Recommendation Letter for Student: 6 Samples and a Guide

By Mustafa Tarabya, founder of CVBooster · Published 2026-10-07 · Updated 2026-10-07

9 min read

A strong recommendation letter for a student says who you are and how you know them, gives two or three specific examples of their work, and ends with a clear, unqualified recommendation. Writing recommendation letters for students goes faster when you ask the student for their resume, the program description and the deadline first. The one constraint is honesty: if you cannot recommend a student warmly, say so early and suggest someone else, as university faculty guides advise. The advice below comes from the faculty guides at UC Berkeley, Texas A&M and Georgetown, followed by six complete letters. Written by Mustafa Tarabya, who hired for his own company, read every application himself and now writes CVBooster's guides.

A student has just asked you for a letter, the portal closes on Friday, and all you remember is that they sat near the window and were always on time. Being on time is not a recommendation. Here is how to find what is.

A teacher recommendation letter for college admission

This is the most common request: a high school teacher writing for a college application. Lead with the class, then one or two moments that show how the student thinks.

Complete Entry level: high school English teacher for a college applicant example, 228 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Entry level: high school English teacher for a college applicant (228 words)

To the Admissions Committee:

I am writing to recommend Maya Chen for admission to your undergraduate program. I taught Maya in AP English Language and Composition at Lakeview High School during her junior year, and she has been a member of the school newspaper I advise for two years.

Maya is the student other students go to when an argument does not hold together. In our unit on rhetoric she chose to analyze a city council debate about closing a local library. Rather than summarize both sides, she traced how each speaker used the same budget figures to reach opposite conclusions. It was the most original paper I received that year, and she earned an A in the course.

On the newspaper, Maya became features editor in her first year. When a story about school lunch waste drew complaints, she organized a follow-up that included the cafeteria staff's side and sat in on two student council meetings to get the facts right. She took criticism without getting defensive and changed the story where the criticism was fair.

Maya writes clearly, asks hard questions and listens to the answers. I recommend her without reservation and am confident she will make a real contribution to your campus.

Please contact me at the address below if I can help further.

Sincerely, Laura Benitez English Teacher and Newspaper Adviser, Lakeview High School

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How to write a recommendation letter for a student

UC Berkeley's GSI Teaching and Resource Center says "most good letters of recommendation need at least three paragraphs." Use this structure:

Introduction. Who you are, your relationship to the student, how long you have known them, and what you are recommending them for. Berkeley says to "Include course names as well as course numbers."
Body. Two or three skills, each with a specific example. Texas A&M's Writing Center suggests a simple pattern: "(1) Mention the skill; (2) Give an example; and (3) Connect your example to the opportunity."
Comparison. Where you can, place the student among others you have taught. Georgetown's Center for Research and Fellowships says to "Provide a contextual and concrete comparison of the student's performance."
Conclusion. A clear recommendation and your contact details.

What to ask the student before you write

Texas A&M advises you to "Ask the student for additional materials like a resume, copies or summaries of work they did for your class, drafts of essays they may need to write for the opportunity, and/or a description of the opportunity itself." Ask for these, plus:

the deadline and how to submit (portal, email or sealed letter)
why they chose you, which tells you what they hope you will cover
whether the program asks recommenders to address specific qualities
a short note on one project or moment from your class they remember

If the student is still deciding, the guide to what a resume for a letter of recommendation should contain shows them what to send you.

Professor recommendation letter for graduate school

Graduate programs want evidence of research potential. Spend the body on one project in detail.

Complete Mid level: professor recommending a senior for a master's program example, 191 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Mid level: professor recommending a senior for a master's program (191 words)

Dear Members of the Admissions Committee,

It is a pleasure to recommend Daniel Osei for your Master of Public Health program. I have taught at Westbrook University for twelve years, and Daniel took two of my courses, BIO 310 Epidemiology and BIO 420 Biostatistics, earning an A in both. He also worked as my research assistant for two semesters.

As my assistant, Daniel cleaned and analyzed survey data on vaccination attitudes from four county clinics. He noticed that one clinic's responses had been entered with the scale reversed, an error that would have changed our conclusions. He documented it, fixed it and wrote a short protocol so it would not happen again.

In class, Daniel's final project in BIO 420 modeled the effect of a mobile clinic on screening rates in a rural county. His analysis was careful about what the data could not show, which is rare in undergraduates.

Of the roughly two hundred students I have taught in biostatistics, Daniel is among the strongest few. I recommend him enthusiastically and expect him to do excellent work in your program.

Sincerely, Dr. Helen Marsh Associate Professor of Biology, Westbrook University

Recommendation letter for a scholarship

Scholarship committees often read many letters at once. Texas A&M notes that "many reviewers, pressed for time, skim letters," so put the recommendation and the student's name in the first lines.

Complete Entry level: coach recommending a student athlete for a scholarship example, 158 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Entry level: coach recommending a student athlete for a scholarship (158 words)

Dear Scholarship Committee Members,

I strongly recommend Aaliyah Brooks for the Community Leaders Scholarship. I have coached Aaliyah on the Pine Ridge High School varsity track team for three seasons, and she has served as team captain this year.

Aaliyah leads by organizing, not only by running. When our team lost its assistant coach mid-season, she set up a schedule so senior athletes ran warm-ups for the freshmen, and she checked in with the newer runners every week. Our freshman retention was the best I have seen in my time coaching here.

She also balances training with a part-time job at a grocery store and a strong academic record. I have never had to remind her of a deadline or a practice.

Aaliyah is reliable, generous with her time and calm under pressure. She would represent this scholarship well, and I recommend her without hesitation.

Sincerely, Coach Terrence Hall Head Track and Field Coach, Pine Ridge High School

Letter of recommendation for a student job or internship

When the student is applying for work, write about habits an employer cares about: reliability, communication, learning speed.

Complete Entry level: supervisor recommending a student worker for an internship example, 144 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Entry level: supervisor recommending a student worker for an internship (144 words)

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am pleased to recommend Ethan Park for the summer marketing internship at your company. I supervised Ethan for eighteen months as a student assistant in the Westbrook University admissions office, where he worked ten hours a week during the academic year.

Ethan answered prospective student emails, led campus tours and helped run our social media accounts. When our tour sign-ups dropped, he suggested short videos of current students answering common questions. He planned, filmed and posted them himself, and families began mentioning the videos when they arrived for tours.

He is punctual, takes feedback well and learns new tools quickly. He trained two new student assistants on our email system last fall.

I would hire Ethan again without hesitation, and I believe he will be an asset to your team.

Best regards, Monica Reyes Assistant Director of Admissions, Westbrook University

A short recommendation for a summer program

Some programs ask for a brief letter or a form with a comment box. Keep the same pattern, compressed.

Complete Entry level: math teacher, short letter for a summer program example, 110 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Entry level: math teacher, short letter for a summer program (110 words)

Dear Selection Committee,

I recommend Sofia Marino for your summer engineering program. I taught Sofia in Honors Geometry and Algebra II at Lakeview High School, where she earned A grades in both.

Sofia enjoys problems that do not have an obvious method. During a unit on optimization, she built a cardboard model to test her answer for the largest box from a sheet of paper, then explained to the class why her first answer had been wrong. She also tutors younger students in our after-school math lab every Thursday.

She is curious, persistent and generous with her classmates. I recommend her highly.

Sincerely, Mark Feldman Mathematics Teacher, Lakeview High School

Counselor recommendation for a student who overcame a setback

When context matters, explain it briefly and only with the student's agreement. Texas A&M advises you to "Avoid mentioning personal information (such as a student's disability or family status) unless you have the student's explicit consent."

Complete Senior level: school counselor for a student with a difficult year example, 163 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Senior level: school counselor for a student with a difficult year (163 words)

To the Admissions Committee:

I am the school counselor for James Whitaker at Harbor View High School and have known him since ninth grade. I recommend him warmly for admission.

James's transcript shows a difficult sophomore year. With his permission, I can share that his family moved twice that year after a job loss, and he took on caring for his younger brother after school. His grades in the two years since tell the rest of the story: he has earned the highest marks in his class in chemistry and completed a dual enrollment course at the local community college.

James also started a homework club at the public library for middle school students in his neighborhood, which now meets twice a week with volunteers he recruited.

He is resilient, organized and quietly determined. I believe he is ready for the demands of college and will add a great deal to your community.

Sincerely, Ms. Renee Coleman School Counselor, Harbor View High School

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Mistakes to avoid when writing recommendation letters for students

Faint praise. Berkeley says: "Don't use bland words such as nice, fairly, satisfactory, good." Weak words read as a warning.
Too much about you or the course. Georgetown says two to three sentences on how you know the student "should suffice."
Protected characteristics. Berkeley warns against referring to race, nationality, religion, age, disability or similar characteristics that "could be construed as discriminatory."
Generic letters. One specific story beats a list of ten adjectives.

For other kinds of letters, see the MBA recommendation letter samples, the residency recommendation letter for medical students, and the character reference letter for personal references. If the student is applying to the National Honor Society, the NHS resume examples show the activity list a teacher will want to see.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a recommendation letter for a student be?

About one page for most college, scholarship and job applications. Berkeley's guide notes that in many academic disciplines a letter for graduate study can run onto a second page, but always check the program's instructions first, because some ask for a single page or a short online form instead.

Should students see their recommendation letters?

Often they do not. In the US, many applications ask students to waive their right to read the letter, and the Department of Education's student privacy office has said a student "at any age" may waive the right to inspect and review letters of recommendation. A waived letter is usually seen as more candid.

Can a student write their own recommendation letter for me to sign?

Some recommenders ask students to draft a letter, which Texas A&M's writing center describes as ghostwriting. If you do, rewrite it in your own words and add examples only you could know. Never sign something you do not believe, and check whether the program forbids applicant drafted letters.

What should I do if I cannot recommend a student?

Tell the student early and kindly that you are not the best person to write for them, and suggest someone who knows their work better. UC Berkeley's guide warns that negative comments have serious consequences for a student's chances, so declining is often the kindest option.

When should a student ask for a recommendation letter?

At least a few weeks before the deadline, and earlier at busy times of year. Texas A&M advises getting a firm deadline from the student, since they may need materials before the published deadline. Give the recommender your resume, the program description and the submission details in one message.

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