In most cases, you will be required to submit detailed information such as a completed application, transcripts, and an essay when applying for a scholarship. However, you may want to include a brief scholarship cover letter in which you introduce yourself and explain why you are applying for the scholarship. It may or may not be required, but putting in a little extra effort can help you stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of being chosen. Keep your scholarship cover letter brief and to-the-point, and make sure it’s typed neatly and free of grammatical errors.
A scholarship cover letter should be formatted similarly to an employment cover letter. The date, as well as the name and address of the scholarship committee, or the person making the decision, should be at the top of the page. Instead of “To Whom It May Concern,” address the cover letter to the person who will be reading it. Because the rest of the scholarship application materials will illustrate any other important information, the body of the letter should probably be no more than one or two brief paragraphs.
Introduce yourself and your educational background in the body of the scholarship cover letter, including what grade you are in and what level of college education you have completed. You must then share any relevant information about yourself and how it relates to the scholarship, as well as a brief explanation of why you believe you should be chosen. This is largely up to your discretion, but keep it brief once again. Volunteer work or other awards you’ve received may be appropriate to mention in a cover letter because they demonstrate your past accomplishments and ability to succeed in an educational setting. If the application does not require an essay, you may want to make your cover letter a little longer and share more information about your educational and career goals.
“Sincerely,” followed your full name, should be used to end a scholarship cover letter. Other than a phone number, you don’t need to include any additional contact information as long as these details are included on the actual application. By writing “Encl,” followed the number in parentheses, you can specify the number of enclosures, or additional pages, included in the submission.