Student Workshop: Writing Statements of Purpose
On Thursday, April 16, 2026, the Department of English and Humanities (DEH) at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh organized a workshop on “Writing Statements of Purpose” for students planning to study abroad. The workshop was organized by Ms. Nadia Rahman, Assistant Professor, DEH and the discussion was led by DEH alumna and faculty member Neha Ghose, who completed her BA and MA in English from DEH, and subsequently completed a second MA at the University of Sussex, UK. The workshop specifically targeted 4th year undergraduate students enrolled in the courses ENG 4208, ENG 4298, and ENG 4299, as well as MA students. The aim of the workshop was to familiarize students with an ideal structure of the Statement of Purpose (SoP), a crucial component for the application for higher studies abroad.
The session began with a foundational definition of the Statement of Purpose and its role in university applications. Ms. Ghose provided a clear general structure along with her own personal SoP as a sample to help students understand in depth. The structure consists of five main sections which were further discussed individually with in-depth instructions. Students were encouraged to express their motivation towards their goal with relevant academic connections to their desired programs. The core message of the session was strategic writing. She emphasized that each section must be purposeful and appropriate. Furthermore, students were advised to conduct a thorough research on their target programs, universities and professors’ research work prior to the writing of the SoP, ensuring authenticity and allowing students to voice specific interests within their motivation letter. Additionally, she recommended that the content must directly address why the chosen field of study matters to the student’s career and academic goals.
By the end of the workshop, students engaged in a practical exercise where they drafted a piece of the introduction section of their own SoPs. This was followed by a discussion session where many students voiced their interest and goals, receiving immediate feedback from the facilitator. Participants raised critical questions about the application process and university selection strategies. After the Q&A, the workshop was concluded by addressing some of the common mistakes students make while writing SoPs. Overall, the session assisted the students with significant exposure to how SoPs are written structurally and strategically to present their academic journeys. The students were encouraged to contact Ms. Ghose for any further inquiries.
Report by Faouzia Farah (221013060)
