Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for USA: Format, Samples, & Guidelines for top courses & universities

A letter of recommendation for USA universities is a mandatory requirement for admission at all study levels, from bachelor to doctoral courses. Students are asked to submit two to three academic LORs or professional LORs, depending upon their choice of program.

Universities like MIT, Columbia University ask UG students to subject-specific LORs.
At least one academic LOR is mandatory to apply for an MS program in the USA.
USA Universities prefer professional LORs for admission to MBA and other management programs.

The basic guidelines for writing LOR remain more or less the same throughout the universities of the USA. The only difference is in the number and type of letters specified by the institute.

Requirements at Top Universities

Letter of Recommendation for USA: Requirements at Top Universities

The following table provides a brief idea about the requirements of LOR for USA universities:

University	LOR for UG	LOR for MS	LOR for MBA
MIT	1 from math/science teacher; 1 from humanities teacher; 1 from school counselor	3, at least two academic	1 professional LOR
Stanford University	2 from teachers	3, at least two academic	2 professional LOR
Harvard University	2 from teachers	3, at least one academic	2, could be from supervisor, colleague, someone you collaborated outside of work
California Institute of Technology	1 from math or science teacher; 1 from humanities or social science teacher	3, can be academic or professional	Not offered
University of Chicago	2 (mandatory), 1 (recommended) from teachers	3 letters from professor, supervisor or manager, professional mentor	2 professional LOR: 1 from supervisor, 1 from colleague
Princeton University	2 from teachers, one from counselor	3 academic letters	Not offered
University of Pennsylvania	2 from teachers, one from counselor	2, at least one academic	2 professional LOR, preferably from supervisors
Yale University	2 from teachers, one from counselor	2 to 3, at least one academic	2 professional LOR
Cornell University	1 from counselor	2 to 3, at least one academic	1 professional LOR, can be from supervisor, colleague or client
Columbia University	2 from teachers, for engineering students: 1 must be from math or science teacher	3, at least one academic; professional LOR from current or former supervisor only	2 professional LORs, one must be from current supervisor

Sample LOR for UG in USA

Sample Letter of Recommendation for UG in USA

A sample LOR for BSc in Civil Engineering written by a high school teacher for his student is given below:

To,
The Department of Civil Engineering
(Name of the Institution)

(Today’s date)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I’m writing this letter of recommendation for (name of the applicant) who I’ve taught for four long years in her high school. She’s extraordinarily talented and skillful and was definitely one of the biggest assets to our school. She had an extremely inquisitive mind and I was really impressed by her thirst for knowledge since the very beginning. I taught her mathematics and physics at (name of the school) from 9th grade to 12th grade and she profoundly impressed me with her critical thinking and quantitative reasoning. I am assertive that her efficiency and rigorous hard work will help her in getting successful in the civil engineering program of your (name of the university applying to).

(Name of the applicant) is an extremely quick learner and is technically very sound. She was part of the school’s science club and had advanced skills to compete with her seniors. She’s a remarkable orator and has participated in numerous debate and speech competitions. Her incredible leadership qualities were demonstrated when she was nominated as the school leader. She took all charge of the school functions and festivals and had tremendous cooperation with her fellow school council members. She always used to have solutions to unforeseen problems that would come her way while making arrangements for seminars or other functions.

Her projects and assignments always stood out because she had a great habit of reading different books and gathering more and more knowledge. She had participated in all the scholarship exams as well as mathematics and science Olympiads and had succeeded with flying colors. Not only is she academically excellent, but also she is humble, honest, and respectful towards her teachers, friends, and seniors. Her greatest personal strengths are her confidence and passion to achieve.

I place her among the top 10 students I’ve ever taught. I am certain that she will highly contribute to your department’s community and your university as a whole. I highly recommend her to get admission to your undergraduate program. Feel free to contact me in case of any further queries at (referees email ID).

Warm Regards.

(Name of the teacher)
(Designation)
(Name of the high school)

Sample LOR for MBA in USA

Sample Letter of Recommendation for MBA in USA

Here is a sample of a professional Letter of Recommendation for USA written by the supervisor of student apply for MBA program:

(Name of Recipient)
(Mailing address of Recipient)
(Position of Recipient)

(Today’s date)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing this letter to recommend (applicant’s name) for the MBA program at (university name). She worked as an Associate Brand Manager at (company’s name) for the past five years. I was her direct supervisor from the first year of her joining. I closely observed her capabilities and way of working.

When (applicant’s name) joined this company, she had just completed her BBA. Since then, she has evolved into a dedicated and hardworking professional. I can vouch that she has done exemplary performance for our company. Initially, she worked as a colleague with a team of 15 marketers. She demonstrated the qualities of a leader and team player by motivating and inspiring others.

Due to her impressive performance, she was promoted to the Associate Brand Manager role after one year of her joining. She worked on many projects in the last 5 years and delivered satisfactory results. She has strong business acumen and zeal to work hard in spite of challenging circumstances.

I consider her an ideal candidate for an MBA program at your esteemed university without any doubt. This program will provide her an opportunity to polish her extraordinary marketing skills.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further concerns about (applicant’s name).

Sincerely,

(Recommender’s Name)
(Institution Name)
(Tel.: +XXXX)
(E-mail: XXXXX@mail.com)

Download more sample of MBA Letters of Recommendation for Indian students:

Sample LOR for MS in USA

Sample Letter of Recommendation for MS in USA

Below is a sample Letter of Recommendation for MS from professor for Indian Student:

To,
Department of Computer Science
(University’s Name)

Dear Sir/Madam,

It is with pleasure that I am writing this letter of recommendation for (student’s name) to support her application for an MS in Computer Science at (university name). I have been teaching her for the past three years as a senior professor of the Computer Science Department at (current university’s name). Some of the subjects that I taught her are Networking, Data Structures, Algorithms, etc.

The first impressions that anyone forms of her are that of a person with outstanding technical knowledge and problem-solving skills. She was an inquisitive student from the first year of the degree and asked a lot of questions. Assignments submitted by (student’s name) demonstrated her out of the box thinking and dedication towards the subject.

She participated in all the seminars and olympiads organized by our university-related to computer science. This kept her updated with the latest developments in this field. She was also an active member of our university’s Computer Science Club. Her critical thinking ability and collaborative nature made her a favorite among students and professors.

Based on the last 20 years of teaching experience, I would place her among the top 10% of the students I have ever taught. I strongly recommend her to be considered as a potential student of MS in Computer Science at your university.

Regards,

(Professor’s Name)
Designation
University Name

Tips to Improve

Tips to Improve your Letter of Recommendation for USA

Although every university has its own guidelines, here are some of the tips that students can refer to while submitting a LOR for the USA:

Professional LOR for USA universities should be from a supervisor or mentor unless otherwise specified by the university.
Information in the letter should verify the facts provided in SOP for USA, transcripts, and CV.
If more than one recommendation is required, try to get it from people associated with different aspects of your professional and academic experiences.
Instead of praises and fancy words, LORs should paint a clear picture of who you are, personally and professionally.
Skills and capabilities should be supported by examples such as a project handled by you, clubs you are associated with, etc.

Most of the universities do not specify a format for Letter of Recommendation for USA. It is completely at the discretion of the recommender what he/she wants to write. Students should carefully choose their recommenders as most of the universities do not provide the option of changing one after a bad recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

Ques. How can I write LOR for MS in the USA?

Ans. LOR for MS in USA can be written by a professor, supervisor or colleague. However, universities give more preference to academic LOR than professional ones. Recommenders should focus more on academic prowess of applicants in the letter of recommendation.

Ques. How many LORs are needed for MS in USA?

Ans. 2 to 3 LORs are required for admission to MS program in universities of USA. At least one of them should be academic.

Ques. What do you write in LOR for USA?

Ans. The content of LOR for USA universities varies with program. However, the main point of discussion should be what qualities applicants have and how he/she would be good fit for program and university.

Ques. Is LOR necessary for MS?

Ans. Yes, most of the top universities of USA ask for at least one academic LOR for admission to MS programs.

Ques. Can LOR for USA be 2 pages long?

Ans. Although the preferred length of LOR by most universities of USA is 1 page, it can be extended to 2 pages if the recommender has substantial content to add about applicant.

Ques. Can we copy LOR for USA?

Ans. No, you must not copy LOR for USA or any other university in any case. It should be genuine and written by someone who is familier with your body of work.