Do you wish to write an appeal letter for financial assistance to your school? Do you want to secure more funding to cover your educational costs? How can you overcome this challenge? It's quite difficult to meet up with the cost of higher education, especially since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.
But worry no more! This article will give you insights on how to write a scholarship appeal letter. There are also great supporting examples that will prepare you to write an effective financial aid appeal letter.
Here is what you will learn...
- What is a financial aid appeal letter?
- 10 Good Reasons for submitting a financial aid appeal letter
- A Step by Step Guide on how to write a good financial aid appeal letter?
- Parts of a financial aid appeal letter
- How to structure and format a financial aid appeal letter
- Tips: What to DO when writing a financial aid appeal letter
- Tips: What NOT to do when writing a financial aid appeal letter
- Financial Aid Letter example
- Sample Example of a financial aid appeal letter PDF
- Other Sample examples of financial aid appeal letter PDF
- What to do if your financial aid appeal is denied (Conclusion)
What is a Financial Aid Appeal Letter?
A financial aid appeal letter is a written polite request where you appeal to the school authorities to increase the financial support. Please note that this kind of letter is composed after receiving a monetary award. You may be taken aback when you receive the letter and realize that the aid will not suffice for your educational expenses. In your letter of appeal for financial support, you appeal to the institution to kindly reconsider their initial financial offer. Not all institutions grant the opportunity to appeal for more funding, but with ScholarshipTab, you can definitely compose a convincing financial aid appeal letter. Follow the next step by step guide religiously. But before then, let's see why you would want to write a financial aid appeal letter.
Read: How To Apply For Scholarships - And Get Taken
10 Good Reasons why you should Write a Financial Aid Appeal Letter
Here are some valid yet solid reasons that could make your financial appeal letter convincing enough to incite a positive response.
- Better School offers: You may have received better scholarship offers from there schools or have been accepted to more affordable schools.
- Unemployment: Your financial sponsor (parent, older sibling or relative) may have been laid off from work or have his business shut down.
- Your parents are still paying his educational loan: Your parent might be currently enrolled in an institution or still paying back his student loans.
- Family Change: Your guardian or parent could be getting a divorce, fighting for alimony or you may be experiencing the loss of a family member.
- Natural Disaster: You may have been a victim of a serious earthquake other natural distaster and still have to cover up the cost of home repairs.
- Loss of a Job: You may have been laid off from your part - time gigs, thus have no income to support yourself in school.
- Offering Family Financial Support: You may be extending financial support to aging parents or family members who livw overseas.
- Medical Emergency: Your family may have experienced an unexpected medical emergency and have bills to pay.
- Tuition Fees of Siblings: Your parents may be consumed with paying the high tuition fees oda private school for your siblings.
- Temporaries Inflated Income: Your guardian may have enjoyed a huge tax benefit or a large compensation but would not be repeated in your next academic year.
Is any of the above circumstances above your case? If yes, then let's get down to business. How do you write a financial aid appeal letter?
Step by Step Guide to Writing a Good Financial Aid Appeal Letter
You may be at the state of delirium. But don't get too upset. You can convince the school authorities to help you out. You really can! Don't give up on your dream school. With an example financial aid appeal letter due to low GPA, you can always write a college financial aid appeal letter and secure the monetary support you deserve. Simply follow the 5 steps below.
STEP 1: Be sure that you want to appeal for more funding
Your reasons for appealing must be solid and most importantly - valid. In writing a financial aid appeal letter, there are three cases in which you may be able to compose a financial aid. For instance, you might have a serious family case of unemployment, financial loss or medical emergency. Or you might want to appeal to increase their financial aid and meet up with the offers you received from other schools. Perhaps you might have a committed an error while filling out your FAFSA application.
STEP 2: The Earlier You Submit Your Financial Aid Appeal Letter, the Better
Write the student financial aid appeal letter sample as soon as possible as possible. If you can, you could have a financial aid appeal letter ready, just in case the initial offer turns out to be insufficient. Do you know why? Because they will definitely be a number of students that have the same concern with you. By the time, you wait for too long, the school might have exhausted their pool of financial resources. So the earlier you complete your scholarship appeal letter example, the better.
STEP 3: Make a research on what to include in your financial aid appeal letter
Before writing an appeal for financial aid, reach out the school and learn if there is a particular procedure for composing a financial aid appeal letter. Also, find out who is the letter supposed to address.
STEP 4: Compose your Financial Aid Appeal Letter
Now, this is the stage where you construct your example of letter for financial assistance. Here is what it should include
- The address to the designated person in the financial and office.
- Go straight to the point. State that you are appealing for a financial aid and give concrete reasons why you need the aid. Also, share your specific circumstances.
- Attach any document that could solidify the reasons you mentioned earlier.
STEP 5: Patiently wait for a response
Usually, you can expect a response within few weeks to a month. But that depends on the school. Keep in mind that they may be dealing hundreds of submissions. If you don't hear from them, follow up. If you do hear from them and the response is positive, hurray! If you hear from them and the response in negative, don't panic. You can opt out for scholarships or colleges with affordable tuition fees.
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Parts of a Financial Aid Appeal Letter
As earlier mentioned, you might view it demoralizing to find it out that the initial financial aid is below your expectations. Nevertheless, you can compose your example of letter for financial assistance in a way that the content will flow and your audience will sympathize and get into action. Here is how you write your letter!
Address and Salutation:
That should include a date and the name of the designated person, the address of the financial aid office and a salutation.
Introductory Paragraph:
In writing a letter for financial assistance, you are expected to heartwarmingly appreciate the committee’s gesture in supporting you financially. Explain that you don't take the offer for granted. Then, state that you want to appeal for additional financial aid. Lastly, introduce the reasons why you are requesting for that.
Body Paragraphs:
From the next two paragraphs of the following financial aid appeal sample, you learn that you can expatiate your circumstances and prove how the challenges you face would affect you financially in school. Also, explain why you deserve the extra financial support.
Concluding Paragraph:
Once again, indicate your appreciation for granting your FAFSA application. Reiterate how important this additional support is to you and state that you attach all the necessary documents that prove your story. Then, end your letter asking for financial aid with your email address and cell phone number.
Financial Aid Appeal Letter Formatting
The structure and layout of financial aid appeal letter essays is as important as its content. This means that you have to pay undiluted attention to ways of making the financial aid appeal letter eye - catching and edible. Only a good financial aid appeal format can give you that. So here are the following tips:
- Maximum number of pages will be 1 and ½.
- Set one inch margin on all sides
- The content should be left align
- Line spacing is 1 or 1. 5 inch
- Double spacing between the paragraphs
- Send your financial aid appeal letter in a PDF file
- Fonts like Calibri, Arial and Times New Roman are welcome.
- Don't be tempted to use justification. Left side alignment is easy on the eye.
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TIPS: What to DO when writing a financial aid appeal letter
- Be polite and honest. Simply explain your family circumstances in a polite and clear manner.
- Attach the necessary documents to the financial aid letter of support that prove the validity of your challenges and makes your story convincing.
- Indicate appreciation and show how thankful you are for having your initial application for financial support granted.
- Keep your letter concise and involve more facts yet less emotions.
- Submit your letter as soon as possible to give your college ample time to review your request.
- Stick to the college's procedure on how to appeal the initial financial award package.
TIPS: What NOT TO do when writing a financial aid appeal letter
- Don't fail to include details about how hardworking you are and your success record.
- Don't sound rude or demanding. You are the one that needs the cash.
- Don't just address the financial aid office. Address the designated person at the financial aid office.
- Don't submit your letter without proofreading for possible grammatical errors.
- Don't be ashamed. Be confident yet not overly assertive.
- Don't complain too much or demand more sympathy.
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Sample Example of a Financial Aid Appeal Letter
To thoroughly demonstrate how to write a thought - provoking financial aid appeal letter, here is an attractive financial aid appeal letter template. Here, Mauricio Gael is a prospective student of the Fairwell Business School and has just received a financial aid offer. But his family has been a victim of a natural disaster in southern Italy. In the next college financial aid appeal letter sample, this makes the initial offer insufficient so Mauricio Gael appeals for more funding.
22 - 04 - 2021
Devon Macbeth,
Financial Aid Office,
University of Fairwell,
Fairwell Business School,
UF 9958,
Dublin Ireland.
Dear Mr. Macbeth,
My name is Mauricio Gael. I recently gained admission to study International Finance at the Fairwell Business School. I was also granted a decent financial aid. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to realise my goals. I happen to be emotionally attached to the college because it is the only school that would secure a stable future in the finance world. This is a kind gesture that I will hardly forget. However, I humbly appeal for more funding as my family and I have been victims of a harrowing earthquake.
As you must have heard from the news, Southern Italy has been plagued by a devastating earthquake that has devoured lives and properties. Thankfully, no life was lost in my family. However, the cost of this unforeseen tragedy has drastically reduced our savings for education. Our house has been repeatedly destroyed and the treatment of my elder brother who has sustained injuries is expensive.
I understand funding can be challenging to provide but I assure that your investment in me will yield fruits. My past academic success and leadership experience can testify to how responsible, dependable, studious and hardworking I am. I have been awarded number times for my academic excellence and industriousness. I don't intend to stop working hard for my education.
An increase in the financial aid would help in lifting my academic expenses off the shoulders of my family sponsors. And I would devote my full attention to my studies. Attached here are the bills of the home repairs, the re - installation of electrical appliances, the current receipts of medical bills and the pictures of our wrecked home. Thank you for sympathizing, indicating understanding and considering my application.
Sincerely,
Mauricio Gael,
+3456892391572
Sample Example of Financial Aid Appeal Letter PDF
In the above financial appeal letter sample, Mauricio faced a family emergency that was unplanned. He appreciated the school for granting the financial aid but politely explained why the support was insufficient at that time. What's your situation? Download the financial aid sample letter PDF and be fully guided on composing your own content.
Other Sample Examples of a Financial Aid Appeal Letter
You know there are different circumstances that demand a tailored financial aid appeal example. It could be extenuating circumstances, suspension, FAFSA. You might also be needing a financial aid reconsideration letter or perhaps financial aid petition letter example. You name it! So here are some sample examples that would fit such circumstances.
Sample Letter for Extenuating Circumstances for Financial Aid
Do you face circumstances that seem tolerable but still need a financial helping hand? Or could just a financial aid appeal letter for bad grades be enough?
Download this sample letter for extenuating circumstances for financial aid.
Fafsa Appeal Letter
Has there been an error in your FAFSA application and want to rectify it?
Download this fafsa appeal reasons examples of special circumstances letter.
Asking for More Financial Aid Sample Letter
Have you gotten your initial financial offer but doesn't seem to be enough? Would you like to ask for more?
Download the asking for financial assistance letter.
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Merit Scholarship Appeal Letter Sample
Do you madly want to get the Merit Scholarship award?
Download this application for financial aid sample letter and win the merit scholarship.
Appeal for Financial Help for Treatment
Has your family been facing medical challenges? Is money at the lowest ebb?
See how you can appeal for financial help for treatment with this sample letter of appeal for financial support.
Financial Aid Suspension Appeal Letter
Have you been suspended? Has your financial aid been affected by this development? Do you think you can write a financial aid reinstatement appeal letter example?
Gain the attention of the school committee by downloading and editing this financial aid suspension appeal letter sample.
Reconsideration Letter for Scholarship
Did your grades in the scholarship process not meet the standards of the school? Do you badly want to get a letter of appeal for reconsideration of scholarship sample?
Download this reconsideration letter for scholarship and get a second chance.
Examples of SAP Appeal Letters
Are you finding difficult to get examples of sap appeal letters on the Internet? Do you badly need an example sap appeal letter for financial aid?
Here is one the top examples of sap appeal letters you can get from Scholarship Tab.
Letter to Financial Aid Office Sample
Would you like to write a financial aid appeal letter and send it to the financial aid office right away? Nothing should stop you form composing an appeal letter for financial assistance.
Download this letter to the financial aid office sample and submit straight to the financial aid office.
Special Circumstances Financial Aid Letter Example
Are you facing difficult circumstances that are quite unique in nature? Have they affected your finances? What if you get a special circumstances letter sample?
Download and edit this special circumstances letter example.
Student Loan Appeal Letter Sample
Do you want to secure a loan for yourself while in school? Do you think a good tuition appeal letter sample would do the trick?
See how you can get a student loan with this student loan appeal letter sample.
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Grant Appeal Letter Sample
Do you want to receive a grant but don't know how to get it? Have you received one that doesn't seem to be enough?
Download this captivating grant appeal letter sample so that you get the money you desire.
What to Do if Your Financial Aid Appeal is Denied?
Don't lose hope. Some schools offer the option to submit a secondary appeal to your school's financial aid office. If your school allows that, then you have to present more documents that prove your story.
Suppose this doesn't turn out to be successful. Still, don't give up. You can get a student loan, or get a part - time job that could cover your expenses. In any case, know this: when there is a will, there will always be a way!