Tips on Letters of Recommendation for Studying Abroad

Special features of a letter of recommendation for studying medicine abroad

Some universities also require a letter of recommendation for studying medicine abroad. Applicants usually have to request two independent reports from two different people. These should preferably come from the medical or scientific field. For example, biology, physics or chemistry teachers, or alternatively internship supervisors, trainers or employers, are eligible.

Your own family doctor or another doctor with whom the applicant is not in any professional or academic training relationship can only be recommended as an expert to a limited extent. As a rule, they cannot assess suitability for studying medicine. When writing a letter of recommendation for studying medicine abroad, however, it is particularly important to highlight the applicant’s professional and personal abilities.

English teachers are able to assess the applicant’s knowledge of English, but not their professional qualifications. Therefore, they are also less suitable as reviewers.

In terms of content, an expert opinion for studying medicine is structured in a similar way to other letters of recommendation for studying abroad. It is also important to point out where and for how long the applicant and reference provider have known each other. This is followed by an assessment of the applicant’s work and performance compared to classmates, employees, interns, trainees or fellow students.

The reference letter should also provide answers to the following questions:

  • Does the reviewer consider the applicant suitable for an English-language medical degree abroad?
  • What are the applicant’s strengths and weaknesses?
  • Are there reasons why the applicant might not be up to studying medicine?

Notes and tips on letters of recommendation for studying abroad

In principle, applicants should allow the reference provider sufficient time to prepare the report. If you plan in a too small time window, you accept the risk that the letter of recommendation will not be available on time. It is advisable to plan at least four, even better six weeks. It is best to make a fixed appointment with the reviewer.

In addition, applicants should never send a letter of recommendation to the university abroad before it has received an application form. Many universities only ask for a letter of recommendation in a second step. We take over the free dispatch of application documents for its customers and ensures that the application from the university of choice abroad is received at the right time.

The letter of recommendation for studying abroad should not be confused with the so-called Letter of Permission. In doing so, the home university confirms that it supports the applicant’s study stay at the foreign university. In some cases, the target universities also request a list of the courses abroad to be recognized.

Good to know: At some foreign universities, a letter of recommendation can also serve as proof of language proficiency. Then it makes sense to have the report issued by a lecturer from the Institute for English or American Studies or an English teacher, for example. Alternatively, there is also a lecturer who teaches in English.

Optional letter of recommendation

Some universities abroad do not explicitly require a letter of recommendation for studying abroad or for a semester abroad. However, in some cases it can still be useful to submit an optional letter of recommendation.

This is useful for example when students at, which miss the necessary grade point average just under. A letter of recommendation can be used to present the applicant as a suitable candidate for the course. However, it is advisable to find out in advance whether optional letters of recommendation are common at the target university.

Those who want to voluntarily submit a letter of recommendation can be for example a generally worded letters of reference for the study in that country can exhibit. This means that applicants can use the report for several applications at the same time.

Tips on letter of recommendation for a study or semester in the United States

A letter of recommendation in Germany is usually kept factual. In the USA, superlatives in reference letters are not uncommon. In a letter of recommendation for studying abroad in the USA, a more flowery language is definitely appropriate.

Applicants studying at a renowned university in Germany can also ask the reviewer to emphasize the reputation of their home university. In many courses of study, it is difficult to achieve very good grades due to the high level of performance. A corresponding note helps the US university to classify the students and their achievements correctly.

Tips on Letters of Recommendation for Studying Abroad