What should a recommendation letter include?

Who you are, the person and the purpose, how long and in what capacity you know them, two or three specific examples of their work or character, a comparison you can support, a clear recommendation, and your contact details and signature. Most good letters need at least three paragraphs, UC Berkeley's GSI guidance says: introduction, examples, conclusion.

How long should a letter of recommendation be?

Usually one page, and longer only where the reader expects it. UC Berkeley's GSI guidance says many disciplines expect a graduate school letter to run onto a second page, while some programmes require one page. A UCAS reference has a hard limit of 4,000 characters, including spaces, headings and line breaks. A LinkedIn recommendation needs only a few sentences.

Who should write my letter of recommendation for graduate school?

Faculty who taught or supervised you and can judge your potential for graduate study. Harvard Griffin GSAS, for example, asks for three letters from faculty or others qualified to judge that potential, with at least one from a faculty member at your most recent degree's school unless you left more than five years ago. Check each programme's page.

How do I write a recommendation letter for a student applying to college?

Name the class, the grade and how long you have known the student, then give two moments from class and one from outside it, each with what the student did. Add a comparison with the students you teach each year if you can defend it, and end with a clear recommendation. MIT wants teachers who know the applicant well.

What is the difference between a recommendation letter and a character reference letter?

A recommendation letter argues for a person's fit for admission, a scholarship or a job, usually from a teacher, professor or manager. A character reference, as Acas describes it, comes from someone who knows the person well, such as a mentor, and covers how long they have known them, their character, strengths and suitability for the role.

Can I write my own letter of recommendation for someone to sign?

It is better not to. A recommendation letter is the recommender's own statement, and offices treat it that way: Harvard Griffin GSAS takes letters only from recommenders through its portal, and the British embassy or high commission may contact Chevening referees. Send your recommender a fact sheet instead, and let them write it in their own words and sign it.

Should I waive my right to see my recommendation letters?

That is your choice. Under the US rule 34 CFR 99.12, a waiver of the right to see confidential letters of recommendation must be in writing and signed by the student, and a school cannot require it for admission or a service. A waiver can be revoked later, in writing, for future actions only. Ask your school adviser first.

Does an employer have to give a reference in the UK?

Usually not. GOV.UK says an employer does not usually have to give a work reference, unless there is a written agreement to do so or the employer is in a regulated sector such as financial services. Any reference it gives must be fair and accurate, and it can be brief, such as a job title, salary and dates of employment.

How far in advance should I ask for a letter of recommendation?

Pomona College's career office advises asking at least 4 to 6 weeks in advance, by email or in person. Send the programme or job description, your résumé, the deadline and any formatting or submission instructions with the request. If you hear nothing as the deadline nears, send a polite reminder, and send a thank-you note once the letter is in.

Can NOXI write a recommendation letter?

NOXI can draft one for the recommender. Choose the Letter format and give, in one request, the person, the purpose and the examples you saw yourself. NOXI writes the first draft from the facts you give and leaves a clear field for anything it cannot confirm. You then rewrite it in your own words, export Word and sign it.

Recommendation Letter Template: 10 Samples by Purpose

Recommendation letter template, NOXI guide cover: ten recommendation letters written out in full, from a student applying to college and graduate school to an employee, a character reference and LinkedIn, with what admissions and HR offices ask for

Disclosure: NOXI publishes this guide and is one of the tools it mentions. Every letter below works in any editor, from Word or Google Docs to an admissions portal's text box, and none of them needs NOXI.

Recommendation letter template: your name and role, how long and in what capacity you know the person, two or three specific examples of their work or character, a clear recommendation for the purpose, and your contact details and signature. Below are 10 samples in full, from college and graduate school to employee, character and LinkedIn. Checked 10 November 2026.

A recommendation letter is one person's signed account of what they have seen another person do. The offices that read them ask for the same three things in different words: how the writer knows the person, specific examples, and a clear recommendation for the purpose in front of them. The ten samples below are grouped by who asks for them.

In short

The formatDate and addressee, who you are and how you know the person, two or three specific examples, a plain comparison, a clear recommendation, contact details and signature: at least three paragraphs, UC Berkeley's GSI centre advises [1].
10 samplesStudent for college, graduate school, scholarship, internship, employee, teacher, academic colleague, character reference, personal reference and LinkedIn.
What offices askMIT asks for two teacher letters [2], Harvard Griffin GSAS for three, uploaded by the recommenders [4]; a UCAS reference is at most 4,000 characters [13]; Chevening wants two referees who are not friends or relatives, writing in English [6].
WorkA UK employer does not usually have to give a reference, GOV.UK says, but one it gives must be fair and accurate [8] [7].
Your words, your signatureThe recommender writes the letter in their own words and signs it. The person being recommended sends facts, not a draft.

Find your purpose, then jump to its sample. The words in [brackets] are the fields you replace with what you saw first-hand.

#	Sample	Usually written by	Read by	Length (working guide)
1	Student for college	A teacher	College admissions	One page; 4,000 characters for UCAS
2	Graduate school	A professor or supervisor	Graduate admissions	One to two pages
3	Scholarship	A lecturer or manager	A scholarship panel	One page
4	Internship	A lecturer or head of department	An internship coordinator	Half a page to one page
5	Employee	A manager	A hiring manager	One page
6	Teacher	A principal or head of department	A school hiring panel	One page
7	Academic colleague	A faculty colleague	A search, promotion or award committee	As the call sets
8	Character reference	A mentor, coach or community leader	An employer or volunteer organiser	Half a page to one page
9	Personal reference	A friend or neighbour, not a relative	A landlord, club or organiser	Half a page
10	LinkedIn recommendation	A manager, coworker or teacher	Anyone who opens the profile	Three to five sentences

A map of the ten recommendation letter samples sorted by who asks for them: school and university (student for college, graduate school, scholarship, internship), work (employee, teacher, academic colleague), character and personal (character reference, personal reference) and online (LinkedIn recommendation), each with who usually writes it and a working length. — Ten samples in four groups. Find who is asking first, then the writer.

Key numbers

Six figures from admissions, scholarship and careers pages opened on 10 November 2026.

teacher letters MIT asks first-year applicants for, ideally one from math or science and one from humanities, social science or language, "not a hard requirement" [2]

letters Harvard Griffin GSAS requires, uploaded through its portal; it does not accept letters by email, mail or a dossier service [4]

letter entries at most on the 2027 AMCAS medical school application; schools may require official letterhead and a signature [5]

4,000

characters at most in a UCAS undergraduate reference, counting spaces, section headings and line breaks, so the text you type must stay under 3,800 [13]

working days before the interview: the latest a Chevening applicant can upload both reference letters [6]

4 to 6

weeks ahead to ask a recommender, with the description, your résumé, the deadline and the instructions, Pomona College's career office advises [12]

Which recommendation letter template fits you: six quick routes

If you teach a student applying to college → use Sample 1: MIT wants teachers who know the applicant "as both a student and a person" [2]; for a UK school reference, put the same examples into UCAS's format, 4,000 characters at most with no university named [13].
If you back a master's, PhD or scholarship applicant → use Sample 2, which many disciplines expect to run onto a second page, Berkeley's GSI centre says [1], or Sample 3 for a scholarship such as Chevening, in English and addressed to the British embassy or high commission [6].
If you manage the person → check your employer's reference policy, then use Sample 5 (6 for a teacher, 7 for a faculty colleague): some employers only give basic references, Acas notes [7], and at Cal Poly a current supervisor's letter is always official and needs HR approval [9].
If you know the person outside work → use Sample 8 for a job or volunteer role that asks for a character reference [7], or Sample 9 for a tenancy or a club; neither is for a court or an immigration case.
If you need a short public endorsement → use Sample 10 on LinkedIn: one recommendation per position, per member, to a 1st-degree connection you worked with [11].
If you want a laid-out first draft from your own facts → use NOXI's Letter format: one request with the person, the purpose and your examples, then Word to rewrite and sign.

What is a recommendation letter?

Definition Recommendation letter: a signed letter in which someone who knows a person's work or character, such as a teacher, professor, manager or mentor, describes what they have seen and recommends the person for a named purpose: admission, a scholarship, an internship, a job or a role. It is the writer's own statement; the person being recommended supplies facts, not the text.

"Letter of recommendation", "reference letter" and "reference" overlap. A work reference from an employer can be basic (job title and dates) or detailed (skills, ability, reasons for leaving), Acas says, and a character reference covers how and how long the writer knows the person, their character, strengths and suitability for the role [7].

Recommendation letter format: the six parts

Every sample here uses these six parts, in this order. Berkeley's guidance says most good letters need at least three paragraphs: an introduction with who you are, your capacity, how long you have known the student and how they rank; strengths and weaknesses, backed by concrete examples; and a conclusion with your recommendation [1]. Filled for a fictional teacher:

Part	Filled example (fictional)
1. Date and addressee	12 November 2026 · Dear Admissions Committee,
2. Who, whom and for what	I am pleased to recommend Leo Park for admission to your college.
3. How you know them	I taught Leo in AP Biology in 11th grade and have advised the science club, where he is treasurer, for two years.
4. Two or three examples	When our class pond survey gave odd results, Leo retested the samples on his own time and found the meter was miscalibrated. He then wrote the club's one-page calibration guide.
5. Comparison and recommendation	Of the 130 students I teach each year, Leo is among the five most careful scientists. I recommend him without reservation.
6. Contact and signature	Sincerely, Rosa Delgado, Biology Teacher, Linden Ridge High School, email and phone

A filled one-page recommendation letter for a fictional student, Leo Park, from his biology teacher Rosa Delgado at Linden Ridge High School, with six labelled parts down the margin: the date and Dear Admissions Committee, who recommends whom for what, how she knows him, two examples about a pond survey and a calibration guide, a comparison with the 130 students she teaches each year and a recommendation without reservation, and her signature with contact details, marked as a fictional example. — Sample 1, filled: six parts, and the examples carry the letter.

How to write a recommendation letter in 7 steps

1. Say yes only if you can write a strong, honest letter

If you cannot honestly recommend the person, Berkeley's guidance says to suggest they ask someone else [1].

2. Ask for the materials and the deadline

The purpose, the description, a résumé, the deadline and the submission instructions, at least 4 to 6 weeks ahead, as Pomona's career office tells students [12]. Berkeley adds the person's papers or exams, to refresh specifics [1].

3. Read what the office asks for

Number, route, length and language differ by office; the table below collects them from each office's own page.

4. Open with who you are, whom you recommend and how you know them

Your role, the person and the purpose, then how long and in what capacity you know them. Chevening also asks when you were last in regular contact [6].

5. Give two or three specific examples

Concrete examples back up general statements, and specificity is very important, Berkeley says [1]. Name the course, project or moment, what the person did and what changed.

6. Compare and recommend, plainly

Berkeley's guidance puts how the student ranks against others you have taught in the opening paragraph [1]; include a comparison only if you can stand behind it.

7. Sign it, submit it the way they ask, and keep a copy

Sign it with full contact details [1], send it by the route the office names, and keep a copy for next year.

A timeline of a recommendation letter from request to thank-you: the applicant asks four to six weeks ahead, sends the description, résumé and deadline, the recommender decides honestly, drafts with two or three examples, signs, submits through the office's route, the applicant checks it arrived, then sends a thank-you; below it four office cards: MIT two teacher letters, Harvard Griffin GSAS three letters through its portal, AMCAS up to ten letter entries, Chevening two references uploaded at least seven working days before the interview. — From the request to the thank-you. The office's own page sets the number, the route and the deadline.

What admissions, scholarship and HR offices ask for

From each office's own page, opened on 10 November 2026; programmes can add rules.

Office	What it asks for	Rules worth knowing	Source
MIT, first-year	Two teacher letters and a School Counselor or Secondary School Report recommender	One optional supplemental letter, "neither expected nor required"	MIT Admissions [2]
Common App	Teacher academic evaluations; other recommenders such as coaches or employers	Not all colleges require a teacher letter or accept other recommenders	Common App [3]
UCAS, UK undergraduate	One school reference in three sections	At most 4,000 characters; in English (or Welsh, for Welsh universities); no university named	UCAS [13]
Harvard Griffin GSAS	Three letters from faculty or others qualified to judge graduate potential	One from your latest degree's school unless you left over five years ago; extra letters may not be reviewed	Harvard Griffin GSAS [4]
AAMC, AMCAS	Up to 10 letter entries: committee letters, packets or individual letters	Letterhead and signature may be required; no copies to applicants	AAMC [5]
Chevening	Two referees, professional or academic	Not friends or relatives; English; addressed to the British embassy or high commission	Chevening [6]
UK employers	Usually optional, unless agreed in writing or in a regulated sector such as financial services	Fair and accurate; can be brief: job title, salary, dates	GOV.UK [8], Acas [7]
Cal Poly HR	Official letters approved by HR or Academic Personnel first	A personal letter on letterhead or university email must say it is written from a personal perspective	Cal Poly HR [9]

For US students, one federal rule applies: a waiver of the right to see a letter must be in writing and signed, and a school cannot make it a condition of admission or of a service, under 34 CFR 99.12 (FERPA) [10]. Harvard Griffin GSAS's application asks the waiver question [4].

Recommendation letters for school and university: college, graduate school, scholarship and internship

These four are read with the applicant's own essay, so they add what the applicant cannot say about themselves.

1. Recommendation letter for a student applying to college

For: a teacher writing for a high school senior. Why it works: two moments from class, one from outside it, and a comparison the teacher can defend. Check: MIT prefers one math or science and one humanities, social science or language teacher [2]; in the UK the same content goes into UCAS's "other supportive information" section [13].

Sample 1 · Student for college · replace the words in brackets

[Date] Dear Admissions Committee, I am pleased to recommend [student's full name] for admission to [college name, or "your college"]. I taught [first name] in [course] in [grade], and I have known [him, her or them] for [length of time] as [their teacher and the adviser of (club)]. [First name] is one of the most [one quality you can show, for example careful] students I have taught in [number] years. In [unit or month], [what they did, for example when our pond survey gave odd results, (first name) retested the samples and found the meter was miscalibrated]. Outside my classroom, [one activity with a result, for example as science club treasurer, (first name) wrote the calibration guide the club still uses]. Of the [number] students I teach each year, I would place [first name] [among the (number) most (quality)]. I recommend [him, her or them] [without reservation] and would be glad to answer any questions. Sincerely, [Signature] [Your name] [Subject] Teacher, [School name] [School email] · [Phone]

2. Letter of recommendation for graduate school

For: professors and research supervisors writing for a master's or PhD applicant. Why it works: it covers what Berkeley lists: the course and grade, intellectual ability, knowledge of the field, communication skills, personal qualities and suitability for graduate study [1]. Check: Harvard Griffin GSAS wants at least one letter from the applicant's most recent school, unless they left over five years ago [4]; medical schools may require letterhead and a signature [5].

Sample 2 · Graduate school · replace the words in brackets

[Date] Dear Members of the Admissions Committee, I am writing to recommend [student's full name] for the [degree, for example PhD in Chemical Engineering] at [university]. I am [your title] in [department] at [your university]. I have known [first name] for [length of time], as a student in my [course], where [he, she or they] earned [grade], and as [my research assistant, or thesis advisee] since [month and year]. In [course], [evidence of ability, for example (first name) found an error in a problem set I had used for six years, and wrote a note explaining it]. In my lab, [their own part in the research, for example (first name) designed and ran the catalyst tests for our project on (topic)]. When [a setback], [what they did, for example (he, she or they) proposed a second method and had results within three weeks]. [First name] presented this work at [event] and [result, for example is a co-author on our manuscript]. [First name] also [teamwork evidence, for example trained two first-year students]. Among the [number] students I have supervised at this level in [number] years, I would place [first name] in [the top (number) percent]. [First name] is ready for graduate study in [field] because [one sentence tying your evidence to the programme]. I recommend [him, her or them] [with enthusiasm]. Please contact me at [email] or [phone] if I can add anything. Sincerely, [Signature] [Your name], [Title] [Department, University]

3. Letter of recommendation for a scholarship

For: a lecturer, manager or supervisor supporting a scholarship or fellowship application. Why it works: it answers the panel's own criteria in their order, one example each. Check: Chevening asks each referee for contact details, how long and in what capacity they know the applicant, when they were last in regular contact, and an endorsement of leadership and networking skills, personal and interpersonal qualities, and the ability to complete a demanding academic programme in the UK [6].

Sample 3 · Scholarship · replace the words in brackets

[Date] To: [The scholarship committee, or for Chevening: The British Embassy or High Commission in (country)] Reference for [applicant's full name], [scholarship name] I am [your name], [job title] at [organisation]. I have known [applicant's name] for [length of time] as [their manager, lecturer or supervisor], and we were last in regular contact in [month and year]. [The panel's first criterion, for example Leadership.] [One example with a result, for example In 2025 (first name) led a team of six on (project) and delivered (result) on schedule.] [Second criterion, for example Networking.] [One example, for example (First name) built the partnership with (organisation) that now (result).] [Third criterion, for example Academic ability.] [One example, for example (First name) completed (qualification) with (grade) while working full time.] [Why this scholarship fits, for example (First name) plans to study (subject) and return to (sector).] I recommend [first name] for the [scholarship name] [without reservation]. Yours faithfully, [Signature] [Your name] [Job title, organisation] [Address] · [Email] · [Phone]

"Yours faithfully" is the British close for an unnamed reader; use "Sincerely" for a US panel. Chevening applicants upload the letters themselves [6], so send yours early.

4. Recommendation letter for internship

For: a lecturer, professor, teaching assistant or head of department writing for a student. Why it works: it says what the student can do in week one and names their dates. Check: a teaching assistant can write it with a faculty member co-signing, an option Berkeley describes [1].

Sample 4 · Internship · replace the words in brackets

[Date] Dear [Hiring manager's name, or Internship Coordinator], I recommend [student's full name], a [year] student of [programme, for example B.Tech in Computer Science] at [college], for the [internship title] at [company], from [start date] to [end date]. I have taught [first name] in [course] and supervised [his, her or their] [project] on [topic] this [semester]. In that project, [first name] [what they did, for example wrote the data-cleaning script for a 40,000-row dataset and documented it for others]. [He, She or They] already [skills you can rely on in week one, for example writes clear Python, uses Git and explains results in our weekly reviews]. [First name] is also [one quality with a fact, for example punctual: in two semesters, (first name) has not missed a lab deadline]. [First name] would bring [what they would contribute] to your team. I am happy to answer questions at [email] or [phone]. Yours sincerely, [Signature] [Your name] [Designation, for example Head of Department], [Department] [College]

Recommendation letters for work: employee, teacher and academic colleague

Work letters carry your employer's name, so check first whether your organisation has a reference policy: the writer decides the detail unless the employer has one, Acas says, and some employers only give basic references [7].

5. Recommendation letter for an employee

For: a manager writing for an employee applying for a new job or a promotion; a coworker can use it by changing the second sentence to how you worked together. Why it works: two results the reader can check, one example of teamwork, and "I would hire them again". Check: it must be accurate and fair, and should leave out absence linked to disability, adoption, maternity or paternity leave [7]. At Cal Poly, a current supervisor's letter is always official and needs HR or Academic Personnel approval first [9]. The last performance review is a good source of dated facts; if the employee is leaving, our resignation letter template covers the notice.

Sample 5 · Employee · replace the words in brackets

[Date] Dear [Hiring manager's name], I am pleased to recommend [employee's full name] for the [job title] role at [company]. I was [his, her or their] manager at [organisation] from [month and year] to [month and year, or "the present"], where [first name] worked as [job title]. In that time, [first name] [result 1 with a number you can stand behind, for example cut the average time to close a customer ticket from four days to two]. [He, She or They] also [result 2, for example led the move of 300 client files to our new system on schedule]. [First name] works well with others. [An example, for example When two teams disagreed on a launch date, (first name) set up the meeting that settled it.] [Optional, only if true: one area of growth, framed fairly, for example (First name) has grown from presenting to our team to presenting to clients.] I would hire [first name] again [without hesitation]. Please call me on [phone] or email [email] if you would like to talk. Yours sincerely, [Signature] [Your name] [Job title, organisation] [Only if your employer's policy asks: This reference gives my personal view and does not represent (organisation).]

6. Recommendation letter for teacher

For: a principal, head of department or mentor writing for a teacher applying for a new post. Why it works: lessons you watched, a result in your school's measure, and work beyond the classroom. Check: ask HR whether your letter counts as an official reference [9]. For a demonstration lesson, our teaching demonstration guide and lesson plan template help the candidate.

Sample 6 · Teacher · replace the words in brackets

[Date] Dear [Principal's name, or Members of the Hiring Panel], I am writing to recommend [teacher's full name] for the position of [post, for example Grade 5 teacher] at [school]. As [your title] at [your school], I have worked with [first name] for [number] years and observed [his, her or their] lessons [number] times, most recently in [month and year]. In the classroom, [what you observed, for example (first name) opens every lesson with a two-minute recall quiz and regroups students on the answers the same day]. [A result in your school's measure, for example Last year (number) of (number) students in the class reached the expected standard in reading.] Beyond the classroom, [contribution, for example (first name) runs the robotics club and mentors new teachers]. [First name] keeps families [informed and involved, for example with a short weekly class update]. I recommend [first name] [highly] and would be glad to discuss [his, her or their] work at [email] or [phone]. Yours sincerely, [Signature] [Your name] [Title], [School]

7. Letter of recommendation for an academic colleague

For: a faculty member recommending a colleague for a faculty post, promotion, fellowship or award. Why it works: evidence for research, teaching and service, and any collaboration declared openly. Check: follow the call's rules on length and confidentiality. Cal Poly's HR page lets faculty use letterhead for personal evaluations of a peer's scholarly and instructional merit [9]; your university may differ.

Sample 7 · Academic colleague · replace the words in brackets

[Date] Dear [Chair of the search committee, or Members of the Selection Panel], I am writing in strong support of [colleague's full name] for [the position, promotion or award] at [institution]. I am [your title] at [your institution], and I have known [colleague's name]'s work for [number] years, [how, for example as a co-author on two papers]. [If you have collaborated: Because we have worked together, I write as a colleague who knows the work closely, not as an independent reviewer.] Research. [What the work showed, for example (Colleague's name)'s study of (topic) was the first to (finding)], published in [journal, year]. [How others use it, for example (Number) research groups have built on its method.] Teaching. [Evidence, for example (She, He or They) designed (course), taken by (number) students a year, and has supervised (number) master's theses.] Service. [Evidence, for example (She, He or They) chaired our (committee).] In my judgement, [colleague's name] is [a comparison you can support, for example among the strongest scholars of (her, his or their) generation in (field)], and would [what they would bring to this role]. I recommend [her, him or them] [without reservation]. Sincerely, [Signature] [Your name], [Title] [Department, Institution] · [Email]

Character reference letter and personal reference: when you know them outside work

These two come from people who know the person's character, for jobs, volunteer roles, tenancies and clubs. Letters for a court, an immigration case or a custody matter follow their own rules: ask the court, the agency or a lawyer, and do not use these samples.

8. Character reference letter

For: a mentor, coach, faith or community leader, or former manager, for a job or volunteer role that asks for a character reference. Why it works: it covers what Acas lists for a character reference: how and how long you know the person, their character and strengths, and their suitability for the role [7], each quality with an example.

Sample 8 · Character reference · replace the words in brackets

[Date] Dear [Name, or Hiring Manager], I am writing a character reference for [person's full name], who has applied for [the role, for example a volunteer youth leader post] at [organisation]. I have known [first name] for [number] years as [how, for example (his, her or their) coach at (club)]. [First name] is [quality 1, for example honest]. [Example, for example When our club's treasurer left, (first name) took over the accounts, found a small error in the club's favour, and reported and corrected it.] [First name] is also [quality 2, for example patient with young people]. [Example, for example For three seasons (he, she or they) has run our Saturday under-10 session, and parents ask for (his, her or their) group by name.] And [first name] is [reliable]: [one fact, for example in (number) years I cannot remember a missed session without notice]. I believe [first name] would be [a trustworthy] [role], and I recommend [him, her or them] [warmly]. Please contact me at [phone] or [email]. Yours sincerely, [Signature] [Your name] [Your role, and how you know them]

9. Personal reference letter (not for immigration)

For: a friend, neighbour or former landlord writing for a tenancy, a club, a childcare or pet-sitting job, or a volunteer role. Why it works: facts the writer has seen, a plain "we are not related", and one example tied to the purpose. Check: for a scholarship, use a professional or academic referee; Chevening says friends and relatives are not suitable [6].

Sample 9 · Personal reference · replace the words in brackets

[Date] To [name of the landlord, agent or organisation], I am happy to give a personal reference for [person's full name]. I have known [first name] for [number] years as [how, for example (his, her or their) neighbour on (street)]. We are not related. In that time I have found [first name] [quality, for example considerate and reliable]. [Example, for example When I was away for a month, (he, she or they) looked after my keys, post and plants, and everything was in order when I came back.] [A second example tied to the purpose, for example For a tenancy: (first name) has always kept (his, her or their) flat and the shared areas tidy.] I am glad to recommend [first name] for [the purpose]. You can reach me at [phone] or [email]. Kind regards, [Signature] [Your name] [Address, optional]

LinkedIn recommendation examples: the short public version

LinkedIn's help page says you can give or request one recommendation per position, per member, with 1st-degree connections you work or have worked with; the recipient can accept, dismiss or ask for a revision, and once accepted it is visible to their network by default [11]. It names no word limit.

10. LinkedIn recommendation

For: a manager, coworker, client or teacher. Why it works: relationship, one result with a number, one strength, one endorsement. Check: write about the position you shared; you can revise or delete it later [11].

Sample 10 · LinkedIn recommendation · replace the words in brackets

I [managed, worked alongside, or taught] [first name] for [length of time] at [organisation], where [he, she or they] [role, for example ran our client onboarding]. [First name] [one result with a number, for example rebuilt our onboarding course, and new hires now reach full speed in six weeks instead of ten]. What stands out is [one strength, for example how calmly (he, she or they) handles a hard client conversation]. Any team that needs [skill] would be lucky to have [him, her or them].

If you are asking for a letter: what to send your recommender

If you are the applicant, the letter is still the recommender's statement; your job is to make the facts easy to find. Send one email, at least 4 to 6 weeks before the deadline [12], with:

The purpose: the programme, scholarship or job, and its description.
The deadline and the route: portal, email or "send it to me to upload", plus any length or language rule.
Your résumé or CV: our AI resume builder ranking compares tools if you need one.
Three moments they saw: the course and grade, the project and your part, a result. Remind them; do not write their sentences.
Your own statement or cover letter: so the letter adds to it. Our cover letter template guide has twelve to start from.
Your waiver choice: for US applications, whether you waived your right to see the letter [10].

If the programme also asks you to interview or give a short talk, our presentation skills guide has practice drills. Send a reminder if the deadline nears and a thank-you note afterwards, as Pomona's career office suggests [12].

What not to put in a recommendation letter

Race, gender, disability, age or other protected characteristics. Berkeley says not to reference them [1], and Acas says a reference should not disclose them or other information that could be used to discriminate [7].
Health and family details. Acas says a reference should not include reasonable adjustments, or absence linked to disability, adoption, maternity or paternity leave [7].
Bland words. Berkeley lists "nice", "fairly", "satisfactory" and "good" as descriptors to avoid [1]. Replace each with an example.
Praise you cannot support. Opinions need evidence, Acas says, and a reference should not say someone excelled where they need to improve [7].
A university's name in a UCAS reference. UCAS tells referees to avoid mentioning any university or college [13].

Four vague recommendation letter sentences rewritten as specific ones: she is a good student becomes she found an error in a problem set I had used for six years; he is hard-working becomes he retested the pond samples and found the meter was miscalibrated; a nice colleague becomes she set up the meeting that settled a launch-date dispute; he is reliable becomes in three seasons I cannot remember a missed session without notice. — Adjectives tell; examples show. Each specific line comes from the samples above.

Check before you send: your own words, your signature, their rules

The recommender writes the letter in their own words from what they saw, signs it, and sends it the way the office asks. Offices treat it as the writer's statement: Harvard Griffin GSAS takes letters only from recommenders [4], AMCAS gives no copies to applicants [5], and the British embassy or high commission may contact Chevening referees [6]. This is general guidance, not legal advice.

It is in your words, and every example is one you saw.If the applicant sent a draft, use it as a fact list and write your own letter.
Names, titles, dates and grades are right.Check them against the résumé and your records [1].
It goes to the right reader, for the right purpose.A Chevening letter goes to the British embassy or high commission [6]; a UCAS reference names no university [13].
You know whether it is official or personal.Check your employer's reference policy and letterhead rules [9] [7].
It fits the office's format.Length, language, letterhead, signature, portal or email [4] [5] [13].
For a US student, you know the waiver status.A FERPA waiver must be written and signed, and cannot be required for admission [10].
You kept a copy.The same person may ask again next year.

Writing in Arabic? See our guide to formal letters in Arabic.

Three ready requests to paste into NOXI

For a laid-out first draft from your own facts, paste one of these into NOXI, replace the words in brackets, then rewrite the draft in your own words and sign it.

Prompt 1 · A graduate school letter from a professor (Letter format)

A letter of recommendation from me, [Dr Elena Marsh], [Associate Professor of Chemistry] at [Halden University], for [Arjun Mehta], who is applying to [the PhD in Chemical Engineering at (university)]. I taught him in [CHEM 340, grade A] and supervised his [research project] for [two years]. Use only these examples: [he designed the catalyst test that cut our run time from three days to one; he trained two first-year students on the spectrometer]. My comparison, exactly as given: [among the top five of about 120 students I have taught at this level]. End with a clear recommendation and my [email and phone]. Formal, at most a page and a half, with a clear field for anything I have not given you.

Prompt 2 · An employee recommendation from a manager (Letter format)

A recommendation letter from me, [Grace Owusu], [Operations Manager] at [Brightline Logistics], for [Tom Reyes], who is applying for [a Senior Analyst role at (company)]. I managed him from [March 2023] to [October 2026]. Use only these facts: [he cut our weekly delivery report from two days of work to half a day; he trained four new coordinators]. Add: [I would hire him again without hesitation]. Warm and professional, one page, "Yours sincerely".

Prompt 3 · One change, by chat

Make the second paragraph more specific using only the facts I gave you, remove the words "hard-working" and "nice", and change nothing else.

Make it in NOXI: a recommendation letter in Word from one request

NOXI (noxi.ai) is an AI maker for presentations and documents: you describe what you need in one request, and it builds a designed deck or document in one of 14 formats; the free plan covers five documents a month, downloads carry no watermark, and files export to PowerPoint, Word and PDF.

NOXI 2.0 includes Letter among those formats. Every change after a document is made, by chat or by hand, is free, and no credit card is needed to start. You give the facts, NOXI drafts and lays out the page, and you make the words your own before you sign.

Step 1. Open NOXI and choose Letter

Go to noxi.ai and sign in, or create a free account. On Home, open More and choose Letter. The format is a starting point, and a clear request wins.

Step 2. Give the person, the purpose and your real examples in one request

Paste Prompt 1 or 2 with your role, the person, the programme or job, how you know them and two or three examples you saw. Attach files if you have them, such as the résumé the person sent or your notes. When a fact cannot be confirmed, NOXI leaves a clear field for you to fill instead of guessing.

Step 3. Press Create and read the first draft

NOXI sketches the page first, writes it from your facts, and reads the whole document through to fix what does not agree, such as a name spelled two ways. Check every example and number against what you saw.

Step 4. Make it your own, by chat or by hand

Send Prompt 3, and NOXI changes only what you asked, or edit any line yourself so the letter sounds like you. Every change can be undone.

Step 5. Export Word, sign and submit

Export Word for editable pages, add your signature and, if your employer allows it, your letterhead, then submit it the way the office asks. PDF is there too. Each file is compared with the pages before the download appears.

Frequently asked questions

What should a recommendation letter include?: Who you are, the person and the purpose, how long and in what capacity you know them, two or three specific examples of their work or character, a comparison you can support, a clear recommendation, and your contact details and signature. Most good letters need at least three paragraphs, UC Berkeley's GSI guidance says: introduction, examples, conclusion.
How long should a letter of recommendation be?: Usually one page, and longer only where the reader expects it. UC Berkeley's GSI guidance says many disciplines expect a graduate school letter to run onto a second page, while some programmes require one page. A UCAS reference has a hard limit of 4,000 characters, including spaces, headings and line breaks. A LinkedIn recommendation needs only a few sentences.
Who should write my letter of recommendation for graduate school?: Faculty who taught or supervised you and can judge your potential for graduate study. Harvard Griffin GSAS, for example, asks for three letters from faculty or others qualified to judge that potential, with at least one from a faculty member at your most recent degree's school unless you left more than five years ago. Check each programme's page.
How do I write a recommendation letter for a student applying to college?: Name the class, the grade and how long you have known the student, then give two moments from class and one from outside it, each with what the student did. Add a comparison with the students you teach each year if you can defend it, and end with a clear recommendation. MIT wants teachers who know the applicant well.
What is the difference between a recommendation letter and a character reference letter?: A recommendation letter argues for a person's fit for admission, a scholarship or a job, usually from a teacher, professor or manager. A character reference, as Acas describes it, comes from someone who knows the person well, such as a mentor, and covers how long they have known them, their character, strengths and suitability for the role.
Can I write my own letter of recommendation for someone to sign?: It is better not to. A recommendation letter is the recommender's own statement, and offices treat it that way: Harvard Griffin GSAS takes letters only from recommenders through its portal, and the British embassy or high commission may contact Chevening referees. Send your recommender a fact sheet instead, and let them write it in their own words and sign it.
Should I waive my right to see my recommendation letters?: That is your choice. Under the US rule 34 CFR 99.12, a waiver of the right to see confidential letters of recommendation must be in writing and signed by the student, and a school cannot require it for admission or a service. A waiver can be revoked later, in writing, for future actions only. Ask your school adviser first.
Does an employer have to give a reference in the UK?: Usually not. GOV.UK says an employer does not usually have to give a work reference, unless there is a written agreement to do so or the employer is in a regulated sector such as financial services. Any reference it gives must be fair and accurate, and it can be brief, such as a job title, salary and dates of employment.
How far in advance should I ask for a letter of recommendation?: Pomona College's career office advises asking at least 4 to 6 weeks in advance, by email or in person. Send the programme or job description, your résumé, the deadline and any formatting or submission instructions with the request. If you hear nothing as the deadline nears, send a polite reminder, and send a thank-you note once the letter is in.
Can NOXI write a recommendation letter?: NOXI can draft one for the recommender. Choose the Letter format and give, in one request, the person, the purpose and the examples you saw yourself. NOXI writes the first draft from the facts you give and leaves a clear field for anything it cannot confirm. You then rewrite it in your own words, export Word and sign it.

Sources & methodology

Every rule, number and quoted phrase comes from its publisher's own page, opened on 10 November 2026, signed out, with no cookies accepted and nothing submitted. The ten samples, the filled example and the ready requests are editorial: every name, school, company and number in them is invented. Nothing on this page is legal advice.

[1] Decide whether you can honestly recommend the student, and if not, suggest someone else; ask for materials, due dates, submission addresses and signed waivers; most good letters need at least three paragraphs: introduction (who you are, capacity, how long, courses, grades, how the student ranks), strengths and weaknesses with concrete examples (intellectual ability, knowledge of the field, communication skills, personal qualities, suitability for graduate study), conclusion; "specificity is very important"; in many disciplines the letter should spill onto a second page, some programmes require one page; avoid "nice", "fairly", "satisfactory" and "good"; do not reference protected characteristics; full contact information; a GSI may write and have a faculty member co-sign · UC Berkeley GSI Teaching & Resource Center, Writing Letters of Recommendation, checked 10 November 2026 (no update date shown).
[2] Two teacher letters, one from a math or science teacher and one from a humanities, social science or language teacher, "not a hard requirement"; teachers who know you "as both a student and a person"; one School Counselor or Secondary School Report recommender; one optional supplemental recommender, neither expected nor required · MIT Admissions, First-year applicants: letters of recommendation, checked 10 November 2026 (no update date shown).
[3] Teachers submit an academic evaluation and students assign them to colleges; "Not all colleges require a teacher letter of recommendation"; other recommenders such as coaches, employers or college access advisors; not all colleges accept letters from other recommenders · Common App, Counselors and recommenders, checked 10 November 2026 (no update date shown).
[4] Three letters from faculty members or others qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study; at least one from a faculty member at the school of your most recent degree unless you have been out of school more than five years; uploaded through the recommender portal; no letters by email, mail or a dossier service; additional letters may not be reviewed; the application asks whether you waive your right to see your letters · Harvard Griffin GSAS, Letters of recommendation, checked 10 November 2026 (no update date shown).
[5] Up to 10 letter entries on the 2027 AMCAS application; committee letters, letter packets and individual letters; "Under no circumstances will the AMCAS program provide copies" of letters; medical schools may require official letterhead and a signature · AAMC, Section 6 of the AMCAS Application: Letters of Evaluation, 2027 AMCAS application, checked 10 November 2026.
[6] Two referees, professional, academic or one of each; friends and relatives are not suitable; the applicant collects the letters and uploads them no later than seven working days before the interview; "References must be in English", or the original with a notarised translation; addressed to the British embassy or high commission; the referee's contact details, how long and in what capacity they know the applicant, when they last had regular contact; an endorsement of leadership and networking skills, personal and interpersonal qualities and the ability to complete a demanding academic programme in the UK; the embassy or high commission may contact referees · Chevening, References, checked 10 November 2026 (no update date shown).
[7] A reference must be accurate and fair; the person giving it decides the detail unless the employer has a specific policy, and some employers only give basic references; basic (job title, dates) and detailed references; a character reference covers how and how long the writer knows the applicant, their character and strengths and their suitability for the role; opinions need evidence; do not say someone excelled where they need to improve; no reasonable adjustments or absence related to disability, adoption, maternity or paternity leave; disciplinary records only if recent and relevant; no protected characteristics · Acas, What employers can say in a reference, last updated 1 October 2026, checked 10 November 2026.
[8] An employer does not usually have to give a work reference, unless there is a written agreement or it is in a regulated sector such as financial services; a reference "must be fair and accurate"; it can be brief, such as job title, salary and employment dates · GOV.UK, References: your rights, checked 10 November 2026 (no update date shown).
[9] Official letters are endorsed by the university and need HR or Academic Personnel approval; letters from an administrator or current supervisor are always official; personal letters give the writer's individual view and may use letterhead or university email only if they clearly say they are written from a personal perspective; faculty may use letterhead for personal evaluations of a peer's scholarly and instructional merit · Cal Poly Human Resources, Employee references, checked 10 November 2026 (no update date shown).
[10] A student may waive the right to inspect confidential letters of recommendation; the waiver must be in writing and signed; it may not be required as a condition for admission or for a service or benefit; names of the writers on request; revocation in writing, for actions after it · 34 CFR 99.12 (FERPA), Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, checked 10 November 2026. The eCFR page redirected to a bot check, so this copy of the regulation is cited.
[11] Request recommendations from 1st-degree connections you work or have worked with, and write them for connections; one per position, per member; the recipient can accept, dismiss or ask for a revision; once accepted, visible to the network by default; revise, hide or delete; no length limit named · LinkedIn Help, Recommendations on LinkedIn, checked 10 November 2026 (the page shows "3 years ago" and no date).
[12] Ask recommenders "at least 4-6 weeks in advance"; explain the purpose and send the description, your résumé, the deadline and any formatting or submission instructions; ask by email or in person; remind them if the deadline nears; send thank-you notes · Pomona College Career Development Office, Requesting letters of recommendation, checked 10 November 2026 (no update date shown).
[13] A maximum of 4,000 characters including spaces, section headings and line breaks, "a limit and not a target", so the text entered needs to stay under 3,800; three sections: establishment details (a general statement about the school), extenuating circumstances, other supportive information; in English, or Welsh for Welsh universities where the rest of the application is in Welsh; avoid mentioning any university or college · UCAS, Undergraduate references guidance for advisers, checked 10 November 2026 (no update date shown).