Dear Referee,
Thank you for your willingness to write this letter of recommendation.
TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED:
- Ask the student for a copy of their resume and personal statement (a type of cover letter used for academic applications in the UK).
- Make sure you only agree to write the letter if you can write a positive recommendation. If you don’t think you can, tell the person you are not comfortable writing the recommendation. If you feel you cannot write the letter, you might also consider pointing the student towards a supervisor or administrator who might be a better fit.
- Ask the student for a description of the program(s) they are applying for and their intended career path.
- Check with the student whether there are any specific deadlines by which your letter needs to be submitted.
FORMAT:
Letters of reference for UK admissions are typically written in a letter format with your contact address and date at the top of the letter.
The letter should be written on company letterhead with a handwritten or digital signature at the bottom.
A general salutation is sufficient as some UK application are through a common portal and therefore one letter of reference may be sent to multiple institutions. “To whom it may concern” or “To the admissions team” are sufficient.
The rest of the letter will typically keep to a keyhole format with an brief introduction, body paragraphs conveying your individual points of assessment and then a conclusion re-stating your support of the student’s application.
WHAT TO WRITE:
- Your letter should give an assessment of the suitability of the applicant for the UK higher education programs that they have applied to and, where possible, include the following points:
- A short summary of the student’s history in your employ (how and when professional relationship started and in what capacity)
- Existing achievement, particularly if your line of work is related to the student’s intended career field.
- Detailed statement of the characteristic that you feel make the student a suitable candidate for further studies or that you feel represent the contributions the student has made to your organization.
- Highlight specific examples of how the student has demonstrated through their work the key skills or traits for their intended field
- To get a better idea of the skills and traits that a university may look for in students applying for a given field you can reference this search engine (https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles).
- Student’s motivation and commitment towards the chosen degree program
- Any relevant skills achievement that you are aware of but may not have direct experience of through your working relationship (reference student’s resume and/or personal statement if needed)
- Your understanding of the student’s proposed career plan and how degree they are seeking will assist them.
- Any factors which may have affected, or will affect in the future, their performance, for example personal circumstances
- If English is not student’s native language, please comment on their ability to write and speak in English.
- Please explain any break in their education and how you feel they will adapt to a classroom environment again.
- Please remember that universities and colleges will see both the personal statement and reference. The reference therefore should be written in a way that supports the applicant’s intentions for progressing to higher education in the UK as directly as possible.
- Emphasize in the introduction and closing of the letter that you feel the student is a strong candidate for the program. You can use terms such as “wholeheartedly” or “without reservation” to reiterate your support.
- End the letter by noting any specific times or means by which the university can contact you should they wish to follow-up regarding the student’s application.
Submitting your Reference
We take your privacy very seriously. The most secure and dependable way to send us your document is electronically. In an effort to keep your personal data secure, and to remain compliant with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), we ask that you submit your letter using the form on this page.
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Data Protection Policy
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When you complete the reference upload form, you will be asked to allow Across the Pond to process and store your data. The data processed and stored will be the following:
- Your name
- Your email address
- Your reference (and any information contained within that letter, such as an academic postal address and phone number)
This data will only be used for the following purposes:- Completing the student’s university applications
- Submitting the student’s university applications As a contact point for the student’s chosen universities
- Please note that the universities may get in touch with you to further discuss the student’s application.
- As a contact point for Across the Pond if we require more information from you. (For example, if the reference letter is missing important information, or a university has asked us to follow up with you on their behalf).
Please note that you will not be added to any mailing or marketing lists. Your information will only ever be used to action applications to universities. -
Confidentiality Policy
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When you write a recommendation for any applicant, please remember that under the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation, the applicant can ask for a copy of the letter and any other personal information that both the university and Across the Pond has about them.