Whether you’re challenging an academic decision or appealing a workplace ruling, the outcome often depends on how well you make your case to the people in charge. An appeal letter is your opportunity to persuade the reader to consider your viewpoint and rethink their decision. You can use the letter to clarify any misunderstandings or to present new information.
However, writing an effective appeal letter is not as easy as it seems. You’ve got to be both professional and compelling. Plus, the letter must be respectful, factual, and concise.
In this article, we explain what makes an appeal letter effective and show you how to write an appeal letter that gets results. We also provide an example and template to get you started.
What is an appeal letter?
An appeal letter is a formal document written to contest a specific decision and request a different outcome. It is typically used in academic or professional scenarios and is often required for a reversal to be considered.
Here are some examples of when it’s appropriate to write an appeal letter:
- Academic appeals: If you want to contest a class or assignment grade, or request a review of a suspension or dismissal, writing an appeal may be required. In some cases, students can also appeal being rejected for financial aid with an appeal letter.
- Workplace appeals: If you’ve received a warning, demotion, or termination at work, you can write a formal appeal letter to request a different decision. An appeal letter may also be useful if you think you’ve received unfair treatment in your workplace.
- Insurance appeals: If you want to challenge an auto, health, or home insurance claim result, a formal appeal letter allows you to present your case. It can also be useful in coverage disputes or for settling billing errors.
- Financial appeals: Use an appeal letter to request a different decision if you’ve been denied a student, personal, or auto loan. You can also use one to appeal decisions related to bank fee disputes, account closures, or other issues.
- Housing appeals: Formal appeal letters can be useful if you’ve been denied a rental application, for example, or evicted from your home.
What makes an appeal letter effective?
An appeal letter must present your argument for requesting a different decision, but it cannot be argumentative or emotional. It must present the facts in a logical and professional way while still being compelling. Take a look at these criteria for an effective appeal letter:
- Personalized: Effective letters are targeted toward the decision-maker or governing body. They also reference the appropriate policy or guidelines related to the issue.
- Clear and easy to understand: The appeal letter states exactly what you’re appealing and why. It is specific and actionable so the reader understands what you’re asking them to do.
- Professional tone: The document follows the proper appeal letter format (more on that below), is respectful, and does not blame the letter’s recipient. While you may feel emotional about the subject matter, it’s important to keep your cool in the letter.
- Based on facts: The appeal letter offers strong supporting evidence for your reasoning. It may include additional documentation as attachments, such as emails, transcripts, pay stubs, or medical records.
- Empathetic: An effective letter shows your understanding of the decision-maker’s point of view while also explaining why your reasoning deserves to be considered.
- Acknowledgement of responsibility: If your actions contributed to the original decision, such as missing an assignment deadline, an effective letter shows that you take accountability for your actions. It also shows how you will grow and learn from the mistake.
- Timely: Effective letters are submitted soon after the decision is made, not weeks or months later. This urgency shows your commitment to the matter and that you take the results seriously.
Best format for an appeal letter
Wondering how to appeal a decision properly? You’ve got to use the right format. Using this standardized format makes your letter appear professional and shows you’re taking the matter seriously, which can only help your case.
- Header: The header includes identifying information for both the sender (you) and the recipient, such as their full name, professional title, and mailing address.
- Date: This is the date the letter is being sent.
- Subject line: This identifies the subject related to the decision you’re attempting to appeal (e.g., Appeal regarding salary increase).
- Salutation: The salutation addresses the decision-maker by name.
- Opening: The first two to three sentences outline a clear statement of appeal that describes what you’re appealing and why.
- Body: The body of the letter includes a summary of the relevant facts, provides background information where needed, and explains supporting documentation.
- Conclusion: The final paragraphs clearly state your request regarding the decision and show gratitude to the recipient for reading your letter.
- Signature: This is your signature to end the letter.
- Enclosures: These are any supporting documents relevant to your case.
How do you write an appeal letter? (Template + Breakdown)
Writing an appeal letter can be stressful, especially when the stakes feel personal. Your emotions are often running high, and it can be difficult to write in a clear, logical way. Using a template can help get your point across in a professional manner
Jotform’s appeal letter template
Jotform offers an appeal letter template that is easy to use and customizable, so all you have to do is fill in the blanks with your relevant details. You can even add an e-signature if you’re submitting your appeal electronically. It helps you stay within the formal appeal letter structure and remain concise and clear. It also ensures you keep a professional, courteous tone while offering a compelling argument.
Let’s walk through an example appeal letter so you know exactly how to write one for your case. You can use the template above to make the process easier, or you can start from scratch.
Opening
To John Smith,
I am writing this letter to formally appeal your decision regarding my recent compensation review, during which I was not given a salary increase for this fiscal year. While I respect your evaluation of my work and appreciate the feedback you have provided about my performance, I would like to formally request that my compensation be raised in light of my contributions to the company.
After careful review of the circumstances and information available, I would like to present additional details and clarification in the hope you reconsider the decision.
This appeal letter opens with a clear explanation of what the sender is disputing, why they are disputing it, and what they hope to achieve. The opening paragraphs are succinct and to the point.
Body
Over the past fiscal year, I have made a consistent effort to exceed expectations in my role as Marketing Assistant. Some of my recent performance highlights include the following:
- Assisting in the successful launch of seven marketing campaigns, including managing timelines, coordinating creative assets, and ensuring on-time delivery across web and social channels
- Monitoring campaign performance in Google Analytics and internal systems, providing weekly reports to the leadership team, and helping improve our email open rates by 13 percent through A/B testing
- Coordinating with the design and senior sales teams to ensure brand consistency across all web and print marketing materials, and streamlining communication for annual product launches
I have included some of my past campaigns and performance reports with recent analytics for your review.
In addition to these highlights, I have continued to expand my professional skills through additional training in content creation, web analytics, and leadership.
The body of the appeal letter offers clear evidence for why the recipient may want to reconsider their decision. It offers relevant facts that support the sender’s argument. The letter also mentions documentation that the sender has added to provide further support and ensure the recipient doesn’t overlook the appended documents.
Closing
I do understand that compensation decisions involve multiple factors other than my performance, such as departmental budgets. However, I believe my performance over the past year and my skills growth warrant further consideration for a salary increase. Regardless of your decision, I would like you to know that I am committed to contributing meaningfully to the team.
I kindly request a formal review of my appeal and a reconsideration of the decision. If needed, I am willing to participate in any discussions or provide further documentation to support my case.
If you require any additional information or have any questions, please contact me at jane@email.com or 555-5555.
Sincerely,
Jane Chan
The closing clearly outlines what the sender is asking the recipient to do while empathizing with their perspective. It also thanks the recipient for their time, showing gratitude and appreciation. The letter ends by providing contact information, making it easier for the recipient to contact the sender with their decision.
Pro Tips: common mistakes to avoid
Knowing how to write an effective appeal letter means avoiding some common mistakes that can lead to problems. Keep these tips in mind as you write so you don’t fall into these traps:
Don’t write emotionally. Keep your tone factual: It’s easy to get carried away when proving your point, especially if the issue is close to your heart. Remember to stick to facts and not let your emotions take the reins. A highly emotional letter can come off as desperate and unprofessional.
Don’t forget to attach proof or cite documentation: If possible and where relevant, provide proof of your argument. In some cases, you can mention specific evidence within the body of the letter. In other cases, you may need to attach additional documentation as evidence.
Don’t be vague about what you want reversed: Clearly ask for what you want. Passive or vague language can be confusing. Instead, directly request an appeal for the specific decision you want changed. Don’t make it longer than one page: Brevity can be difficult, but it’s important to keep your appeal letter short and to the point. Present the most important information to plead your case. Don’t include tangential arguments.
Ready to make your case?
A respectful, well-organized appeal letter can change the outcome of a decision. However, you’ve got to make sure you use a professional tone, provide sufficient evidence, and make a compelling argument.
If writing an appeal letter from scratch feels overwhelming, let Jotform do the hard work for you. Try Jotform’s appeal letter template. The format is already in place, as is the professional tone. Just fill in the blanks. Add in your relevant details, including the evidence for your argument, and you’re ready to go.
With Jotform’s appeal letter template, you can turn the decision your way.
This article is for individuals navigating academic, workplace, or administrative disputes, including students, employees, and professionals, and anyone who wants to write a compelling appeal letter that improves their chances of reversing a decision.
AS ALWAYS, CONSULT AN ATTORNEY BEFORE RELYING ON ANY FORM CONTRACT OR CONTRACT TEMPLATE. THE CONTENT ABOVE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.
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