Writing a recommendation letter for students may appear to be a daunting task, but we are here to help you take the right approach.
A good reference letter requires precision, professionalism, and consistency in tone while highlighting the major positive characteristics of the candidate. As a first-time writer, you may encounter issues or be unaware of the layout.
In this article, we have prepared 5 reference letter samples for college admissions, scholarships, and job placements. This guide includes essential tips and detailed examples to assist you in writing a recommendation letter that highlights the student’s strengths and achievements.
5 Sample Recommendation Letters for Students
The basic rule for writing student testimonial letters is to highlight their qualities in terms of role and contribution. These letters should be customized according to the requirements and personal traits of students.
Here are some recommendation letter samples for students that you can use as a template.
For College Admission
If you are writing a testimonial letter for a student’s college admission, you must follow some basic guidelines. First and foremost, always highlight the candidate’s unique qualities and characteristics. Additionally, mention his or her standout performance and include scenarios or events that highlight the contribution.
SAMPLE 1:
Dear Admissions Committee,
Since my 15 years of teaching career, I have never encountered a dedicated and honest student like [candidate’s name]. He/She has that positive attitude that always drives him/her towards success.
As [Candidate’s name] high school teacher, I’ve always seen him/her being punctual with time and showing honesty and dedication in every task. Additionally, he/she has gladly volunteered to take part in every co-curricular activity such as sports, quiz competitions, debate competitions, and seminars.
He/She always has a keen interest in various subject matters and always has a curiosity and hunger to know more. At this institution, he/she has always stood up to help others and stayed back after class to help his/her classmates which reflects his/her kind-hearted nature.
I am certain that [Candidate’s name] will continue to show his/her active participation in academics and even outside the educational institute. His/Her ability to make the best out of any situation leads me to believe that he/she is going to be a viable student for your college. For any queries, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
Best Wishes,
[Recommender’s Name]
[Designation]
[Name of School]
[Contact Details] |
This was a basic sample recommendation letter for students applying to college. Furthermore, as previously stated, the tone and qualities of the candidate must be modified based on the situation, which leads us to the next sample.
For Scholarship
While writing the student testimonial letter for scholarship, qualities such as skills, academic grades, and a strong interest in academics should be highlighted.
SAMPLE 2:
To the Aspire Scholarship Committee,
I am [Recommender Name] the teacher of [School or College Name] writing you this letter with great pleasure that one of our students [student’s Name] has excelled in this year’s semester exam.
He/she has been my student for nearly a year, and his/her ability, dedication, and willingness have consistently placed him/her among the top students at our institute. Besides witnessing his/her academics, I was delighted to see him/her perform exceptionally well in quiz competitions and writing competitions as well.
[Student’s Name] eagerness to learn and pursue higher education makes him/her the best candidate for your scholarship program. Thus, I humbly request that you consider [Student’s Name] for your scholarship program so that he/she can achieve long-term educational goals and greater success.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to me. I have mentioned my contact details below.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
[Recommender’s Name]
[Designation]
[School or College Name]
[Contact Details] |
This was the reference letter sample for a student who is looking to get a scholarship. Furthermore, details and additional traits can be added based on the requirements and what best suits your candidate.
For Job Placement or Internship
This is the final and most important type of recommendation letter for students because it allows them to start their careers and get paid. The most important thing while writing these types of letters is to highlight organizational skills with actual examples.
The job recommendation letter can only be written by a teacher/professor or employer of a previous organization. So, let us start with the layout of a teacher’s recommendation letter to a student.
SAMPLE 3:
Dear Mr./Mrs. [Recipient Name],
Subject: Recommendation letter for [Student’s Name] for the position of vacant [Role]
One of my students, [Student’s Name], has expressed an interest in the vacant position of [job role] at your organization. You’ll be glad to know [Student’s first name] has achieved great feats in academics.
His/Her problem-solving skills and determination to achieve greatness have always been the greatest asset for him/her. I can confidently state that our student possesses the qualifications necessary to join your organization.
His/her analytical thinking and time management skills make him/her an excellent candidate for your organization. There have been some instances where he/she displayed tremendous talent in co-curriculum activities as well.
With pride and dignity, I can announce that [Student’s first name] has been elected to several high-level positions. I wouldn’t hesitate to say that he/she is one of our brightest students and has relevant skills for what it takes to drive your organization to success.
If you need any clarification, you can contact me anytime through email [Recommender email ID].
Regards,
[Recommender’s Name] |
This was an example of a teacher’s job recommendation letter; now let us look at what a testimonial letter from an employer looks like.
SAMPLE 4:
Dear [Employer Name],
My name is [Recommender Name] the [Designation] of [Organization Name]. I am pleased to write this letter on behalf of [Student’s Name] who worked as an intern for our organization.
During his/her tenure with us, we witnessed honest and professional behavior with proficiency in problem-solving. Furthermore, during his/her service, [Student’s first name] demonstrated utmost dedication by completing our collaboration project with XYZ Industries on time and accurately.
Furthermore, we assure he/she is well-equipped to overcome challenges and adapt to an ever-evolving, dynamic environment. His/her patience, optimistic mindset, planning, and growth mindset lead us to recommend [Student’s Name] to your organization.
If you have any questions, please contact us directly using the contact information provided below.
Sincerely,
[Recommender’s Name]
[Designation]
[Organization Name]
[Contact Details] |
That’s how you write a recommendation letter for a student who is looking to apply for a job.
This letter can also be written in an indirect method, where you won’t be required to mention the name of the employer. An example of such a letter is provided below.
SAMPLE 5:
To Whomsoever It May Concern
This is to certify that [Student’s Name] son of [Father’s Name] worked for [Organization’s Name] as a [Role] for the tenure [Tenure of work]. During his/her time with us, we witnessed exceptional professional behavior and dedicated service to our organization.
Furthermore, [Student’s first name] made a major contribution to the XYZ project where he/she completed the project within the given deadline while maintaining accuracy and efficiency.
We are truly happy with his/her outcome and found him honest and hardworking. We wish him/her luck in the future and are confident that he/she will be a great candidate for any organization.
[Recommender’s Name]
[Designation]
[Organization Name]
[Contact Details] |
These letters of reference samples allow you to customize the basic format to your style, depending on what the candidate feels is most appropriate otherwise you can check out additional reference letter samples. Moreover, a few additional tips should be kept in mind while writing such a recommendation letter for a student. Let’s take a look at them in the next section.
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Tips to Write Recommendation Letter for Students
The samples above may help you write a custom reference letter for your student. But it’s merely a template and would require your personal touch and feelings as well. So, in addition to the above layout for a recommendation letter for a student, keep these tips in mind.
- When writing a recommendation letter, make sure to include an example to increase its credibility. For example, you could mention how well they completed the task or how they contributed to the team.
- Try to create an authentic relationship between you and your candidate. This can be done by mentioning hard and soft skills and qualities.
- Mention only the program-relevant details and qualities. For example, if you are writing a recommendation letter for a student applying for a data analysis internship, skills like Excel, Stata, and R Studios will help your candidate stand out from the crowd.
- Take your time and choose your words carefully. Every element, including lines, wording, and length, should be highlighted to add value to your candidate.
- After you have written the reference letter, proofread it once to ensure that there are no misspellings.
Including these suggestions will be extremely beneficial to your candidate and help them get endorsed in the required field.
Also Read: 5 Writing Tips For College Students
Things to Avoid While Writing Reference Letter
The most basic mistake people commit while writing a recommendation letter is that they keep the tone informal. Apart from this, some major mistakes that impact the credibility of a recommendation letter for students are:
- Keeping it to Long: It is essential to mention real examples of how your candidate has contributed in tasks but only highlight the main points rather than mentioning the whole story. For example, highlight the task given, then mention his/her contribution and outcome of it.
- Not Reflecting Your Belief: It is mandatory to show your trust through words while writing a reference letter. For example, rather than writing “he may be a valuable asset to your firm” instead write “I strongly believe Alex would be the right candidate for you”.
- Forgetting to Include Contact Information: Many of times writers forget to add their contact information. So don’t forget to provide your email address, phone number, or any other relevant contact details at the end of your writing. This ensures that readers or potential clients can easily reach out to you for inquiries or further information.
Why Recommendation Letters for Students are Helpful?
Reference letters have great intrinsic value for students, making them nothing less than an asset. It is a testament to the student’s quality and skill set, and it is the only way for a student to demonstrate prominence. During the admissions process, many universities require these letters of recommendation.
Aside from that, it gives students an advantage and makes them stand out in the pool of applicants. Even in the long term, these recommendation letters will help students in securing internships or freshers jobs. Moreover, this piece of paper is evidence of the loyalty and sincere work ethic of a student.
Every student should try to get a good letter of recommendation from their teachers and employer. They would benefit from this at different points in their lives.
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Conclusion
Writing a recommendation letter for a student should therefore be second nature to you by this point. The reference letter samples provided above have a comprehensive layout, and the recommender should include elements that match the character traits of the candidates.
Most universities and jobs can easily detect false statements and exaggerated qualities through personal interviews. So, you should try to keep it real and relevant to your candidate’s actual qualities.
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FAQs
Ans: Phrases like “I am honored to present him/her as a candidate” and “has worked delicately under my supervision” add value to a recommendation letter.
Ans: There are several ways to make your recommendation letter appear credible. If you are representing your candidate on behalf of an organization, you should include your stamp. Also, you can add a watermark on the background and provide contact details below your signature.
Ans: Don’t give much attention to details, simply write “he/she has shown utmost dedication” or “he/she has worked sincerely under my guidance and supervision”.
Ans: It enhances students’ credibility and allows colleges to gain insight into their abilities.
Ans: Yes, these reference letters can be used multiple times for scholarships and college admissions.
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