Sample Thank You Letter

If you are selected as a scholarship recipient and will be receiving a monetary gift from an individual, corporation, or family, you are required to write a thank you letter. You need to thank the donor(s) that has invested in your education. Finding the words to express your gratitude to a donor can sometimes be challenging or intimidating, but it is important to let the donor know that his or her scholarship is greatly appreciated. You must write one letter for each scholarship you receive. Funds may with withheld or cancelled if you do not submit your thank you letter(s) in a timely manner.

Tips and Advice

• Make sure the letter is free of both grammatical and spelling errors. Double-check for typos.
• Be sincere and express enthusiasm.
• Send it in typewritten in business format including all of the elements of a letter: your name, date, salutation, body, closing, and a signature. One page is appropriate.
• Tell the donor a bit about yourself. Things you may include are your hometown, high school, family background, why you chose to attend Rogue Community College.
• Talk about your experiences at RCC. What year are you in? What is your major? When are you expecting to graduate? What are your career goals?
• Express your gratitude for the scholarship and how it is going to help you. Do not tell the donor how you are going to use the money unless you know what the scholarship covers. (Example: You have a tuition only scholarship, and you tell them you are going to use the money to buy books).

Example

The next page has an example of what a proper letter should look like. You should write your thank you letter in this format, but please be sure to use your own words. Please do not copy this letter. If your letter is not written in this format, we may not accept your letter which could delay the release of your funds or have your scholarship revoked. This letter will be submitted electronically through the AwardSpring website with your acceptance of your scholarship.

[Date]

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State Zip Code]

Dear [Name of the Scholarship as it is written on your award notification],

First paragraph: State the purpose of your letter.
I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to you for making the [Name of Scholarship] possible. I was thrilled to learn of my selection for this honor and I am deeply appreciative of your support.

Second paragraph: Share a little about yourself (your goals, background) and indicate why the scholarship is important.
I am currently majoring in Education with hopes of becoming a high school teacher. I will graduate from Rogue Community College in June and plan on attending the University of Excellence. The financial assistance you provided will be of great help to me in paying my educational expenses, and it will allow me to concentrate more of my time for studying.

Third paragraph: Close by thanking the person again and make a commitment to do well with the “donor’s investment.”
Thank you again for your generosity and support. Because of the opportunity you have provided me, I am one step closer to achieving my dreams. I hope to one day give back and help other students achieve their goals just as you have helped me.

Sincerely,

[Type or sign your name]