How to Write a Scholarship Thank You Letter or Email

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Show your appreciation to scholarship donors with a quick note
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After filling out applications and writing essays, it’s often easy to overlook sending a thank you note after receiving a scholarship. Sending a thank you note to the donor shows that you’re grateful for their generosity, and it can help establish professional connections for the future. Thank you letters are short and sweet, and we’ll walk you through how to write one within a few minutes. With our complete guide, you’ll learn what to include in your thank you letter along with samples of what to write.

This article is based on an interview with our professional etiquette coach, Tami Claytor, owner of Always Appropriate Image and Etiquette Consulting. Check out the full interview here.

Things You Should Know

  • Start the letter with “Dear” followed by the donor’s title and last name. Thank them for the scholarship and for supporting your education within the first sentence.
  • Give a short personal background so the donor gets to know you better. Mention any extracurriculars, work experience, or volunteer opportunities you’re involved in.
  • Explain how the scholarship funds will help you achieve your education goals. End the letter by thanking the donor one last time and signing your name.
Section 1 of 3:

Drafting Your Thank You Letter

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  1. Look for the name of the scholarship donor or organization on the acceptance letter you received. Write the word “Dear” followed by the person’s appropriate title and last name. If the donor is anonymous or you’re unable to find the name, then use “donor” or “benefactor” instead of a title and name. [1]
    • Dear Mr. Smith
    • Dear Dr. Martin
  2. Right away in the first line, say thank you for the scholarship. Be specific about what you’re thanking them for by including the full name of the scholarship. If the scholarship doesn’t have a name, then just thank them for their support in general. Avoid including any dollar amounts or thanking them for choosing you since the donors may not have selected the scholarship recipients personally.
    • Thank you so much for supporting my education with the Washington Memorial Scholarship and helping me continue my career path.
    • I’m so honored to be a recipient of a scholarship from Arizona State University.
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  3. Take a few sentences to cover basic information, like your hometown, high school experience, family background, or any other important life events that led to the education path you’re taking. The donor reading the letter will appreciate learning more about who they’re supporting with the scholarship funds. [2]
    • I’m from a small town in rural Wisconsin, and I had to make up my own games to entertain myself. It became clear very early on that I wanted to pursue game design, and I took programming classes throughout high school, leading to getting accepted into UW-Milwaukee’s game design program.
    • I’m a New York City native and have been writing since I could hold a pencil. My grandfather was a published author, and I always aspired to follow my dream of writing as well. Short stories I wrote were published in the school paper and local magazines throughout my teenage years.
  4. If you’re currently studying at a university, inform the donor about what your major is or what you enjoy about the college experience. If you’re still in high school, explain what you’re looking forward to. List any organizations or volunteer opportunities you’re involved in as well. [3]
    • During my first year at UCLA, I’ve begun my major in Social Work and have gotten involved in local outreach programs for unhoused neighbors. Every week, I organize and volunteer in local communities to provide basic supplies while fighting for housing reform.
    • I’m eager to start the Journalism program at NYU, and cannot wait to learn from professionals in the field. I have been a regular contributor to the school newspaper and submitting stories to our local gazette, and cannot wait to improve my reporting skills.
    • If you’re sending a thank you note for a renewable scholarship, give updates on what has changed in your life since you sent the last letter. [4]
  5. Let the scholarship donor know how you’re going to utilize the funds they’re providing to improve your education. Mention classes or experiences you’re looking forward to and be specific about the goals you want to achieve and interests you’re going to pursue.
    • With this scholarship, I’m excited to continue to keep taking film classes that I normally wouldn’t be able to and continue honing my craft. I’m especially eager for the short film class to get more experience producing and directing.
    • Coming from a lower income, I normally would not have the opportunity to take these classes, but through your generous scholarship, I’m able to continue exploring my passion for graphic design and learning from industry experts.
  6. End your letter with a final sentence thanking the donor for the scholarship and the opportunity they’ve given you. Use “Sincerely” as a closing before putting down your name. You may also include your signature, email address, and mailing address after your name. [5]
    • Thank you again for supporting me with the State Fund University and giving me this opportunity.
    • I am so honored to be the recipient of the Johnson Memorial Scholarship, and I thank you again for your generous donation.
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Section 2 of 3:

Thank You Letter Examples

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  1. Dear Mr. Jones,Thank you so much for supporting me as the recipient of the West Adams Memorial Scholarship for the upcoming fall semester.Growing up with teachers as both parents, I knew early on that I wanted a career in education. I’ve always felt the drive to help people learn and understand the world around them, and my passion has only continued to grow.During my free time, I volunteer my time to tutor students and have acted as a teacher’s aide in many of my classes. I also lead an outreach program to local elementary schools to help provide after-school tutoring to grade schoolers.I am excited to continue my learning path, and with your generous scholarship funds, I’m able to devote more of my time and energy to my studies. I hope to broaden my reach to middle schools and high schools in the area to assist other kids in their education.Thank you again for the opportunity you’ve given me with the West Adams Memorial Scholarship. I’m truly honored to be chosen.Sincerely,Fred Smith
  2. Dear Dr. Davis,It is such an honor to be a recipient of the Future Faces of Fiction Scholarship for the upcoming semester at UCLA.I’ve been an avid reader ever since I could pick up a book, and soon after, I was writing my own stories. Over the years, I’ve published multiple short stories on my blog and have had many printed in my high school’s yearly literary magazine.I currently run the creative writing club to encourage and support other student writers, and I contribute often to our school paper. During the summers, I’ve interned with local publishers to get a better understanding of writing behind the scenes.With this scholarship, I am excited to learn from accomplished writers and professors that I wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to meet, and I am eager to build a strong network of writers in the community.Thank you so much for the Future Faces of Fiction Scholarship and for supporting my education and career advancement.Sincerely,Jessica Nelson
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Section 3 of 3:

Should you hand-write a scholarship thank you letter?

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  1. Some scholarship funds request that you send a handwritten letter because it shows that you’ve put more time and effort into it. If the scholarship letter says to use a handwritten note or if it gives you the choice, opt to write out your note on a nice piece of stationary. [6] If the scholarship donor only accepts digital letters, attach your thank you note to an email instead.

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      Tips

      • Try to be clear and concise with what you include in your thank you note so you don’t overwhelm the reader with information. [7]
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      • Proofread your thank you letter before sending it to ensure there aren’t any mistakes. Ask another person to look over the letter as well to catch any mistakes you’ve missed. [8]
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      • Keep your scholarship thank you letter around 1 page or shorter.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://studentaid.psu.edu/types-of-aid/scholarships/scholarship-thank-you-note-tips
      2. ↑ https://www.depts.ttu.edu/scholarships/thankYouLettersForScholarships.php
      3. ↑ https://www.depts.ttu.edu/rawlsbusiness/scholarships/documents/ThankyouGuidelinesWEB.pdf
      4. ↑ https://www2.cortland.edu/cost-aid/scholarships/thank-you-letters.dot
      5. ↑ https://www.depts.ttu.edu/scholarships/thankYouLettersForScholarships.php
      6. ↑ https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/fellowships_and_scholar_programs/top_scholars/top_scholar_toolbox/donors/index.php
      7. ↑ https://www.sunyacc.edu/sites/default/files/ThankyouletterGuidelinesandSamples.docx%20(2).pdf
      8. ↑ https://financialaid.byuh.edu/thankyou

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