Reference letters

Guidelines

1. Selecting Suitable Referees:

• Academic Insight: Select professors who possess a comprehensive understanding of your academic capabilities and potential. Avoid generic letters, as they are often detrimental. Having served on several admissions and scholarship committees, I can affirm the significance of personalized reference letters. Such letters should incorporate specific examples that substantiate your qualifications for the program or scholarship.
• Professional Relevance: Choose supervisors who can credibly attest to your skills relevant to the targeted field of study.

2. Initiating the Request:

• Timely Approach: Reach out to potential referees a minimum of three to six weeks before the application deadline to ensure they have ample time for preparation.
• Personal Meeting: If possible, request the letter in person or via a video call, which allows for a discussion of your goals and their alignment with the program or scholarship.

3. Providing Necessary Documentation:

• Comprehensive Portfolio: Provide your curriculum vitae, academic transcripts, personal statement, and detailed information about the program or scholarship. These materials enable the referee to draft a detailed and customized letter.
• Specific Guidelines: Please clearly outline the submission procedures, deadlines, and specific topics that the recommendation letter should address. Specify the total number of letters you will request. It is a common misconception among students that a referee will implicitly agree to provide references for additional applications without prior notice. In my experience, I have sometimes received up to 10 additional requests, which is unreasonable. Each application typically involves its own portal and set of requirements, demanding a considerable investment of time from the referee.

Process

I am willing to write reference letters for students applying to graduate programs or scholarships. Due to the competitive nature of graduate admissions and the increasing demand for reference letters, students seeking my endorsement must have achieved at least an ‘A’ standing in my course. Additionally, the required information must be submitted three weeks prior to the application deadline.

Ideally, students should meet with me at least once before applying for the graduate program, scholarship, or job. This interaction will provide a clearer understanding of your goals, enabling me to craft a compelling reference letter that distinguishes you from other applicants.

In your email, please include the following information:

• Curriculum vitae and a copy of your transcript.
• Any facts that will aid in writing a robust letter.
• An assessment of your abilities, achievements, awards, experience, and contributions relating to each of the following criteria, using concrete examples:
  1. Academic excellence.
  2. Aptitude for advanced research, if applicable.
  3. Originality.
  4. Motivation.
  5. Ability to work independently.
  6. Oral communication.
  7. Written communication.
  8. Potential as a teaching assistant, if applicable.