How to write a cover letter for a bursary
Updated
A bursary cover letter, often called a motivational letter, should name the bursary you're applying for, show in a few lines that you meet its requirements, and explain honestly why you want to study and work in that field. Keep it to one page, write it for that funder only, and back every claim with something on your CV. If you don't meet a requirement yet, don't pretend: say so briefly and what you'd do about it.
Open with the bursary and who you are
Your first paragraph needs two things: the exact name of the bursary you're applying for, as it appears in the ad, and who you are in a sentence: your degree, year of study and average. A funder may be reading applications for more than one bursary at a time, so make it obvious which one this is.
Show you fit, with two or three examples
Pick the requirements in the ad that matter most and answer each with one example from your CV, with a number where you have a true one. Don't repeat your whole CV: the letter's job is to point the panel to the parts of it that answer their ad. If your CV isn't tailored yet, start with the bursary CV guide.
Explain why this field and this funder
This is the part a CV can't do. Say why you chose your course and what you want to do with it, and why this funder in particular: what it makes or does, and where your studies fit in. Use what you can learn from its website rather than general praise.
Only write reasons that are true for you. A specific, honest reason, such as something you saw on a site visit or in a module, is more convincing than a general line like "I have always been passionate about engineering".
Be honest about a gap
If the ad asks for something you don't have yet, a short, honest line is better than a stretch. Say what you haven't done and how you'd like to build it. Panels can check what you claim, and a student who is accurate about what they don't know yet is easier to trust.
Be factual about financial need, if it's asked for
Some bursaries consider household income, and the form will ask you to explain your circumstances. State the facts plainly and briefly, and attach the documents they ask for. You don't need to share more than the form asks. If the bursary is awarded on merit only, leave this out.
Close, then check the details
End by thanking the panel and listing what you've attached. Then check that:
- the funder's name and the bursary's name are spelled correctly everywhere;
- it's addressed to the person or committee named in the ad;
- it fits on one page and stays under any word limit; and
- it's saved as a PDF, unless the form asks you to type into a box.
If the form asks specific questions instead of a letter, answer each question directly.
Worked example: Lerato's letter to Kestrel
FictionalLerato Dube and Kestrel Chemicals are made up for this guide. The example shows the method, not a real bursary or a real student.
Open to chemical engineering students in 2nd or 3rd year with a 65% average or higher. We look for an interest in process safety and leadership in student life. Covers fees, books and a vac work placement.
Sample letter
The numbers in the margin match the steps above. Step 5 doesn't apply: the Kestrel ad doesn't mention financial need.
Dear Kestrel Chemicals Bursary Committee
I am applying for the Kestrel Chemicals Engineering Bursary 2027. I am a third-year BSc Eng (Chemical) student with a 71% average.
Your ad asks for leadership in student life. Since 2024 I have been treasurer of the Engineering Students' Council, where I manage a R180 000 budget across 14 societies. In 2025 I also tutored 40 first-year chemistry students in weekly sessions.
In 2025 I spent six weeks of vac work with the operations team at a municipal water treatment plant. Seeing a working plant up close is why I want a career in process engineering, and why a bursary that includes a vac work placement at Kestrel appeals to me.
You also mention an interest in process safety. I haven't taken a process safety module yet, and I would value learning it during a placement at Kestrel.
Thank you for considering my application. My CV, academic record and a certified copy of my ID are attached.
Yours sincerely
Lerato Dube
Every fact in the letter comes from Lerato's sample CV, and the gap is named rather than covered up. The reason in paragraph 3 is the one part only she can supply, so a real letter would give her own.
Questions students ask
Is a motivational letter the same as a cover letter?
Mostly. Many South African bursaries ask for a motivational letter, which is a cover letter with more weight on why you want to study the field and what you plan to do afterwards. If the form asks specific questions, answer those directly instead.
How long should a bursary cover letter be?
One page, usually four or five short paragraphs. If the funder gives a word limit, stay under it.
Who do I address it to?
Use the name or committee given in the ad. If there isn't one, 'Dear Bursary Committee' or 'Dear Selection Panel' is fine.
Should I mention financial need?
Only if the bursary considers it, which the ad or form will say. Then describe your circumstances briefly and factually, and attach the documents they ask for. For a merit bursary, focus on your results and your fit.
Can I reuse the same letter for different bursaries?
Reuse the structure, not the letter. Each funder asks for different things, and a panel notices a letter that could have gone to anyone, or one that names the wrong company.