Tips for effective REFERENCE LETTERS

SELECTING A REFERENCE

Choosing the right person to write your leter of reference is very important. It lends credibility to your
statement of eligibility.

• Choose a referee that can provide relevant details about you and the types of ac�vi�es that
you have par�cipated in. These details and ac�vi�es should be related to the criteria of the
scholarships that you are applying for.
• Let your referee know the type of scholarships you are applying for. For example,
scholarships based on leadership, volunteer involvement etc.

Examples of ELIGIBLE References NON-ELIGIBLE References

Professor / Teacher Friend
Coach Classmate
Guidance Counsellor Co-worker
Employer / Manager/Supervisor Parent / family member
Program Director / Leader
Spiritual Leaders

LETTER OF REFERENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Writen on official leterhead.

• Contains the name of the referee, �tle, and their contact informa�on.
• Contains the reference signature and date.
• The leter should be in PDF format. The file should be named as follows: Reference Smith.pdf
(use student last name).
• Do not use special characters in the file name (including dashes). These characters may prevent
our ability to open your file and assess your applica�on.

INCLUDE QUANTITATIVE / QUALITATIVE INFORMATION (add as many as possible)

The informa�on included should complement/support the scholarship ques�ons and answers.

• The reference should introduce themselves and include their posi�on.

• They should state the role they play in rela�on to your par�cipa�on.
• How did the reference come to meet you and how long have they known you?
• Dates of your par�cipa�on in rela�ve ac�vi�es.
• Descrip�on of your responsibili�es/ac�vi�es/par�cipa�on.
• Did you meet expecta�ons and what set you apart from others?
• Your personal growth / accomplishments / improvements / added responsibility.
• Posi�ve changes incorporated as a result of your involvement.
• Why they feel you are deserving of scholarships/bursaries.
• Your future with the program/organiza�on/league and any other noteworthy informa�on.

McMaster University AwardSpring Oct 2023