Your interview was two weeks ago. The panel said results would come "soon," your inbox is silent, and you've refreshed it forty times. Do you write to them, or does that count against you? Usually you can write, once, briefly, and at the right time. Writing badly or too often is what hurts.
This guide gives you a plan for the whole waiting period: the thank-you note, how to read the timeline, when a status check is fair, templates you can adapt, and what to do when the answer is no.
First, know what "following up" can and can't do
A follow-up will not change the panel's score. Selection committees usually decide from scores, references and discussion, not from who emailed most. What a good message can do is confirm you're still interested, fix a practical problem (a missing document, a changed phone number), and get you a clear date.
It can also go wrong. Repeated emails, calls to individual panel members and messages that hint at pressure make you look difficult to work with. Treat every message as part of your application, because to the office reading it, it is.
Step 1: Send a thank-you note within 24 hours
This is the only follow-up nobody finds annoying. Keep it to four or five lines and send it to the person who organised the interview, or to the address you were given. If you have a panel member's email from the invitation, you may address it to the panel through that contact.
Your note should do three things: thank them, name one specific thing you enjoyed discussing, and add a short point you forgot or could have explained better. Don't reopen the whole interview or add new claims you can't prove.
Template: thank-you note
Subject: Thank you – [Scholarship name] interview, [your full name]
Dear [Name / Selection Panel],
Thank you for speaking with me on [date]. I enjoyed the discussion on [specific topic, e.g. how the programme links to rural water projects].
One addition to my answer on [topic]: [one sentence with a concrete fact, such as a result or a plan].
I remain very interested in the opportunity and can provide any further information you need.
Kind regards,
[Full name, application number if you have one]
If the interview was on video and your power or network dropped mid-answer, this note is also the right place to mention it in one line and give the short version of the answer you lost. Our guide to scholarship interview questions and answer structures helps you tighten that sentence.
Step 2: Find the official timeline before you do anything else
Most of the anxiety comes from not knowing when to expect news. Before you write again, look for dates in these places:
- The invitation email for your interview, which often says when results are released.
- The scholarship's FAQ or "how to apply" page.
- Your application portal, where a status field may change without any email.
- The official social media page, where programmes sometimes post "results will be sent by..." notices.
Many programmes use an application portal. The PTDF research grant portal, for example, tells new users they must create an account before applying and offers a "submit or track an application" option plus a contact route for questions about eligibility, deadlines or an existing application. Whatever scheme you applied to, check whether such a tracking option exists before you email anyone. Don't assume the details of another scheme match; read each programme's own pages.
Write the expected date in your tracker. If you're applying to several schemes, a simple sheet with columns for interview date, promised result date and next action will stop you mixing them up. The tracker for several Mastercard Scholars partners shows a layout you can copy for any set of applications.
Step 3: Decide when a status check is reasonable
Use this rule of thumb: wait until the promised date has passed by about a week. If no date was given, wait at least four weeks after the interview before a first check, unless the scheme's start date is close and you need to plan a visa or travel.
| Situation | Reasonable action |
|---|---|
| Result date given, not yet reached | Wait. Do not write. |
| Result date passed by about 5-7 working days | One short status email to the official contact |
| No date given, 4+ weeks since interview | One polite request for an expected timeline |
| You have a competing offer with a deadline | Write promptly, state the date, ask if a decision is possible |
| Your contact details or documents changed | Write immediately with the correction |
| Portal status unchanged but no email | Check spam and the portal first, then write once |
Step 4: Write the status email
Use the official address only: the one on the scholarship website or the interview invitation. Don't message panel members privately, don't use WhatsApp numbers you found on social media, and be careful of anyone who offers to "check your result for a fee." That is a common scam; read our guide on spotting fake scholarship agents if that happens. (If that link doesn't open, search the section for the article of the same name.)
Template: status check
Subject: Status enquiry – [Scholarship name], [your full name], interviewed [date]
Dear [Scholarship Office],
I was interviewed for the [scholarship name] on [date]. I understand results were expected by [date / "in the coming weeks"]. Could you please tell me whether a decision date has been set?
I'm asking because [one real reason, e.g. I need to plan my visa application / I hold another offer that expires on date]. If any document is missing from my file, I'm happy to send it.
Thank you for your time.
Kind regards,
[Full name, application number, phone number]
Notice what it leaves out: no "I'm very worried," no mention of how much you need the money, no complaint about delay. One question, one reason, one offer to help.
A worked example (hypothetical)
Say Amaka, a Lagos graduate, interviewed on 3 November for a master's scholarship. The invitation said results would arrive "by the end of November."
- 4 November: she sends the thank-you note and adds a one-line correction to an answer about her thesis.
- 5-30 November: she checks the portal twice a week and does not write. She uses the time to prepare her passport and transcripts in case she is selected.
- 7 December: a week after the stated date, nothing has come. She sends the status email, mentioning that a second university offer expires on 20 December.
- 10 December: the office replies that decisions go out the following week. She notes the date and stops writing.
She sent two emails in five weeks, and both gave the reader something useful. That is the pattern to copy.
Step 5: Use the waiting time well
Waiting feels passive, but a few tasks protect you whatever the result:
- Keep other applications alive. Don't stop applying because one interview went well. Check the upcoming scholarship and study deadlines for options still open.
- Get documents ready. Scan your passport, degree certificate and transcripts, and tell your referees they may be contacted. If you need transcripts from a Nigerian university, start now because they can take weeks.
- Read the offer terms in advance. Know what you would need to accept: deadlines for acceptance, medical forms, visa steps. Our study visa checklist can help; again, search the section if a link fails.
- Protect your email. Use a professional address, check spam daily and keep your phone reachable. Missed interview or offer emails are more common than most people think.
Common mistakes
- Emailing every few days. It reads as pressure. Two messages total is a sensible ceiling before a result.
- Contacting several people at once. Pick the official office address and stick to it.
- Asking "did I pass?" in the thank-you note. Keep thanks and status checks separate.
- Using a pushy tone. Phrases like "I demand" or "kindly reply urgently" cost you goodwill.
- Paying anyone for updates. Genuine scholarships don't sell result information.
- Going silent after an offer. Acknowledge promptly and meet the acceptance date.
If the answer is no, or silence
Sometimes a scheme never replies to unsuccessful candidates. If the timeline has passed by several weeks and you've sent your one status email, treat silence as a probable no and move on, while staying open to a late email.
If you get a rejection, reply with two lines of thanks. Then ask, once, whether feedback is available. Many schemes say no, but when they do reply, the comments can improve your next personal statement. Our personal statement plan is a good place to apply them. Also ask whether you may reapply next year; some programmes allow it and some don't, so check the rules rather than guessing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I email the panel chair directly?
Only if the invitation told you to. Otherwise use the scholarship office address, which keeps the process fair for everyone.
Is it okay to call?
Use a phone number only if the official page lists one for applicant enquiries. Calls are harder to track and easy to mishandle; email gives both sides a record.
Should I mention my referees in the follow-up?
Only if a reference is late or may be needed. Tell your referees yourself before the office contacts them.
What if another offer expires before I hear back?
Write to the scholarship office with the exact date and ask whether a decision is possible by then. Don't bluff about the other offer. If you don't get an answer, decide using what you know and don't gamble on a maybe.
Your next step
Open your application tracker today and write down three things: the date the result was promised, the official email address to use, and the date you'll allow before one status check. Then send the thank-you note if you haven't yet, and close the tab.
Scholarship details, deadlines and eligibility can change. Always confirm on the official website before applying, and never pay anyone who promises to "guarantee" a scholarship.