How can I get letters of recommendation for a foreign university?

How do you obtain it and what should it contain?

Most foreign universities will require you to submit one to three letters of recommendationin your application file. This document can be used as a a real lever to support your application and increase your chances of admission.

So how do you go about getting a letter of recommendation? Who do I contact? What should it contain? Here are a fewtips for taking this compulsory step in your admission process.

Tip 1: Don’t wait until the last minute

Your teachers have a busy schedule, and you usually have a deadline to meet. So keep one thing in mind: anticipate ! It’s best to plan ahead several weeks or even months in advance, so as to be sure ofget your letter of recommendation on time, even if you have to ask your teacher several times if necessary.

You should also take into account the fact that teachers give a limited number of recommendations, given the extra work involved. Ideally, you should be among the first to call on your teacher, otherwise your application could be rejected.

To go further, read our guide: Get ready for your admissions interview.

Tip 2: Choose a teacher who knows you well

The letter of recommendation should provide the jury with information about your personality, your work, your participation, your involvement in the life of the class, your qualities… Only a teacher who knows you well and who has had you as a pupil for one (or even more) year(s) will be able to provide precise examples to illustrate your qualities. Turn to a teacher who appreciates you, in a subject in which you do well, and who can testify to your commitment, determination and seriousness.

Ideally, the teacher you choose should teach a subject close to the discipline that you’d like to study at university, or have a true understanding of your results in the subject(s) most closely related to it. For example, if you’re planning to study engineering, a letter of recommendation from a history teacher will carry less weight than one from a math or physics teacher. If your professor doesn’t speak English, don’t hesitate to ask him/her to write it in French as a first step. You can then have it translated by a translator or an English teacher.

On the same topic, see our article: How to Write a CV for University Applications.

Tip 3: Look at the format required for the letter

Each university and country has its own specific requirements for letters of recommendation. So before you approach your referees, it’s important to spend some time studying the format required by your target universities.

Typically, this one-page document is drafted in four stages:

• 1^st stage: a letter of recommendation should first state the role the teacher has played with the student and, where relevant, the number of years he or she has taught them;
• 2^nd stage: motivated, dynamic, serious, rigorous, conscientious, willing… The letter should list the student’s real skills and qualities to support the application before the admissions committee. The vocabulary must be precise and describe the candidate’s profile as accurately as possible, without exaggerating or understating their abilities;
• 3^rd stage: explain why the student would be an asset to the university and invite the committee to accept the application;

4^th stage: the teacher suggests that the jury contact him/her if they wish to obtain further information about the student, and signs the document.

Tip 4, Make a formal application

It’s not enough to pass a teacher in the corridor and ask for a letter of recommendation at the drop of a hat. It’s a good idea to make an appointment with your teacher in order to explain your project and motivations in person. Your teacher will probably appreciate this option more than a simple e-mail.

Before your appointment, be sure to think through your project in detail, and justify your choice of course and university.

You can use a written document to specify any elements you feel should be included in the letter. For example:

• the subject of your school research project and the grade you obtained, along with other examples of group projects related to your target course. This shows your ability to work in a team and to take initiative and lead;
• your results so far in the subjects related to your target course, an indication of your class ranking (especially if you are in the top third of the class) and your academic potential to succeed in this type of course at university;
• examples of individual work (essays, exams, presentations…) in which you did particularly well, to show your ability to work independently and in a structured way, and your analytical, thinking and writing skills;
• examples of projects outside school to illustrate your intellectual curiosity and open-mindedness;
• examples of your involvement in class and school life more generally (class representative, active member or president of a club or society…). This shows that you will also be very involved and active in the life of your future university;
• examples of the qualities to highlight for the programme you are applying to. Spend some time on the course page to identify the qualities or expressions that come up regularly when describing the programme’s students.

Don’t hesitate to be exhaustive in your document: the more precise and detailed the information you give your teacher, the easier it will be for him or her to write a personal and convincing letter.

Don’t forget to specify the deadline for writing the letter. It’s a good idea to ask your teacher to write it on a computer, so you can share and modify it more easily.

Tip 5: Don’t forget to thank your teacher

Once you’ve submitted your application, don’t forget to thank your teacher and to keep them informed of the progress of your admission process. Here are the 10 key steps to a successful UCAS application and registration.

Please consult our article to help youstrengthen your application for foreign universities. .

Would you like to study abroad after high school? Don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss your project!