Dear Selection Committee, I am applying for the City Futures summer programme because I want to develop practical skills in community research and urban planning. I am currently studying geography, and my strongest academic interest is how public spaces influence the way people use and experience cities. Last year, I completed a small research project on access to green spaces in my district. I designed a short survey, interviewed local residents, and mapped which streets were more than a fifteen-minute walk from a public park. The project taught me that useful research depends on both data and questions that reflect people’s actual experiences. I later presented the findings to our local youth council, which recommended adding shaded seating near two playgrounds. The City Futures programme particularly appeals to me because participants work in multidisciplinary teams on a real planning challenge. I would contribute research experience, confidence with data, and a willingness to revise my ideas after feedback. In return, I hope to learn how planners balance environmental, financial, and social priorities when recommendations must be realistic as well as ambitious. Thank you for considering my application. Yours sincerely, Amir Hassan