UTMB Scholarship Thank You Letter Central

Welcome!  If you were notified that you received a scholarship award, then you are in the right place!  Congratulations on your award!

Before you can receive your disbursement, you must submit [but more importantly because our donors deserve to be thanked] a formal thank you letter that must be approved by the Scholarship Office.

Submit your thank you letter by uploading it into AcademicWorks Scholarship Application.

The information below is provided to help you write your letters.  The letter writing guide, proofreading tips and sample letter are the most important tools so do not miss them.  NOTE: DO NOT copy the sample letter as if it were your own.  Use it only as a guide!!!

Letter Writing Guide

1. Write a warm and fact-filled thank you letter to your benefactor(s).  Proofread carefully; note: In some cases, the addressee may be more than one individual, or the addressee may be a relative of the original donor.  Please adjust your letter accordingly.
2. Submit a copy of your letter for approval through the AcademicWorks Scholarship Application.
3. The Scholarship Office will review your letter for content and errors.  If corrections need to be made, you will be notified of the improvements that need to be made and then you must update and resubmit your letter.
4. Once your thank you letter has been approved, you will need to bring the letter in person to the Scholarship Office.

Suggestions on what to share in your letter

• Name and class year
• The name of the scholarship you were awarded but not the amount
• Where you are from and your family background
• Comments on why you chose UTMB
• Your academic pursuits, major, courses of study
• Your career goals, plan for the future
• Awards of honors you have received
• Clubs and other campus activities in which you are involved
• Volunteer and community service
• Internships
• Study abroad experience
• How the scholarship has helped you
• Anything your donor might find interesting about your life at UTMB
• Expression of your appreciation for the financial support you receive from the scholarship

Proofreading and Other Tips

1. Have someone else read your letter.
2. Write the letter and put it aside for a while.  When you come back, you will have a fresh perspective.
3. Follow the letter writing guide.
4. Use spell check or a dictionary.
5. Don’t use abbreviations (write “I am an occupational therapy student” instead of “I am an OT student”).
6. Don’t tell the donor how much money you or your parent make.  This is neither appropriate nor any of his/her business.
7. Use at least 12-point font if typing your letter.  This will make it easier to catch mistakes and easier for the donor to read.
8. Be as specific as possible.
9. Thank the donor in the beginning and at the end of the letter.