Sample Letter of Recommendation for UG Courses

A LOR is a document written to recommend or compliment an applicant's academic performance or professional work. Talking about the importance of a letter(s) of recommendation (LOR) for UG courses, these letters assess and describe the applicant's qualifications and skills during their educational training inside and outside the classroom.

Who can write your LOR for Undergraduate course? Normally, references for bachelor programs are academic LORs written by high school teachers, counselors, or department heads. Universities abroad in countries like the USA and Canada ask students to submit a 400-500 word, written by their immediate supervisors and teachers. Learn how to choose the right recommender.

What should be the structure and key elements of a LOR for UG course? Before starting the letter on the institution's official letterhead, recommenders must note down the key points they want to incorporate and structure it in the following manner:

Recommender’s introduction
Recommendee’s name and relationship with the recommender
Academic achievements
Strengths and weakness
Suitability of the UG course

Yes, your letter of recommendation should promote you for the chosen undergraduate program, but it should be the recommender’s realistic analysis of your performance.

Note: Potential undergraduate applicants applying for universities abroad should ensure that their LOR for UG program complements the statement of purpose they are submitting to the university.

Letter of Recommendation for UG Course: A Sample

Sample of undergraduate LOR written by a high school teacher for her student applying to study Mechanical Engineering at a university

(Recipient’s Name)
(Recipient’s Mailing Address)
(Recipient’s Designation)

(Date)

Dear (Admissions Committee/Admissions Officer’s name/Dean of Admissions),

My name is [Student’s Name], and I am the Physics teacher and JETS (Junior Engineers, Technicians, and Scientists) club matron at [Recommender’s School Name]. It has been a complete delight teaching [Student’s Name] this course, and I distinctly endorse him for the undergraduate program in Mechanical engineering at [Applied University’s Name].

It has been nothing short of an honor to teach such a perceptive, sharp, talented, and quick young man. In the past year, I have watched his keen interest in and talent for physics, math, and mechanical ideas increase while his high aptitude for math and science and inborn curious nature has driven him to understand a plethora of mechanical and scientific concepts that are way above his level and that have proven to be challenging to his contemporaries.

Moreover, he graduated with a GPA of 4.0, and he was ranked in the top 10% of his class. His final project in class was particularly impressive; design of a DIY Scissor lift Shoes, a project that got him nominated for several awards while winning some of them like the Bennett Final Year Project Award, Best Science Student of the Year, and Best Science Project of the Year Award, amongst others.

He has my highest recommendation for admission to your engineering program as he has shown excellence in all that he is focused on, whether it's collaborating in a project, designing an experimental project, or teaching himself to play the accordion. His infinite curiosity and risk-taking abilities make me believe there will be no stopping his growth and achievements in college and career.

I believe that your university will be a proper fit for him because your mission is to help students explore their potentials and ply new paths in innovations, and I am sure he holds this same principle. Therefore, I am confident that he will not only excel in your university but that the university will also benefit from his ever-growing pool of knowledge and it is my sincere hope that you will consider my recommendation.

If you have any questions, I’d be happy to schedule a phone call. Please reach me at [Contact Number], or email me at [Recommender’s email address].

Sincerely,

(Name of Recommender)
(Job designation)
(Name of high school)

Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for UG courses are very specific and unique depending on the country and university. Although they are general requirements each university's requirement is unique both in format and content, thus, applicants are to give special attention to them and relate this information, where necessary, to their recommenders.

FAQs

Ques. What is the LOR requirement for undergraduate programs at Stanford University?

Ans. Two academic LORs are required of undergraduate applicants applying to Stanford University. A counselor's recommendation is also required. The University requires that LORs should satisfy the following criteria:

Should be written by grade 11 or 12 teachers taking foreign language, math, science, English, or history/social studies.
Applicants may submit an optional LOR if there is another person who may be able to provide new insights about the applicant.

To ensure prompt processing, this recommender should be labeled as 'Other Recommender' in Common application and ‘General Recommendation’ in the Coalition Application. Online submission through Coalition and Common Applications are the best and fastest methods, however, if these methods are impossible, applicants can submit through email to @stanford.edu

Ques. What are the UCAS guidelines for Letter of recommendation?

Ans. UCAS always requires one referee and if the applicant wants to provide more than one, he/she should contact the school and ask if the additional reference can be sent directly to them. How should the recommendation letter be written?

It should include the applicant's career goals and work experience as well as how well the applicant’s successes and activities in specific modules or course components.
Predicted grades for any pending qualifications should be included if the referee is the applicant’s teacher
Circumstances that may have affected or will affect the applicant academic performances such as illness, Covid-19, personal circumstances, individual needs, etc., should be included with the permission of the applicant
The LOR must be a full reference, written by a referee online in the reference section of the application, in English (or in Welsh, for applicants applying for courses in Wales).

Ques. Do Canadian universities require students to submit a LOR for UG courses?

Ans. Top universities in Canada do not require LORs for undergraduate applicants but may only require written personal profiles, a video, or a portfolio for admission evaluations.

Ques. How many letter(s) of recommendation are required for undergraduate courses in US universities?

Ans. USA Universities normally request 2-3 academic LORs from applicants. The UG LOR forms are mostly available at Coalition application websites, QuestBridge Application, or Common Application websites for most universities.

Ques. Can Letter of Recommendation for UG courses be of 2 pages?

Ans. While there is no regulation on the word count or length of a LOR, the universities generally prefer recommendation letters that are short and readable. This preference is especially applicable for UG recommendation letters as the recommenders have to incorporate only specific information.

Ques. What are LOR guidelines for UG courses in Coalition Application?

Ans. LORs required on Coalition Applications may be up to two or three at a time and it may be required to be from a teacher, a school counselor, or both. Coalition applications advise that LORs should be written by someone who can write about the applicant’s progress, improved areas, and uniqueness and writing should start at least one month before the submission date. According to the Coalition application, the applicant should always choose:

The teacher that has taken him/her in a class recently
The teacher that has taught him/her most through high school
An employer, cleric, or coach who could give detailed information on the applicant’s abilities, strengths, and skills
A teacher who could write about the applicant’s extracurricular activities and classroom abilities

Ques. Do Canadian universities require students to submit a LOR for UG courses?

Ans. Top universities in Canada do not require LORs for undergraduate applicants but may only require written personal profiles, a video, or a portfolio for admission evaluations.

Ques. What are the guidelines of Letter of Recommendation for UG courses in Common Application?

Ans. In the Common Application, recommenders are labeled as Counsellor, Teacher, Other Recommender, and Advisor for first-year applicants, while for transfer applicants; they are Academic, High School Official, Personal, and Professional. Advisors are not required to fill or submit any forms

Counselors: Counsellors are expected to write from and within the perspective of the school community. They are expected to write about the student's goals, personal interests, and academic achievements
Teachers: This set of recommenders write the vantage point of the classroom. They are to throw light and give details on the applicant’s work habits, intellectual curiosity, and creative thinking ability
Other Recommender: They help to expatiate on and explain the applicant's goals and pursuits outside the walls of the school. Information on the applicant's ability to be a team member, contribute to a community, creative interests, and hobbies, etc., are required here.

First-year applicant recommenders will have the opportunity to review applications before submission.