Letter of recommendation (LOR) for Australia: University Requirements, Sample and Writing Tips

Letter of Recommendation is highly valued in Australian universities, so it’s always better to ensure they have prepared a flawless letter of recommendation. The candidate selects a writer or referee based on their experience with them in an academic or professional environment. In some cases, the recommender could also suggest that candidates should write their letter themselves, and they can edit and review it later to make it more authentic. In some Australian Universities, candidates must submit their recommender’s details in the application form. The authorities could contact the writer or recommender and could be sent an email or a link to a questionnaire which will have some direct questions needed to be answered by them. All documents like SOP, LOR, and resumes are inevitable parts of the application form to be sent to the universities along with the application. Strong letters of recommendation showcase the candidate’s diverse and notable characteristics. Finding somebody reliable to write a recommendation letter who wholeheartedly supports one’s knowledge, expertise, abilities and accomplishments is imperative.

Types of Letters of Recommendation

 It’s mainly of two types:

• Students usually use Academic Recommendation Letter for admission procedures. These are requested from former teachers, deans, or any educational professionals familiar with the candidate’s performance in the academic field.
  
• Professional Recommendation Letters are required for employment purposes as these are very valuable for the candidate’s applications and resume. The former or current employer writes these, including employment history, work ethics, work performance, and individual accomplishments.

University Requirements for Australia: Letter of Recommendation

Writing tips and guidelines for writing an ideal Letter of recommendation

• Recommendation Letters play an important role in deciding whether candidates get admission to undergraduate or graduate programs.
  
• It is a huge sign of respect and privilege when a person asks for a Letter of Recommendation, so it’s crucial for the writer or referee to understand the candidate’s aspirations while writing the letter completely.
  
• A great letter of recommendation should be appropriately honest, complete and accurate to a great accent.
  
• The letter should mention about that how long have the writer and the candidate known each other and in what capacity they have interacted during that time.
  
• A recommendation letter should never mention any grades, as they are already included in the application form.
  
• It should include a very accurate and genuine account of the qualities and unique contributions of the candidate, along with relevant instances.

The Recommender: (Writer or Referee)
The Letter of recommendation for Australia must be a formal letter and should have complete official language terms and tone. The recommender should be chosen very carefully according to their stature and professional background, and the main thing to consider is the connection between the recommender and the candidate. He/she should certainly be the one who has worked very closely with the candidate as then only they will be able to provide detailed authentic information regarding the candidate’s personality, ethics, and skills. It’s always a good option for the referee to discuss all the details with the candidate before writing the letter. One more important thing is to initiate this whole process as early as possible to avoid a time crunch. The authenticity of LOR should be highly maintained by the writer as much as possible by writing it themselves. For candidates, it’s advisable to arrange at least one more referee or recommender in case of any sudden requirement.

Sample of Letter of Recommendation (LOR)

Name of the writer
Contact number or Email of the writer
Date

Designation, Institution
City, country
Address

Dear Sir/Madam,

This sample of Letter of Recommendation is for students applying for studies abroad. Suggested paragraphs and sentence starters are given below- they could be used according to the requirement. The usual length of the letter is not more than one page, including the following:

• Describing the connection of the writer and the candidate
  
• Writer’s support to the candidate on the basis of given experiences
  
• Why the writer thinks that candidate deserves the recommendation
  
• Any other major circumstances that are considered useful to mention
  
• What could be the future analysis of the candidate’s performance

Introduction of the writer and the reason for which they are recommending the candidate:

• My name is…. And I know(name) as they are…
  
• I am writing to support their application because….
  

Further explanation of various reasons for writing and relevant examples:

• I think (name) would benefit greatly from attending…
  
• In the time I have known (name), they have shown…. and their commitment to….
  
• As (name) is…. They will contribute….

Information about program format, bursary application, or any other circumstances:

• (name) is applying for… which I certainly support because….
  
• Due to…. this will create an opportunity for them to….
  
• In your consideration of (name) for… please be aware that….

Complete your letter

• As explained above, I support (name) to attend….
  

Yours sincerely,
(Name of the writer)

Conclusion
In a nutshell, the best recommendation letter comes from someone who agrees freely and is not forced to write. A vague messed up, and hastily written letter is worse than writing nothing. A recommendation should come from someone who has the authority and designation, which will certainly add weight to the letter. A brief note, synopsis of the course, and interest should be well known to the recommender before writing the letter. A well written constructive recommendation letter goes a long way in helping the application get through.