Introduction
Students usually write a cover letter for a scholarship application when they are looking for some financial aid for a chosen college or university degree.
Much depends on how you write one as typically, an essay or a cover letter is the only requirement of a scholarship program.
This means that you will have little (or nothing) else to depend on when applying for a scholarship. Cover letters written for scholarships can make or break your chances of attaining the scholarship that you need.
Cover letters for a scholarship are not much different from the ones that one writes for a position in a company. The idea is to sell your abilities to the decision-makers.
Many educational institutes will require you to enclose your resume with the cover letter as well. In such a situation, you will need to write information that complements your resume. If the resume is not a requirement, you have a broader field to play.
Scholarship Cover Letter Sections
A Scholarship cover letter needs to be divided into different sections and paragraphs – each part serves a different purpose.
Some critical sections in a scholarship cover letter include the introduction, educational history, previous scholarships and awards, work experience, and future goals.
While you do not necessarily need to make headings of these sections when writing a cover letter, this breakup will give you an idea of how to write it all in an organized manner.
What scholarship committees seek?
Scholarship committees usually look for some or all of the following qualities in a candidate. Therefore, make sure that your scholarship cover letter highlights them:
- Detailed information about the chosen field
- Motivation and seriousness of purpose
- Creativity and originality of letter
- Leadership skills and emotional stability
- Ability to get along with others and a desire to achieve
Scholarship Cover Letter Writing Tips
Here are some tips on how to write an effective application letter for a scholarship:
• Write a strong thesis or umbrella statement to provide information on why you think you are the right candidate for the scholarship.
• Introduce each section with a concise and clear sentence to indicate what you plan to discuss.
• Use keywords from the scholarship criteria such as excellent academic record, other scholarships, community service, independent research abilities, tutoring, or teacher assistantship depending on what you have done in the past.
• Ensure that your discussions are result-oriented – you need to mention that you are efficient and hardworking.
• Emphasize your areas of expertise that make you a good candidate for the scholarship.