1. Study/Research Objectives
The MOST important thing you will ever write

2. “This section is very IMPORTANT
“This section is very IMPORTANT. As part of the evaluation of your application, you are required to attach a one page (please do not exceed the one page limit) of a clear and detailed description of your study objectives. Give your reasons for wanting to pursue them in the U.S. Describe the kind of program you expect to undertake and explain how the proposed field of study fits in with your educational background, your future objectives, and your future involvement in community development.”

3. Study Objective: What is it?
Clear description of study objectives (be specific about major field and specialized interests within this field) AND explain why you want to pursue these objectives: 
Describe the kind of program you expect to undertake, and explain how this study plan (or program) fits in with previous training and your future objectives:

4. What are universities looking for?
A Picture of Your Overall Personality
Academic Background and Work Experience
Continuity
Commitment and Motivation
Communication Skills
A Picture of Your Overall Personality You may imply rather than state the facts. For instance, don’t say ‘I am a smart person.’ Demonstrate it, imply it. Don’t say ‘I am energetic.’ Give evidence by the fact that you worked after school for six hours every day and still had time to play on the volleyball team.
Academic Background and Work Experience It would be a mistake to talk about your high school. Start with your undergraduate career. School records may be worth mentioning if there is something extraordinary about them.
Continuity Admissions officers are looking for some continuity in what you have done, what you want to do in the near future and what you hope to do in the distant future. So, connect them.
Commitment and Motivation Rather than simply saying ‘I am committed’, find a way of inferring that you are indeed highly committed and motivated to your proposed field of study.
Communication Skills They will be looking at your writing skills - how well you can present yourself clearly and intelligently when writing, hence the importance of spending considerable time on the statement.

5. There are many ways to organize your Study Objective
However, following an outline that addresses the information in order is the clearest and most coherent to the reader.
Remember those who are screening applications read many, many, applications!
If they have irrelevant information and do provide detailed information and rationale, readers/screeners will probably set them aside.

6. Make an outline of what is being asked for:
Look at the statement and underline the key points that the application is asking you to address in your study objective.
Do not write about information that is irrelevant to what you are being asked to respond to.
*SEE EXAMPLE OF AN OUTLINE or make your own is better. But address only what is asked for.

7. Study Objective Outline
PARAGRAPH 1: Description of an MA or PhD program you expect to undertake
PARAGRAPH 2: Explain how the description of the plan above fits in with your previous training and your future objectives.
PARAGRAPH 3: Why you need to undertake these studies in the United States as opposed to Indonesia? 
PARAGRAPH 4: How would getting this scholarship help you when you return with community development or benefiting Indonesian society?

8. PARAGRAPH 1: Description of an MA or PhD program You expect to undertake
Know what scholarly work or program you would like to accomplish in the United States. Decide what kind of Master’s or PhD program you need to take.
Include SPECIFIC courses or focus that you want to pursue or a research focus.
It is important in this section that you are not to request that you be placed at a particular University.
If you mention professors at a graduate school, mention something of substance that reveals you know and appreciate that person's work.
Describe what you like most and what you would like to do as your research work if you are admitted.
Know what scholarly work or program you would like to accomplish in the United States. Decide what kind of Master’s or PhD program you need to take. You have to know what programs are available in the US to do this.
Include SPECIFIC courses or focus that you want to pursue or a research focus. Visiting U.S. university websites and go through the related courses will be very helpful. Just saying that you want to do PhD in Computer Networks is not enough. Be more specific by saying things like distributed protocols or wireless sensor networks.
It is important in this section that you are not to request that you be placed at a particular University. You will have your opportunity to be placed in maximum of 5 universities after you go through the selection process. In this initial stage it is better you focus on what you want to study rather than where you want to get your degree.
If you mention professors at a graduate school, mention something of substance that reveals you know and appreciate that person's work. Don't necessarily pick the most famous professor; Find a lesser-known professor whose work truly intrigues you.
This is where you describe what you like most and what you would like to do as your research work if you are admitted. Particularly for a Ph.D program applicant, you need to mention about the research you would like to do for the program. You will have to submit a separate research proposal after you are selected for the interview, but in your study objective, it is crucial for you to briefly mention your research.

9. Brief Paragraph on Research Proposal
The first sentence should read something like "I wish to study in the United States so that I might (complete whatever your project is)."
It is not enough to say that a master's degree or Ph.D will require that you write a thesis, and this paragraph should tell clearly what such a thesis would be about.
Spell out your project briefly, about in what way your thesis will benefit your field, and the way in which you intend to undertake it.
Express why you think you are the person to complete this task, and tell briefly why your project will benefit both the larger field of your study and the country when it is completed.

10. PARAGRAPH 2: Explain how the description of the plan above in PARAGRAPH 1 fits in with your previous training and your future objectives
What experience in your background will assure that you are ready to take coursework of this type.
If you have some problematic academic background, address that as well.
What future objectives of yours will be facilitated by learning in these areas?
Articulate what is particularly valuable about the perspective that you will bring to the prospective field of study and the specific department.
What experience in your background will assure that you are ready to take coursework of this type.
Include some details about intended specialization in your field, your preparation for that specialization, and anything else you consider important for a judgment of your abilities (articles, theses, books, or any other material published, or any inventions patented; academic honors, prizes, or honorary scholarships; etc.).
If you have some problematic academic background, address that as well.
For example, you got all C's one semester. Take a (brief) paragraph to explain that you had some emotional setback that semester but then demonstrate how your grades have been sterling since then.
What future objectives that I have will be facilitated by learning in these areas? Explain how your knowledge and the degree you have in a particular area of study contribute to your future objectives
Articulate what is particularly valuable about the perspective that you will bring to the prospective field of study and the specific department. Discuss how your abilities and future objectives/goals can somehow enrich the department/university and align with their objectives.

11. PARAGRAPH 3: Why do you need to undertake these studies in the United States as opposed to Indonesia?
Describe in detail about why you need to undertake your studies in the States, and cannot be just as easily completed at home
It is better to make claim through contrast, telling what resources and opportunities you feel might be available to you in the States
Talk not only about infrastructure issues (research libraries), but what impact being in a foreign culture might have, and how it will positively impact your future
Do not make a general statement and tell how wonderful the university the U.S
Describe in detail about why you need to undertake your studies in the States, and cannot be just as easily completed at home.
Though your inclination might be to talk about how and why you cannot complete your project at home, it is better to make this claim through contrast, telling what resources and opportunities you feel might be available to you in the States.
Talk not only about infrastructure issues (research libraries, for example), but what, if any, impact being in a foreign culture might have, and how it will positively impact your future.
Do not make a general statement and tell how wonderful the university the U.S. or that you want to study there because it's the best in the world.

12. Do not show self-interest and self-achievement in career
PARAGRAPH 4: How would getting this scholarship help you when you return with community development or benefiting Indonesian society?
What are your future plans after receiving this degree? Be specific with your career goals.
Explain how your degree and knowledge in the field will benefit the community or society at large.
Mention any social/community activities that you might be involved in upon your return
Do not show self-interest and self-achievement in career
What are your future plans after receiving this degree? Be as specific with your career goals.
Explain how your degree and knowledge in the field will be benefiting the community or society at large. How are you going to implement the knowledge? Are you going back to the same institution you have worked for? Are you going to find a different place to work that is more relevant to your knowledge now? How are you going to distribute the knowledge to the larger group of people? How can they benefit from it?
Mention any social/community activities that you might involve upon your return. You are expected to share your knowledge in the society, both formal and informal ways. Getting involved in some community activities shows that you care about the development of this society.
Do not show self-interest and self-achievement in career. Higher position and better salary are not appealing reasons for the committee and these shows that you are thinking only for yourself.

13. Do’s Give yourself plenty of time to write and edit.
Read the question carefully.
Write the length of essay they ask for.
As much research on the university as you can.
Accentuate your positive qualities.
Mention your positive achievements as they apply to your graduate admission.
Do take a lot of time. Don’t do this at the last minute. Plan to spend a month or so preparing for the essay.
Do read the question carefully. If they ask you why you want to go to law school, answer that. If they ask what are your career goals, answer that.
Do write the length of essay they ask for. If they ask for 200 words give them that or 190 or 220. You don’t given them a 1000 and you don’t give them 50.
Do as much research on the university as you can. If you can get hold of a catalogue, read it. If you can find someone who went to the university, talk to them. Find out as much as you can about the university.
Accentuate your positive qualities. If you had the highest mark in class, make sure that they know it. Make sure that they know that you were able to hold a full-time job while going to school. Make sure that they know that you won any awards. Make sure that they know that you were captain of a team.
Mention your positive achievements as they apply to your graduate admission. The information you provide about your important achievements must be related to your field.
Do mention your work experience, or volunteer work that you may have done or extra-curricular activities if they relate to your field. If you are going to apply to business school and you were on the basketball team you may think that it is not relevant. However if you learnt leadership qualities, if you learnt how to endure defeat, if you learnt management skills by being captain of the basketball team, then it is relevant.
Be definite in your application. Don’t say - ‘I hope to do this’, ‘I might like to do that’. Say ‘I want to do this’, ‘I am planning to do this’, ‘I intend to do that’. Your language is definite. It is not hesitant and indecisive
Make sure your essay is well-organized and everything is linked with continuity and focus.
Check your grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization carefully. Ask as many others as possible to proofread your work for writing style—grammar, spelling, etc.

14. Do’s
Mention your work experience, or volunteer work that you may have done or extra-curricular activities if they relate to your field.
Be definite in your application.
Make sure your essay is well-organized and everything is linked with continuity and focus.
Check your grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization carefully. Ask as many others as possible to proofread your work for writing style—grammar, spelling, etc.
Do multiple drafts and edits

15. Don’ts Flatter the university. Be phony or dishonest about yourself.
Use empty, vague, overly-used words like meaningful, beautiful, challenging, rewarding, etc.
Use overly common phrases and nonspecific information.
Repeat information from the application unless you use it to illustrate a point.
Try to be funny—humor can backfire.
Do not flatter the university. Don’t say ‘I’ve always wanted to study at Harvard University because I have heard that it is the best university in the world to study law.’ It may not be and even if it is, it sounds like flattery.
Do not be phony, be honest about yourself. Be honest. Admissions faculty can spot a dishonest essay a mile away. It would not be to your advantage to be dishonest as you might get into a university and then find it was not the right place for you.
Do not use empty, vague, overly-used words like meaningful, beautiful, challenging, rewarding, etc.
Do not use overly common phrases and nonspecific information.
For example: "My above qualifications and my placement in the top 10th of my class demonstrate that I have the leadership, organization, and academic ability to succeed well at your school.“ This generic statement says nothing specific about you as an individual. When you're writing, think about whether it's likely that 100 other people said the same thing you did. The personal statement is your chance to show how unique you are.
Do not repeat information from the application unless you use it to illustrate a point.
Don’t say ‘My major is Physics’ because you have already said that somewhere else. Instead say ‘While I majored in Physics I also took ...’ or ‘My Physics major enabled me to take special courses in... and...’. Do mention your knowledge and experience in the field at the university level. It is usually a poor idea to mention your high school experience unless something exceptional happened at that time that changed your life or affected your career choice.
Do not try to be funny—you don’t know your audience, so humor can backfire.
Do not use statements like “I’ve always wanted to be a . . .” or other hackneyed phrases.
Do not make excuses, but you can talk about the mistakes you've made as a learning experience. If there is something important that happened (poverty, illness, excessive work, etc. ), which affected your grades go ahead and state it, but write it affirmatively, that is, in a way that shows your perseverance.
Do not use slang, technical jargon., long quotations.
Do not write in an arrogant manner.  Instead, make it clear that you are confident about your ability, but still eager to learn what the program has to offer.
Don’t wait till the last minute before the deadline for writing the study objective.

16. Don’ts
Use statements like “I’ve always wanted to be a . . .” or other overly common phrases.
Make excuses, but you can talk about the mistakes you've made as a learning experience.
Use slang, technical jargon, or long quotations.
Write in an arrogant manner;  do make it clear that you are confident about your ability, but still eager to learn what the program has to offer.
Wait till the last minute before the deadline for writing the study objective.

17. Strong Study Objective

20. Weak Study Objective

23. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT TO WRITE THIS!
Even though this is only one page, it will take a long time and SEVERAL EDITS to do this right.
Have someone who is a native speaker and or familiar with academic writing give you feedback.
Do not have them write it for you!

24. U.S. UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY
Useful Links
U.S. UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY
College Navigator ( )
EducationUSA ( ) If You Want to Study in the United States. ( )
Hobsons U.S. Education Guides ( )
International Education Service ( )
Peterson's Guide for International Students ( )
 Study Abroad.com ( )
College Navigator ( ) From the Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics - a searchable database of nearly 7,000 colleges and universities in the United States. The site also links to information on preparing for college, financial aid and career choices.
EducationUSA ( ) The portal page from the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs provides comprehensive information about higher education in the United States, including a multi-part publication in various languages, If You Want to Study in the United States. ( )
Hobsons U.S. Education Guides ( ) Information for students interested in studying in the U.S. includes overviews and articles ( )on choosing schools, preparing for study in the U.S., understanding U.S.
culture and exploring "A Day in the Life of a U.S. Student.“
International Education Service ( ) IES assists students in finding an appropriate college or university in the U.S. The site includes a listing of universities and colleges interested in attracting students from abroad as well as information for educational advisors.
Peterson's Guide for International Students (
s ) A description of higher education in the United States, types of U.S. institutions, the academic calendar and advice on how to apply to a college or university.
 Study Abroad.com ( ) This portal offers links for study abroad programs for both U.S. students and non-U.S.
students ( ). It offers links to English language ( ) instruction programs throughout the United States.

25. Useful Links STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
 All About the Graduate Admissions Essay. ( )
The Princeton Review – Writing the Statement of Purpose ( )
How to Write a Great Statement of Purpose ( )
Writing A Winning Statement of Purpose ( )
UC Berkeley Statement of Purpose ( )

26. Good Luck!
If you plan ahead and take the time to carefully express what the application asks for, your chances for a Fulbright interview are much better.