Now, it is time to ask for your recommendation letters from your previous or current research supervisor(s), course lecturer(s), or employer(s). Note that a recommendation letter is also called a letter of recommendation, a reference letter, or a supporting letter. A recommendation letter for a PhD applicant typically consists of the following structured components:
1. Header & Salutation
- The letter begins with the recommender’s institutional letterhead (if applicable), followed by the date.
- The recipient’s details, such as the admissions committee or a specific professor, are included. If the recipient’s name is unknown, a general salutation like To Whom It May Concern or Dear Admissions Committee is used.
2. Introduction of Recommendation Letters
- The recommender introduces themselves, mentioning their name, academic/professional title, institution, and role (e.g., professor, research supervisor, or employer).
- A brief statement on how they know the applicant, including the nature of their relationship (e.g., research advisor, course lecturer, or employer) and the duration of their acquaintance.
3. Body Paragraphs
A. Academic and Research Abilities
- Describes the applicant’s academic strengths, including their performance in coursework, technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and grasp of theoretical and practical concepts.
- If the applicant was involved in research, the letter highlights their contributions, methodologies used, and any publications or presentations resulting from their work.
B. Work Ethic and Personal Attributes
- Emphasizes qualities such as diligence, creativity, intellectual curiosity, independence, teamwork, adaptability, and perseverance.
- If the applicant has demonstrated leadership, mentoring, or collaboration in group projects, research teams, or workplace settings, this is detailed here.
C. Achievements and Potential
- Discusses specific accomplishments, such as successful research projects, notable academic distinctions, or industry contributions.
- The recommender provides an assessment of the applicant’s potential for success in a PhD program, highlighting their motivation, ability to conduct independent research, and readiness for advanced academic work.
4. Conclusion of a Supporting Letter
- A strong endorsement, explicitly stating why the applicant is a great fit for the PhD program.
- A closing remark offering to provide further details if needed.
5. Signature & Contact Information
- The recommender’s full name, title, affiliation, and contact details (email and phone number) are included.
A well-crafted recommendation letter should be concise, usually 1-2 pages, and tailored to the specific PhD program, emphasizing the applicant’s strengths in a compelling and structured manner.
Letter of Recommendation Samples
Reference Letter: Sample 1
This is a reference letter written by a master’s thesis supervisor for an Iranian PhD applicant who successfully secured a fully RA-funded PhD position at Western Michigan University in 2025:
To Whom It May Concern
I am pleased to write this recommendation letter that Ms. [applicant’s full name] is highly qualified as a researcher. She has been a tremendous student and an asset to university of ××××××. I would like to take this opportunity to recommend [applicant’s first name] for your graduate program.
[applicant’s full name] started her M.Sc. studies from 20×× to 20××, she is working on “[master’s thesis title]”, under my supervision in which she showed great interest, innovation, creativity, and excellent work. Moreover, she has achieved valuable results through hard work on her M.Sc. thesis and published 3 international papers. A commendable performance that I am sure she will repeat and improve on, into the future. She is an intelligent and capable person and I am enjoying supervising her M.Sc. project. In addition to her excellent academic capabilities, she shows strong leadership and social capabilities as well.
She is an outstanding person, very active, helpful and cooperative in the lab. It is also worth mentioning that she is a well-behaved, well-organized and highly motivated student and capable of facing new challenges. I am confident that she will continue to thrive and make valuable contributions to the scientific community.
Sincerely,
Dr. ×××× ×××××××××××, PhD
Department of Organic and Biochemistry,
Faculty of Chemistry,
University of ××××××,
P.O. Box: ×××××-×××××, City, Iran
Tel: +98-×××-×××××××
Mob.: +98-×××-×××××××
Fax: +98-×××-×××××××
E-mail: ×××××××××××××@×××××××.ac.ir
Letter of Recommendation: Sample 2
This is a letter of recommendation written by a master’s thesis advisor for an Iranian PhD applicant who successfully secured one of the PhD scholarships in Australia at Monash University in 2023:
Date: July 1st 2022
Dear Sir/Madam
It is my pleasure to recommend Mr. [Applicant’s Full Name] as one of my students. He completed his MS in Immunology, and I was his advisor. During his MS thesis, [Applicant’s First Name] confirmed his ability to perform high-quality research. He was well-motivated, hardworking, and independent. While completing his lab notebook, he carefully mentioned all procedures, and reagents, and obtained data. He was very successful in working well with the other students, and I found him very personable. Besides his thesis, [Applicant’s First Name] always volunteered to help others with their research.
I was involved in teaching some theoretical courses to [Applicant’s First Name]. He was an active participant in class discussions. In particular, he was extremely quick in answering the most difficult questions that I posed during lectures. I certainly believe that he has the capability, potential, and determination to take up the PhD.
I strongly recommend him for attending a PhD program. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can provide any additional information that will influence your decision.
Yours faithfully
Dr. ××××××× ×××××××, Associate Professor of the Department of ××××××××, School of ×××××××××, ××××××××× University of Medical Sciences, City, Province, Iran.
Tel: +98-×××-×××××××Fax: +98-×××-×××××××
Email: ××××××××××@gmail.com
Recommendation Letter: Sample 3
This is a recommendation letter written by a master’s thesis supervisor for an Italian PhD applicant who successfully secured a fully funded PhD position at the University of Strathclyde in 2022:
Prof. Dr ××××××× ××××××
University of Turin, Department of Chemistry
Via Pietro Giuria, 7, 10125, Torino – Italy
×××××××.××××××@unito.it
Date: 10 February 20××
To whom it may concern,
In my capacity as Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Turin (Italy), I fully support [Full Name]’s application for admission to the Ph.D. within the [Position Title] position.
I have known [First Name] since 20×× when she attended the university course “Chemical and Biochemical Industrial Processes”, of which I am the professor, during the first year of her master’s degree course in Industrial Biotechnology at the University of Turin – Department of Life Sciences and System Biology. Furthermore, I was her supervisor during her thesis laboratory experience. She started her thesis experience in October 20××, and she finished it in December 20××. During this period, I was able to directly observe her way of working. Finally, on ××th December 20××, I was a member of the Graduation Committee where [First Name] successfully defended her master’s thesis in Industrial Biotechnology.
[First Name] constantly demonstrated strong determination and great adaptability during her thesis experience, despite the countless unforeseen events due to the pandemic.
In the lab, she worked with commitment and perseverance, cooperating, and interacting constructively with her colleagues, respecting the laboratory space, and always trying to be of help to others. Maybe, she is a little bit headstrong, but this could be due to a great attitude to dissecting the arguments and always trying to find the best possible solution.
Her thesis project concerned the chemical synthesis and the optical/structural characterization of small fluorescent molecules for optoelectronic applications. Furthermore, during her thesis work, she studied the protein-dye interaction and conjugation principally using spectrophotometric techniques. During her laboratory experience, she has always shown good independence in carrying out the experiments and tasks assigned to her with constant commitment and dedication.
[First Name] has always demonstrated a great interest in scientific matters and a constant desire to improve her skills and knowledge. For these reasons, I believe that she has the appropriate background and motivation to participate in this selection. Thus, I have no hesitation in recommending her.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Yours sincerely,
Full Name
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