Writing Reference Letters

By: Travis Smith (USA)

Fulbright FellowEnglish Language Teacher Assistant

Other Aspects of the Application Process

We've already discussed the personal statement and general writing strategies. Now we will move on to two other important parts of the Exchange Program Application.

Reference LettersInterviews

What is a Reference Letter?

Reference letters (sometimes called Letters of Recommendation) are pieces of writing that teachers do on behalf of one of their students applying for some kind of exchange or scholarship program.

Writing Letters: The Basics

There are a few things you need to know about how to write letters before we begin speaking specifically about Reference Letters.

Why Do We Write Letters?

The basic answer is that we write letters to communicate with someone whom we cannot speak to in person. So just like with essays, your letters must be clear and able to convey your meaning without you there to explain things.

The Structure of a Letter The name of your School or University

at the top of the letter with important contact information (address, phone number, and email)

The date you wrote the letter. Your name and contact information

(address, phone number, and email) Salutation (Dear...) Body of the letter (What you want to say) End the letter (Sincerely, your name)

The Body of a Letter

The body of a letter is constructed very similarly to an essay. There is an Introduction, Body, and Conclusion. But there are specific pieces of information that must go in each section.

Introduction

Who are you? Why are you writing to me?

Body

What do you want me to know? Why do I need to know this?

Conclusion

Do I need to respond to this letter? How should I respond to this letter? When do I need to respond to this letter?

How to Write Reference Letter

A reference letter is you as a teacher or mentor writing to a exchange or scholarship program on behalf of one of your students. The point of this letter is for the program to get opinions about the candidate from other people who KNOW THE STUDENT WELL.

Introduction

Say who you are and what your relationship to the student is. That is all that you need to say about you. The letter is suppose to be about the student.

Say how you know the student (how long you've known them, where you met, what was your first impression of them).

Body

Mention some aspects of this student's character that would help them be successful for this particular program (independence, good work ethic, love of learning, etc).

Be personal. Maybe tell a story of a time when this student really impressed you, or showed you something special.

Conclusion

Express your confidence that the student will be an excellent choice for this program.

Invite the program to contact you if they need anymore information about the student.

Be polite. Thank the reader for their time.

Tips For Writing Reference Letters

“To Whom It May Concern” is BAD. MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE

STUDENT YOU ARE WRITING FOR!! Official Letterhead.

Activity III

Think of a person you know well. It could be your husband, child, or your favorite student. I want you to try and write a reference letter for them. It could be for anything. A job, a university, a scholarship, or an exchange program. Don't worry about the format of the letter, just write the body (intro, body, and conclusion). It doesn't have to be long, just make sure include all of the important points we discussed.

Summary

Letters are important forms of communication in western cultures with a specific format.

Recommendation letters are an important part of any application and need to be written well.

YOU MUST KNOW THE STUDENT YOU ARE WRITING FOR!!