LOR for Biotechnology: Structure, Guidelines and Sample for International Students

Letter of Recommendation (LOR) is a short statement or document and an important part of the application. It provides the admission committee with a comprehensive overview of the candidates skills, interests, capabilities, and personal traits from the point of view of a third person. LOR for biotechnology can be of two types: academic LOR and professional LOR. Former is written by professors, teachers, or Dean whereas the latter is written by a previous employer.

Letter of Recommendation for biotechnology is a mandatory document for all the undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD programs while submitting an application to the top universities across the world. It is a great opportunity for candidates to make their application stand out. The universities may ask you for two to three LORs . Students should always provide academic letters of recommendation unless stated otherwise.

How to Write a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for Biotechnology

Recommenders must elucidate all the qualities that set you apart from other applicants. Biotechnology courses require good knowledge in life sciences, biology , chemistry and basic technical understanding. You should certainly ask a teacher or professor who has taught you the subjects that are relevant to your degree in this field for writing LOR.

• The recommender must highlight the analytical and research skills of the candidate in Letter of Recommendation for Biotechnology at universities of Canada, USA, UK, etc as the course requires extensive technical research
• The leadership, communication, organisational skills must be included.
• Major focus must be given on the applicant’s understanding and performance in biology, chemistry, and physics.

Following structure should be followed by recommender while writing LOR for Biotechnology:

Introduction: Letter of Recommendation for Biotechnology should begin with a brief introduction of the recommender which includes his name, university/company name where he works, his relationship with the applicant, post he’s working in and other important credentials. Write an overview of what you’ll discuss in the later part of the recommendation.

Skills of Applicant: Discuss how you think the applicant is different from all the students or employees you’ve taught or hired. Describe the the most noticeable and impressive skill or trait of the applicant by giving examples of the incidents where the candidate has proved his credibility. Choose the skills that are relevant to biotechnology courses. Focus on the following skills in LOR for Biotechnology at USA universities or institute of any other country:

• Analytical thinking skills,
• technical skills,
• understanding and experience in the field of study,
• work ethics
• teamwork abilities
• Research skills
• Verbal communication skills

Describe any two or three of the above mentioned skills. Also write about how you think the applicant will contribute to the academic department and the overall university community with the examples of incidents you’ve witnessed.

Conclusion: In the end, summarise the strengths and capabilities of the student that make them a right fit for the biotechnology course in the university.

For example:

XXXX demonstrated his technical skills during the ABCD seminar and while I was supervising her project on (any topic). We had many research and technology related conversations and she was always curious to know more about science and it’s developments. Her keen interest and dedication towards the subject is her greatest strength that would lead her to success in the field.

Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for Biotechnology: Guidelines for Bachelors and Masters Program

Letter of Recommendation (LOR) is an important part of the application process for both bachelors and masters degree in biotechnology for domestic as well as international students. A good recommendation might add a significant value to the application of the student.

LOR for Bachelors in Biotechnology

Top universities across the globe consider letters of recommendation as an important part of accessing the application. They might demand 2 to 3 letters of recommendations while applying to a BSc in biotechnology at the universities of UK, Canada, Australia, etc, . Academic LOR is most certainly required for students applying to bachelors degree.

The recommender must include the following details in the LOR for Biotechnology:

• Performance in high school
• Conduct of the student
• Personal traits shown during the years at school
• Major achievements
• Best qualities of the student
• Contributions that the student can make to the biotechnology department and the university as a whole
• Extracurricular or co curricular accomplishments

LOR for Masters in Biotechnology

The university requests for either academic or professional LOR as a part of application to a masters degree in biotechnology. Their number is limited to two to three letters.

Following details must be included in the letter of recommendation for masters in biotechnology in Canada, USA, Australia, etc:

• Any additional training, project or internship undertaken
• Personal traits and behaviour of the student
• Leadership or creative skills
• Analytical skills
• Insight on Academic background of the student
• Incidents to prove the skills of the students
• Academic or professional achievements
• Work ethics (if professional LOR)
• Classroom behaviour

Letter of Recommendation (LOR): Requirements for Top Universities

Requirements for LOR for biotechnology issued by top institutions across the world offering bachelors degree are given below:

Following table provides the requirement for submitting letter of recommendation for biotechnology at masters level:

Sample LOR for Biotechnology

To

The Department of Biotechnology

(Name of the institution)

?It is with immense pleasure that I'm writing to you to support the candidacy of one of the most talented students, (name of the applicant) who I've had the opportunity to teach for three long years at (name of the university). I've been impressed by her performance in the class and the extra curricular activities since the day I first met her. I taught her biology from 10th grade to 12th grade.

She has always been a curious kid and has been an active participant in all the classroom discussions. She is exceptionally skilful when it comes to her research and analytical skills. Her enthusiasm, inquisitiveness and rigorous hard labour has always been her greatest strengths. I'm confident that her abilities and intelligence will add value to the community and the biotechnology department of the (name of the university you're applying to)

(Name of the applicant) is highly competitive and is a quick learner. She has participated in a myriad of science exhibitions and competitive examinations and has succeeded with flying colours. During the time I taught her, she has demonstrated teamwork abilities, analytical thinking skills and terrific understanding of science subjects. She has effectively displayed her leadership skills when she was selected as the captain of the school. She has been the coordinator of various school events and functions. She has a remarkable positive attitude for life and other situations which will surely help her in her future endeavours.

While many students were puzzled about their future aim. She already knew that she wanted to pursue a career in biotechnology ever since she learnt about the program. She was always clear about her opinions and never hesitated while putting them forward. She was attentive during the lecture and was kind enough to help her classmates and peers resolve any issues (both academic and personal ones).

Her determination led her to the path of success when she became one among the top 10 best scholars of the state. She gave meticulous attention to every detail in the laboratory experiments. She has demonstrated excellence in all the experiments, assignments and projects throughout the years.

I strongly recommend her for admission to the biotechnology program at your university. She is capable of achieving greatest heights in the field of science. I place her among the top 5 students I've ever taught. Her achievements are endless and she will be a great asset to your university as a whole. Please don't hesitate to contact me for any questions on (referees email id, contact details)

Warm Regards

(name of the referee)

Designation

(name of the institution)

Tips for Writing Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for Biotechnology

The below mentioned tips can be helpful to the recommender while writing a letter of recommendation for biotechnology:

• A letter of recommendation must not only focus on the applicant's strengths and greatest skills but also include some weaknesses as no one is perfect.
• Must be specific supported with evidences witnessed by the recommender
• Should provide a detailed description of the applicants personality, traits and conduct
• Use crisp language and don’t exaggerate or give biased opinions
• Should support the SOP for Biotechnology.
• Should be free from grammatical and punctuation errors
• Shouldn’t be offensive to anyone
• Adhere to the guidelines and word limits specified. Keep it short and precise
• Be succinct and effective with your letter

LOR for Biotechnology is a mandatory document required while applying to any university along with other supporting academic transcripts, SOPs, etc. It should confirm the skills and interests that the candidate possesses. A good letter of recommendation might increase your chances of getting admission to the university.

FAQs