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Writing a persuasive scholarship motivation letter for a Masters or Ph.D. scholarship can be challenging. Follow this complete guide on how to write a scholarship motivation letter with sample templates.
What is the Motivation Letter
A motivation letter also known as a letter of motivation or letter of introduction or statement of purpose, is a document that is attached to your scholarship application stating your competence, and reasons why you should be given a scholarship. The main purpose of your scholarship motivation letter is to convince the recruiters that you should be awarded a scholarship.
A motivation letter can also be written for admission into universities, internships, fellowships, and jobs. But in this guide, we will solely focus on scholarship motivation letter.
A scholarship motivation letter for a master’s or Ph.D. program is around 450 to 1000 words long and requires you to state your academic interests, why you have chosen that program, and what your plans are after graduation.
Tips on Writing a Motivation Letter for Scholarship
While writing your letter of motivation, you need to take note of these tips.
1. Take your time in writing your letter of motivation and start early enough. Don’t try writing everything down in one evening.
2. Read the scholarship information page carefully. Take note of the main keywords and tailor your letter of motivation to the main points.
3. Your motivation letter should address the following questions;
- What are your professional goals and in which sector would you like to work after obtaining your degree.
- How do you intend to contribute to the social, political or technical development of your society?
- Why are you applying for the scholarship?
- Why do you think you are the right person for the scholarship?
- How will the scholarship be useful in pursuing your professional goals?
- What knowledge and skills gathered in your previous education will be
useful? - Have you already gained relevant professional experience?
- Do you have any experience as a member of an organization?
(Students association, NGO, volunteer service, etc.) - How do you characterize your own personality? Emphasize your strong
points, but be realistic.
Format for Scholarship Motivation Letter
Your motivation letter should be grammatically sound and concise. Apart from that, follow the format below to write your letter of motivation.
Length: A scholarship motivation letter is usually around 450 to 1000 words long, and between 1 to 1 1/2 pages.
Address: Your letter of motivation should carry your name and that of the university, address as well as contacts.
Structure of a Letter of Motivation: The letter is structured into three main parts; introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
Others: Recommended fonts for motivation letter are Time New Roman, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetic, Bookman.
How to Write A Scholarship Motivation Letter
There are basically four main parts in writing any scholarship motivation letter. They are the address, introduction, body, and conclusion. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to write a letter of motivation for scholarship abroad.
The Address
You must always begin your letter of motivation with your own address, and then the address of the university you are writing to. This is a formal letter and as such, your address and that of the institution you are writing to must carry a formal tone.
After writing the address, don’t forget to write the salutation and the title of your motivation letter.
Introduction
You start by introducing yourself and this involves stating your name, your level of education, as well as your degree program.
Usually, you have to start by introducing yourself and this involves stating your name, your level of education, as well as your degree program. This is an introductory sample of motivation letter that you may want to consider.
This is an introductory sample of motivation letter that you may want to consider.–>
My name is Joseph Peters. I am a fourth year student of Pharmacy at the University of Califonia. Presently, I am pursuing a five-year Bachelor of Pharmacy degree. After my graduation, my desire is to pursue a master’s degree given the opportunity.
Another introductory sample is written below:
I am Joyce Miller, a motivated student of the University of Ghana. I am presently in my third year studying Communications and Language Arts. Right from my childhood, I have always been motivated by the broadcasters I see on television stations, and have developed a special interest in communicating with the masses in the process. More so, with my listening and writing skills, these give me the added advantage of coming up with various programmes that can solve specific identified problems in the society.
The Body
The body of your letter of motivation is the most important aspect of your letter. The way you compose it determine whether you will be awarded the scholarship or not. Keep in mind that it’s an official letter and you have to write in an official tone. Also, you have to ensure that you sound professional in your writing.
Your goal is to provide the recruiter or scholarship board that you are the best candidate for the award. So, following the tips giving above, you should write based on all the focus keyword you have gathered.
Final Thoughts on Scholarship Motivation Letter Writing
In your concluding paragraph, try to state again your desire to be awarded a scholarship. Thereafter, express your gratitude in a polite way for the scholarship board’s effort and consideration before you close and sign your letter.
The idea is to summarize the point you have been driving since you began your writing. Thank the reader and close your letter in a professional and formal way, then followed by your full name.
Your letter of motivation should deal with the topics in a reflective and objective way. Also, pay attention to grammar and spelling, mistakes will put your application into a bad light. Proofread your letter of motivation. Ask friends or colleagues to comment on it. Finally, we hope the sample letters of motivation inspires you to put up a scholarship-winning motivation letter.