If you want to study abroad, you can apply for financial support to cover your costs. To apply for it, you will need to submit a letter from one of your teachers or mentors. Before asking them to prepare it, we’d recommend learning how to write a letter of recommendation for a scholarship yourself. This will help you select the right person and ensure it supports your portfolio.
The definition
To begin with, it’s a formal reference from the school attesting to the graduate’s performance and accomplishments. It can be submitted by a subject lecturer or:
- a tutor,
- a headteacher or head of department,
- a coach or a club teacher,
- a project or internship supervisor can submit it.
What is the structure?
Usually it includes 3 main elements.
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Personal information from the writer
They need to mention who they are, their role, and how long they have been teaching the child. This step should take no more than 4 sentences. A school such as the British School in Moscow, for example, provides teachers with chances to observe the children’s progress in different settings both in class and outside.
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An overview of the candidate
The applicant’s most useful traits should be highlighted in this section. However, try to avoid just listing things and instead integrate them wisely in your story.
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Proof of success
A university committee usually wants to know what the graduate has accomplished, including:
- an academic result,
- a completed research project,
- a win in an academic competition,
- a community initiative,
- a creative or sports achievement,
- a significant improvement over time.
Not every achievement needs to be included. The strongest letters select 2-3 relevant examples and discuss their importance.
How to Choose the Right Examples
While learning how to write a reference letter for a student scholarship, you need to grasp the difference between simple information and proof. The latter shows what the event reveals about the graduate.
For example, a student organized a charity event at school. A recommendation could explain that they coordinated volunteers, solved a last-minute logistical problem, communicated with several groups, and helped the event raise a specific amount of money.
Look at these two paragraphs:
Example 1: John is an excellent person. He is hardworking, smart, responsible, and very motivated. He always performs well and is a pleasure to teach.
Example 2: As a Year 13 student, John participated in a project on renewable energy. He conducted the research and presented his results to the school community. During his presentation, John answered all the questions from both teachers and classmates with full confidence.
The second example is better. It tells a story and illustrates important qualities, without simply listing them.
A practical approach is to begin with the student’s story rather than with a formal template.
Perhaps the pupil initially struggled with a subject but developed a good study strategy and achieved excellent results. Perhaps they support younger pupils. These details can make a good letter.
But you need to remember that the goal is to present the student as they are without any sugarcoating and big words. In fact, a realistic description can be more persuasive because it’s unique.
Brief structure
If you are unsure how to write a recommendation letter for a student scholarship, there is a simple structure to start with:
- Introduce yourself and mention why you know the applicant.
- Include 2-3 traits and support them with examples.
- Explain how they have improved or overcome difficulties.
- Show why you support this candidate.
- Offer extra details if necessary.
Should you write a lot?
First, check the requirements. If there is no word or page limit, one page of text is usually enough.
What should you avoid?
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Don’t use exaggerated praise.
Statements such as “the best student I have ever taught” should be used only when the writer can genuinely support them.
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Don’t say vague compliments.
Words such as “amazing”, “brilliant”, “wonderful”, and “exceptional” have limited value without supporting examples.
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Don’t repeat the application.
You need to add a new perspective. Repeating the grades, activities, and awards without interpretation does not tell the committee much more about the applicant.
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Avoid writing the same text for every application.
Even when the same graduate applies for several awards, each piece of information should be adjusted to reflect the particular grant’s values and requirements.
The current school environment is also relevant. For example, pupils at a high school in Moscow who study within an international curriculum and work towards qualifications are better recognized by universities abroad.
How to end a letter?
The final paragraph should reinforce the testimonial without simply repeating everything that has already been said.
A strong conclusion usually does three things. It confirms your support, briefly highlights the student’s strengths, and offers to deliver more details in case of any questions.
Should you show your text to anyone?
Yes and no. Some grants ask for confidential submissions, which means a candidate can’t see it. Others allow applicants to send the references themselves.
If confidentiality is required, the writer should follow the instructions carefully. Even when the student does not see the final letter, they have to share the general idea of what they want to see as a final result. The easiest way to do this is by sharing the grant description.
Final checklist
Read the note once from the viewpoint of someone who has never met the student before sending it.
Ask yourself:
- Is it immediately clear who the student is and how I know them?
- Have I explained why I am qualified to vouch for them?
- Have I included proofs?
- Do the proofs demonstrate the student’s most relevant qualities?
- Does it sound unique?
- Have I checked all names, dates, titles, and accomplishments?
- Do I recommend the candidate in a good way?
- Have I complied with the submission guidelines?
If you answered yes to most of these questions, the reference is ready to be sent!