How to write a thank you letter for a scholarship

There are many steps to take when it comes to securing college scholarships, but one important step you might not be aware of, is writing a thank you letter after you’ve been chosen as the recipient. It can help you establish a relationship with the donor or organization who awarded you the scholarship, which can help you secure future scholarship money and start to develop professional connections. In short, it’s an important step in the scholarship process and something you shouldn’t skip. 

In this article, we’ll cover why it’s so important to write that scholarship thank you letter — and to follow up on it — along with tips for what to include in the letter and a sample template. Keep reading, and don’t forget to write those thank you letters!

Should I write a scholarship thank you letter?

Besides wanting to thank the donor or institution that supplied you with a scholarship, there are some less altruistic reasons to write scholarship thank you letters. 

First and foremost, often, if you get awarded a scholarship, it’s only going to be for one academic year, and you’ll have to reapply for that scholarship the following year. Creating a relationship with the donor or institution might help you. 

The second reason is that it can help you start to build a relationship with the person or organization that awarded you the scholarship, which could help you professionally down the line. You’ve likely heard how important networking is to securing jobs, so consider this early training.

Tips for writing a scholarship thank you letter

Now that we’ve established that it’s important to write scholarship thank you notes, you’re probably wondering if they should be handwritten or emailed. While a handwritten note is a nice gesture, email has huge advantages when it comes to scholarship thank you letters. The ease of email is going to work to your advantage in this scenario, making it very easy for the email recipient to stay in touch with you and for you to start building a relationship with that person or organization. 

It’s also easily shareable. If the scholarship is via a large institution, for instance, an email can be easily forwarded, meaning more people will see it, which will work to your advantage. 

Now, as far as what to include in the note, you’re going to want to express gratitude for the scholarship but also describe how the scholarship will help your educational career and your future career goals. You can also use the letter to demonstrate how your work is going to have a greater impact on the community or in the world after you’re done with your degree — all thanks to the scholarship.

Consider this first scholarship thank you letter just a starting point, too. It’s always nice to take it further and write a follow-up a year later detailing what you’ve accomplished.

Dos and don’ts for what to include in a scholarship thank you note

Here are a few dos and don’ts for what to include in a scholarship thank you letter:

Dos:

• Use the letter to express your gratitude for the scholarship 
• Use the letter to demonstrate how the scholarship is going to help you achieve your education and careers goals 
• Use the letter to show how your personal goals are going to have a bigger impact on your community or the world 

Don’ts:

• Use the letter as an opportunity to ask for additional funding 
• Directly mention how much money you’ve received from the scholarship 
• Be long-winded and unnecessarily wordy

Example template of a scholarship thank you letter

[Date] [Mr./Mrs./Ms. First and Last Name of Donor or Name of Organization] [Name of Scholarship] [Address] [City, State, Zip]

Dear [Donor Name or Organization Name],

Part 1: Establish why you're writing the letter

I’m writing to thank you for your generous [Name of scholarship] scholarship. I was thrilled and appreciative to learn that I was selected to receive this scholarship.

Part 2: Share where you’re in college, what you’re studying, and how the scholarship is going to help you meet your education goals

I’m an education major with a focus on early childhood education. I plan to pursue a career in early childhood education focusing on special needs children upon graduating from [Name of College]. I’m currently a junior, carrying 15-course credits. After graduation, I’ll attend a master's degree program in early childhood education. Thanks to you, I’m one step closer to that goal. 

Part 3: Close by thanking the person again and making a commitment to do well with the donor’s investment, while not losing sight of also helping the community at large

By awarding me the [Name of scholarship], you’ve enabled me to focus on my educational goals. Your generosity has inspired me to help others and give back to the community, too. It’s because of your generosity that I’m especially focused on helping others in the education space.

Sincerely,

[Sign your name here]

[Type your name]

Final thoughts

While securing scholarships can be an arduous process, it’s incredibly important to write scholarship thank you notes once you’ve secured funding. It can help you in numerous ways — including helping you secure that same scholarship the next academic year. When in doubt, keep the letter simple, but also share how you’re going to use the funds to further your education and career goals.