Tips on Writing Motivation Letters for Scholarships
Applying for a scholarship is often compared to applying for a job. It is your goal to prove to the prospective employer or educational institution that you are not only qualified for the position, but that the money given to you will come back to benefit the business or institution in the long run. Much like a cover letter, writing a professional and memorable motivation letter will be the first and often most important step towards an interview and ultimately a scholarship.
Other People Are Reading
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Grammar and Punctuation
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If you are applying for a scholarship, chances are you will be doing a lot of research during your studies. Leaving spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors in your motivation letter will immediately let the reader know that you do not pay attention to detail and will affect the quality of your research and writings as a student. The best way to avoid this is to proof read your letter multiple times as a computer spell checker may not catch all of these errors. Have someone else read the letter as well. Professional proofreaders read the sentences backward, beginning at the last word and reading to the left as a way to isolate each word to ensure it is correctly spelled.
Concrete Evidence
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In your letter you will describe your background and education in detail and explain what you wish to achieve if granted the scholarship. However, don't forget to actually correlate your skills with your goals. Express how certain knowledge you have acquired will directly apply to the research you will do, or how your abilities and expertise will allow you to produce tangible results. Every scholarship applicant will promise to work hard so you must go beyond and explain the processes you will carry out.
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Customization
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Know exactly to whom you are writing. Educational institutions are not only considering your talent, they are also interested in a student who has an interest in them. In your motivation letter, mention why you have chosen that specific school to continue your studies. Let the reader know you are aware of a specific department's achievements, history, or reputation. It is also acceptable to talk about a specific professor with whom you aspire to work. Always get the name of the person who will be considering your motivation letter and be sure to address it to him directly in your formal greeting. This attention-to-detail will impress the committee.
Avoid Clutter
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Writing a motivation letter often requires a student to express personal feelings about his or her passion in life. While it is necessary to thoroughly sell your talents and abilities and enthusiastically describe your goals and dreams, it is easy to over state, be redundant, and ramble. Only include your best and most applicable credentials and skills and remain focused when stating your objectives.
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