LOR Samples – Craft Effective LOR with LOR Format

Letter of Recommendation is a vital letter giving insight into your academic and professional background. This letter is to be obtained from a suitable recommender in the required format. Here we have given a few LOR samples that will aid in drafting your own LOR. 

Academic and Professional LOR has its own format and must cover all the necessary information. The LOR samples along with the guidelines and writing tips are given here will help you draft the best Letter of Recommendation.  The guidelines, tips, and LOR samples can enhance your understanding of the document's structure, format, flow, and content. 

What is a LOR? Who needs it?

A Letter of Recommendation (LOR) is a letter written by someone for another person, usually a student or an employee, recommending their academic or work performance. A Letter of Recommendation (LOR) will detail the individual’s qualifications and skills related to their employment or education. 

LOR is usually written by previous employers, teachers, professors, colleagues, or clients. In the letter, they describe why this individual is a good fit for the particular position that they are applying for. So the individuals who will need a LOR or a LOR certificate are students who are applying for higher studies, or employees looking for another job. 

Usually, LOR certificates should only be one page long. And it will generally contain an introduction, a body, and a closing statement. A LOR certificate should be around 300-400 words. Within this word limit, it should present the individual’s character, achievements, and abilities.

Who to approach for a letter of recommendation?

It depends on the program you are applying for, but generally, a Letter of Recommendation for a Master’s application is written by one of your professors or teachers. Sometimes Universities explicitly ask for a LOR certificate from a professor. They can also request the LOR certificate from professors and previous employers. 

The things to take care of when you approach someone for a LOR certificate are:

• Do not approach a professor or an individual who does not know you closely. The person you go to should be able to voucher your academic or professional abilities. 
• Do not approach a person who would not give you a favourable LOR. 

For you to really want to impress the admission committee, you should choose a person who has the same specialisation as the post you are applying for.

Types of LORs

Depending on the purpose, there can be two types of LOR. They are:

1. Academic LOR 

This is the LOR Certificate that is needed when an individual is applying for higher education. A teacher or a professor usually writes this, mentioning the individual’s academic performance, achievements and abilities. 

Skills to be included:

• Individual qualities, abilities, different strengths,  methodologies, ability to handle study load, enthusiasm for the field they are applying for, etc.
• Past and current accomplishments
• Logical capacity and basic reasoning
• Teamwork skills
• Research skills
• Comprehension ability
• Academic and extracurricular potential
• Their enthusiasm towards the program they are applying for
• How the student compare to their peers
• Reaction to setbacks

2. Professional LOR

This is the LOR Certificate that is needed when an individual is applying for another job. A previous employer usually writes this, mentioning the individual’s work performance, achievements and abilities.

Skills to be included:

• Decision-making skills
• Leadership Qualities
• Ability to work in a team
• Good communication skills
• Time management and multitasking
• Strengths and skills regarding management
• Initiative and dedication
• Work ethics
• Motivation
• Hard work and ability to work independently
• Creative and innovative ideas
• Integrity and reliability
• Summary of job responsibilities and diligence
• Reaction to setbacks

Effective Format of an LOR

As mentioned above, a good Letter of Recommendation should have 3 parts – an introduction, a body and a conclusion. 

Introduction 

In the introduction part, the person writing the LOR should explain their relationship with the student they are writing the LOR for. For example, if the recommender has known them as a professor or employer etc. Also, the recommender needs to mention their general impression of the student/employee and the time they have known them. 

The Body / Quality and Skills

The recommender needs to argue why this particular student or employee is the best candidate for the position they are applying for. Here they can mention the student’s educational background, achievements, activities and relevant personality traits.

Conclusion

The recommender needs to add a strong closing statement that vouches for the student’s performance ability. Then they need to end the letter with the usual formalities, like adding their name, contact details and phone number.

Guidelines for a Perfect LOR

A perfect LOR makes your chances higher in getting that admission or job. So always make sure your LOR is perfect. The guidelines for a perfect LOR are :

• The number of pages should not exceed one.
• The ideal word limit is 300-400 words. But if the company or University you are applying for has a specified word limit, stick to that. 
• The English used should be simple and straightforward.
• In the introduction section, the recommender should mention their relationship with the applicant and how long they have known them. Also mention their general image of them.  You may end this paragraph by mentioning why you are recommending this particular person. 
• Then mention the qualities and achievements of the candidate clearly. Also, mention examples or instances where you observed these qualities in that individual. 
• In the further paragraphs you can mention about 3-4 qualities of the individual you are recommending. Going over that limit will tamper with the believability of the LOR. 
• In the conclusion paragraph you summarise all the qualities of the student and give a strong and positive endorsement for the applicant, and voucher for them. 
• You should not introduce new ideas in the conclusion. 
• If there are three of four LORs for a student, each LOR should be written differently. 

LOR Samples for Students

Hopefully, the above contents might have explained to you how to write a good Letter of Recommendation (LOR). Here are some samples of Letters of Recommendation for various educational programmes. 

LOR Sample for UG Program

Letter of Recommendation

<Name of the referee>

<Position of the referee>

<Mailing address/contact details of the referee>

<Name of recipient(s)>

<Mailing address of recipient>

<Position of recipient>

<Today’s date>

Dear Admission Committee/ Dean of Admissions, 

I am (Referee’s name), and I am the (Headteacher/teacher) at the school (name of the school). I have known the applicant, Ms (applicant’s name) for the past (number of years) years, ever since she joined this school. I am delighted to recommend (applicant’s name) for the Undergraduate Program at your University. 

I have taught (applicant’s name) the subject (subject name) in the year/semester (year/semester name), and based on my association with her, I have inferred that she is an excellent student, and is one of the best I have come across. She has always performed to her full potential and capability throughout her tenure in our School. (applicant’s name) has consistency and has maintained very good grades throughout her tenure at this school. 

I have often noticed that (applicant’s name) always starts fruitful and intriguing discussions in the classroom, from which her peers also gain immensely. Her innovative mind lead her, and other 5 of her teammates to set up a platform where students could post their academic queries on various topics. This platform was extremely helpful for the students and made our school study system more efficient. 

Other than being excellent in her studies, (applicant’s name) also displays an interest in extra-curricular activities and sports. She is an excellent basketball player and has represented the school in various inter-school sports events like the (sports event name) in (month name, year name). Because of her, our school came first in that tournament. (applicant’s name) has also achieved many titles at the district level.

 In conclusion, I would like to say that considering (applicant’s name)’s urge to achieve the best in whatever she undertakes, I believe that she is one of the ideal candidates for pursuing an undergraduate degree at your esteemed university. Thus, I provide my wholehearted recommendation for her candidature. Please feel free to contact me in case of any further queries about him or regarding this recommendation.

Yours sincerely,

Full Name of Recommender

Designation, Department

Name of Institution, City

Contact No:

Email ID:

LOR Sample for UG Program

LOR Sample for MS program

We have given below the best LOR samples for MS to make you to better understand the respective content and structure.

<Name of the referee>

<Position of the referee>

<Mailing address/contact details of the referee>

<Name of recipient(s)>

<Mailing address of recipient>

<Position of recipient>

<Today’s date>

Dear Admission Committee/ Dean of Admissions, 

I am (Referee’s name), and I am the (Principal/professor) at the University (name of the university). I have known the applicant, Ms (applicant’s name) for the past (number of years) years, ever since she joined this university. I am delighted to recommend (applicant’s name) for the Master’s Program at your University.

 I have taught (applicant’s name) the subject (subject name) in the year/semester (year/semester name), and based on my association with her, I have inferred that she is an excellent student, and is one of the best I have come across. She has always performed to her full potential and capability throughout her tenure at our University. 

(applicant’s name) has consistency and has maintained very good grades throughout her tenure at this university. She scored a GPA of 4.0 last semester, which put her among the top 10% of the students in our University. She is always on time to classes and has always submitted her assignments and term papers before deadlines.

 I have often noticed that (applicant’s name) always starts fruitful and intriguing discussions in the classroom, from which her peers also gain immensely. I’m delighted to have had the chance to work with such a bright and talented student. Despite having strength in computer science, she also displays an interest in subjects like physics and math. Her curious nature has urged her to study and understand engineering concepts and ideas far beyond her level. Her innovative mind led her, and other 5 of her teammates to set up a platform where students could post their academic queries on various topics. This platform was extremely helpful for the students and made our school study system more efficient.

 In conclusion, I would like to say that considering (applicant’s name)’s urge to achieve the best in whatever she undertakes, I believe that she is one of the ideal candidates for pursuing a master’s degree at your esteemed university. Thus, I provide my wholehearted recommendation for his candidature. Please feel free to contact me in case of any further queries about him or regarding this recommendation.

Yours sincerely,

Full Name of Recommender

Designation, Department

Name of Institution, City

Contact No:

Email ID:

LOR Sample for MS program

LOR Sample for Professionals

Go through the below-given LOR sample for professionals to write an effective LOR for professionals. 

<Name of the referee>

<Position of the referee>

<Mailing address/contact details of the referee>

<Name of recipient(s)>

<Mailing address of recipient>

<Position of recipient>

<Today’s date>

Dear (recipient’s name), 

I am (referee’s name), and I am the (referee’s post) at the company (name of the company). I have known the applicant, Ms (applicant’s name) for the past (number of years) years, ever since she joined this company. I am delighted to recommend (applicant’s name) for a job in your company. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with (applicant’s name). With her time management skills and ability to work in a team, she is a valuable asset to any company. Her knowledge of (specific expertise) was an immense advantage for our entire office. When she joined the company, her expertise in (a specific area of work/program/software) was not that great. But she constantly worked on improving herself, and now can handle (a specific area of work/program/software) very well.

 Recently she completed a project on (project name) which required great communication with the clients, but with (applicant’s name)’s great interpersonal skills, this entire project went smoothly.

 It is not just her work that impresses me, but (applicant’s name) has such a positive attitude that she is very pleasant to work with. She uplifts the entire energy of the team she is working for. Her can-do attitude and team-building skills were much appreciated by not only me, but by her colleagues as well. 

In conclusion, I would like to say that considering (applicant’s name)’s urge to achieve the best in whatever she undertakes, I believe that she is one of the ideal candidates for the position you are offering. Thus, I provide my wholehearted recommendation for her candidature. Please feel free to contact me in case of any further queries about him or regarding this recommendation.

Yours sincerely,

Full Name of Recommender

Designation, Department

Name of Institution, City

Contact No:

Email ID:

LOR Sample for Professionals

LOR samples for MS in Computer Science (CS)

Having a LOR is the key to getting admission to a good foreign university. However, when you are applying for a specific major, you have to highlight your achievements and draft them accordingly in that particular major. 

Because Computer Science has such a huge scope in India as well as abroad, it is becoming one of the most popular subjects for a Master's Degree. Countries that are ideal for computer science jobs are the UK, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Germany, Singapore, Sweden and Denmark. 

The following few points need to be highlighted in a LOR for Computer Science:

• The applicant’s coding ability. Mention a situation where they used it 
• The applicant’s expertise in programming languages 
• Any app or software that was developed by the applicant
• The applicant’s knowledge of various development tools 

LOR Samples for MS in Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering, a prominent branch of engineering, provides students with many enriching employment opportunities. A Letter of Recommendation is a key factor when applying for Masters in Mechanical Engineering as well.

 The following few points need to be highlighted in a LOR for Mechanical Engineering:

• The applicant’s knowledge of various tools 
• The applicant’s knowledge of the market 
• The applicant’s technical skills
• The applicant’s teamwork skills 
• The applicant’s leadership skills
• The applicant’s problem-solving skills

LOR Samples for MS in Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering has immense scope in the world as long as people are constructing buildings, roads, bridges, and various other structures. So a major in Civil Engineering could be the stepping stone to a successful career. And getting admission for a Master’s in Civil engineering also needs a good LOR. 

The following few points need to be highlighted in a LOR for Civil Engineering:

• The applicant’s curiosity and critical thinking
• Their creativity and flair for innovation
• Mention that the applicant has an eye for detail
• Their problem-solving skills and collaborative spirit

LOR Samples for MS in Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering is yet another pioneer field in engineering. A LOR is required to get admission for a master’s in Electrical Engineering as well. 

The following few points need to be highlighted in a LOR for Electrical Engineering:

• The applicant’s knowledge of circuit design
• The applicant’s knowledge of other software or tools
• Their critical thinking and analyzing skills etc. 
• The applicant’s innovation skills etc.

LOR Samples for MS in Electronic and Communication Engineering (ECE)

The following few points need to be highlighted in a LOR for Electronic and Communication Engineering (ECE):

• The applicant’s interest and knowledge of technology
• The applicant’s interest and knowledge of the latest trends
• The applicant’s IT skills
• Their communication skills, time management, efficiency, etc. 

LOR Samples for MBA

The following few points need to be highlighted in a LOR for MBA:

• The tasks and projects the applicant has done. 
• The engagement or contribution the applicant has done to the institution
• Their ability to work hard 
• Their qualities like dedication, sincerity, proactivity, etc.

 LOT Samples for IT

The following few points need to be highlighted in a LOR for MBA:

• The applicant’s coding ability. Mention a situation where they used it 
• The applicant’s expertise in programming languages 
• The applicant’s knowledge in the latest trends in IT
• The contribution the applicant made in class

Any university you apply for may ask for two to three LORs. You need to pick a perfect recommender to write your LOR. All of these LORs should be written by different people, and should not be a copy of the other. When different people are actually writing the LOR the end result may also differ. But if you are providing a template to the recommender, make sure to provide different templates.

Also, make sure to follow all the tips provided here to create a perfect LOR that is specific to the branch you are applying for.

Mistakes To Be Avoided in Writing a LOR

It is very important to have a perfect LOR. You can not afford to have mistakes when writing the Letter of Recommendation. 

Here are the most common mistakes in LOR

1. Using a person who does not know you well

You should always use a LOR written by a professor or an employee who knows you well, and who has worked with you closely.  

2. Not giving your recommender sufficient time

Your recommender will mostly be a person with a tight schedule. So you should approach them well in advance to get a LOR. This will give them enough time to produce a well-written LOR. Also, you should constantly check with them about the progress of your LOR, to make sure that they have not forgotten about it while dealing with their busy schedules. 

3. Not giving your recommender proper guidance

Your recommender, whether it be a professor or an employer must be dealing with thousands of people every day. And hence some of your achievements may slip from their mind and won’t make it to the LOR. You have to keep them updated about your latest and greatest achievements and accomplishments. 

4. Not mentioning the shortcomings

It is a common mistake that recommenders will mention only the applicant’s achievements and qualities, and fail to mention the areas they need to improve on. This will make the LOR an unrealistic one and hence will lose its credibility.

5. Using a cold dry tone

The recommender should always maintain a warm tone while writing the LOR. Using a cold and dry tone is not going to help.  

6. Addressing the accepting party vaguely

Do not use ‘to whom may it concern’. You need to address them clearly. For example: ‘The Hiring Manager, ‘The Admission Committee’, etc. 

7. Using unethical methods

In the internet era, it is easy to produce a fake letter of recommendation. But do not counterfeit your LOR. The admission committee will have the means to filter through counterfeits. 

Avoiding these mistakes will be beneficial for you. These will help you to have a perfect LOR for MS.

Tips for Writing a Best Letter of Recommendation (LOR)

These are the things you need to keep in mind while you seek a LOR

1. Give the recommender enough time

You need to give enough time to recommender to produce a good and satisfactory LOR. You can also assist them in writing the LOR by providing them with enough data sources and details about your achievements. 

2. Choose the right recommender

Pick a recommender who knows and thinks good about you, rather than someone who may give you a LOR that won’t benefit you. 

3. Use the simple and straightforward language

Guarantee that the letter is written in simple and straightforward language. It should not be cluttered with very difficult sentences.

4. Follow the proper LOR structure

Make sure to follow a proper structure while writing the LOR. Begin with addressing the admission committee, have an introduction, body, and conclusion, and end with the details of the recommender and the date on which the LOR was written.  

5. Use the accurate data

Ensure that the data in the LOR coincide with your academic scores and achievements. Recheck everything to make sure accuracy. 

6. Follow the admission committee guidelines

If the admission committee or organization has a word limit on the LOR, you adhere to it and keep it within that word limit. 

7. Ensure your LOR reached the admission committee

Guarantee that the LOR is conveyed to the admission committee of the University, or the employer long before the due date. And, make sure to thank your recommender for their help.

Summary

Writing a good LOR is very crucial for the academic and professional growth of an individual. So make sure to approach the right people to write a LOR for you. And do read through the LOR written, before you send them out. By this, you can make sure that the Letter of Recommendation is perfect and will be beneficial for you. 

LOR for MS is different for each major. You can refer to the LOR Samples given above for getting an initial idea about how to write a LOR that suits you. But do personalize them and add your own unique touches to make them perfect. 

Overall, a LOR should sound genuine and authentic. And should highlight the actual and existing qualities of the applicant. It may be tempting to use generic qualities that anyone will be impressed with. But writing about unique and genuine qualities that the applicant actually possesses will be a lot more beneficial than just coping from a list of generic qualities.

 FAQ on LOR samples

1. What is the difference between a letter of recommendation and a reference letter?

A reference letter is similar to a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) and highlights an individual’s qualities, abilities and achievements. But a Letter of Recommendation is addressed to a specific person or panel, recommending the applicant for a specific position. But a reference letter is often just a general stamp of approval and is not recommending the applicant for any specific position or opportunity. You can use a reference letter for multiple purposes as it is not addressed to anyone specific. 

2. How to select a good recommender for your LOR?

It is important to get the right person to write your Letter of Recommendation (LOR). And to select the right person you need to take these into account. 

• The relationship is more important than their rank. Getting a big-shot academic person to write a LOR for you would not be the right thing if that person does not know you close enough. You always need to get a recommender who knows you well and has worked with you closely.
• Always get an academic recommendation. If you are applying for an academic position, you need to get your LOR from a professor or teacher. 
• Choose someone who will give you a positive LOR. There will be professors who think good about you, and also professors who may not. So choose the people who have a good impression of you. Do not insist if the professor is hesitating to write you a LOR. You can always ask someone else. But insisting may result in LORs that may not work in your favour.
•  Choose someone with more experience than less. The more the experience the more the credibility of the person.
•  Choose a good writer. The recommender should have a good command over the language in which the LOR is being written, and be able to convey ideas in simple and understandable language. 
• Choose someone reliable. It does not matter if they are a very highly reputed professor if they do not give your LOR the time and dedication it needs. They need to be someone who has seen your work closely and be able to convey that in their LOR clearly. Also, they need to give you the LOR in time and not delay it indefinitely.

3. How long should a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) be?

The ideal length of a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) should be 300-400 words. But make sure that the University or Company you are applying for does not have a specified word limit for the LOR. If they have, strictly stick to that word limit. 

4. What to include in a letter of recommendation?

The following details should be included in a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) :

A context: A context in which you are writing this LOR. Here you can write how you know the applicant and how you are qualified to write this Letter of Recommendation. You can follow this up by explaining why you are recommending this particular individual, by mentioning their qualities and achievements.
Specifics: It will be helpful to provide specific incidents and instances which highlight the qualities of the applicant and explain your reasons for recommending them. 
Why the applicant is the best fit for the position: Your ultimate job is to help the applicant get the position they are applying for. So you need to mention why they are the best fit for that position and reason it.

5. What should you avoid in a letter of recommendation?

You should be avoiding the following thing in a LOR:

• A person’s age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nation of origin or religious belief. Although the selection committee would not discriminate against a candidate because of these factors, it is best to avoid these terms in LOR to avoid unwanted bias.  
• The recommender’s credentials and too many details about them. It is important for a recommender to mention how they are qualified to write a LOR for an applicant, they should not go on a rant about their achievements. The focus should be on the applicant’s achievement, not the recommender’s. 
• Words like ‘You think’ or ‘You believe’. The recommender should not use words like ‘you think’ or ‘you believe’ when you refer to the applicant’s qualities. They should use facts rather than opinions. For example, it should not be ‘I think John has good time management skills’, but it should just be ‘John has good time management skills.’
• Cliché words. The admission or selection panel has heard the words ‘dedicated’, ‘passionate’ ‘team player’, etc a lot of times. So instead of using these generic terms, you can mention an incident in the applicant’s life that will highlight these qualities.

6. How do you mention a weakness in a letter of recommendation?

A LOR, in the end, should be in a positive tone and should highlight your strengths. But not mentioning the weaknesses would tamper with its believability. So how to mention the weaknesses?

You should present the weakness in such a way that it shows that the applicant is working on that weakness. This will give the impression that the applicant has the ability to work on their weaknesses and has the potential for growth. The weakness also should be shown in a positive light. You should not mention a weakness that will totally put the applicant in a bad light. For example, being a weak team player. You can mention something they are mediocre at and are trying to improve upon.

7. How do I make my recommendation letter stand out?

Be specific. You can use a template to write the LOR, but always make it personalised and mention the unique points of the applicant. You should avoid using generic cliché terms while writing a LOR to stand out. Instead of mentioning these cliché qualities, you can give an example from your life which highlights these qualities.

8. What is a LOR Certificate?

The LOR certificate is a comprehensive document that showcases the candidate's qualifications and character, providing admission officers with a detailed view of their suitability for admission to a specific university.