How do you request a scholarship recommendation letter?

Ask someone who knows your relevant work whether they can write a specific, positive scholarship recommendation. Give them the award criteria, deadline, submission instructions, and a short record of the experiences they can discuss firsthand.

Make the request easy to assess

Choose the recommender based on the scholarship’s rules and the person’s knowledge of you, not just their title. A teacher, supervisor, or community leader may be appropriate if the provider allows that role. Ask early and give the person an easy way to decline.

A request you can adapt: “Would you be comfortable writing a recommendation for [award] by [date]? It focuses on [criterion]. I can send the instructions and a short summary of our work together.” Replace the brackets and include the actual submission route.

Put the answer into practice

• Confirm which recommender roles the provider accepts.
• Ask before entering someone’s contact information.
• Send the prompt, deadline, and relevant evidence.
• Check receipt without pressuring for confidential content.
• Thank the recommender and share the outcome when appropriate.

Respect the submission and confidentiality rules. Do not write a letter under someone else’s name or submit one without their approval. Keep the recommendation deadline in your application calendar.