Letter of Recommendation for a Master's: Who to Ask and What Universities Check

TL;DR: A letter of recommendation for a master's is usually one or two references from people who taught you or managed you. Universities such as Imperial and UCL ask for at least one academic referee, and many send the request straight to your referee's professional email once you submit. Personal email addresses are often refused, family members never count, and a missing reference can stop a decision or withdraw your application. Choose referees early and brief them well.

It is easy to put weeks into a statement of purpose and much less thought into references. That balance is risky. A reference is the only part of your application written by someone else, and admissions teams read it for evidence you cannot give about yourself: how you compare with your classmates, how you work, and whether you are ready for the course. If you are preparing a letter of recommendation for masters applications, from Sri Lanka or anywhere else, this guide covers who to ask, how references are sent and what a strong one contains.

Unsure whether your referees fit what your chosen universities ask for? Check your eligibility with Prosper.

How many references you need

It depends on the university and the course, so always read the course page.

Want help working out how many references your chosen courses need?

Check your eligibility ›

Who to ask

An academic referee should be someone who taught you at degree level: a lecturer, supervisor or personal tutor. Edinburgh prefers this, and says a line manager can replace an academic referee if you graduated some time ago. Cambridge accepts a professional referee if you have been out of higher education for more than three years.

Three rules are worth following everywhere. Oxford states that references from family, friends or neighbours are never acceptable. The referee must know you in an academic or professional role. And the person who knows your work best is a better choice than the most senior name you can reach.

If you have already drafted your statement, read our guide to the statement of purpose for a master's so your statement and your references tell the same story.

How references are submitted

Most UK universities contact your referee directly once you submit your application.

• Imperial emails referees at their professional email accounts and does not accept references from personal accounts. You can track each reference in your applicant portal.
• UCL emails each referee a portal link. It does not accept references emailed by applicants, and a personal email address for a referee may delay your application.
• Edinburgh contacts referees at an official email address, or lets you upload a reference yourself if it is on headed paper, dated and signed by hand.
• Cambridge expects an academic email address, usually containing .ac or .edu. A referee without one must use institutional headed paper on every page and explain why.

Collect your referees' official email addresses before you start the form, since UCL notes that a personal address can delay your application.

What a strong reference contains

Oxford's guidance to referees asks them to focus on your suitability for the course, explain how they know you and give their own background, typically in 500 to 1,000 words. It adds that longer letters are not taken as stronger support.

Cambridge asks academic referees to rate you against your peers, including how big that peer group is, and on originality and suitability, and suggests covering your expected result, academic potential, motivation and time management with specific examples. It warns that a very short letter may disadvantage the student.

So brief your referee. Send your CV, your transcript, the course link, your statement and two or three specific pieces of work they saw you do. You are not writing the letter for them; you are making sure they have the facts.

Deadlines and missing references

References usually follow your application, but not by much. UCL gives referees until 5:00 PM UK time on the tenth working day after the course closes, and says your application may be withdrawn if references are still missing. Edinburgh says it cannot make a final decision without your references. Oxford needs them by its application deadline, and the University of Amsterdam programme checked asks for them within two weeks of applying.

Applying from Sri Lanka

• Some lecturers use personal webmail. Ask early whether they have an official university address, or whether they can provide a letter on department letterhead for universities that accept uploads.
• If your lecturer has moved institutions, they can still be your referee; ask them to explain in the letter where and how they taught you.
• For January intakes, request references now so your referees have several weeks to write and submit them.

FAQ

How many recommendation letters do I need for a master's? Usually one or two. Check each course page, because it varies even within one university.

Can my employer write my letter of recommendation? Yes, as a professional referee, especially if you graduated several years ago. Many courses still want at least one academic referee.

Can a family member write my reference? No. Universities such as Oxford state that references from family or friends are never acceptable.

Do I upload the letter or does my referee send it? Most universities email your referee directly. Some, such as Edinburgh, also accept a signed letter on headed paper that you upload.

What if my lecturer in Sri Lanka has no official email address? Ask whether the university accepts an uploaded letter on letterhead, or whether the lecturer can explain the address used, as Cambridge allows.

PS: Your references can say what your statement cannot. If you want help choosing and briefing the right referees for your courses, start here: check your eligibility with Prosper.

Check your eligibility ›