How To Write An Effective Scholarship Letter (8 Tips To Know)

What seems like a relatively simple letter can either make or break your chances at getting the scholarship of your dreams. That’s why it’s crucial to get it right.

Similar to how job applications require cover letters, a scholarship letter is a vital prerequisite that can increase your chances of clinching your dream scholarship at your ideal overseas university.

The main objective of your letter is to highlight your strengths as a potential candidate, why you are an excellent fit for the scholarship, and what you intend to apply with the education you receive.

Here are 8 ways that can help you write a winning scholarship letter, granting you the chance to attend the university of your dreams.

8 Tips To Writing An Effective Scholarship Letter

1. Plan Out Your Scholarship Letter

Before you go ahead and start drafting the ultimate scholarship letter, you need to have a plan in place. Begin by consolidating anything and everything you’ll need for the submission — from your history, past achievements and awards, letter requirements, instructions, deadlines, and everything else in between.

By preparing all the necessary requirements beforehand, you give yourself enough time to make any revisions and edits before the deadline.

Remember a well-thought-out essay has a much higher chance of winning than one that was churned out at the last minute.

2. Know Your Audience & The Scholarship You Are Writing For

It’s important to ensure that the contents of your essay are aligned with the organisation’s ideal candidate and what they’re looking for.

Since they are more likely to accept candidates who also embody their set of values, consider writing on an interest, personal experience or advocacy of yours that highlights your strong ties to the university’s mission.

Take the time to carry out your due diligence, review their requirements once again, and find out the relevant topics that are meaningful to them.

If you’re stuck in a rut, here are a few scholarship essay prompts that can help you get cracking.

3. Write A Strong And Impactful Introduction

Just like in any piece of writing, your introduction is the hook that will draw your readers to your scholarship letter and convince them to keep going. Imagine this; your essay is one in hundreds of scholarship letters in the pool. How do you want yours to stand out?

Using short stories to open your essay can paint a picture in the judges’ minds and give them a closer look into your character in just a few sentences.

Metaphors, anecdotes, jokes and attention-grabbing one-liners are also great techniques to capture the attention of your readers. Find out what works for you and if it matches your personality as well.

However, be mindful about going overboard and staying objective as you write. After all, this is still a scholarship letter and not a novel.

Click here for more in-depth tips on how to write a compelling introduction.

4. Build Up Your Credibility With Your Achievements, Academic Accomplishments And Work Experience

Putting your credentials and past achievements in the forefront is just as important as showcasing your personality in the letter.

Similar to applying for a job, committee members will assess your chances based on qualifications such as past grades, academic awards, involvement in student groups and societies, and the list goes on.

For those who have had prior work experience, be sure to add that in for plus points as well.

While it may be tempting to add anything and everything that you’ve been involved in, try to handpick only the ones that are most relevant to your course application and will allow for a more compelling scholarship letter.

5. Show Emotions And Personality When Telling Your Story

Just because scholarships are formal academic requirements to secure your dream scholarship, who said you couldn’t make it personal?

Take this as an opportunity to showcase your character and personality to the scholarship committee and give them a glimpse into what it would be like if you were the chosen candidate.

There’s nowhere else in the application process that will allow you to add your personal touch, so use this as a chance to tell your genuine story to make it memorable to the committee.

6. Utilise & Tie Into Real-life Examples

Instead of telling your reader about your past experience, show them.

Based on the essay prompt, it’s likely certain applicants may have similar stories written in their scholarship letters.

One way to stand among the rest is to bring in real-life examples that will illustrate your experience more effectively to the judges.

So what if you’ve always been interested in architecture as a child? Anyone can apply for a scholarship and say that it’s always been their dream course.

Instead, consider telling readers that your passion for architecture stemmed from seeing underprivileged communities living in run-down neighbourhoods during a school trip in the past; something along those lines.

Don’t be afraid to go deeper into the details and liven things up.

7. Be Optimistic, Upbeat And Hopeful In Your Tone Of Voice

Keep the overall tone of your letter light, positive and inspirational. As much as possible, avoid writing in a pessimistic tone. If you happen to be sharing a negative experience in your personal life, try to focus more on the outcomes of that circumstance as opposed to just the obstacles and hardships.

Scholarship committees are keener to find out how you rose above the odds and succeeded despite the challenges you may have faced.

8. Write Clearly & Ensure It’s Spelling & Grammar Mistake-free

Spelling and grammatical errors can make or break your chances at a scholarship. Even if you’ve made the most compelling case in your scholarship letters, committee members from certain universities may not let this slide.

Sometimes, even the most minuscule mistakes will not get past this.

On top of that, it may also send them a message that your letter may have been rushed or you were just too careless to check once again.

This wouldn’t be the first impression you’d want to make, so make it a point to go over your letter a few times and ensure that it is free from any mistakes.

Get Ahead With Your Scholarship Application With Idp Today!

Want to easily secure your spot and go through the application process with ease? We can help with just that and more.

From helping you write an effective scholarship letter to providing you with scholarship options and course advice according to your goals, our IDP education counsellors can help you at every step of your journey.

Simply book your counselling session with us today and get started in applying for your dream scholarship without delay!