Recommendation Letter (LORs) for PhD: Subjective/ Objective Questionnaire Format

A Letter of Recommendation (LOR) is a vital document required for your admission process to study abroad. As significant as a Statement of Purpose (SOP) and Resume, an LOR from the right person can guarantee you a seat in your dream university. Just as the SOP and Resume cover all your capabilities, academics, individual qualities, and professional experiences, the LOR becomes living proof of these activities from your professors or employers. A recommendation letter for PhD applicants holds a vital place in their application procedure as this one document will pitch in the interest of your chosen field.

 A sample letter of recommendation for PhD program offers recommenders the opportunity to talk about the qualities, attributes or traits that would make a candidate suitable for the said PhD program. The reference letter for PhD admission typically starts with the introduction of the recommender and how they are associated with the applicant, and since when. They can also mention how long they have known the applicant and what relevant projects, research, subject or work have they mentored or supervised the applicant in. 

If you pick up any recommendation letter for PhD sample, you can see that the recommenders inform the admissions committee in the very beginning about what is their overall perception about an applicant, and the kind of potential they possess. As such, in a recommendation letter for PhD program, they can mention the positive qualities, experiences, events and achievements that showcase the applicant in a good light. In any good sample PhD recommendation letter, you will find that recommenders share relevant research experiences of the applicant and other accolades that highlight their aptitude, grasp and understanding of the topics/subject.

Types of PhD LORs depending upon the university

Generally, a PhD applicant is required to submit two LORs. However, to play it safe it is advised that the applicant should have at least three LORs ready. Depending on the university you will find different LOR samples for PhD and ways of submitting an LOR from your recommenders.

Subjective/ objective questionnaire format

Similar to some MBA B-schools, few universities directly send an e-mail containing objective and/or subjective type questions to the recommenders mentioned by you in the application form. In this case, you do not need to look for a sample recommendation letter for PhD student from professor online, since professors are asked questions about you directly. Within this e-mail, mostly there is a link to the university’s site where the recommender is asked to answer certain questions.

These questions are usually based on your individual qualities and capabilities. The recommenders can be asked to rate the individual on a given scale or explain as to why she/he mentioned a particular quality about the applicant. In other cases, the questions in the reference letter for PhD admission can be directly received by the recommender via email, wherein he/she just needs to fill out the answers, and mail it back to the university. It is done so as to maintain the authenticity of the document and retain secrecy from the applicant.

Generic LOR format for PhD

Most of the universities will straightaway ask for generic LORs. Similar to MS and MBA LORs, PhD LORs too will have the same format. Only the content is expected to be brief in terms of the applicant’s research work. Starting with a strong introduction, the recommendation letter for PhD student from supervisor should contain at least three qualities of the applicant with supporting instances. These qualities can be focused on social interaction, technical skills or know-how, ability to conduct dedicated research, and subject-related capabilities apart from academic proficiency. Also, since a PhD is an advanced degree programme, the recommender should concentrate more on the aspirant’s research works, projects, thesis work, research skills, interest/ passion towards the field, dedication, and self-motivation.

Whom to ask for a PhD LOR?

PhD being a competitive and challenging programme, each and every document in your application process is essential. Even with excellent test scores and academic background, students’ applications can get waitlisted or even rejected solely on the basis of the quality of the rest of the documents. In such cases, documents such as a sample LOR for PhD, research essay, and SOP, help in being the deciding factor while choosing between candidates with a similar profile. Hence, it is imperative to consult a good PhD LOR sample and choose the right person to be your recommender. Thus, in this case, the letter of recommendation for PhD matters the most. The ideal person to get a PhD LOR from is:

• PhD recommendation letter from a professor who has taught you that subject, a Project Guide, or any academician under whose guidance you completed your project or Master’s thesis
• A recommendation letter from a supervisor for PhD student
• Any other professor or employer with whom you worked on a research work/project, check Sample LOR from an Employer
• Academic recommendations can be taken from an internship or project supervisor
• Lab supervisors

The recommenders should be able to substantiate your academic strengths and interests. You will also have an upper hand if you have already worked in that particular field with some famous professors or researchers. A recommendation letter for PhD from such notable personalities will be an add-on to your profile.

The recommender should also be able to endorse you as a person, know you closely as a student of the department, observe your capabilities as a student, and be aware of your plans. Thus, in your recommendation letter for PhD admissions, the recommender should be acquainted with you (academically or professionally) for no less than a year. Also note that friends, acquaintances, family members or relatives are not supposed to write any kind of recommendation letter as they are not aware of the applicant’s work, and hence, cannot discuss the applicant’s qualities.

How to draft a PhD LOR?

An ideal letter of recommendation for PhD student should strictly be of one-two page in length and not more than that, encompassing five to six paragraphs in total. After looking at a sample of recommendation letter for PhD admission, you should begin your LOR with an introduction that should directly refer the candidate to the university/ college. It is basically an introduction of the recommender to the university and for how long he/she has been acquainted with the applicant.

Along with this, the recommender should also convey in what capacity does he/she know the applicant and since when (time period). These points should be addressed directly in the first paragraph itself in the letter of recommendation for PhD program. The next paragraphs of the PhD recommendation letter should be divided into three to four body paragraphs, wherein the recommender should discuss certain distinct qualities/ skills of the applicant, demonstrated through instances when he/she observed that quality in the applicant. The recommenders should focus on these traits:

• Strong subject knowledge with respect to the applicant’s project/thesis topic
• Analytical skills
• Self-motivation and confidence
• Responsibility
• Time-management
• Additional courses/knowledge applicant gained to complement his/her work in the chosen field
• Passion and dedication towards the topic/field and towards research work
• Research skills

The last paragraph of the PhD LOR is the conclusion. In this recommendation letter PhD students should sum up the above-mentioned qualities/skills of the applicant, and how they set the applicant for success in the chosen field. End the LOR with a strong recommendation from the referee to the university to accept the student’s application and grant him admission.

To conclude, a letter of recommendation for PhD is a vital aspect of the documentation procedure during your application process. A well-crafted PhD letter of recommendation provides you with an edge over other similar profile candidates as it gives a human touch to all the academic and professional excellence you have already mentioned in your other documents. Hence, an LOR becomes a stage where the recommender supports and recommends your application for acceptance directly to the university.