General Training Writing Task 1 · formal · application

Application for a Student Loan for Part-time Study

You have learned that a financial organization in your city gives money as a loan to students who like to take a part-time course. You are interested in doing the course and have decided to take a loan.

Write a letter to a local financial organization. In your letter:

give your qualifications and work experience
give details about the course
explain how this course will help you

Write at least 150 words. You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter: Dear ...,

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Manager,

I am writing to formally apply for a student loan to support my enrollment in a part-time professional development programme at the City Institute of Technology.

Regarding my background, I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and have spent the last four years working as a Junior Marketing Coordinator at Global Solutions Ltd. During this tenure, I have consistently exceeded my quarterly targets and developed a robust understanding of digital consumer behaviour. This professional experience has provided me with a solid foundation, which I am now eager to supplement with advanced academic training.

The course I intend to pursue is the ‘Advanced Data Analytics Certificate’, a six-month part-time programme commencing next September. It covers essential modules in predictive modelling and statistical analysis, requiring a tuition fee of £2,500. Given my current financial commitments, this loan would be instrumental in covering these costs.

Obtaining this certification will enable me to transition into a Senior Analyst position within my current firm. The skills gained will allow me to spearhead data-driven strategies, directly benefiting my employer’s market performance. I am confident this investment will yield significant career advancement.

I look forward to hearing from you regarding the next steps in the application process.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Sterling

207 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Why this scores well

This response achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with specific, relevant details while maintaining a consistently professional and persuasive tone. A common Band 6 error is failing to link the course benefits to future career goals, often resulting in a generic letter that lacks a clear, logical progression.

Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.
If you know the person's surname, use Dear Mr or Ms and close with Yours sincerely.
No contractions, no slang; polite indirect requests such as I would be grateful if you could.

Useful phrases from the letter

tenure: the period of time someone holds a job
supplement: to add something to improve or complete it
commencing: beginning or starting at a specific time
instrumental: serving as a crucial means of achieving something
spearhead: to lead an attack or a specific movement
advancement: the process of promoting a career or progress

Write your own and get a band

Answer this prompt in a timed General Training writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

Practise IELTS General writing

On your phone? Get the BandLadder app.

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?

Formal. Write to an organisation or someone you do not know: open with Dear Sir or Madam, close with Yours faithfully.

How long should an IELTS General Training letter be?

At least 150 words, and 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.