Motivation Letter for a Scholarship: Method and Sample Structure
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When profiles are equal, the motivation letter is what separates candidates. Scholarship committees read it looking for three things: a coherent background, knowledge of the programme and a plan for after your return.
The four-block structure
- The factual opening: your current situation and the purpose of your application, in two sentences. There is no need to recount your childhood.
- Your background: two or three concrete achievements (results, internships, projects) that prove you can succeed in the programme you are targeting.
- Why this programme: cite specific elements, such as a course, a laboratory or a specialisation, that show you have studied the programme and that it meets a precise need of your project.
- Your professional plan: what you will do after returning, and why the scholarship is the necessary link.
What committees penalise
- Generic letters sent as they are to ten programmes
- Superlatives without evidence ("passionate since forever", "excellence")
- Letters longer than one page
- Spelling mistakes in a document meant to represent your best level
Before sending
Have someone outside your circle proofread your letter, check that it names the right programme (the classic copy-and-paste error), and attach it in the format requested by the official platform. To find programmes open to your profile, see the current scholarships on MaBourse.ma.