How do I Write a Scholarship Cover Letter?

When you apply for a scholarship, in most cases you will need to supply detailed information such as a completed application, transcripts, and an essay. In addition, though, you may also want to include a brief scholarship cover letter to introduce yourself and state why you are applying for the scholarship. It may or may not be required, but this little bit of extra effort can set you apart from other applicants and make it more likely that you will be the chosen recipient. When writing a scholarship cover letter, keep it brief and to the point, and make sure it is neatly typed and free of grammatical errors.

Format a scholarship cover letter like you would an employment cover letter. Your address should be at the top, and underneath it is the date as well as name and address for the scholarship committee, or the person making the decision. Address the cover letter to the person who will be reading it, not “To Whom It May Concern.” The body of the letter should probably not be more than one or two brief paragraphs, because the rest of the scholarship application materials will illustrate any other important information.

In the body of the scholarship cover letter, briefly introduce yourself and your educational background, such as what grade you are in, or the level of college education you have completed. You will then need to share any pertinent information about yourself and how it relates to the scholarship, and briefly why you believe you should be chosen. This is largely up to your own discretion, but again, keep it brief. Volunteer work you have done or other awards you have been given might be good things to mention in a cover letter because it illustrates your past successes and ability to do well in an educational setting. If an essay is not included as part of the application, you might choose to make your cover letter a bit longer and share more information about your educational goals and career aspirations.

Conclude a scholarship cover letter with “Sincerely,” followed by your full name. You do not need to include any additional contact information aside from a phone number, as long as these details are included on the actual application. If you want, you can specify the number of enclosures, or additional pages included in the submission, by writing “Encl,” and then the number in parentheses.