IELTS Formal Letter: Letter to college principal withdrawing from accepted course

The task

You have recently applied for a course at a college and have been accepted. However, you cannot join the course due to some reasons.

Write a letter to the principal of the college. In your letter:

→which course you have applied for?
→why you cannot join the course
→ask about the possibility of the course in the future

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

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8164 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Dr. Aris,

I am writing to formally withdraw my application for the Advanced Digital Marketing Diploma, which I was delighted to be accepted into for the upcoming autumn semester.

Unfortunately, an unexpected change in my professional circumstances prevents me from enrolling at this time. My employer has recently mandated a long-term overseas assignment, which necessitates my relocation abroad for the next twelve months. Consequently, I will be unable to attend the lectures or participate in the practical components of the course as scheduled.

I remain deeply interested in this programme, as it aligns perfectly with my long-term career objectives. Could you please advise if it might be possible to defer my place until the following academic year? If a deferral is not permitted, I would appreciate guidance on the formal procedure for re-applying once I have returned to the country.

Thank you for your time and understanding regarding this unforeseen development. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Jonathan Sterling

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.

Write a letter, get a band free →

Examiner's view

Why this scores well

This response achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with a professional, cohesive tone and sophisticated vocabulary. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to provide a logical reason for the withdrawal or omitting the specific request regarding future enrollment.

→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.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

withdraw
To remove oneself from a previously agreed arrangement.
mandated
An official order or requirement from an authority.
necessitates
Makes something necessary as a result or consequence.
aligns
To place or arrange things in a straight line.
defer
To postpone an action to a later time.
unforeseen
Not anticipated or predicted before it happens.

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 many words 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.

What does the examiner look for?+

Keep practising

More other letters

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