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How to write Letter of Recommendation for Masters?

Sushant Gulia
Sushant Gulia
Updated Jun 14, 2024

LOR, or Letter of recommendation, is considered an important document for studying abroad. Documents such as LOR, SOP, and resume are some of the important documents required to be submitted, along with academic transcripts and application forms, to the admission committee regarding the candidate's application. LORs are provided by past faculty members and employees, which help in [providing information regarding the character of the candidate, previous achievements, performance, and eligibility. Therefore, IORs are very important for the profile of the applicant and help in adding extra weight to the application submitted by the candidate for admission. 

Tips for writing Letters of recommendation for Graduate students

When taking a recommendation letter from a professor for a master's degree, it is important to consider the following points in the letter of recommendation:

  • It is important to provide information regarding the diverse accomplishment

As the students are required to provide 2-3 recommendation letters, the candidate needs to make the recommenders mention the different aspects of previous achievements, academic and extracurricular accomplishments, and personality. For instance, the letter of recommendation should provide information regarding the research skills and another recommendation may include the classroom performance of the candidate. 

  • Provide relevant information to the recommender

Although the person recommending knows the patient very well, they may not have records of their academic performance and achievements, extracurricular achievements, and test scores. Therefore, it is important to provide information regarding all relevant information such as all the academic GPAs, achievements, extracurricular activities, and the final date of submitting the letter. 

  • The letter should contain an example

The recommenders need to provide information about various instances and anecdotes, that can help highlight the qualities of the candidate. Simply writing that the candidate is good at research work will not help. Therefore it is important to provide examples regarding the same is very much necessary, such as including a discussion or research paper. 

  • LOR should highlight the improvement of the candidate with time

The admission committees generally go through a large number of admissions applications. Therefore a letter only praising the candidate seems to look unauthentic and unrealistic. Therefore, the recommender needs to provide information regarding the various ways in which the candidate improved over time focus on the strengths, and take care of the weaknesses of the candidate.

  • Excessive use of dry tome should be avoided

The recommendation letter has a formal tone. Therefore it should not be filled with a dry tone during writing. The admission committee generally appreciated LORs written in a personal yet formal tone. Therefore providing a strong letter will help in speaking about the candidate and also help in avoiding cliches.  Also, every LOR should be written in a different style with different content without changing the format. 

  • No plagiarism

It is important to note that the admission committee can very easily identify whether the candidate has written the LOR or has been plagiarized.  Therefore the candidates need to make sure not to blindly copy the LOR and its content and send them to the universities. 

Format of LOR 

The structure and format of a letter of recommendation are very important when writing an LOR. It should be done in a way that the message is communicated. It should be drafted into 3-4 paragraphs. Every paragraph should address the unique attributes of the candidate proved by rationale and logic. Moreover, LOR should not have any large vague descriptions. 

  • First section

The first section should include a concrete foundation regarding the relationship between the recommender and the candidate. It should highlight how the recommender knows about the candidate and also provide the qualification of the recommender to attest to the skills and capabilities of the candidate. 

  • Second section

The section should provide information regarding the essential credentials and qualities of the candidate. It should provide evidence regarding the competence of the candidate backed with examples.

  • Third section

In this section, the recommender should talk about various unique experiences and incidents that feature the technical and professional expertise and skills of the candidate.  The section can also include information regarding the soft skills of the candidate. 

  • Fourth section

The section should be used to highlight the important points discussed in the above section. The LOR should be concluded with the considerable endorsement of the recommender towards the candidate for accepting the candidate in their preferred program. 

Process of Submitting Letter of Recommendation 

The process of submitting a letter of recommendation depends on the university in which the candidate is applying. International universities have certain rules regarding the ease with which they want the candidate to submit the letter of recommendation. Some of the most popular ways to submit a letter of recommendation are:

  • Online Form: It is considered one of the simplest ways of submitting a letter of recommendation. In this process, the universities provide an online login portal for the candidate’s listed recommenders, in which they are asked to [provide answers to some specific questions related to the candidate.
  • Email: In some universities the recommendation letters need to be submitted directly by the recommender through the help of email. The email should be sent from the official email id of the recommender. 
  • Post: This is one of the most common and used methods of submitting a letter of recommendation in universities. In this method, the candidate collects the letter of recommendation in a signed, sealed, and stamped package. Then the students are required to send the recommendation along with their details and personal information about their application. 

How to ask for a Letter of recommendation?

It is very common for students to hesitate when asking for letters of recommendation for a master's degree from different teachers, employers, and mentors. Therefore, no matter how nervous the students feel, it is important to remember that it is a normal part of the admission procedure. Some of how the students can ask for a letter of recommendation are:

  • Identifying the right person: When asking for a recommendation letter it is very much important to find the right person who has significant value in the admission process. It is important to remember the list of people who have known the student for a long period and have the eligibility to attest to the character and qualities of the candidate. 
  • Providing a resume: It is considered helpful for the student to provide a resume showcasing the strong skills of the candidate. This helps the recommender to write a well-researched recommendation.  The students can also provide their academic certificates to the recommender highlighting the qualifications and achievements of the candidates.
  • Asking in person: Asking for a recommendation letter in person is always considered best for the students.  Asking in person before sending a formal request via post or email is considered more respectful. 

Formal request: After getting an acceptance of the request made in person, the students can send a formal proposal. The formal proposal can be sent via written request in email. 

Difference between SOP, LOR, and Letter of reference

LOR: A (LOR) letter of recommendation is a piece of attested document that is generally issued by an authorized person to highlight the capability and potential of an aspiring candidate or student willing to join a particular college or institution to obtain higher education. The document helps the admission committee of the university regarding the capabilities, skills, qualities, prospects, and achievements. Getting a letter of recommendation from a highly qualified person plays a crucial role in the admission process of students in any international university.

SOPs: SOP stands for statement of purpose. It is considered the most important document that helps support the admission procedure of students in international universities. The SOP generally contains a bibliography essay which is written by the candidate providing information regarding themselves. In the essay, the candidates provide information regarding their goals, principles, and ambitions for the future. The students can also provide information regarding their long-term plans, dreams, and passions for which they work in the future.  The statement of purpose is considered very significant for the admission committee to assume the nature and personality of the candidate. 

Letter of Reference: Letters of reference or Letters of recommendation are generally used interchangeably. Although these two terms differ in key aspects, they will be discussed further.  A letter of recommendation (LOR) is an official statement provided by a recognized person that helps in the admission process of the student. LOR also acts as a supportive document for various job opportunities and other professional programs. On the other hand, a letter of reference is a generic approbation or affirmation regarding the character and personality of the candidate. The letter of recommendation is sent to the university directly. However, the letter of reference is handed directly to the concerned student.  Also, the letter of recommendation should be written by a person well-qualified to attest to the professional academic skills of the candidate.  However, the letter of reference can be written by any colleagues or friends and can attest to the capabilities and character of the candidate. 

Who is the concerned person when asking for a letter of recommendation for a master's degree?

In case you are willing to be admitted to a master's degree in any foreign university, then it becomes important for the candidate to understand that foreign universities give very much importance to past experiences, skills, personal characteristics, and qualities along with the grades of the candidate. In this scenario letter of recommendation becomes very useful. 

However, the main question arises, Who is to ask for the recommendation letter for admission to master programs? Therefore are universities that only accept letters of recommendation provided by professional mentors, professors, and past employees. When getting a letter of recommendation from a professor, then the recommendation letter should contain information regarding the academic accomplishments and skills. In axe the letter of recommendation comes from a past employee, then the letter should provide information regarding the specific skills related to the master's degree. Asking for a letter of recommendation from an appropriate person plays a significant role in the admission procedure of the candidate to a foreign university.