Letter of Recommendation (LOR) format, samples & tips to write

Darshan Shah

27 Jun 2024

There are so many documents that are needed when you’re planning to study abroad. These need to be well curated for increasing your chances for approvals from visa authorities as well as universities. Read our article to get to know all of the details about what an LOR is and some quick tips on how to write it.

What is LOR?

As we mentioned above, there are ample amounts of documents you need to submit when you’re applying for universities abroad. One of them is an LOR. Let’s get to know more about it in detail.

LOR Full Form

LOR refers to a Letter of Recommendation.

Letter of Recommendation

Like a Statement of Purpose is a formal document written by you addressing the university or visa authorities, a Letter of Recommendation is written by someone who knows you well in academic or professional contexts. It is used to showcase your skills, abilities and character traits from the perspective of a third person. It offers additional insights into your qualifications and suitability to the selection authorities for the program you’re applying to.

Letter of Recommendation: Types

There are two types of LOR:

Academic LORs
Professional LORs

Let’s explore both of these in detail, separately.

Academic Letter of Recommendation

Written by teachers/professors who’ve previously taught you in academic courses.
Details such as your academic performance, participation in discussions in the classroom, intellectual curiosity, researching abilities, and potential for success in a university setting is mentioned.

Professional Letter of Recommendation

Written by an employer or supervisor. When you have work experience relating to your relevant field of study, this can be a beneficial document to submit to let the authorities know that you have prior work experience and knowledge in your field of study.
The person may highlight your work ethic, leadership skills, teamwork abilities, and contributions to the organization.

Why do you need a Letter of Recommendation?

There are several reasons for this. Let’s look at why you need a Letter of Recommendation.

Validation of Skills and Abilities

LOR will provide an independent assessment of your skills, abilities, and character. Someone who knows you well academically or professionally is naturally competent to provide these details about you. This validation helps in strengthening your application and highlights your strengths and potential contributions if the university chooses you to be on their program.

Holistic View

Supposing your application is weak in some areas, let’s say in a certain semester your grades weren’t so good. This is when a Letter of Recommendation can come to the rescue. While your grades and resumes convey your strengths, your weak points can be creatively masked using an LOR. Your abilities beyond what grades and resumes convey can be portrayed such as work ethic, leadership skills, qualities, teamwork skills, etc. that make you a strong candidate.

Credibility

LORs add credibility to your application. Someone expert in your field recommending you for the role you’ve selected endorsing your capabilities and potential is a plus point in getting an approval.

Different Perspectives

When you’re applying to programs that demand a diverse set of skills, different recommenders can be asked to provide varied insights into your work and education (e.g. academic and professional LOR).

Comparative Advantage

When there are a lot of applications that meet the eligibility requirements, standing out from the competition is only possible through unique and personalized documents like LORs.

Evidence of Relationships

LOR also subtly showcases your ability to form meaningful relationships with professors and mentors, and this is a trait that is valued in higher education, especially top universities.

Overall, LORs provide insights into your potential after being accepted in the program.

LOR: How do you write one?

Here are some quick tips on how to write a Letter of Recommendation. These are for someone who will write an LOR for you, share with them to help them get insights on how to write an LOR. You can use these yourself as an employer/professor if you’re to write an LOR for your employee/student.

Understand the Purpose: Before you start writing, understand what the candidate’s goals, program they’re applying to, qualities and experiences are relevant to the position.
Gather Information: Collect details about the candidate’s academic or professional achievements, skills, work ethic, leadership abilities, and relevant experiences or projects they were involved in. Reviewing their resume, transcript or work portfolio can be useful.

Letter of Recommendation: LOR Format

This format will help you maintain the flow of you LOR:

Introduction

Start with a formal salutation. Specify the name of the person if you know them. Introduce yourself and mention how you’re related to the applicant. Include how long you’ve known them and as what (e.g. teacher, mentor, supervisor).

Highlight Qualities and Achievements

Discuss the candidate’s strengths, skills, and abilities in relevance to the program they’re applying to. Use incidents that illustrate these qualities. Use measurable achievements wherever possible. Highlight leadership roles taken up by them, teamwork projects the applicant excelled in, etc.

Personal Attributes

State the candidate’s personal attributes such as work ethic, integrity, creativity, problem-solving skills, and adaptability describing how these have contributed to their academic or workplace success.

Address Weaknesses

Appropriately address areas with scope for improvement providing constructive feedback. Emphasize more on how the candidate is actively improving in these areas. Mention how their strengths outweigh these weaknesses.

Conclusion

Summarize your endorsement of the candidate and explain why you believe they are a good fit for the program. Provide further information so you can answer any questions if needed from the authorities.

Closing

Ending professionally (e.g. “Sincerely”, “Best regards'') should be followed by your name and contact information. If you’re mailing the LOR, sign the letter in ink.

Don’t forget to review and edit as needed for correcting any grammar or spelling mistakes.

Letter of Recommendation: Useful Vocabulary

Here are some of the common words you can use as needed when writing the LOR:

Positive Qualities	Academic Abilities	Professional Skills	Personal Attributes
Diligent	Excellent academic record	Leadership qualities	Integrity
Hardworking	Intellectual curiosity	Teamwork abilities	Ethical conduct
Dedicated	Depth of knowledge	Project management skills	Respectful demeanor
Reliable	Analytical skills	Time management skills	Empathy
Conscientious	Research abilities	Decision-making skills	Cultural sensitivity
Detail-oriented	Strong writing skills	Conflict resolution skills	Open-mindedness
Resourceful	Effective communication skills	Client/customer relations skills	Emotional intelligence
Adaptive	Active participation in class discussions	Technical proficiency	Humility
Initiative-taking	Ability to collaborate with peers	Sales/marketing skills	Resilience
Goal-oriented	Capacity for independent study	Financial acumen	Positive attitude
Self-motivated	Leadership qualities	Adaptability to changing circumstances	Adaptability to change
Proactive	Manages time effectively	Resource management	Creativity
Innovative	Organizational skills	Collaborative	Passion for learning/growth
Analytical	Strong sense of responsibility and dedication	Meets deadlines consistently	Integrity and ethics
Critical thinker	Interpersonal skills	Delivers high-quality work under pressure	Accountability
Problem solver	Resilient in solving complex issues	Takes initiative and leads by example	Dedication
Strong work ethic	Conveys thoughts and arguments convincingly	Builds strong working relationship based on trust and mutual respect	Transparency

Impactful Phrases That Can Be Used in Your LOR:

“I highly recommend…”
“Without hesitation, I endorse…”
“Exemplary performance in…”
“Consistently exceeds expectations in…”
“Demonstrates exceptional…”
“Displays a keen ability to…”
“Shows a strong commitment to…”
“Has a proven track record of…”
“Has made significant contributions to…”
“Stands out for…”

LOR: Why Are Recommendation Letters Important?

There are some crucial reasons why LORs are important and beneficial as a part of your university application:

A Letter of Recommendation provides an external perspective and validation to your skills.
It arouses trust in the admissions committee so as to why you deserve to be on their program.
Highlights your unique traits in contrast to your competition applying to the program.
Offer an insight into your potential by evaluating your achievements, growth, readiness for challenges , adaptability, and initiative.
LORs add a personal touch to your application and make you stand out from the crowd.

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Important Resources

How to Write a Great SOP for Your MS in Information Management Systems SOP for Australia Student Visa PG Diploma SOP for Canada student visa The must-have points in a Statement of Purpose (SOP) written for US Universities Statement of Purpose (SOP): All you need to know!Writing an SOP? Know How Well You Can Justify The Gap Years - Tips, and Format

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who should write a Letter of Recommendation for me?

Ideally, someone who has taught you or seen you work closely in a work setting is credible to write an LOR for you. Professors, employers, and supervisors are the best fits to write your LOR. They can easily provide insights into your skills, abilities and character.

How many Letters of Recommendation do I need?

This may vary from institution to institution. Typically universities ask you to submit 2-3 LORs. But make sure to check your program application requirements and submit LORs as required.

What should be included in a LOR Certificate?

A well written LOR will generally include the following points:

Introduction of the recommender
Their relationship to you
Context in which they know you
Evaluation of your skills and qualities
Specific anecdotes that illustrate your strengths
A conclusion that summarizes their recommendation and support for your application

How do I request a Letter of Recommendation?

When requesting an LOR, plan to do so in person or in a polite formal email. Provide necessary details to the recommender such as the purpose of your application, the deadline for submission, specific point you would like them to address, and supporting materials that are relevant (e.g. your resume)

Can I see the Letter of Recommendation before it gets submitted?

It is common to request viewing your LOR before submission. However, some recommenders may want to keep their letter confidential. Make sure that they have enough information about you so as to have your Letter of Recommendation be well written and insightful into your skills. Wisely choosing recommenders is also a crucial part of the process.

Should I waive my right to see the Letter of Recommendation?

Waiving your right to see the LOR means you won’t be able to view it before it gets submitted. Some applications provide this choice. Waiving your right to see the LOR engages trust from the evaluators and ensures in their eyes that you have complete faith in the recommender’s evaluation. Qualities such as being able to build meaningful relationships with your professors/employers, having faith in the trajectory of your life and your skillset, are some of the values reflected when you choose to waive your right to view the LOR. However, this is not a compulsion.

Is it okay to submit more LORs than required?

No. Adhering to the requirements shows that you follow instructions and respect the application guidelines. Unless your application requires you to submit more LORs, you must not do so. Go through the application requirements thoroughly and submit only the required number of LORs.

How can I ensure a strong Letter of Recommendation?

A strong Letter of Recommendation needs recommenders who know you well and can speak positively about your qualities and achievements in the field. On your part, ensure that you provide all the necessary information about your achievements, goals, and the context of your application required by them to write your LOR. Follow up politely, to ensure that they submit the LOR before the application's deadline.

Should I include the Letter of Recommendation along with my initial application or have them sent separately?

Follow the instructions and requirements of your application. Reach out to them with any queries if they have not specified when to submit your LOR.

What if I don’t have any references for writing my LOR?

In case you don’t have any academic or professional references for writing your LOR, you can reach out to other individuals who can speak about your character, leadership skills, community involvement, or other relevant experiences. Coaches, volunteer coordinators, community leaders, or others can be asked to write your LOR as well.

Can I use the same Letter of Recommendation for multiple applications?

It is totally acceptable to submit the same Letter of Recommendation for multiple applications. However, it is important that you tailor each of them to your specific applications. A common LOR across your applications might not be suitable if it doesn’t highlight a specific skill set that is required by the different programs that you’re applying to. If using the same LOR, you can personalize its introduction and conclusion depending on your application requirements.

What if I receive a negative or neutral Letter of Recommendation?

If this happens, you can clarify and address specific negative points that the recommender may have included about you.Alternatively you can choose a different recommender, who can write a more positive and supportive LOR, to write it for you.

Should I follow up with my recommenders after they have submitted my LOR?

Yes. Maintaining a positive relationship with your recommenders can prove beneficial in the future. You should express your gratitude for their courteous help and let them know about the application outcome as well whenever it comes.

Is it better to have a Letter of Recommendation from a renowned individual or from someone who knows me well?

It is strongly suggested to go for someone who knows you well and can provide positive insights into your qualities to write your LOR. Likewise, if a renowned individual knows you well, then that can prove to be a strong point in your application.