Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for MBA Programs with Samples
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Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for MBA Programs with Samples

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Raushan
Raushan Kumar
Assistant Manager Content
Updated on Nov 8, 2025 11:28 IST

LOR for MBA can be a little difficult for many people, so sometimes they use an MBA recommendation letter sample or template for help. But if you guide your recommender in the right way, they can write a good MBA LOR.

Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for MBA Programs with Samples

Professional LOR for MBA is not the same as an academic LOR written by a professor. It is usually written by your manager, supervisor, or any senior person from your job. This person should be able to talk about your leadership skills, teamwork, management abilities, and give real examples from your work experience.

When applying for an MBA program, every positive point in your recommendation letter should have a short and clear example to support it. The LOR should also mention your key achievements and contributions at work. Most importantly, your recommender should explain how your skills and work experience can help you perform better during your MBA studies.

A clear and honest MBA LOR makes your profile look strong and helps the admissions committee trust your potential. This can make your application for admission better suited and you get the admission easily. So you should focus on getting LOR for MBA nicely.

Table of contents
  • How to Choose a Recommender for MBA Application
  • What is the Structure / Format of the Recommendation Letter for an MBA?
  • Sample for MBA Recommendation Letter
  • Tips for Writing Effective LOR for an MBA

How to Choose a Recommender for MBA Application

Letter of Recommendation for MBA is not about a high title; this is about a person who has worked closely with you and can give honest feedback about your performance and skills.

  • Your immediate supervisor is the best person, as they have seen your growth and how you perform at work.
  • You can also ask your team leader because they can talk about your project work and mention specific skills like teamwork or problem-solving.
  • If you are working in a family business, you can request a client who has worked with you and can share positive feedback.
  • You can also choose a former supervisor from your old company if they can write a strong and detailed recommendation.
  • If you don’t have work experience, you can ask your college project guide who knows about your leadership and management skills.

Right recommender for MBA helps you create a strong LOR.

Related Links:

What is the Structure / Format of the Recommendation Letter for an MBA?

A letter of recommendation for MBA should be drafted in a certain manner and the ways to do this are as follows:

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Paragraph 1:

The recommender must outline their professional relationship with the student, specifying how long they have known each other and in what capacity. They also include their job title in the introduction of the reference letter. They must briefly mention about applicant’s abilities and compare them with their peer group.

Paragraph 2:

The recommender should highlight the applicant’s strengths, providing specific examples from the student’s academic or professional experiences. Highlighting any instance where he/she showcased leadership ability can be a good example of MBA recommendation letter being used to strengthen applicant;s worthiness for the program.







Paragraph 3:

Discuss the candidate's particular technical skills observed during a specific project, and how out of the box thinking helped in achieving any cost cut, increased revenue or any other big or small achievement. Innovative approach and our of the box thinking are considered valuable traits for an MBA applicant.

Paragraph 4:

Focus this paragraph on soft skills and any extracurricular achievements throughout their academic or professional journey. This can help in demonstrating a wholesome personality which is considered highly for a role that requires strategic management and leadership.

Paragraph 5:

Conclude the letter by strongly supporting the student’s application for the chosen program.

Do not forget to end the letter of recommendation for MBA with a signatory close, mentioning the recommender’s name, designation, department, organization’s name and contact details.

Sample for MBA Recommendation Letter

The following sample letter of recommendation for MBA program is written by a company supervisor. Most often, professional LORs or LOR from a Supervisor or a colleague are asked for by the Admissions Committees (Ad Com) for MBA applicants, where work experience is necessary. Shiksha.com strongly recommends that applicants use this letter of recommendation for MBA sample as a point of reference only.

“As Chief Manager, Marketing, in the XXX department, at Tribal Fusion Private Limited, NOIDA, I am happy to write this letter of recommendation for Mr ABC, a highly suitable prospective research student, who should undoubtedly be given a chance to prove his mettle in his desired field of study. I have known ABC for over two years now, during which time, he has been a vital part of my team at this organisation. He is my subordinate in various projects and reports directly to me.

ABC is a professional software developer of the highest calibre, whose meticulous implementation of projects has earned him praise from all his teammates as well as seniors. He possesses strong analytical and programming skills. During his tenure, he developed projects like X, Y, and Z for the company EFG. He also possesses in-depth knowledge of analysis, design, and development in Java, J2EE technologies, as well as backend algorithm developments in MS SQL Server and Oracle.

Moreover, ABC single-handedly implemented various reports and data-fetching algorithms, which effectively generated automated reports for more than 100,000 records, and also helped in enhancing the performance of the record management team. I have received positive and noteworthy feedback from clients, who were impressed by his helpful nature and professional approach.

ABC has the innate ability to handle pressure well. He voluntarily works overtime and rarely misses any deadlines. He was even recognized as the Best Performer of the Quarter within three months of his joining. Another example of his excellent time management skills was when he ..............................

Based on our interaction, I am certain that ABC will prove to be an invaluable asset to any organization/ institution he joins. He is a sincere and skilled professional who gives his best to any project/assignment he is involved in. Thus, I highly recommend Mr ABC for admission into the graduate course at your esteemed university and wish him the best for his future.

Yours sincerely,

John Smith

Chief Manager, Marketing

Tribal Fusion Private Limited, NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh

Contact No: 91-12345-XXXXX

Email ID: xxx@gmail.com

Tips for Writing Effective LOR for an MBA

Q:   What is the difference between an MBA LOR and other LORs?
A:

The key differentiation factor of an MBA LOR is its professional approach behind it. While the LOR will talk about your aptitude and eligibility as a future manager and leader, it is also essentially about setting you up as a good prospective candidate for the MBA program. Instead of focusing on technical prowess, you must include instances where you showcased your managerial acumen or leadership skills.

Q:   Is it better to get my MBA LOR from my office manager?
A:

If you do have professional experience, especially related to management or mentorship, getting a sample MBA recommendation letter from supervisor or manager could be very beneficial. In the LOR, your superiors can mention about your potential as a future manager and all positive traits that you possess. It is even better if your managers can talk about your expertise in managing people, situations or tasks with examples of the same. Even if you do not have any work experience, your academic recommenders can talk about your management aptitude and skills. The sample letter of recommendation for MBA from professor can discuss your performance in projects, leadership qualities demonstrated though tasks and assignments, mentorships provided through clubs or college events, challenges overcome in your academic career and oratory/presentation skills demonstrated through seminars or conferences.

Q:   How can I create an impactful LOR for MBA?
A:

Pick up any good MBA recommendation letter sample and you will see that an authentic and relevant LOR creates a better impact. To create an impactful LOR for MBA, you must find a recommender that has witnessed your aptitude for management first-hand. The recommender must know you well and be able to discuss why you would be a good addition to your desired program. Through proven instances of your management prowess and personal qualities, they must be able to showcase your profile in a good light and assure the Ad Com that you can contribute substantially for the program.

  1. Arranging a detailed discussion with your recommender before he or she write the LOR can help in reminding them the instances and traits you wish them to incorporate in the letter.
  2. Approach your recommender well before the deadline so that they can enough time to write and rework on the recommendation letter.
  3. You can even share MBA recommendation letter template with the points you want your recommender to highlight.
  4. Example of MBA recommendation letter can also be shared so that they can get a reference of how to write a letter of recommendation for MBA.
  5. You must get this letter edited or proofread for better structuring and error free version.

Need assistance for application or admission-related queries, sign up for free Shiksha Abroad Counselling and request a call back from our team of expert counsellors. 

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Written by
Raushan Kumar
Assistant Manager Content
Raushan Kumar is a skilled writer and a Study Abroad Expert in the Editorial Team at Shiksha. He oversees various aspects of studying abroad, including educational opportunities, entrance exams, colleges, latest new Read Full Bio
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Comments

(2)

R

Rashmita Jena

5 years ago

I am a graduate. I want to write LOR for MBA in Italy University.How to write it?

Reply to Rashmita Jena

Hi Rashmita, for MBA, mostly professional LORs are required, or at least two professional and one academic. Irrespective of the university you are applying to the format and content of the LOR will remain the same. Please go through the Professional LOR sample carefully. You may also refer to this:

...Read more

P

Prasanna K

7 years ago

Hi, I am Prasanna and worked in two organisations earlier. In those two organisations my reporting managers are not working in those organisations any longer but they knew my skills and work. Can they give LOR as I m looking for Executive MBA programs. Earlier response is appreciated.

Reply to Prasanna K

5173871
Swameeka Medhi

7 years ago

Hi Prasanna, ofcourse you can get your LORs from former managers.