Academic Reference Letter for Job Template (UK 2026)

[On university letterhead if possible]

[Date]

To whom it may concern,

I am writing to provide an academic reference for [Candidate name], who studied [degree title] at [University] from [start year] to [graduation year] and graduated with a [class — 'First Class Honours' / '2:1' / etc.].

I supervised [Candidate name]'s [final-year dissertation / specific project / module work] on [topic — one phrase]. In this work they demonstrated [specific intellectual capability — e.g., 'an unusually careful approach to research design' or 'strong analytical capability with quantitative methods']. The work received [grade/outcome] and was particularly notable for [specific thing about the work].

Beyond the dissertation, [Candidate name] performed strongly across [relevant modules or skills]. They consistently showed [intellectual quality 1 with brief example] and [intellectual quality 2 with brief example]. Their written work was [observation — e.g., 'clear, well-structured, and analytically rigorous'].

In tutorial discussions and group work, [Candidate name] [observation about how they engaged with others — e.g., 'asked careful questions', 'integrated others' contributions thoughtfully', 'led discussion with confidence'].

I have confidence [Candidate name] will bring the same intellectual seriousness and analytical capability to [target role/sector]. I recommend them without hesitation.

Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions.

Yours faithfully,
[Your name]
[Your title — e.g., 'Senior Lecturer in [field]']
[Department], [University]
[Email]