4 tips to make the most of your Peace Corps motivation statement

This could include a cover letter, writing samples, or even essay questions.

Your Peace Corps application includes a "motivation for serving" statement, which should be about 500 words and address the following prompt:

Peace Corps service presents major physical, emotional, and intellectual challenges. Please provide a few paragraphs explaining your reasons for wanting to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer and how you plan to overcome the various challenges associated with Peace Corps service.

How can you make yours stand out from the crowd? Here are a few tips.

1. Follow the prompt

The writing prompt requests a two-part response Some candidates focus so much on part one—why they want to serve—that they neglect to address part two—how they might overcome the challenges of service. As detailed here, the Peace Corps application process offers many opportunities to discuss challenges associated with service. Your motivation statement will shine if you demonstrate an understanding and acknowledgement of these challenges and show your motivation to persevere in spite of them.

2. Balanced motivation

You will likely have diverse reasons for serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Peace Corps service comes with many benefits, including financial support and health care, which can make service more accessible for many. The strongest motivation statements are those that express a balance between the benefits of Peace Corps service to yourself and to the overseas community you will live and work with. Finding success as a Volunteer can be complex, so having more than one motivating factor will allow you to find resiliency when times get tough during service.

3. Write with purpose

The word limit of 500 words is not a lot, so don’t repeat information from your resume. Many candidates confuse the motivation statement with a cover letter. While both documents encourage you to express why you want a position, a cover letter often includes resume highlights. Your placement officer will carefully review your resume, so save yourself some words and don’t rehash what we already know. Instead, focus on succinctly addressing the prompt, and let us learn about what drives your application. Three sentences probably won’t be enough to convey this, but you also want to stay within the word limit.

4. Give specifics

Back up your assertions with examples from your past, or with research you have conducted. It is okay to share experiences that highlight your ability to face challenges or show your character. To demonstrate your research into the organization, it might be useful to reference the Peace Corps’ core expectations or the three goals when talking about why the Peace Corps is right for you. When taking this approach, remember that Peace Corps service is a professional setting, so avoid being overly personal or sharing confidential medical information in your statement.

As you approach your motivation statement, remember that it is one piece of a larger application. Your motivation statement helps introduce you and your motivation for joining the Peace Corps. If you are selected for an interview, you will have more opportunities to expand on your thoughts during the interview. A recruiter can help you with your application materials, so we encourage you to connect with them as you start your Peace Corps application process.