LOR Sample for Germany: LOR Requirements for Top German Universities

Letters of Recommendation (LOR) are important part of the application process for German universities. They serve as an important doc to validate your qualifications and character. These LORs are mostly required by institutions during their admissions. Make sure that you follow all the LOR related guideline provided by the respective universities and submit it within the given deadline.

What is an LOR?

In the simplest terms a LOR is a "Letter of Recommendation". It is a formal A4 document in which someone who knows you well like a teacher or manager vouches for your skills, achievements, and character. It gives a perspective which goes your grades or resume. It helps your university or employer decide if you are a good fit or not. The letter has specific examples that shows your abilities, work ethic, and potential for success.

First paragraph of your LOR contains about the recommender and their relationship with the applicant. Then it includes the detail about applicant's academic abilities, personal qualities, achievements, and potential contributions to the program. Letter must be submitted on official letterhead. Language should be either English or German.

Things to be Included in an LOR for German University Applications

Here are some points which should be covered in your LORs be it an LOR for MS in Germany or LOR for Mphil in Germany.

• Academic achievement of the applicant
• Applicant's participation in team exercises Their learning curve
• Difference or impact created by the applicant or his/her ideas.
• Interest in the subject/field
• Reaction to setbacks or criticisms
• Ability to face challenges or dire circumstances
• Ability to analyse, take quick decisions, or overcome situations
• Involvement in other activities/contribution towards society/social causes
• Achievements (professional or academic)
• Innovative and creative ability Leadership and/or team skills
• Communication and presentation skills.

For other courses as well, check with the university requirements for LORs, as it differs. German universities may ask for signed LORs in the form of PDFs or ask for your recommender’s email address and send a mail with the LOR form or the link to a questionnaire or a few direct questions. These questions need to be addressed directly by the recommenders.

Letter of Recommendation for Masters in Germany: Sample LOR

LORs may not be an essential requirement for the application process for all programmes in German universities. However, applicants are encouraged to submit them as it strengthens their profile, especially where practical experience is a must. Universities prefer academic LORs for course-based programmes. Professional LORs are required for programmes for which applicants must have some prerequisite work experience like business courses, and practical and research-based programmes. Let us have a look at a sample LOR for a German university.

“As , in the ____________ department at , , I am happy to write this letter for Mr. ABC. It is a pleasure to recommend him for the XXX graduate programme at your esteemed university. I have had the pleasure to know and work with him for the past _____ years. ABC first worked with me as an undergraduate intern in the _________ department at this organisation.

Following this internship, I was fortunate to keep a track of ABC’s career so that, when the opportunity arose, I was able to recruit him to his current position as in the ____________ department here. The same characteristics, namely __________ and ___________, to name a couple, which convinced me to hire him, are also why I am happy to provide him with an endorsement for his graduate study.

While ABC is a relatively new member at our department, as measured by tenure, he quickly established himself as a go-to person in the ________ domain by helping others. Once such example is when he was approached for a _________________ assignment. ABC’s knowledge and expertise came to light during a client meeting for _________. He was able to demonstrate skills like ____________ and ____________, and turn the meeting in our favour.

Apart from this, ABC’s broad range of interests speaks well of his potential as a researcher, especially in bringing a wide range of theories to the research at hand. I witnessed this during _______________.

With full confidence in ABC’s abilities, I am sure that he will prove to be an asset to your department just as he has been to our firm. His intelligence, commitment, and diligence, together make him an ideal candidate for this course. Hence, I wholeheartedly recommend ABC for your esteemed institution. I wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

Yours faithfully,

Full name of the recommender

Designation, Department

Institution/Company Name, City

Contact No:

Email ID:

Institution website:”

LOR for Germany: LOR Requirements for Top German Universities

Now that you have a fair idea of how to draft an academic LOR for German universities, let us take a look at some general LOR requirements for Top German Universities:

TU Munich: TU Munich accepts academic LORs from college professors for graduate programmes. It needs to be written in English. and should include the following points:

• How long has the recommender known the applicant?
• How would the recommender rank the applicant in comparison to other students?
• Is the applicant among the top 5%, 10% or 20% of his class?

RWTH Aachen University: Applicants need to submit two LORs to most of the programmes at RWTH Aachen University. These can be either academic or professional LORs or a mix of both

Common Mistakes to be Avoided in an LOR for German Universities

If you are drafting an LOR for MS in Germany, you need to avoid few mistakes. Check out some of them below

• Using the same LORs which you may have used for any other country can be an error in judgement.
• Going beyond the specified word limit can be another mistake.
• Mentioning traits without examples or instances to justify them will not create any impression on the admission committee.