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An MBA letter of recommendation is a reference for business school applicants. It describes the applicant's work, leadership and results through examples the writer has seen first hand. This page gives referees and applicants fill-in samples, a writing guide and request tips.
For other kinds of letters, start with our recommendation letter guide.
These sample MBA recommendation letters give a referee a fill-in starting point: a letter from a manager and a letter from an employer, each with blanks for names, examples and contact details. Adapt either sample to the school's instructions and to what you actually know about the applicant.
Neither sample is a fixed format. Cut any line you could not say in your own voice, because a letter that sounds copied does little for the applicant.
Before you send a sample letter:
This MBA reference letter from a manager suits a direct supervisor who has seen the applicant's daily work and can describe a specific project, a result and an area for growth.
From ________________
_____________________
_____________________
(Write your name and address here)
Date: ___________________
(Write the current date here)
To,
Mr./Ms._______________
Reference Letter For _______________
Dear [_______________] / To whom this may concern,
My name is _____ and I am a Senior Manager at _______ [specify your position and company's title]. It is with great pride and pleasure that I write this letter of recommendation in favor of ____ [insert the applicant's full name] for their application to your MBA degree program.
I have worked with ____ [the applicant's first name] for ___ [how long] as their ____ [your working relationship]. In that time, they have been responsible for ____ [main duties], and I have seen their work first hand.
One example stands out. When ____ [describe the problem or project], ____ [the applicant's first name] ____ [what they did and how they led others]. The result was ____ [the outcome, with a figure if you have one].
Compared with other ____ [analysts, team leads, colleagues in similar roles] I have managed, ____ [the applicant's first name] stands out for ____ [a specific strength]. They continue to work on ____ [a real, minor area for growth], and when I raised it with them, they ____ [how they responded].
I will gladly answer all further questions about _________________ (the candidate's name here). Use my contact info below to reach me.
I hope that you will consider this recommendation letter and think through the candidacy of ______________ for the upcoming MBA program.
Thank you for your time.
Yours Sincerely,
_______________ (your signature or full name)
E-mail: _______________
Phone number: _____________
Other contact details (optional) ________
This MBA reference letter from an employer suits a company owner or senior leader who knows the applicant's role, character and overall contribution better than their daily tasks.
From ________________
_____________________
_____________________
(Write your name and address here)
Date: ___________________
(Write the current date here)
To,
Mr./Ms._______________
Reference Letter For _______________
Dear [_______________] / To whom this may concern,
My name is ______________________ [Your Name] and I am proud to offer my recommendation of ______________________ [Individual's Name], whom I have personally known for ___ years as my ______________________ [enter the candidate's position] at ______________________ [where you have known the individual: the company, organization, and so on].
During my relationship with ______________________ [Individual's Name], I have come to know an individual who shows up earlier than asked, works hard and behaves in a polite, respectable manner. This person demonstrates a number of valuable skills and abilities _______ [describe the applicant's skills and capacities. Provide several examples or anecdotes].
In addition, ______________________ [Individual's Name] is exceptionally gifted at learning new concepts and, without reservation, I recommend a place for them in your upcoming MBA program.
If you have any requests or questions, do not hesitate to contact me. I leave my contacts below.
Yours Sincerely,
_______________ [your signature or full name]
E-mail: _______________
Phone number: _____________
Other contact details (optional) ________
A letter of recommendation for MBA admission is a standard part of most MBA program applications, and it gives the school a view of the applicant from someone who has seen their work. The letter adds what a resume and essays cannot: another person's account of how the applicant works, leads and solves problems.
Business school recommendation letters mainly come from the workplace, and a current or past employer or direct supervisor usually writes and signs them.
Before you start writing, read the school's own instructions. They tell you how many letters to send, who should write them, and whether the school uses its own form or questions in place of a free-form letter.
The best person to ask for an MBA letter of recommendation is someone who knows your work first hand, usually a current or past employer or a direct supervisor. Many business schools favor a review from an employer or supervisor over a review from academic advisors and professors.
How well the person knows your work matters more than a grand job title. A detailed letter from a manager who worked beside you says more than a short note from a senior name.
This quick comparison shows what each type of referee can add to the letter:
| Referee | What they can speak to | Works well when |
|---|---|---|
| Current supervisor | Day-to-day results and growth | The applicant has worked together with them for a while |
| Previous employer | Past achievements and skills | The applicant recently changed jobs |
| Indirect manager | Cross-team projects and leadership | The applicant's direct supervisor knows little of that work |
| Client | Service quality and teamwork with outside partners | The applicant works closely with customers |
| Board member | Leadership and business impact | The applicant has presented to senior leaders |
| Professor or peer | Study results, teamwork and initiative | The applicant has little consistent work experience |
A self-employed applicant or a new hire can ask a previous employer, a client or a board member instead of a supervisor who has not yet seen much of their work.
Any other person who can speak about your performance and qualities is also worth considering. For a reference aimed at an employer or client instead of a school, see our business recommendation letter page.
A weak choice for an MBA recommendation letter is anyone who cannot give specific examples of your work, including relatives, close friends and senior names who hardly know you.
Skip anyone you are on poor terms with too. A lukewarm letter does more harm than a letter from a less senior person who is glad to write it.
Many programs ask for more than a single letter, so keep another professor, supervisor or employer in mind as a supporting referee while you make your first request.
Choose someone who can show a different side of your work. Letters that repeat a story add little.
An MBA reference letter should include how the referee knows the applicant, a brief outline of their skills, and specific examples that show those skills at work. A letter built on real stories serves the applicant better than a long list of praise, and the parts below put those details in order.
Business schools look for factual, concrete stories that reveal an applicant's business skills, approach to problems and personal qualities, not a list of adjectives. Good letters tend to cover:
Keep every point tied to something the referee has seen first hand.
The parts of an MBA letter of recommendation are a title, the referee's details, a greeting, the applicant's name, the examples, personal qualities, a signature, contact details and the date.
An MBA recommendation letter format is usually a short business letter, with a heading, greeting, introduction, body paragraphs, closing and signature, unless the school provides its own form. Follow the school's form first if it offers a form, and use the plain letter layout when it gives no format.
An MBA letter of recommendation should be one page long and consist of an introduction, at least two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. That usually adds up to 300 to 500 words. A little over a page is fine when each example adds something new. A very short letter can look thin, so include a few specific stories about the applicant.
The letter does not need to cover the applicant's full biography or every task they succeeded in. Choose the examples that matter most for the program.
Most MBA recommendation letters reach the school through the university website or the writer's work email, so the sending details depend on the program the applicant has chosen.
A letter sent by mail looks best on company letterhead. Ask the school which route it accepts before the referee starts writing. If a school's online form replaces the letter with its own questions, the examples prepared for the letter can answer those questions too.
To write an MBA recommendation letter, open by saying who you are and how you know the applicant, give specific examples in the main part, then close with an offer to answer questions. A clear letter has three parts: an introduction, a main part and a closing.
Begin the introduction with a clear heading and greeting, then give your name, your job title, your link to the applicant and how long you have known them.
Write the heading in bold so the recipient sees the letter's purpose at once. If you do not know the recipient's name, use "To whom it may concern" to sound polite. Then move on to the main part.
The main part of the letter gives specific examples of the applicant's problem-solving, leadership and growth, and you are free to start with their background, previous study or work experience.
Build each example in the same order:
If you have known the person for a long time, outline how they have developed in their position, including how they handled conflict. Mention academic achievements and related interests if you know of any. A comparison with others in similar roles helps too, when you can make it honestly.
Close the letter by saying you recommend the applicant and are ready to answer questions, then add your signature and contact details below the main text.
An offer to talk shows you wrote the letter willingly and stand behind it. Good details to include:
A strong MBA reference letter is specific, accurate and balanced, while a weak letter relies on general praise, careless details or a writer who barely knows the applicant. The lists below work as a final check for referees, and for applicants who read the letter before it goes out.
Things to do when writing an MBA reference letter come down to proving each claim with a fact and checking every detail before the letter goes out.
Things to avoid in an MBA reference letter are general praise, unbalanced opinions and agreeing to write about someone you barely know or do not get on with.
To ask an employer for an MBA recommendation letter, choose the person who knows your work best, write a short polite email, name your deadline, and give them what they need to write. A referee is doing you a favor, so make the request easy to answer and easy to act on.
Share your resume, your application essays and the names of the schools you are applying to. A short list of results you are proud of helps your recommenders pick examples that fit your application.
Add each school's submission date and any link or form the school sends to recommenders. Your notes give the writer accurate details, while the opinions and wording stay theirs.
This sample request email asks a former manager for an MBA recommendation letter, names the deadline and offers the materials the writer will need.
Subject: Request for an MBA recommendation letter
Dear ____ [name],
I am applying to MBA programs at ____ [schools] because ____ [your reason in a sentence]. I learned a great deal working with you on ____ [project], and I would be honored if you would write a letter of recommendation for me.
The letter is due by ____ [date]. If you agree, I will send my resume, my essays and a short list of the results we worked on together. I understand if your schedule does not allow it.
Thank you for considering this.
____ [your name and phone number]
These frequently asked questions cover the MBA recommendation letter topics the sections above leave open, from the wording schools use to what happens after the letter arrives.
An MBA reference letter and an MBA letter of recommendation are the same document in business school applications, so use whichever term the school uses on its application page.
Not all MBA programs ask for a recommendation letter, so check the application page of each program on your list before you approach a referee or plan around a letter.
A professor can write an MBA recommendation letter, which is most useful for a student or recent graduate without consistent work experience, as long as the program accepts academic referees.
Ask a professor who knows your work beyond a grade. Our student recommendation letter page covers letters from a teacher or professor.
You should not write your own MBA letter of recommendation, because the school wants the referee's view and may treat a ghostwritten letter as a serious problem with your application.
If a busy referee asks for help, send notes on projects and results, and let them write the letter themselves.
A single letter can serve as a base for several schools, as long as the writer adds the right school name and answers any questions that a particular program asks.
Ask the writer to adjust a few lines so it fits each school.
Whether you see the letter depends on the school and the referee, and an applicant often does not see a letter that the referee sends directly to the school.
That is why your notes matter early on. If the referee does share a copy, check that the names, dates and job titles are correct.
At a US college or university covered by 34 CFR 99.1, generally one that receives funds under a US Department of Education program, a student who enrolls may inspect recommendation letters kept in their education records unless they waived that right under 34 CFR 99.12. Under 34 CFR 99.12, that waiver counts only if the student signed it in writing and the school did not require it as a condition for admission or for receiving a service or benefit from the school.
After you get the letter, confirm that the school has received it, keep the copies you were given, and thank the person who wrote it for their time.
A few quick steps keep the letter ready to use:
General information, not legal or tax advice.
