Guide · Spain
How to write a motivation letter for a Spanish university
In Spain, you apply for a Master's (máster universitario) directly to each university, and many programmes ask for a motivation letter (carta de motivación) together with your CV and transcripts. For a Bachelor's (grado), admission depends mainly on your grades and your UNEDasiss accreditation.
The letter often has a fixed weight in the admission score. At the University of Valencia, the motivation for one economics Master's counts for 25% of the score; at the Autonomous University of Madrid, for 15%, next to 40% for your academic record. Your grades decide most of the result — the letter is where you can still make a difference.
Checked against official sources: October 2026
- 15–25%
- of the admission score, at some programmes
- ≤ 1,000
- words, a typical limit
- 0–10
- Spanish grades, 5 is a pass
Your first letter is free — no credit card needed.
At a glance
- Length
Programme's limit
Each programme sets its own. The UAM Master's in Economics, Management and Innovation asks for at most 1,000 words. Without a limit, one to two pages is the norm.
- Weight
Often a fixed share
Many public universities score the letter: 25% for the Master's in Economic Policy at the University of Valencia, 15% at the UAM programme above. The academic record usually counts most.
- Content
Why you, why this
The University of Valencia asks you to explain why you want the Master's and how your academic and professional path connects to its content — that's a good outline for most programmes.
- Language
Same as the programme
Spanish for a Spanish-taught programme, English for an English-taught one. Foreign students in Spanish-taught programmes usually also need proof of Spanish.
- Grades
0–10, 5 is a pass
Spanish grades run from 0 to 10: 5 aprobado, 7 notable, 9 sobresaliente, plus matrícula de honor. Give your own grade on its original scale — the university converts it itself.
- Where to submit
University's own portal
Each university runs its own online application with its own deadlines, often in several rounds. Some programmes ask for more: UC3M's Master in Economic Analysis wants two recommendation letters and recommends the GRE.
How to structure it
Opening: the programme and your reason
Name the Master's and the university, and give your main reason in one or two sentences, linked to a concrete experience.
Academic background
Your degree, your grade on its original scale and the courses or thesis that prepared you. In Spain, the committee checks how closely your degree fits the programme.
Experience
Internships, jobs or projects that support your choice — what you did and what you learned. Some programmes score professional experience separately, so be specific.
Why this programme
Name the programme's focus, modules or research lines and connect them to your path. This is what the committee scores as “motivation”.
Goals and closing
What you want to do after the Master's, then a short formal closing.
Example: Master's application to UC3M
Excerpt from a sample letter for a fictional applicant. The programme details are from UC3M's page: it asks for a CV, a motivation letter and two recommendation letters. The numbers in the margin match the steps above.
Dear Members of the Admissions Committee,
I am applying for the Master in Economic Analysis at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. During my internship as a data analyst at a logistics company, I built Python dashboards that cut the weekly reporting time from six hours to one. The dashboards showed where deliveries were delayed, but every explanation I gave my manager stayed descriptive — I could not say what would happen if the company changed its pricing or its routes.
My Bachelor's in Economics, completed with an average grade of 7.8 out of 10, gave me a solid base in econometrics and microeconomics. In my thesis, I estimated how fuel prices affected delivery times across 50,000 shipments. The regression worked, but it also showed me how much I still have to learn in econometrics before I can answer causal questions. That is why I am applying to a two-year Master that is the first part of the PhD in Economics, with its core in microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics.
[…]
Yours sincerely, Alex Weber
Common mistakes
Ignoring how the letter is scored
A letter about your passion for economics in general
A letter that links your thesis and internship to the programme's focus
If the programme publishes its admission criteria, read them: the letter is scored for motivation and for the fit between your path and the programme. Answer exactly that.
One letter for every university
“Your prestigious university is the perfect place for me.”
“The core courses in econometrics are exactly what my thesis showed I was missing.”
Spanish programmes with similar names differ in focus. A letter that would fit any of them doesn't score well for motivation.
Converting your grades yourself
“My GPA of 3.6 corresponds to a Spanish 8.5.”
“I completed my Bachelor's with a GPA of 3.6 out of 4.0.”
Give your grade on its original scale. The university converts it officially, and your own conversion may contradict your documents.
Your CV in sentences
“From 2021 to 2022 I worked as a tutor, in 2022 I did an internship…”
“My thesis estimated delivery delays from 50,000 shipments — and showed me what I still don't know.”
The committee already has your CV. Pick two or three experiences that matter for this programme and explain them.
Going over the limit
1,400 words — the programme allowed 1,000
950 words, within the limit
Stay within the word or page limit. Committees reading many letters notice when you can't prioritise.
Writing in the wrong language
A letter in English for a Spanish-taught programme
A letter in Spanish for a Spanish-taught programme
For a Spanish-taught Master's, write in Spanish: the letter also shows your level. For an English-taught one, write in English.
Questions
How long should a motivation letter for Spain be?
As long as the programme says — some set a limit such as 1,000 words. Without a limit, one to two pages is the norm.
How much does the motivation letter count?
It depends on the programme. Some public universities publish the weights: 25% for the letter at one University of Valencia Master's, 15% at one UAM Master's. The academic record usually counts most.
Do I need a motivation letter for a Bachelor's in Spain?
Usually not. Bachelor's admission depends mainly on your grades; with a foreign school diploma you usually need a UNEDasiss accreditation.
Is it OK to use AI for a motivation letter?
Rules differ between universities, and some ask you to confirm that you wrote the letter yourself. Use an AI draft as a starting point: check every fact, change anything that doesn't sound like you, and follow your university's rules.
Documents checklist
Documents you need to study in Spain