was used for funding higher education.

I have been able to understand from a variety of researches that the program at the university will tender me with impeccable project management, resource management, project evaluation and quality assurance skills that can prove extremely valuable for aspiring professionals and leveraging these skills, I would be able to secure a befitting role in any of the leading civil engineering companies as IVRCL, Punj Lloyd, Simplex Infrastructures, Gammon, Sobha Developers, Afcons, Larsen & Toubro  and Tata Projects along with many others in various project management roles such as Urban analyst, Project Scheduler, Site Engineer and Project Design Engineer along with many others. I am confident of driving an annual remuneration of INR 600,000 to 720,000 initially in my career and that can go up to INR 960,000 to 1,200,000 within four to six years in my career. I have also learned that a candidate with a similar master program in India is able to only earn only in the likes of INR 300,000 to 420,000 annually, which is only half as much what I can earn with the master’s from Australia and the gap widens as I drive more experience. I intend to work at junior levels after returning to India where I would love to imbibe effective industry insights and experiences in the field. In the long term, I desire to leverage these insights and experiences to climb the ladder up in my career to reach more responsible roles.

What are the incentives I have to get back to India?

While India has a bevy of excellent employment opportunities for me to effectively kick off my career as a project management professional, that’s not the only thing that lures me back to my home country. Apart from the professional aspirations, I have my family in India. All through my academic years and experiences so far, my family has always been the greatest of my supporters. My parents have supported me, critiqued me constructively, motivated me and pulled me up when I was down. As such, I have a strong and deep bond with them that I would love to keep strong and going. In addition, my parents are aging and they need the support and care of a son more as they age than ever and as a dutiful son I need to return the care and love they bestowed upon me all these years. Further, my parents have various immovable assets in our country that needs care and attention. Since my parents are aging, there must be someone to take care of it and my parents and grandparents have toiled very hard to earn these assets. Hence, I must be in India to effectively take care of them.

In addition, I also wish to have a family life in India like my parents in our cultural and societal settings. This would only be possible if I am back to India from Australia permanently. Hence, it is my strong and complete intent to stay in Australia for the duration of the program and get back to India immediately after the program concludes.

Moreover, there are plenty of rewarding career prospects in the related field awaiting the candidates who have successfully completed Master’s program from foreign universities. Equipped with a foreign degree, I am bound to be flooded with offers from top employers in India. I am sure graduating in this program gives the privilege to get hired by top companies and have a successful career ahead.

Final appeal and Conclusion

I would also like to state here that I am really passionate about doing the program in Australia and I am really convinced that the academic nature, quality and interventions of Australia are the best in the world and the courses in Australia are affordable as well. I am extremely positive that you would see my passion and dedication to do the program from Australia, also as stated above I have no intent to stay back in Australia after the program. I have already planned for my career in India and am looking forward to creating one in India. As such, I appeal to you to consider the application with great consideration for my efforts so far and the career I have been dreaming of making.

Thank you,

XYZ