Letter of Recommendation for Scholarship
Writing Guide 2024
Are you postponing your higher studies due to pricey tuition fees? Or do you want to help your colleague/student in availing attractive scholarships?
Preparing a reference letter for a scholarship is definitely not an easy job. But don’t you worry, we have put together the perfect guide for you.
To give you a clear picture of how these points add up, we have attached an example of a recommendation letter for scholarship below!
What is a Letter of Recommendation for Scholarship? Why is it important?
What Admission Officers Look for In Letter of Recommendation for Scholarship?
Letter of Recommendation for Scholarship - Sample
Write your LORs in 6 Steps
Dos and Don’ts in your Letter of Recommendation for Scholarship
Tips for Writing Recommendation Letter Scholarship
What is a Letter of Recommendation for Scholarship? Why is it important?
Universities, non-for-profit organisations and governments provide financial benefits called scholarships to students to continue their educational journey, should they meet the predetermined criteria. In order to avail these benefits, students are to submit a letter that gives a third-person’s outlook on your merit and qualities to deserve the scholarship. This is the Letter of Recommendation that universities require students to submit in order to distinguish the profiles and filter the best students fit for their scholarship.
Questions You Should Answer Before Writing
Let’s look at the basic details you might need to prepare the best recommendation letter for scholarship.
What is the name of the scholarship programme and what is the eligibility criteria to apply for the same?
Before writing a recommendation letter for student scholarship, you need to first carefully understand the scholarship policy. You can learn about this in detail from the scholarship website and draft the letter to prove why the applicant fits the criteria perfectly. You can better enrich the letter by adding details related to the applicant’s previous scholastic and non-scholastic endeavours that align well with the requirements.
Are there any guidelines set by the university that should be considered?
To help them screen out their potential scholars, certain universities and schools set out strict standards. Specific questions, preset layouts, submission protocols and deadlines are a few examples. Discuss these details with the applicant to make sure that they do not miss the opportunity to avail exciting financial benefits and high calibre academic enhancement.
What are the short term and long term goals of the applicant?
Mentioning how the scholarship programme will boost the applicant’s chance in achieving his/her goals will create a ripple in the admission officers’ mind. Connecting these goals with the applicant’s passion will help in structuring the letter of recommendation for scholarship.
What makes the applicant a deserving candidate for the scholarship?
By furnishing the details on why you require the scholarship and what merits you possess to deserve the same, you can impress the scholarship committee of your potential. This can be highlighted by stating your academic/non-academic achievements, personal qualities, the significance of the scholarship in deciding your career and so on.
What is the greatest challenge/accomplishment of the applicant?
You can create a lasting impression on the admission officers by mentioning how you beat the odds and tackled challenges. Illustrating success stories and accomplishments brings a positive vibe to the application and hence, this can be one of the key points to be highlighted if the applicant has any.
What Admission Officers Look for In Letter of Recommendation for Scholarship?
Now that you have all the required details to start drafting, you should now consider the points that admission officers are interested in:
- The nature and depth of the relationship between the recommender and applicant
- The qualities and previous endeavours that fit the criteria of the scholarship policy
- Evidence to validate the strengths and skills of the applicant
- Anecdotes or experiences that complement the applicant’s passion and purpose
- The ability of the recommendation letter to give a third-person insight on the applicant’s profile beyond the other documents like Statement of Purpose, Resume and so on.
Letter of Recommendation for Scholarship - Sample
Here is a sample recommendation letter for scholarship that might help you get you started.
James Black
Professor
University of XYZ
Cell
March 1, 2023
ABC Scholarship Committee
PQR University
Address
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing this letter of recommendation to highlight the eligibility of Andrew Nicholson for the ABC Scholarship. I am James Black, a professor of Mathematics at University of XYZ. I have been working with Andrew as the academic advisor and mentor for over three years. He is a cheerful and energetic young man with a high calibre for taking on responsibilities. I am certain that Andrew is the perfect candidate to avail this exciting opportunity.
I have learned that PQR University offers the ABC Scholarship to students who display a well rounded personality, exceptional leadership qualities and a strong academic record. Andrew checks all these criteria through his dedicated pursuit towards excellence. He joined the student-led chapter called Young Mathematicians in his freshman year as a junior member. Though his peers were cheering his consistent victories during inter-university fests, he was worried about the representation of diverse cultures in the society. He soon took the initiative to promote the club and today the club has 200 male, 170 female and 50 other students.
Besides his straight As, Andrew has a charming personality and is a born leader. He has a reputation of helping students with developing their test scores. Andrew is an excellent team player who ensures the representation of all the members. During group assignments, I have noticed how he brings the team together and brings out the best in everyone. His strong urge to learn and take the initiative to create a difference, I figure, are the driving factors that fuel his passion.
Hence, I want to testify for Andrew Nicholson’s eligibility and I recommend his profile for the ABC Scholarship. This honour will boost his spirits and I believe this scholarship is the gateway to achieving his scholarly career goals. I wish Andrew the best wishes.
If you have any further queries, please feel free to connect with me at 123-456-7890 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
James Black
Download More LOR Samples PDF
Guidelines for Using Samples
You might have noticed the following in the example of recommendation letter for scholarship above:
- The brief introduction clarifies the nature of relationship of the recommender and applicant
- The body demonstrates the personal qualities and achievements of the applicant that are in perfect alignment with the scholarship requirements.
- The use of anecdotes provides valid evidence of how the applicant displays the qualities required to attain the scholarship
- The concluding paragraph is a summarised version which should include the contact details of the recommender
Write your LORs in 6 Steps
- Understand scholarship requirements
- Introduction
- Mention the scholarship criteria briefly and how the student displays the potential that matches the same
- Add other qualities, merits and skills of the applicant
- Conclusion
- Careful editing and proofreading
Who is eligible to write your Letter of Recommendation for Scholarship?
You can ask your previous/current teachers or mentors for an endorsement letter for a scholarship. Depending upon the scholarship policies, you can also turn to your former or current employers or colleagues with whom you share a professional history and were in a supervisory position.
Final Checklist
- Did you carefully look through the materials on scholarship policies?
- Is the letter free from any grammatical and spelling errors?
- Have you addressed the university specific instructions?
- Are all the points clearly conveyed and in a formal tone?
Dos and Don’ts in your Letter of Recommendation for Scholarship
Dos
- Be specific and detail oriented
- Anecdotes must portray the qualities of a potential scholar of the university
- Follow the university instructions
- Stick to the word limit
- Use a formal tone
Don’ts
- Use vague phrases and general sentences
- Make it too short
- Ignore university formats and guidelines
- Include points that are not backed by evidence
- Submit without checking for errors
Tips for Writing Recommendation Letter Scholarship
1. Be authentic and original
2. Plan and structure your inputs before speaking to the recommender
3. Choose the recommender who is relevant and keep back-up recommenders
4. Keep the recommender updated on your career goals and motivation
5. Pay close attention to the university guidelines and scholarship policies
Let’s Wrap up
This is our simple guide that we have curated over the years to draft a recommendation letter for scholarship. You are good to go if you pay close attention to the tips we have mentioned above and wisely choose your recommender who has a significant insight into your career.
We wish you the best for your application!
Mr. Sugathan
Mr. Sugathan is the founder of Professional Writing Services. He is an Army veteran who served the nation for more than two decades. During his tenure, he was involved in a lot of documentation and secretarial works. He has been drafting letters and documents on a daily basis.
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