Sample letters of recommendation (LORs) for students planning their studies abroad

What’s covered in this article?

1. What makes a good LOR?
2. What is a good LOR format?
3. Sample Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
4. Tips for writing a good LOR
5. Mistakes to avoid in an LOR
6. Whom to ask for an LOR
7. FAQs on writing a Letter of Recommendation or LOR

Studying abroad involves a lot of paperwork. Amidst the pile of papers, there is one that could be most stressful - the Letter of Recommendation (LOR). An LOR is a prerequisite for most foreign university applications. It can decide the fate of your application. You might be blank right now, thinking about how to proceed with getting an LOR, and wondering whom to ask for an LOR for your higher studies abroad. A sample LOR is a good place to start. You can understand the format and the general style of writing to convey your expectations to your referee.

What makes a good LOR?

A good LOR should highlight your eligibility for the course you picked. It should talk about your skills and accolades that are most relevant to your subject. It should also mention what makes you unique and how you can contribute to the institution and society. It is best to avoid generalisations. The referee’s suggestion should be very clear and it is best if it is reiterated at the end of the letter.

Check out our article if you need more pointers for getting a good LOR from the right referee.

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What is a good LOR format?

An LOR can have 3 to 4 paragraphs.

The first paragraph should explain the relationship between the student and the referee. It should also include information like how long the referee has known the student and in what capacity. This paragraph should mention the profession and/or area of expertise of the referee. They can also mention how long they have known you.

In the next two paragraphs, the referee can talk about their evaluation of the student/candidate. A line or two about why they think the student is the apt candidate for the course should also be added. In these two paragraphs, the referee can also talk about the achievements (academic and otherwise) of the candidate. If the candidate’s skills and expertise are mentioned, it is necessary to back the claim with examples. Any other qualification, voluntary activities etc. can be added too.

The final paragraph should be more like a summary of your reasons for recommending the candidate for the university programme. You can conclude by reiterating your recommendation.

Apart from these, ensure that you use a formal font with black as the font colour. It should be formatted properly with the right alignment, sufficient line spacing and paragraph breaks.

A good LOR can make your university application stand out from the rest.

Sample Letter of Recommendation (LOR)

An LOR should start with the date and place and salutation, followed by the referee’s introduction, the body of the LOR, a concluding paragraph and finally the signature. If the LOR is supposed to be addressed to a specific person in the admission committee or the faculty, you can address them in the letter.                                                                                  

8 November 2022

Chennai

Dear Admission Committee,

As a professor of [subject] at [college name] in Chennai, I am delighted to recommend [student name], a final year BSc [course name] student for the prestigious [prospective course name] course offered by the [university name], [place]. I am a [qualification of the referee] in [subject] and have X years of experience imparting my knowledge to students. I had the privilege of teaching and guiding [first name of the student] for the past three years and I have seen him/her evolve from a promising student to a mentor for his/her classmates.

He/she has always demonstrated [skills] and was an outstanding student in terms of academic performance. He/she was open to feedback and took initiative to improve herself/himself to eventually excel at what he/she does. [Add an example to validate this claim]. The best part about [student name] that I would like to highlight is his/her interest in helping his/her peers get better at their studies.

[Student name] represented our institution at the college level and state-level [competition names] competitions bringing accolades to our college. I particularly remember an instance when he/she [any instance when the student proved their skills/knowledge]. For his/her undergraduate project, he/she worked on [topic]. Though it was a difficult theme, she and her team were able to [results] ahead of the stipulated time.  She organised [subject] events in our college and was an active participant in volunteering activities too.

[Student] has always been at the forefront of any events at our college, contributing to its fame and success in our district. I believe his/her self-discipline and an inquisitive mind are his/her biggest assets that ensure continued success in all his/her endeavours. I strongly recommend [student] for the [course name] course offered by your institution and I wish her all the best.

Thanks and regards,

Name

Signature

Email address

Phone number

What makes an LOR unique is the skills and accomplishments that the referee chooses to highlight. This should vary based on the courses you are applying to. It is ideal if the points vary from one referee to another because different people will have different opinions about you. What they think is relevant should find a place in the recommendation letter. However, the basic structure of the LOR can remain the same. Explore our article on the different types of LORs to understand more about the specific details to be included in LORs for different subjects.

Here are some sample LORs for your reference:

1. Sample LOR written by a professor for a student looking to study MS in Computer Science abroad. [PDF, 78KB]
2. Sample LOR written by an employer for an employee looking to study MS in Analytical Chemistry abroad. [PDF, 77KB]
3. Sample LOR written by a professor for a student looking to study an MBA abroad. [PDF, 76KB]
4. Sample LOR written by an employer for an employee looking to study an MBA abroad. [PDF, 78KB]
5. Sample LOR written by an employer for an employee looking to study Chemical Engineering abroad. [PDF, 76KB]
6. Sample LOR written by a professor for a student looking to study Electronic Engineering abroad. [PDF, 75KB]

The Dos: Tips for writing a good Letter of Recommendation

1. Choose the right person to write an LOR for you. (More guidance on that below)
2. Choose a referee who has known you for a long time and knows about your academic and professional achievements rather than choosing someone who knows or cares little about you.
3. Ensure that you give the referee adequate time to draft the LOR. If possible, spend time with your referee, helping him or her with the inputs required to draft the letter.
4. The skills and accomplishments mentioned in the LOR should align with the subject or requirements of the course you are applying to.
5. Ensure that the letter is written in crisp and simple English.  It should not be riddled with grammar errors.
6. Make sure you follow a specific format and font while writing the LOR – every LOR must have a basic structure. Read more about the LOR format below.
7. If the recommender highlights any skill, add supporting details to it.
8. Ensure that all information stated in the letter matches your academic scores. Any specific achievements related to the course you wish to study should be mentioned.
9. Always maintain factual accuracy. Add data to support the claims.
10. If the institution has specified a word limit, say 500-600 words for the LOR, you should adhere to it.
11. Ensure that the letter is delivered to the university well before the deadline.
12. Personally, thank your referee for the help and support they show.

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 The Don’ts: Mistakes to avoid while writing an LOR

1. Don’t try writing an LOR on your own and using somebody else’s signature. That’s illegal!
2. If the institution (where you plan to send the letter) requests that you as the applicant should not read the letter and that it should be sent directly to the institution, please do follow the request.
3. Don’t get a letter written by a referee who does not know anything about your academic or professional achievements.
4. Don’t wait till the last minute to send over the letter to the institution.
5. Do not copy-paste content from the web. It should be used as a reference only.
6. Do not exaggerate. Your skills and accomplishments shouldn’t be inflated. The reviewing authority will be able to see through this and it will negatively impact your application.

Whom to ask for an LOR?

Sometimes institutions themselves ask for LORs from particular people. It could be your professor, your manager or your colleague if you were employed. You might feel confused if it is left to you to decide on your referees.

Don’t worry, there are ways to identify the best people to ask for an LOR or letter of recommendation. To choose either an employer or a professor whom you think can be ideal as referees, you need to first make a list of the names that come to your mind. Our article tells you three crucial points to help you shortlist the people to ask for an LOR. In the end, it all boils down to how willing they are to spend their time writing a convincing recommendation letter for you.

Think over it and choose the best from the list!

FAQs on writing a Letter of Recommendation or LOR

Are 200 words enough for an LOR?

An ideal recommendation letter should not be more than 1-page long. If the recommendation letter talks about your relevant skills, accomplishments, contributions, motivations and such, then the length of the LOR should not matter. That said, a very long reference letter is not good. A very short one will not give a good impression of the candidate.

Can I write LOR by myself?

It is not right to write a recommendation letter by yourself. The institution is looking for a professor or colleague’s honest opinion of you and you shouldn’t be the one writing it. If they are new to writing recommendation letters, you can give pointers or provide samples for guidance. Some institutions request that the recommendation letters are sent to them directly and not through the candidate.

Can I study abroad without an LOR?

The short answer is yes, considering that there are several institutions where a recommendation letter is not a mandatory requirement. They evaluate candidates based on other admission criteria such as their Statement of Purpose, resume, academic profile and work experience if any.

How many Letters of Recommendation are required to study abroad from India?

Most institutions ask for 2 or more recommendation letters. Some might also specify from whom the letter of recommendation should be.

Can I ask my HOD to write a recommendation letter to support my study-abroad application?

If the institution that you are applying to specifically asks for a Letter of Recommendation from the Head of the Department, please go ahead and approach them. However, if you have a choice, you should always give preference to someone who knows you and your potential well. If your HOD indeed knows your calibre and is ready to vouch for you, you can request a recommendation letter.

An LOR cannot be taken lightly. It can either get you what you want or take you nowhere. So it is essential that you build a strong rapport with either your employer or your professor, but only through working hard. 

Let us know if you have any questions. We can help you with more advice on how to get a pressing LOR for overseas education done. 

Editor's note: This article was originally published in March 2018. Our content writer Roshna Mohan has edited it to include up-to-date information and made it comprehensive.