Anschreiben vs Motivationsschreiben: the difference, and which one to send
7 min read · Updated September 17, 2026
By Bogdan
In short
They're two different documents, and confusing them is one of the most common mistakes non-native applicants make in the German-speaking market. The Anschreiben is your standard cover letter: it's expected in almost every German, Austrian or Swiss application, it's formal (a proper business letter), and it argues that you can do this specific job — the two or three things from your CV that match the ad. The Motivationsschreiben is a separate, usually optional document — often called the "dritte Seite" (third page) — that you normally write only when it's explicitly asked for: scholarships, university admissions, trainee programmes and some leadership roles. It's less formal, closer to a personal essay, and it argues why you want this path. Put simply, in the German Federal Employment Agency's own words: the Anschreiben shows you can do the job ("das Handwerk"); the Motivationsschreiben shows you want it ("das Herz"). If a posting just says "Bewerbungsschreiben," that means the Anschreiben. When you're asked for both, don't repeat yourself — keep the fit in the Anschreiben and the motivation in the Motivationsschreiben.
Two documents, one English word
English has a single term — "cover letter" — for what the German-speaking job market treats as two distinct documents. That's why English-language advice can't tell you which one a German ad actually wants: the distinction doesn't exist in the language it's written in. In a German application (Bewerbung) the Anschreiben and the Motivationsschreiben have different jobs, different formats and different moments when you use them.
The cleanest way to hold them apart is the contrast the Bundesagentur für Arbeit itself uses: the Anschreiben shows that you can do the job ("kann"), while the Motivationsschreiben shows that you want it ("will"). This guide assumes you've already decided you're applying in the German-speaking market and writing in German; whether you need a cover letter at all is a separate, country-by-country question.
The Anschreiben: your standard cover letter (it shows you can do the job)
The Anschreiben is the default. It's part of a complete Bewerbung — Anschreiben, Lebenslauf (CV) and often certificates — and it's the part that bridges your CV and the specific role, answering the one question a recruiter has: "why are you right for this job?" It doesn't retell your CV; it pulls out the two or three most relevant stations of your career and ties each directly to what the ad asks for.
- It's a formal business letter: your address block and the employer's, a subject line (Betreff), a proper salutation ("Sehr geehrte Frau … / Sehr geehrter Herr …"), and a formal sign-off.
- It's about one page, in the Sie form, tailored to the specific posting — a generic Anschreiben reads as no effort at all.
- It argues fit and evidence: concrete achievements, real companies and technologies from your CV that map to the requirements.
- This is the document you'll write for essentially every ordinary job application in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
The Motivationsschreiben: the optional "third page" (it shows you want it)
The Motivationsschreiben is a separate document, usually optional, that you normally write only when it's explicitly requested. It's often called the "dritte Seite" (the third page) because it sits third, after the Anschreiben and the Lebenslauf. Where the Anschreiben is about hard facts and fit, the Motivationsschreiben is about your personality, values and deeper reasons — it answers "why do I want exactly this path, with this employer, and why now?" It's less formal than the Anschreiben and reads more like a personal essay.
- Where it actually shows up: scholarship applications (Stipendien), university admissions (Studienplatzbewerbung), trainee and graduate programmes, and some leadership or strongly values-driven roles.
- The closest English equivalent is a "statement of purpose" or "letter of motivation" — the academic version most people have met, not an everyday cover letter.
- For an ordinary job, you usually don't write one at all unless the posting names it.
- It's still about a page, but the register is warmer and more personal — motives and direction rather than a checklist of achievements.
When you're asked for both — the no-repeat rule
Some applications — often academic, trainee or leadership tracks — ask for both. The mistake is writing essentially the same letter twice. Divide the labour instead: the Anschreiben carries fit and evidence (what you can do, tied to the ad), and the Motivationsschreiben carries motivation and direction (why this path, this employer, and why now). Keep your concrete achievements in the Anschreiben; keep the "why" in the Motivationsschreiben. Each stays at about a page.
Reading the ad: which word means what
The word the posting uses tells you which document to write:
- "Anschreiben" → the standard cover letter. Write this.
- "Bewerbungsschreiben" → a synonym for the Anschreiben — the same document, not the Motivationsschreiben.
- "Motivationsschreiben" → the optional third-page motivation document. Write it in addition, or when it's specifically requested.
- "Bewerbung" / "vollständige Bewerbungsunterlagen" → the whole package: at least an Anschreiben and a Lebenslauf (plus certificates). No separate Motivationsschreiben unless it's named.
- Nothing specified, ordinary job → write the Anschreiben.
Austria and Switzerland use the same two terms in the same way — this is a German-language convention, not something specific to Germany.
Which one should you write?
- 1
Find the exact word in the ad
Anschreiben, Bewerbungsschreiben, Motivationsschreiben and Bewerbung each mean something specific — read which one the posting uses before you write anything.
- 2
Default to the Anschreiben
For an ordinary job, the standard cover letter is what's expected. Write it unless the posting tells you otherwise.
- 3
Write a Motivationsschreiben only when it's asked for
Scholarships, university and trainee applications, and some leadership roles request one. A normal job posting usually doesn't need it.
- 4
If both are requested, divide the work
The Anschreiben argues you can do the job (fit and evidence); the Motivationsschreiben argues you want it (motivation, values, why now). Don't repeat content between them.
- 5
Format each to its type
Write the Anschreiben as a formal one-page business letter (Sie form, subject line, salutation, sign-off); write the Motivationsschreiben as a less formal one-page personal essay.
Frequently asked questions
Are the Anschreiben and Motivationsschreiben the same thing?
No. The Anschreiben is your standard cover letter, expected in almost every German-speaking application, and it argues that you can do the job. The Motivationsschreiben is a separate, usually optional document about why you want it — often required only for scholarships, study places or specific programmes.
Do I need both for a normal job?
Usually not. For an ordinary job application, the Anschreiben plus your Lebenslauf is what's expected. Write a Motivationsschreiben only if the posting explicitly asks for one.
What is the "dritte Seite" (third page)?
It's another name for the Motivationsschreiben: it comes third, after the Anschreiben and the Lebenslauf. The name simply reflects its position in a complete set of application documents.
The ad says "Bewerbungsschreiben" — which document is that?
That's the Anschreiben. Bewerbungsschreiben is just a synonym for the standard cover letter; it does not mean the Motivationsschreiben.
When is a Motivationsschreiben actually required?
Most often for scholarships (Stipendien), university admissions (Studienplatzbewerbung), trainee and graduate programmes, and some leadership or values-driven roles. Outside those cases, a normal job rarely asks for one.
What's the English equivalent of a Motivationsschreiben?
For the academic version, the closest is a "statement of purpose" or "letter of motivation." There's no everyday English word that separates it from a cover letter — which is exactly why English-language advice blurs the two documents together.
Does this distinction apply in Austria and Switzerland?
Yes. The two terms are used the same way across the German-speaking market — it's a language convention, not specific to Germany.
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