How to Write a Scholarship Thank-You Letter (With Example)

Updated December 10, 2022

A scholarship thank-you letter is a formal document that includes a statement of appreciation sent by a student to a scholarship-awarding organization or individual. This letter expresses gratitude and informs a donor or organization of the value of their contribution. Learning how to write one of these letters can help you convey your appreciation, develop your professional network, and create opportunities for future scholarships. In this article, we explain how to write a scholarship thank-you letter, discuss what to include in it, and provide a template and example to guide you.

How to write a scholarship thank-you letter

Here's how to write a scholarship thank-you letter to a donor or organization:

1. Start with your contact information and address the letter

You can create a header at the top of the page to list your contact information. This typically contains your full name, phone number, e-mail address, and the city and province or territory where you live. You can then write the date on a separate line, followed by the organization's name and address below it. It's helpful to proofread this section to ensure there are no spelling errors and that your contact information is up to date. This provides the scholarship awarding organization or individual with the necessary details to follow up on your letter.

2. Include a formal greeting

If you're writing your letter to an individual, it's helpful to do some research to find their appropriate title and full name. You can use this information to address the letter and make it more personal. If you're drafting a letter for a group of people, consider using their organization's name. Alternatively, you may use a phrase such as Dear members, and the organization's full name.

3. Draft an opening paragraph

Introduce yourself and include some brief background information that allows the recipient to identify you as the sender. You can include your statement of appreciation in this paragraph to make the purpose of the letter clear and to keep the reader engaged. As some colleges and universities require candidates to write appreciation letters using specific formats, you can conduct research to establish the school's guidelines. This paragraph can be between one to three sentences, depending on the preferred format. Consider mentioning your current status, major, and expected graduation year. Maintain a professional and respectful tone by using courteous language.

4. Write the main content

After the introductory paragraph, use the following two to describe your plans and academic goals. Consider including descriptive anecdotes and specific information to help the donor or organization understand your meaning and recall your perspective in the future. If you have similar values or traits as the scholarship awarding body, you can provide details of this. For example, if your scholarship is from an individual whose interests align with yours, mentioning this could present you with future opportunities.

5. Restate your gratitude

You can use different expressions to reiterate your gratitude in the last section of your letter. Enlighten the letter's recipient on how the scholarship may help multiple students pursue their careers and goals. Consider mentioning your intentions of following up with the donor or organization in the future.

6. Write a formal closing

End your letter professionally with a formal closing, such as Best regards, or Sincerely. Sign your name underneath this. If you send a digital copy of the letter, write your signature with a word processing tool and add it as an image. Consider using your full name and including the contact information the scholarship office requires. For example, the college or university may ask you to include your student identification number.

What to include in a scholarship thank-you letter

Below are elements you can include in your scholarship appreciation letter to make it comprehensive and engaging:

Statement of appreciation

Expressing sincere gratitude at the beginning of the letter can help an organization or donor understand its purpose. A statement of appreciation can be one or two sentences, and it usually includes the scholarship's full title. It helps the letter provide clarity and maintain a formal structure. A tip for writing this statement is to focus on current donations instead of future or past engagements from the organization or donor.

Status

You can draft your appreciation letter to include information about your previous achievements and your current activities. Consider stating your major and describe the aspects you find intriguing. Highlight how this program can help you attain personal and professional growth. Discuss a relevant volunteer experience or internship to increase your letter's impact. For example, if you're studying marketing and interning at a marketing and advertising firm, support your academic history by discussing these experiences.

Background information

As a donor or organization may want to learn more details about their scholarship recipients, you can consider including more information on your personal history. For example, you might discuss your experiences and achievements prior to attending college or university. You could include information such as your hometown and what motivates you in your academics. Detailing events that helped you choose a field of study or program can also be helpful.

Academic goals and plans

Consider describing your academic goals to provide the donor or organization with relevant insights into your plans. Discuss any research projects you intend to work on and your area of interest. If you want to further your studies by pursuing graduate degrees, include this in your letter. Doing this might encourage the scholarship organization or donor to recommend you for future programs. You can also discuss long-term plans for your career path or your future aspirations.

Scholarship thank-you letter template

Here's a template to help you when learning how to write a scholarship thank you letter:

[First and last name]
[Phone number] | [E-mail address] | [City], [Province or territory]

[Date]

[Name of organization or donor]
[Their mailing address]

Dear [Name of organization or donor],

My name is [your full name], and I'm a [school year] recipient of the [full name of the scholarship] at [name of college or university]. [Compose your statement of gratitude]. [Include your background information]. I believe this scholarship can help me find outstanding success in my future endeavours.

[Write additional background information]. [Add your current academic status]. [Mention your academic goals and plans for the future].

[Reiterate your statement of gratitude]. [Consider including a desire to follow up with the organization or donor at a later date].

Thank you for supporting students from [name of the college or university].

Sincerely,
[Your signature]

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Scholarship appreciation letter example

You can review this scholarship appreciation letter sample to guide you when drafting yours:

Parvarti Moore (123) 456-7890 | p.moore@email.com | Calgary, Alberta

November 22, 2022

Outstanding Scholar Foundation
Calgary, Alberta

Dear Dr. Patrick,

My name is Parvarti Moore, and I'm a 2022/23 recipient of the Outstanding Scholar scholarship at GoldenHour University. I feel honoured and grateful to receive this award, and I wanted to let you know how I propose to use your generous donation to help me pursue my goals and career aspirations. I'm a first-year engineering major at GoldenHour University, and I can use this scholarship to help me fund data gathering and my research project.

Majoring in human factors engineering is a career aspiration that helped me stay focused during my secondary school education. Gaining admission into the university to study my desired program was a dream come true. During my first year, I joined the Ergo club, whose mission is to research strategies for enhancing the safety and health of people by designing ergonomic workspaces. I started working on a project comparing human anthropometric data with transport vehicle dimensions to determine their compatibility. This scholarship can help me get all the resources necessary to improve the workstations of our transport service providers.

I intend to further my education by pursuing a graduate degree in ergonomics and engineering management. I believe this can equip me with the skills and knowledge necessary to lead projects relating to human factor engineering. This can help me create a safe environment where everyone is comfortable in their workspaces. Doing this increases companies' efficiency and reduces the musculoskeletal disorders resulting from staying in an uncomfortable position for too long. This gives me the opportunity to improve people's quality of life.

This scholarship provides an opportunity to achieve my future goals and make a difference. Your donations assist a number of students, and I want to express gratitude for myself and every other beneficiary. I hope to use my career to create a positive impact in the future and make my family proud. Thank you for supporting research students such as me.

Best regards,
Parvarti Moore

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How to Write a Scholarship Thank-You Letter (With Example)