Thank you letter for receiving fellowship from department

[tresty]

Hi everyone,

I have a quick question, and it may be a "no duh" question so please bare.
If the department (not a specific person but the department as a whole) awards you with a small admission fellowship based on your application package, is it necessary to write a hard-copy thank you letter? or is email enough?

I've googled through and some sites say I should be sending hard-copy letters with description of my family background etc but this seems like too much information in my opinion. Am I wrong?

Thanks in advance!

 

[twofish-quant]

Just send the thank you when you let them know that you've accepted the fellowship in the same format.

 

[jtbell]

Customs may vary from one country to another.

 

[physics girl phd]

Just send the thank you when you let them know that you've accepted the fellowship in the same format.

US mindset here...
Assuming this is for the graduate-level, I'd concur... the department has definitely seen your application, and you'll be responding to them to accept the fellowship monies. Keep it short and sweet... a sentence in your acceptance response (email or written, whichever they said they'd accept/prefer) is enough. Be all business.

Assuming this is at the undergraduate level, I'd probably try to write a more personal written note to the department. They may or may not have seen your full application (which also may or may not have included a personal statement). At the undergraduate level, I think many departments (and smaller universities) like to think of themselves as (or feel obligated to be) in loco parentis and would then like to know more about you. Additionally, a written letter shows your writing ability (a plus since at the undergrad level there are usually writing-skill-dependent gen-ed courses -- and why not make the department have a high opinion of and confidence in you before your arrival, even inculding non-math/science skills, like writing?).

 

[tresty]

Thanks to all who replied!

I actually decided to a send a written letter, because I thought being more formal than necessary wouldn't hurt me, whereas the opposite might. I just kept it short and simple thanking them for being so generous and for lightning my financial burden.