Typesetting statement of purpose for a masters application What is a good format to use for the statement of purpose on a masters application?  I read that margins should be 1 inch (2.54cm). This seems to leave quite a lot of space on the page though. Should I use the justify feature on word? I used this often when writing mathematical coursework, as a lot of my lecturers also used it in their lecture notes, but is it suitable/needed in this case?

The main things I'd like to know:


Font
Margin size
Use justify or not
Spacing


Note: by format, I don't mean the structure of content, I mean the aesthetics of the document.
You should follow the instructions. Absent any such guidelines, you can do whatever you like, within reason. In the US, "reasonable" tends to mean:


Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, or something similar
Single spaced, or something close to that (e.g., 1.1)
1" margins, almost always
Left or justified alignment, personal preference
Indent your paragraphs or leave a space between paragraphs or both
Header on each page including your name, page number, and any other relevant information you'd like to include. (e.g., university name, application number)


Personally, I like to use letterhead (either institutional or with my name on it) for official documents like this.