A Letter of Recommendation (LOR) is a crucial part of any admission process. Whether you are applying for an internship, a Masters degree, a study abroad program, or a new job, a strong LOR can boost your application. This guide will help you in understanding what an LOR is, how to request it, and how to write an effective one through examples.
What is a Letter of Recommendation?
A letter of recommendation is a formal document that vouches for a candidate’s skills, academic performance, qualities, or work ethic. Universities abroad and hiring managers often rely on letters of recommendation to get a third-party perspective of a prospective candidate.
Who Needs a Letter of Recommendation?
You might need an LOR if you are applying for undergraduate or postgraduate programs abroad. Additionally, many companies request an LOR from their prospective candidates.
Why Do You Need a Letter of Recommendation?
A strong LOR can strengthen your application by validating your claims. It helps admission officers and employers gauge a good understanding of your soft skills. In 2025, with the rise of AI-generated applications, the value of a personalized LOR has increased ten-fold.
How To Request an LOR?
- Choose the right recommender: Pick someone who knows you well, and who you have interacted with frequently. Someone in a relevant, respectable position who can speak about your work or academic contributions.
Tip: Your college professors, team leaders, or senior managers make for great recommenders.
- Make your request polite and prompt: It has been advised to request an LOR well in advance of your application deadline. At least 4-6 weeks in advance has been advised. This allows the recommender ample time to curate a strong LOR. At the same time, it is also courteous to ask early, especially if you are asking several people.
- Provide helpful details: Share your resume, Statement of Purpose (SOP), key achievements, application deadlines- this will help them write a more personalized letter.
How to Write an Effective LOR?
Often, recommenders may ask you to write your own LOR due to time constraints or because they believe you can describe your own strengths the best. However, in such cases, the letter should always be reviewed, edited, and signed by the actual recommender to maintain credibility and honesty.
Format for a Letter of Recommendation
The format for an LOR may change as per specific requirements and context. For instance, an academic LOR might focus on academic achievements, while a professional LOR would underline an individual’s skills and job experience.
To illustrate the process of drafting an LOR, here are the sections that a generic LOR is comprised of.
- Introduction of LOR: The letter should open with the recommender stating their name and designation at their respective institute. It is also necessary to mention their relationship with the applicant and specify how many months or years they have been acquainted with them. It is advantageous for the recommender to hold a position of seniority to make the letter appear authoritative in nature.
For example:
To Whom It May Concern
I am Dr. Anita Bose, Head of Department of English at M.R. College. I am writing to recommend my student Siya Pereira for an internship at ResearchTime. I have had the pleasure of teaching Siya Pereira for the past two years during her undergraduate studies... - Body of the LOR: The main body of the letter consists of two to three paragraphs and ideally includes a minimum of three distinct qualities of the applicant. It tells of their academic or professional achievements and supplies relevant, specific instances and contributions.
Tip: Here are some qualities that you can include in an LOR. You can tailor the content depending on whether it is an academic or professional LOR.
For Academic LORs:
Academic performance, passion, research skills, extra-curriculars, leadership ability, teamwork skills, takes initiative.
For Professional LORs:
Leadership ability, teamwork skills, decision-making skills, work-ethic, time-management, multi-tasking.
For example: Siya has shown remarkable dedication in every project she has undertaken. She led a team research assignment on postcolonial literature and received appreciation from faculty and peers alike... Her attention to detail and teamwork skills make her an excellent addition to any team. - Conclusion: The last paragraph should summarize why the applicant that you are recommending through the letter would be a good fit for the institution. The recommender can also add one or two lines on their personal opinion of the applicant.
For example: Importantly, other than being reliable she is also gracious and approachable, qualities that would make her a good fit with any team. I therefore wholeheartedly recommend Siya for your internship.
- Closing and Signature: Reiterate your recommendation. The recommender should close the letter with their signature which includes their name, followed by their designation, department, institution’s name and contact information.
For example:
Sincerely,
Dr. Anita Bose
Head of Department, English
M.R. College, Mumbai
anita.bose@mrcollege.edu
Handy Tips for Writing an Effective LOR
- Use formal language and tone.
- Plagiarizing content from a website will negatively affect your application.
- Avoid repeating the same traits as those of the other recommenders.
- Do not mention weaknesses unless specifically asked to.
- The strengths that you mention in the LOR must be relevant to the position you are applying for.
- The LOR must be written on the official letterhead of the recommender to establish credibility.
A Letter of Recommendation can greatly influence your chances of admission or job selection. Be thoughtful about whom you ask to be your recommender and give them time and context.
