A short, practical guide to applying well — based on the patterns we see across successful and unsuccessful applications.
Before you apply
- Confirm you meet the hard requirements: citizenship, degree level, years of experience.
- Check whether the programme requires a nomination. Many cannot be applied to directly.
- Note the deadline in your own calendar, not just on this site.
Building the application
- Write the motivation letter for this programme specifically. Reused letters are easy to spot.
- Ask for references at least three weeks ahead, and give your referees the programme description.
- Translate and legalise documents early — this is the most common cause of last-minute failure.
After you submit
Keep a copy of everything you submitted. If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to produce the same documents again, often within days.