11/13/21, 9:37 AM Write A Killer Scholarship Motivation Letter (With Example)

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How to Write a
Scholarship
Motivation
Letter
BY DAVID ·
PUBLISHED JANUARY 2, 2018 ·
UPDATED MARCH 24, 2021

Learn how to write a killer

scholarship motivation letter that
can make or break your
application. In this guide, we will
provide tips for writing a
scholarship motivation letter. This
is your opportunity to showcase

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11/13/21, 9:37 AM Write A Killer Scholarship Motivation Letter (With Example)

your
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person interview. Use this sample
motivation letter as a template!
Best of luck!

A scholarship motivation letter can

make or break your application. This
is your opportunity to showcase your
knowledge before an in-person
interview. Motivation letters are not
required for every application. Yet
when they are necessary, they are
critical. In this guide, we will provide
tips for writing a scholarship
motivation letter.

What Is a Scholarship
Motivation Letter?
A motivation letter is like a cover
letter you may include with a job
application and resume. The goal of
the letter is to explain:

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Why you are a good candidate
for the scholarship

What you plan to do with the

education you receive.

Review committees often use

motivation letters to narrow down
their pool of applicants. Then they
assess the rest of the application
from the candidates they like best.

Motivation letters are usually

required for graduate-level
scholarships. Sometimes, you may
need to write one for specialty
programs at a bachelor’s level too. If
you have the option to include a
motivation letter with your
scholarship application, take it. This
may be the only chance you have to
wow the review committee.

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Motivation Letter for

Scholarship Applications –
 General Guidelines
Usually, the application will not
specify how long your motivation
letter should be. You will need to use
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11/13/21, 9:37 AM Write A Killer Scholarship Motivation Letter (With Example)

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motivation letter. The letter should

include:

The most important elements

of your resume

Your education

Your professional experiences

and plans for the future.

Motivation letters are usually around

500-1,000 words. Like the standard
500-word essay, when writing, you
should split them into paragraphs for
easy reading.

Tailor Your Motivation

Letter to Fit the
Scholarship
Your motivation letter should link
your future plans with the goals of
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theUPDATES
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from continued education in this
field? How will you use this
knowledge to support the mission of
the scholarship provider?

Say that the scholarship is from an

agency that supports wildlife
preservation. Your letter should
explain how you plan to apply your
education towards a career in that
field.

You also need to establish why you

deserve this application more than
other applicants. What specific
experiences do you have now that set
you apart from the rest? What
specific plans do you have that will
address a current issue in the world?
Even if you currently have limited
knowledge about the issue, use that
to your advantage. Explain how you
could thrive with more education and
solve even more problems in the
future.

The Structure of a
Scholarship Motivation
Letter

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Scholarship
FREE motivation
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award, but they usually consist of
three elements:

An introduction

Three body paragraphs

A conclusion

Your introduction should include

your name, level of education and the
degree program.

Your first body paragraph should

include any work-related experience
you have. This can include both paid
and unpaid internships. You should
show the growth of your career in
chronological order. Finally, suggest
where your professional will go with
continued education.

Your second body paragraph should

explain what you hope to gain from
your education. Think of which
problems you aim to solve or
uncover.

Your final body paragraph should

explain your holistic plans for the
future. Some ideas for inspiration:

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11/13/21, 9:37 AM Write A Killer Scholarship Motivation Letter (With Example)

You can TWICE

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you plan to pursue after
education.

You can write about companies

or agencies you’d like to work
for after graduation. Another
idea is including

You can talk about programs or

organizations you would like to
develop.

Finally, your conclusion should re-

emphasize why you are a good
candidate for the scholarship.

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What NOT to Include

When Writing a
Scholarship Motivation
Letter
Your scholarship motivation letter
should be well-written with no
grammar or spelling errors. Use a
professional tone and advanced
phrasing (no slang or colloquialisms).
Provide specific examples about your
past, present and future. Stay away
from vague
generalizations. Vagueness suggests
a lack of care or knowledge, neither
of which are impressive to a
scholarship review committee.

Some Final Tips

Writing a motivation letter for
scholarship applications takes time
and commitment. Plan what you will
say in advance, and allow at least
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three
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it, step away from it and edit it. This

extra time will provide the best

chance of success with your
application.

A Sample Scholarship
Motivation Letter
Owlie McScholar
9876 Smith St.
Stillwater, OK 74074

The Scholarship Committee

123 Learning Rd. Suite 4A
Oklahoma City, OK 73127

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Owlie McScholar and I

am a third year student at Oklahoma
State University. I am currently
pursuing a five-year Bachelor of
Architecture Degree, and I plan to
follow up with a one-year master’s
degree after I graduate.

While in high school, I worked

extensively with my local Habitat for
Humanity branch to help build
homes for low income families. I
learned about the construction
process from the ground up, and I
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discovered the importance of Enter your Email

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function in architectural design. The

homes we built during my four years

as a volunteer were never
extravagant, but they served their
purpose and became a beacon of
hope for their owners.

My education is largely focused on

this mindset: function over form,
stability over showmanship. I have
enrolled in several classes that
crossover to the Architectural
Engineering major because I want to
have a comprehensive view of how
design meets structure. I have
worked on three extra-credit
residential design projects under the
supervision of my architecture
professors (Dr. X and Dr. Y) to
accelerate my research and
education.

I wanted to become an architect to

create accessible, affordable housing
opportunities in underprivileged
communities. Living in a college
town, I have seen countless rental
properties available, but there are
few homes for sale that are priced
affordably enough for college
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the case in many towns throughout

America, especially areas with a low

standard of living. My goal is to build
neighborhoods of sufficient starter
homes that can help adults build
equity, avoid excessive debt, and
create financial stability for their
futures.

I have an internship scheduled with

LMNOP Architectural Firm in the
summer, and I will continue my on-
the-job training there after my
master’s degree. After working under
acclaimed residential architects
Suzan Craft and Peter Wood, I would
like to open my own architectural
firm focused on developing
inexpensive, high-quality housing.
Also, I would like to work with
Habitat for Humanity again, this time
as an architect instead of a general
laborer. I believe firmly in their
mission to build “a world where
everyone has a decent place to live.”

I appreciate your consideration. With

your assistance, I can continue my
schooling in architecture and design
to bring accessible homes to those in
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Sincerely,
Owlie McScholar

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