If you have the option to include a motivation letter with your scholarship application, take it.
A great scholarship motivation letter could possibly set you apart from hundreds of other applicants.
A motivation letter’s format is much like the format of a standard cover letter, it should include a clear introduction, have a few body paragraphs and end with a solid conclusion.
The ideal length for a motivation letter is around 500-700 words and the letter must answer the following questions within:
- How do your skills and abilities contribute to the university or your research field?
- Why are you the ideal fit for the scholarship?
- How you plan to execute your education?
You can use the following as a template when writing your motivation letter:
Greeting
You can use a generic greeting format, for example:
Start with a "Dear Mr/ Ms...", "To whom it may concern", "Dear Sir/Madam", or "Dear (job title/ position)"
Introduction
You can start off with a short paragraph to introduce yourself to the committee, you can write about yourself and It’s a good idea to state in short why you are applying and what you want to achieve. You can expand more on the “why” in the rest of the letter.
Body
The body of your letter should comprise of 2-3 paragraphs where you can go into depth on your qualification, skills, and abilities. It can be useful to make strong connections between your qualifications and the scholarship you are applying for.
In your second body paragraph you can include what you hope and expect to learn from your schooling and other facilities offered at the institution. It is also advisable to outline your plans and long-term goals for the future.
Conclusion
The conclusion paragraph will be the summary of the above paragraphs and you may also want to thank the committee for taking your application into consideration.
End with a professional sign-off, such as “Sincerely,” “Thank you,” or “Best regards.
Allow yourself enough time to complete the letter before submitting it, plan ahead and do some research on the company or organisation you are writing it. The information you find may come in handy when writing the letter.
Once you are done, make sure to read through it and make edits where necessary.
