How to write email to the professor for funding? The 8 Dos and Don’ts!

Professors are, generally speaking, busy people who usually have little time to answer questions that are unrelated to their classes or their research interests. However, sometimes professors do give out funding to help their students in need of financial assistance.

Some even require it as part of the syllabus! If you’re an undergraduate, postgraduate, or research student looking for funding from your professor, these tips on how to email your professor will come in handy. Of course, if you’re an upperclassman or graduate student looking for funding from your professor, these tips can help you as well.

1) What should you include in your request

When emailing your professor for a scholarship fund, there are a few key things you should include in your request.

• First, be polite and respectful in your email.
• Second, explain why you need the fund and how it will help you.
• Third, provide specific details about your financial situation.
• Fourth, show that you have tried to raise the money elsewhere.
• Fifth, be realistic in your request.
• Sixth, thank the professor for their time and consideration.
• Finally, follow up with an email a week later to see if they have made a decision. You can also use some apps like streak to track sent email to confirm whether the professor has seen your email or not.

2)Who should you contact?

Before emailing your professor for a scholarship, make sure to have done your research. Check with the financial aid office, talk to upperclassmen, and look for outside scholarships. Once you have a list of potential scholarships, take a look at the requirements. Each scholarship will have different requirements, whether it be based on GPA, financial need, or essay. Make sure you fit the qualifications before emailing your professor.

3) Getting their attention with a personalized opening

When emailing professors for scholarships, you want to make sure you get their attention with a personalized opening. Here are some tips: 

1. Use the professor’s first name. This will immediately catch their eye when they see your email in their inbox. 

2. Refer to something you discussed in class, or a shared interest you have. This will help them remember who you are and why they should care about what you’re saying. 

3. Be brief! No one wants to read a novel, so get to the point quickly. 

4. Be professional. This is not the time to use informal language or abbreviations – write as if you were emailing a boss or potential client.

4) Keeping it short

Keep it brief and to the point, I mean be specific. Start by introducing yourself and let them know how much you appreciate their time. Then, explain why you need the money and how it will help you reach your goals. Finally, thank them again for their consideration.

5) Sending it at the right time

One of the most important things you can do when emailing your professor for scholarship money is to send it at the right time. You don’t want to be too early or too late. Ideally, you should send your email a few months before the scholarship deadline. This gives your professor enough time to write a strong letter of recommendation, but it also shows that you’re organized and have everything under control.

6) Proofread-before you send an email

Before pressing the “send” button, students should make sure their emails are formal and grammatically sound, according to experts.

Many professors claim that they frequently receive emails with just acronyms and no punctuation or capital letters. “Since an email is expected to take more time to create, it should be written more skillfully and go through a proofreading process.

7) Follow up if you don’t hear back

If you’re emailing your professor for scholarship funding, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure you have a well-written, polite email. You should also give them a reasonable amount of time to respond before following up. If you don’t hear back after a week or so, it’s okay to send a brief follow-up email. However, be careful not to be too persistent – no one likes a nag!

8) Keep trying if you keep getting rejected

While emailing your professor for a scholarship, you should keep in mind that you might not get a response right away- or even at all. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t hear back immediately, and try reaching out again in a few weeks. 

If you still don’t hear anything back, it’s possible that your professor is busy or unavailable. In that case, it might be best to try emailing another faculty member or an administrator.

Conclusion

Emailing your professor for a scholarship can be a great way to get additional funding for your education. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind when sending that email. First, make sure you have a clear and concise subject line.

You want to make sure your professor opens and reads your email, so make it easy for them by being clear about what you’re asking for. Second, be professional in both the body of your email and in any attachments you include.