A Guide to LOR: Importance for Study Abroad Aspirants
An LOR or letter of recommendation strongly demonstrates the suitability of an individual for the specific course and university in an international scenario. A strong letter of recommendation briefly highlights academic achievements, intellectual abilities, extracurricular achievements, professional achievements, work ethic, skills, etc.
Many applicants like you may want assistance in drafting their LOR certificate. This blog will help you understand the basics of the letter of recommendation and guide you in crafting an impactful letter.
- What is an LOR Certificate?
- Importance of a Letter of Recommendation
- How Many Types of an LOR?
- How to Get a Letter of Recommendation Certificate?
- LOR Request Template
- Format of an LOR
- Structure of a Letter of Recommendation
- How to Submit an LOR?
- Digital LOR: Commonly Asked Questions
- How Many LORs Are Universities Required?
- Sample LOR
- What Does a Strong Letter of Recommendation Look Like?
- Important Tips
- Key Takeaways by AdmitX
- FAQs
What is an LOR Certificate?
- A letter of recommendation, or LOR, is an integral part of university applications under international landscapes.
- It is a formal recommendation letter from a previously attended college professor or a company’s reporting manager for the applicant.
- They are a credible reference for their real-world performance and potential fit with the desired course and university.
Importance of a Letter of Recommendation
- A letter of recommendation is considered important because it is written by someone who has worked closely with the applicant, either in an academic or professional context.
- It highlights the candidate’s academic and professional skills and achievements.
- It also gives concrete evidence of the candidate’s extraordinary performance through anecdotes and examples.
- Institutes predict the candidate’s suitability for the desired course from an external perspective.
How Many Types of an LOR?
There are two types of LOR, academic and professional, which we have tabulated below.
| Academic LOR | Professional LOR | |
|---|---|---|
| Who Writes? | Previously attended school/college/university teacher/professor/HOD | Reporting manager or HR department of a recent or current employer |
| What it Highlights? | Academic Achievements Intellectual Abilities Extracurricular Abilities | Professional Achievements Work Ethics Skills & Performance |
How to Get a Letter of Recommendation Certificate?
By following the given tips, you can ask your teacher/professor and reporting manager to write an LOR for you since it is their authority. It can seem awkward to ask for a recommendation from an ex-professor or ex-manager, but keep in mind that they are used to such requests.
- Maintain professionalism in approaching the recommender.
- Choose your recommender carefully. Whether it is your college professor, dean, or supervising manager—you should have had close interactions with them.
- Communicate with the selected individual(s) appropriately through e-mail or phone calls.
- Tell them about your plan for higher education, your motivations, and your desired universities, and request an LOR certificate.
- If required, give them an LOR sample and template for reference.
- Send them a list of pointers you want them to include in the LOR once you have received a positive response from them.
- Remind them at least 2–3 weeks before the submission deadline.
- After receiving an LOR, send a thank-you message or note for their assistance.
- Recommenders might receive a verification call from the university, so ask them to reply appropriately.
LOR Request Template
You can write a similar request email or message to your college professor/dean or company’s supervising manager to get an LOR.
Dear Mr./Ms./Ms/Title [Name of the Professor/Reporting Manager],
I hope you are well. I am applying to [name of college/university or company] and would like to ask if you would be willing to write a strong recommendation letter for me.
I enjoyed my time as your [student/reportee] when I was [studying ABC/working as XYZ] at [university/company name]. As someone who has observed my abilities closely, I believe that you can vouch for the [list of skills or qualifications] that I have demonstrated during my time at [university/company name].
Thank you for considering my request. The deadline for submitting letters is 2025. I have attached the detailed instructions for submitting the LOR to this email. If you need more information, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Thank you for your time and support.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Department/College/Institute name)
[Your phone number]
[Your email address
Format of an LOR
The standard LOR format is included below for your reference. You should ask the recommender to follow the standard formatting to craft a consistent and professional certificate.
| Paper Size | A4 |
|---|---|
| Margins | Leave enough space at the top and bottom on the official letterhead |
| Headers | Date Contact information of the organisation/university Salutation ("Dear Admissions Committee/Admissions Officer’s Name)" |
| Footers | Professor/supervising manager’s name and designation, along with university/organisation name Contact information Signature |
| Font Type | Times New Roman Non-Italic |
| Font Size | 11-13 |
Structure of a Letter of Recommendation
An LOR required to submit completing the university admission process should be crafted in the following way.
Salutation
Start with:
- To the Admissions Committee, [name of university]
- To whom it may concern
Introduction (80-100 words)
The first paragraph of an LOR explains the following:
- Personal details of the applicant, such as name, designation, year of joining and working, etc.
- Relationship with the candidate
- Expertise of the recommender
- How and since when does the recommender know the candidate
Main Body (200-350 words)
- The second and third paragraphs should include a detailed account of the candidate’s strengths.
- These should be evidenced by specific examples where the candidate displayed those strengths.
- Without any examples, the skills mentioned will not have any impact on the admissions committee.
- Your recommender should list 2-3 specific skills.
Academic Skills
- Research skills include experimental techniques, finding conclusions, and creating innovative solutions.
- Critical thinking and logical reasoning
- Analytical and problem-solving
- Communication, public speaking, debating, presentation, and listening skills
Professional Skills
- Leadership potential
- Decision-making, time management
- Client relationship and handling
- Receiving feedback and flexibility
- Conflict management
Achievements and Honours
- Academic achievements (high grades, dean’s list, research publications, scholarships)
- Awards such as project leadership, team captain, industry recognitions, special recommendations, etc.
Extracurricular Activities
- Student clubs
- Olympiads
- Volunteering/Social Work
- Live Projects
- Events organised
- Short courses
Soft Skills
- Collaboration with colleagues and peers.
- Emotional skills like adaptability, resilience, motivation, and self-awareness.
- Self-discipline and dedication
- Helping other students learn or colleagues improve their skills
Summary & Conclusion (80-100 words)
- It includes a short greeting at the end, asking the admissions committee to contact the recommender if they have any follow-up questions.
- Write 1-2 sentences about the overall observation of the recommender, stating that the applicant can be a good fit for the course.
Recommender’s details
Include the following at the end:
- Recommender’s full name
- Post/designation
- Name of the faculty/department of the university/organisation.
- Email and Phone Number
- Recommender’s signature
How to Submit an LOR?
Each international university has a specific process for submitting an LOR. However, there are 3 broad routes that a university takes.
If your applied university has a process different from what is described below, get in touch with your AdmitX consultant for help.
Direct Upload by Candidate
What is it? Candidates have the option to upload the LOR directly (as PDF) on the university’s application portal.
How to Submit? Make a clear scan of the LOR as a PDF and upload it directly on the application portal.
Direct Upload by Recommender
What is it? Recommenders get a link from the university, and they need to upload their LOR (as PDF) on the application portal.
How to Submit? The recommender will either need to open the unique link and upload the PDF directly or send the file via email to the university.
Digital Form
What is it? Recommenders get a unique link from the university and need to answer several questions about the candidate (MCQs and short-answer-based).
How to Submit? Fix an appointment (ideally 1 hour+) with your recommender and ask them to fill out the recommendation then.
Digital LOR: Commonly Asked Questions
- LORs submitted via a custom link can ask a wide variety of questions, ranging from personal characteristics to specific situations.
- Give your recommender ample time to think about the answers and frame them.
- The commonly asked questions are
- How do you know the applicant?
- How long have you known the applicant?
- What are the applicant’s strengths or skills? Provide specific examples.
- How do the applicant’s background, experience, and skills align with the requirements of the program?
- Is the applicant a good fit for the program they are applying for?
- How do the applicant’s background, experience, and skills align with the requirements of the program?
- Are there any areas where the applicant could improve or further develop?
- Were there any specific instances where the applicant went above and beyond what was expected?
- How does the applicant handle feedback or constructive criticism?
- Describe the applicant’s potential to become a leader.
- What personal qualities set the applicant apart from others?
How Many LORs Are Universities Required?
- The number of LORs for undergraduate and postgraduate courses may vary, depending on the country.
- The LOR’s content is only specific to course type, despite the countries in which you are looking to apply for higher studies.
| Countries | For Undergraduate Courses | For Post-Graduate Courses |
|---|---|---|
| USA | 1-3 | 2-3 |
| UK | 1 | 1-2 |
| Canada | 1-2 | 1-3 |
| Rest of Europe | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Australia | 0-1 | 0-2 |
Sample LOR
The following we have included the sample letter of recommendation for your reference.
Digital Academic Letter of Recommendation Form
Professional Letter of Recommendation
What Does a Strong Letter of Recommendation Look Like?
- A strong and compelling LOR should contain the following information, as pointed out below.
- Applicant’s history in academic and non-academic contexts.
- Content should be written in a story-telling style.
- Facts, anecdotes, and specific examples to support the applicant’s abilities for the desired program.
- Reasons why the applicant is best fit for the course and how they can contribute to the institute.
- Weakness or areas of improvement in a constructive way.
- Qualitative comments on how the applicant performed in an academic setting.
Important Tips
- Choose a recommender with whom you have a strong rapport.
- When requesting the LOR, send a detailed email with step-by-step instructions on what you want your recommender to include.
- If there are any errors, get them rectified as soon as possible.
- Only ask your recommender to include information that they may know naturally over the course of your interaction.
- The recommender is only supposed to comment on the extent of their interaction with you, whether academic or professional.
- Make sure that the content in the document is free of grammatical errors and plagiarism.
Key Takeaways by AdmitX
A letter of recommendation is an integrated part of a university admission process. It is required when an individual wants to pursue studying abroad.
Almost every foreign university from countries such as the USA, UK, Canada, rest of Europe, Australia, etc., requires a recommendation letter from an authority under which the applicant has studied or worked previously. The purpose of this letter is to evaluate the eligibility of the applicants qualitatively.
FAQs
How many LORs are needed if I have both academic and professional experience?
The number of LORs you need depends on the university and country where you want to study. First, check the university website or contact the admissions office for specific details.
Should I ask the recommender to include academic grades in the LOR?
Details like academic grades, marks, etc., are already included in your academic transcripts, so avoid including them again separately unless asked.
What should you avoid in a letter of recommendation?
An LOR should not include false praise, exaggerated statements regarding the candidate’s ability, and unprofessional language.
What is the preferred file format for sending an LOR?
Most of the universities asked for an LOR as a PDF. However, you should read the “How to Apply” section for specific instructions.
How long is an LOR valid for?
Usually, LORs are valid for a maximum of 6 months to 12 months. Note that an LOR must showcase your recent developments and be relevant to your field.
