How to write a letter of recommendation for a teacher. Letter of recommendation upon admission. To a foreign university in English

Letter #1

Vorontsova Ksenia Aleksandrovna graduated from Moscow State University in 2014 with a degree in International Journalism. Over the years of study, Ksenia Vorontsova has shown herself to be a responsible and purposeful student who strives not only to accumulate knowledge, but also to put it into practice.

Ksenia studied excellently and at the same time took an active part in the life of the university. From the third year she headed the student trade union of the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, organized concerts, did charity work and blogged on the university website.

We also want to note the wide range of interests of Xenia. In addition to the main lectures, the student attended elective courses in Spanish and Polish, and achieved good results in their study.

Sincerely,

Alexander Viktorovich

Letter #2

Belousov Aleksey Sergeevich graduated from the Voronezh National University in 2014 and received a bachelor's degree in Urban Environment and Interior Design.

The teachers who gave lectures and conducted practical classes with Alexei note his determination and great creative potential. Alexey chose the right profession and, undoubtedly, he will achieve good results in it.

Aleksey was responsible for his studies, received good grades and was singled out among his classmates during practical classes.

Sincerely,

Alexander Viktorovich

The UK and a number of other countries are required to submit letters of recommendation to the admission committee of the university.

When a student is faced with the need to submit letters of recommendation to the university, he must decide who will write these letters. Consider this choice with great care.

The value of a letter of recommendation comes from two indicators: first, how well the person giving the recommendation knows you as a student and as a person. Secondly, how responsibly he will treat your request.

Universities usually ask for 2-3 references. First of all, these are the recommendations of teachers. Some universities also require letters from employers, colleagues, or people you have worked with on a project (if any). This is especially true for applicants for MBA programs.

When requesting a recommendation, it is best to contact teachers who know you well and have taught you. long time. The recommendation should be personal, it should be written by a person who can objectively assess your attitude to learning, your knowledge and abilities.

If we are talking about school teachers, it is better to choose those who taught you for several years, were the class teacher or head teacher of the school. In the case of university teachers, it is best to ask for a recommendation from your course supervisor or thesis. Remember that the position of the referrer is not as important as the personal approach. In other words, a recommendation from a simple teacher may be more useful than from a school principal.

A letter of recommendation is, first of all, a characteristic of a student. To enter a university, this characteristic must be positive, describe the academic success of the student, his strengths and merit, as well as qualities that help in learning.

However, experts advise against providing recommendations written in "general" words that can be said about almost any student. The best impression on the admission committee will be made by a recommendation written in an original language, telling (in addition to facts and dry figures) about any cases from the student's life that characterize him, about the student's plans for the future, his dreams and goals.

Abroad, there is no specific form according to which a letter of recommendation should be drawn up. However, there is a general format that students are encouraged to follow.

Anna Ivanova

12, Main street, Moscow, Russia

January 1, 2020

To ABC University Admissions Committee

123 Town street, Town, USA

Dear ABC University Admissions Committee,

I have known Ekaterina Petrova for the past five years, being her teacher of English language at school №5 in Moscow. I believe Ekaterina would be an excellent student for your university.

Ekaterina is a very diligent and active student. In addition to school English classes, she always devoted a lot of time and energy to self-study. This allowed her to achieve great success in English and develop her skills. I would like to mention Ekaterina’s serious attitude towards studies and her willingness to provide academic support to other students.

In addition, I would also like to note the active social position of Ekaterina. She participated annually in various events and charity campaigns while studying at our school. Therefore, I think she can become a worthy member of your campus community.

If you have any questions regarding qualifications or characteristics of Ekaterina, please feel free to contact me at 111-222-333 or [email protected]

Sincerely,

Anna Ivanova

English teacher

school №5, Moscow

Thus, a foreign educational institution receives the most complete picture of an incoming student.

We invite you to read more 4 sample letters of recommendation for entering university.

Letters of recommendation must be submitted not only for admission to a foreign educational institution. Often, when applying for a job abroad, letters of recommendation may also be required, especially when it comes to applying for the first job after graduation.

• university lecturers, dean or rector
• university specialist in work with foreign students
• supervisor
• coordinator curriculum or internship
• by the employer with whom the student had an internship or internship
• coordinator of volunteer projects in which the student participated

In terms of content, a letter of recommendation for an employer is very similar to a letter of recommendation for a university (see the sample above). The difference lies in the fact that instead of academic qualities, the recommendation for the employer should focus on the professional and business qualities of the student. That is why it is desirable that the letter of recommendation be written by the internship coordinator or the employer with whom the student was intern.

To begin with, you must submit a package of documents to the university, which includes several letters of recommendation. Next, on the university website, you must leave the contact details of those who recommend you, including their phone number and email address.

Typically, university representatives send a request to the recommender’s email address, which may contain additional questions: “How long have you known the student?”, “In what capacity do you know the student?”, “Rate on a scale of 1 to 10 academic skills, leadership qualities, communication skills of the student”, etc.

However, not all universities organize the collection of recommendations via the Internet. Some of them ask for written references on the letterhead of the university/faculty, containing a signature and seal. Letters of recommendation not written in English language, in most cases, you need to translate into English to apply to a university.

Members of the admissions committees of foreign universities are advised to give their recommenders as much time as possible to write a letter.

However, the reality is that not everyone you contact will want to write recommendations on their own. Rather, they will be ready to sign what you prepare yourself. Even so, don't despair!

Regardless of whether you will write letters yourself or recommenders will still write them, follow a few simple rules:

• Do not submit the same letters of recommendation to multiple schools. Each letter must be addressed to a specific educational institution. The recommendation should contain information about why you are suitable for this university and for this study program.
• It's a good idea to prepare "tips" for your referees that list your accomplishments, your strengths, and any other information you think is important to note. That way, you'll get exactly the kind of recommendations you expect and make it easier for your referees.
• Try to establish personal contact with those who will write you recommendations. For example, invite them for tea or coffee, tell them about your plans for the future, why it is important for you to study at a particular university, ask their advice. By getting to know you better, recommenders are more likely to write for you. good recommendations. It will also make it easier for them to write about your personal qualities Oh.

If you are thinking about entering a higher educational institution, then it will not be superfluous to have letter of recommendation for university admission. This is especially true if you want to enter a university abroad, where a letter of recommendation can play a decisive role. The chances of a successful admission can increase many times over if you complete it correctly.

This is relevant not only for admission to higher educational institutions abroad, but also for Russian universities. A letter of recommendation may be from the military unit in which the applicant served. If a letter is drawn up for him in which the recommendations are positive, the future student has every chance of receiving benefits during his studies.

For the university, this document is of great value, since it indicates the personal characteristics of the applicant, they can be used to trace the inclinations and abilities of the future student. The management of the university will be able to understand the positive and negative sides person, and based on these data, draw an appropriate conclusion about whether to take him for training or not.

First you need to know how you can get this document. In the event that the applicant is a graduate of a school or college, first of all, you can ask the director for a letter of recommendation, in extreme cases, you can use the request from the teacher to write the letter himself. If a person is already a graduate of a university, it is best to contact the supervisor. For employees, it is best to contact the employer. For military personnel - to the unit where he serves.

The tips below are best used if you want to write a letter of recommendation that is as informative as possible.

• If you have the opportunity to choose a person who will write a letter of recommendation for you, then it is best to contact a higher-ranking person. Recommendations from such people will be of much greater value.
• Be sure to indicate the person who compiled the letter of recommendation, as well as his position in relation to the person for whom the letter is being compiled.
• It is necessary to describe the character traits of the applicant. It's best if it's not a simple enum. You can describe specific situations where a person showed himself from one side or another, where it is proved that he has the necessary character traits that are described in the letter. The less formulaic the letter is written, the better. If the description makes the reader pay attention to the applicant, then we can say that the letter was written successfully. You need to be able to write a letter of recommendation, it is not so easy.
• It is good if the letter indicates the previous achievements and successes of the person. You can list the successes that the applicant managed to achieve in the previous time, as well as provide evidence.
• Description of the professional knowledge possessed by the applicant. You can list the inclination of a person to a particular science, which is given to him most easily.
• In order to compose a letter most effectively, you need to focus on the future specialty that the applicant wants to enter.
• Write the main recommendations based on the information that was presented above. It is the recommendations that will serve as the main conclusions for the leadership of the university.

If you know to whom specifically you will send a letter of recommendation, then you should address the letter to him. In other cases, you need to specify the university itself as the addressee.

When entering a foreign university, the most important lever of influence on the admissions board is a letter of recommendation to the student from the teacher. Documents of this kind are taken very seriously. Let's talk more about the basic rules for writing letters of recommendation.

A letter of recommendation is a document no less significant than a motivation letter, certificate or diploma. It is no secret that in order to enter a foreign university, you must pass a competition. Letters of recommendation often have a decisive role and influence on those who select applicants.

It is important for professors of foreign universities to assess the future student, which was given to him by teachers who saw him in action: his intellectual abilities, the desire to master knowledge, peculiarities of thinking, perseverance, etc.

In system higher education Kazakhstan has not formed an understanding of the meaning and impact of such documents. Therefore, teachers are often at a loss when students turn to them with such a request. Therefore, it is usually written by the applicants themselves, and the professors only sign the form.

As a result, a stereotyped and dry characterization is obtained, which will either not be paid attention to, or considered a manifestation of disrespect and frivolity on the part of the student and the teachers who taught him earlier.

The complexity of compiling a petition-characteristics lies in the fact that it has an arbitrary nature of presentation. But, despite this, a letter of recommendation to a student is drawn up according to clear requirements for composition and content.

To avoid miscalculations and inconsistencies, take into account the tips on how to write a letter of recommendation so that it makes the right impression and plays a positive role in the fate of the applicant.

First of all, pay attention to the composition of the letter of recommendation. The characteristic has a clear structure, which includes four basic components:

• Introduction or intro. Briefly describe how long and under what circumstances you have known the person you are referring to.
• Objective characteristics of scientific and professional achievements candidate:

1. Evaluation of the student's abilities, his intellectual data, approach to the development of knowledge, purposefulness, organization, perseverance, speed of mastering information, skills of independent work.
2. Description of what this student stood out for during his studies among classmates: his personal achievements in science and profession (awards, diplomas, scientific publications, patents, participation in olympiads and competitions student work participation in international scientific programs).
3. Providing information about the exceptional abilities of the candidate, such as non-standard thinking in solving professional problems, a creative approach to completing tasks, a scientific mindset, a tendency to experiment.

• Evaluation of the personal qualities of the recommended:

1. How motivated he is to acquire new knowledge, develop skills and abilities.
2. Are you ready to improve your skills or engage in research activities.
3. Description of the distinctive personal qualities that contribute to the success of the candidate: communication skills, ability to work in a team, etc.

• Conclusion (conclusion). The referent briefly justifies why it is necessary to accept the student for the program he/she is requesting. Indicates that additional information will be provided in response to a relevant request from a foreign university.

The document is signed by the teacher. The most important role in how seriously a written reference of this kind is taken abroad is played by the role of the recommender. Reach out to a person with a degree and title who has a name in the scientific world. A big plus if the teacher has articles in international publications listed in WEB of SCIENS or SCOPUS.

1. Avoid neutral tone and formulaic expressions. Try to focus on the positive qualities of the candidate.
2. When providing a description of a candidate, consider the specifics of the program that he will master.
3. This should be a subjective characteristic of the student's personal qualities, which he showed in the learning process. Do not provide data on success, as they are displayed in the diploma.
4. When talking about a student's accomplishments, give examples. This will add credibility to the above.
5. The letter should not contain more than two pages. Make sure it is not too short or long. In the first case, the student's achievements will look unconvincing, in the second - no one will read the essence.

When preparing a letter, avoid outright flattery and unsubstantiated praise of the student. As objectively as possible evaluate his abilities and capabilities. Remember: this assessment will be guided by professors from other universities, who may make unbearable demands on the candidate.

To create a more complete impression of the features of writing a letter of recommendation, study the sample in Russian:

I, Terentiev Alexander Nikolaevich, have known Ainur Bakhytovich for four years, since 2006, being a teacher at the Institute of Applied system analysis KazNTU in such subjects as "Microeconomics", "Applied Statistics", "Programming", "Time Series Analysis", "Modeling the Economy in Transition" and "Designing Computer information systems". During the training process, Ainur showed great interest in building mathematical models, data analysis, programming in various specialized statistical packages and time series forecasting. During the training, Ainur passed the exams in the above subjects with excellent marks. At the moment, Ainur is my diploma student. The topic of his thesis is "Analysis, modeling and forecasting of time series and econometric indicators using the SAS system".

To confirm the personal and business qualities of citizens during subsequent employment, letters of recommendation are issued. However, students of educational institutions may also need to obtain such a document. To characterize citizens for the period of study, a letter of recommendation is issued to the student.

Letters of recommendation are issued officials in whose subordination citizens worked or studied. Only in this case, the characteristics of personal and business qualities will be objective and reliable. For students, such documents are drawn up by the leaders of the educational process - the dean, supervisor, or another curator at the training stage.

• The name of the institution where the student was trained;
• Personal data of the student to whom the recommendation is given;
• Specialization in which the student's educational process took place;
• Personal and business qualities, which the student showed during the period of study;
• Achievements of a scientific or social nature;
• Recommendation for future employers or teachers.

This document is in the nature of a business letter, so all characteristics and wording must be clear and specific. The enumeration of the student's achievements should be accompanied by concrete evidence and an indication of the events in which he showed himself.

• His position in the educational institution;
• Full decoding of personal data (last name, first name, patronymic);
• contract information.

To a foreign university in English

If a student is to continue their studies at an educational institution located outside the Russian Federation, they will need to submit a letter of recommendation in English. Its form and content will not differ from a similar document in Russian, however, the presentation of the text in a foreign language may present a certain problem.

• standard language business communication is English, so letters of recommendation should be drawn up taking this fact into account;
• The document can be immediately issued in English if the domestic educational institution has qualified translators;
• The document can be drawn up in Russian, and the translation will be certified and legalized by a notary.

Note! If a document is translated into Russian, both versions of letters of recommendation must be identical in content. In case of notarial legalization and translation, this correspondence will be established by a notary.

Of the additional information that may contain a letter of recommendation to a foreign university, one can single out an indication of the level of theoretical and practical knowledge of one or more foreign languages.

Master's degree

Another possible direction where a letter of recommendation can be presented is a master's program, which guarantees the student the opportunity to continue the educational process. Since the passage of a master's degree is not mandatory requirement for higher education, a letter of recommendation may have an impact on the results of the competition for enrollment.

A student can choose a master's program not only from the university where he studied under the bachelor's program, so the content of the letter should describe in detail his attitude to the educational process, as well as information that allows giving preference to this particular student.

If there is an enrollment in the magistracy of the same educational institution, letters of recommendation, as a rule, draw up direct scientific supervisors or learning facilitators. Only these persons have the opportunity to assess the student's personal attitude to learning and recommend him for further education.