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 Thank You Letters

Why Thank You Letters are Required

Most of the scholarships available at San Diego State University (SDSU) are made possible by contributions from generous donors who want to invest in the future while demonstrating their belief in the importance of a college education.

The thank you letter is an opportunity for you to show your donor you are the kind of student they can be proud to support.

Hearing from scholarship recipients is very meaningful to donors or their living relatives. It gives them an opportunity to obtain a glimpse of how the gift has made a difference in the life of a student. Your words encourage the donor to continue supporting other students like you.

Thank You Letter Requirements

To receive your scholarship, you must submit a thank you letter.

  • Your thank you letter must be prepared according to the instructions in your award notification letter.
  • If you receive multiple scholarships, you must submit an individual thank you letter for each award.
  • Facsimile and electronic mail submissions will not be accepted.
  • Your thank you letter must be submitted by the deadline given in your award notification letter or the scholarship award may be rescinded.
      • Log on to your AidLink account to view the award notification letter and deadline.

Thank You Letter Tips

Grammar

Pay careful attention to the grammar, spelling, and organization of your letter.

Good grammar provides clarity. Correct spelling communicates your intelligence and attention to detail.

Use the spell checking function in your word processing software. Use a good grammar and style reference to eliminate any problems you may have with sentence and paragraph structure.

Set your work aside for awhile, then read the letter again, aloud this time. And finally, have someone else proofread it to identify any errors you may have missed.

Content Tips

Consider including some of the following topics in your letter as you thank the donor for the scholarship.

Tell about yourself

  • Your hometown
  • Family background
  • High school and other experiences that led to your choice of study at SDSU

Tell about your present situation:

  • Describe how the scholarship will help you meet your educational goals
  • Share things you enjoy about college
  • List organizations in which you participate
  • Internships in which you participate or plan to participate
  • Extracurricular activities on campus and/or within your community
  • Tell about your future plans
  • What you look forward to at SDSU and after you graduate
  • What you hope to accomplish while at SDSU
  • Your career plans

 

See sample Thank You Letters.

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