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A letter of recommendation is a signed letter vouching for someone's skills. Our template builds the letter step by step, ready to download and print. Job seekers, students and tenants use it, especially when an application asks for references.
A recommendation letter is also called a reference letter. Supervisors, managers, mentors, and teachers often write one. The guide below covers the format, what each part should say, how to ask for a letter, and full sample letters you can adapt.
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A letter of recommendation uses the business letter format: your details, the date, the recipient, a greeting, the body, a closing and your signature. The body runs from introduction to evidence to endorsement, so a busy reader finds the point fast.
| Part | Where it goes | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| Letterhead or sender block | Top of the page | Your name, title, organization, email and phone |
| Date | Below the sender block | The date you sign or send the letter |
| Recipient | Below the date | Name, title and organization, if you know them |
| Salutation | Before the body | "Dear Ms. Smith" or "Dear Admissions Committee" |
| Introduction | Opening paragraph | Who you are and how you know the applicant |
| Main body | Middle paragraphs | Skills and achievements, each with an example |
| Conclusion | Last paragraph | Your endorsement and an offer to answer questions |
| Closing and signature | End of the letter | "Sincerely," your signature and your typed name |
Keep it to one page if you can, and two pages at most. Use a standard font such as Arial or Calibri at 12 points, with one-inch margins on all sides.
Leave a blank line between paragraphs and align the text to the left. Block format, with no indented paragraphs, reads cleanly on screen and on paper. Our template follows this layout, so each answer you give lands in the right place on the page.
A recommendation letter covers the applicant's performance at work or school, their personal qualities and achievements, your reasons for recommending them, and your contact details. One page is enough, so try not to make the letter too long.
Admissions committees and employers read many letters on top of their regular workload. Begin with a hook, such as a significant achievement or strong praise of the person.
A letter of recommendation is generally divided into three parts:
The introduction of a recommendation letter names you, gives your position and explains your relationship with the applicant. Say how long you have known them and in what role. Then mention their most significant achievement or outstanding skill to draw the reader in.
The main body of the letter describes the applicant's skills, academic performance, experience, motivation and contribution, each backed by an example or a short anecdote. It shows the qualities, values and achievements that set the person apart from other applicants.
Describe how well the applicant communicates, cooperates, and works with other students or team members. A minor weakness, framed as an area of growth, makes your praise more believable. Finish this section with an overall opinion on the applicant and your impression of them.
The conclusion of a recommendation letter sums up the applicant's fit for the role and repeats your recommendation in plain words. Explain and justify your recommendation, since your name stands behind it. Finally, give your contact information. You can also place contact details on the letterhead or after the sign-off.
Not every letter has a specific purpose. Some people want a general recommendation letter just in case. It follows the same structure but highlights broader qualities that suit a wide range of applications.
To write a recommendation letter, gather the applicant's details, address the reader, introduce yourself, give specific examples, and close with your contact details and signature. Our letter of recommendation template walks you through these steps question by question.
Before you start, think about whether you can give a good and convincing reference. If you are unable to give the applicant positive feedback, it is better to turn down the request politely, because a negative letter can hurt their career.
A PDF is the safest format for a recommendation letter, because it keeps your layout, fonts and signature the same on every screen. Our template lets you save your progress, finish on any device, and download the finished letter to print or attach.
Many schools and employers ask the referee to upload the letter directly. In that case, send the PDF to the link you receive rather than to the applicant. A direct upload does not always keep the letter from the applicant: under 34 CFR 99.12, a college may have to show it to a student who attends and has not waived the right to see it, so write only what you would stand behind.
You need a recommendation letter when an employer, a school, a scholarship committee or a landlord asks for a word about your skills or character from someone who knows you. In other cases, it adds significant support for the candidate’s qualifications. The most common types are employment, academic, and personal references.
An employment reference describes the applicant from a professional point of view, covering their experience, skills, achievements and contribution to the team. An employer or supervisor usually writes one, though a colleague or co-worker can also give a recommendation.
It helps most when a person has little or no experience, and it can be the deciding factor for a highly competitive position. For a job application, start from our job recommendation letter.
Students use academic references when applying for college, graduate school, a fellowship, or a scholarship program. Such a reference helps admissions committees see a student’s personality and motivation to study at a particular college or university, beyond academic performance.
Students usually ask teachers, instructors, professors, or mentors who know their personal qualities and achievements well. See our scholarship recommendation letter for an award application.
A personal reference letter describes a person's character, values, attitudes and accomplishments, written by someone who knows them outside work or school. It is useful when looking for a rental property. Landlords often run a background check on potential tenants, and a convincing letter of recommendation helps in the overall screening. This letter can also come in handy during the child adoption process or court actions.
Some immigration filings accept statements from people who know you, but on a narrower point than a reference letter. When a spouse petition seeks the bona fide marriage exemption, 8 CFR 204.2 lists third party affidavits on the marriage as possible evidence, and they must be sworn to or affirmed by people with personal knowledge of it. Check the form's instructions before relying on a letter.
Depending on the occasion, anyone who knows the applicant well enough to give a positive recommendation can write a character reference. Common choices include:
For a rental, our landlord recommendation letter fits the questions a property manager asks.
A recommendation form is a set of questions and rating scales that a school, employer or program gives the referee, while a recommendation letter is prose the referee writes in their own words. Some applications use only a form, some only a letter, and some ask for both.
| Aspect | Recommendation letter | Recommendation form |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets the content | The writer | The school, employer or program |
| Format | A signed business letter | Questions, ratings and short answers |
| How it is sent | Email, portal or post | Usually the program's own portal |
| Room for examples | Full paragraphs | Short comment boxes |
When an application gives you a form, complete it as asked and attach a letter only if the instructions allow it. The examples you would put in a letter fill the comment boxes well.
To request a letter of recommendation, choose someone who knows your work well, ask early, and give them everything they need to write a specific letter. Choose someone you have a positive relationship with, since they can make your letter credible and vivid.
Use these three steps to make a successful request.
A strong request explains why you chose this person and what the letter will help you achieve. Be polite and tactful, even if you know them well.
Email is an excellent way to send the request. A meeting in person works too, but not when the person has a tight schedule. Follow up politely if you do not hear back, and avoid sending a flood of reminders. Also, agree on a date that works for both of you.
Once the person agrees, share everything they need to write a strong letter, including a description of the application. For a job, send the job description and your cover letter. These documents show the role and explain why you are interested in it and suitable for it. Then talk through what to include in the letter.
Ask for your recommendation letter early, because your reference needs enough time to prepare a credible and convincing letter. Feel free to include a letter of recommendation template and examples with your request. It makes the work easier and the person more likely to agree.
A short request email names the opportunity, the closing date, and what you will send to help. Adapt the sample below.
Subject: Recommendation letter request for the Marketing Coordinator role
Dear Ms. Lee,
I am applying for a Marketing Coordinator position at Brightline Media, and I would be grateful if you could write a letter of recommendation for me. You supervised my work on the spring campaign, and I think you know my writing and teamwork better than anyone.
The application closes on March 15. I have attached my resume, the job description and a short list of projects you might mention. Please let me know if you need anything else.
Thank you for considering it,
Alex Rivera
The most common mistakes in a recommendation letter are vague praise, too much length, no personal connection, typos, and wording that could fit any applicant. Read through the list below before you send your draft, and fix anything that sounds familiar.
The letter of recommendation examples below show the full format in practice, for a college application and for a job application. Use them together with our recommendation letter template to write your own letter.
Both samples follow the same pattern:
November 25, 2020
Jennifer Smith
Director of Admissions
College of Design
Dear Ms. Smith,
I am pleased to recommend Mary Johnson for admission to the College of Design. I have known Mary since her enrollment in the High School of Art and Design, and I feel fortunate to work with Mary as her graphic design instructor these past four years. Every year, I watched her grow in her ability to cope with complex tasks and never give up while overcoming challenges. Mary’s remarkable performance in the Adobe Youth Voices Award Competition between over 2,000 students nationwide recently secured her second place.
As Mary’s teacher, I witnessed her approaches to develop her effectiveness constantly. In the beginning, she was a shy student, insecure about her abilities. Over time, she has managed to become the strongest student in class due to her persistence.
She has learned all the essential graphic design basics such as composition, typography, color theory, page layout, logo design, and promotional advertising during her study. She has mastered such graphic editors as Adobe Photoshop and Canva. For the last year, Mary has managed to complete over ten projects. Her digital portfolio can prove that she is an outstanding student.
Sometimes, Mary overloaded herself with different projects at once while working as a freelancer. However, she managed to stay an organized student at school. Mary is a friendly and compassionate person who always finds a way to help her classmates. She actively participated in extracurricular activities, organizing school events, and volunteering.
I am confident that Mary will be an excellent addition to the College of Design alumni. She will definitely bring a new creative perspective to your environment. If you have more questions about Mary’s character, abilities, or experience, feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Joan Farmer
Graphic Design Instructor
High School of Art and Design
1111 Main Street
Somewhere, CA 90044
555-555-5555
joan.farmer@artndesign.org
November 25, 2020
John Douglas
Human Resource Department
New Solutions, Inc
Dear Mr. Douglas,
I am writing to recommend Dina Mendes for the role of customer service manager at New Solutions, Inc. I have known Dina for three years, and during that time, I observed real outstanding communicative skills. Dina has worked as a sales team leader at App Solutions, Inc. from January 12, 2017, to November 20 of the current year, and managed to show her leadership abilities and determination.
Dina is an invaluable employee, always ready to help not only clients but also her team members. Her patience and empathy helped her deal even with the rudest customers, and her positive attitude always motivated the team. Her contribution as an employee to the improvement of the company’s service procedures is hard to overestimate.
As a person, Dina is a bit self-demanding, usually takes a lot of responsibilities. However, she has excellent time management skills and is capable of working under pressure. Dina is a compassionate and persuasive person, a true team player.
I strongly recommend Dina as an employee at New Solutions, Inc. I am confident that she will become an excellent addition to your company. If you have more questions about Dina’s experience, skills, or personal traits, please contact me at 555-5555-555.
Sincerely,
Chris Roland
CEO at App Solutions, Inc.
1111 Main Street
Somewhere, CA 90044
555-555-5555
chris.roland@appsolutions.org
Most recommendation letters fit on one page. Two pages is the most to aim for, so pick your strongest examples and leave the rest out. A shorter letter is also easier for busy readers to finish.
Anyone who knows you well and can speak to your work or character can write a letter of recommendation. Common choices include:
A recommendation letter and a reference letter are usually the same document, and people use the terms interchangeably. Both describe a person’s experience, skills, and character, written by someone who knows them well.
Some referees ask the applicant for a draft, and you can offer a draft if they do. The referee should rewrite it in their own voice and keep only what they can vouch for, because the letter carries their name.
Whether the applicant sees the letter depends on the reader's own rules and on any waiver the applicant signed, not only on how the letter is sent.
Under 34 CFR 99.12, a college covered by the federal student records rules does not have to show a student a confidential letter placed in their education records if the student waived the right to see it and the letter relates to admission, a job application or an honor. That waiver counts under 34 CFR 99.12 only if the student signed it in writing and the college did not require it for admission or for a service or benefit. A student who waived the right can still ask the college for the names of the people who wrote the letters, under 34 CFR 99.12.
These rules protect a person who is or has been in attendance (34 CFR 99.3), so they give no access to someone who never attended. Education records under 34 CFR 99.3 are those kept by a school or a party acting for it, so these rules do not cover a letter held by an employer outside education.
Access to a letter a private employer holds depends on the employer's policy and on state personnel records law, which varies: under California Labor Code Section 1198.5, for example, the right to inspect a personnel file does not apply to letters of reference, so check the rules in your own state.
Yes, you can use the template for a job, school, scholarship or personal application by adjusting the details to fit the occasion. For a closer match, start from a type-specific template at the top of this page.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
