How to Get Strong Recommendation Letters for Study Abroad (2026 Guide)

You’re sitting in your high school teachers’ lounge, having just asked your chemistry teacher for a recommendation letter for university applications in the United States. She looks at you with a mix of kindness and apprehension. “A recommendation? In what format? In English? What should I write – that you do well on tests?” And at that moment, you realize you’re facing one of the toughest challenges for an international student applying to study abroad from an educational system like Poland’s: a recommendation letter system that practically doesn’t exist in your home country.

In the American admissions system, recommendation letters are not a mere formality. They are one of the most crucial components of your application – often deciding the acceptance or rejection of candidates with identical academic records. The admissions committee at Harvard, Stanford, or MIT reads thousands of essays and sees thousands of excellent SAT scores. But a letter where a teacher writes: “In my twenty-year career, I’ve had one student who truly changed the way I think about my subject – and that’s her” – such a letter is memorable. And it changes decisions.

The problem is that in educational systems like Poland’s, recommendation letters are virtually unknown. Teachers don’t know how to write them. Students don’t know whom to ask. And the role of a “school counselor,” crucial in American admissions, simply doesn’t exist in many high schools. This guide solves each of these problems – step-by-step, with specific advice for international high school graduates.

If you’re just starting to navigate the study abroad application process, begin with our complete guide to applying to universities in the USA. And if you want to understand how recommendation letters fit into the broader picture – how Common App, application essays, or extracurricular activities work – you’ll find links to each of these topics here.

Why Recommendation Letters Are So Important

To understand the weight of recommendation letters, you need to understand how an American university admissions committee thinks. An admissions officer reads your application and sees numbers: an SAT score of 1540, a GPA of 5.6, five advanced-level subjects on your high school leaving exams (like the Polish Matura). They also see your essay – 650 words about how volunteering at a hospice changed your perspective on medicine. But how are they to know if it’s true? How are they to know what you’re really like in everyday life – in the classroom, interacting with peers, in situations where no one is judging you?

That’s precisely what recommendation letters are for. They are the only element of your application that you don’t control – and that’s why committees treat them with such trust. A letter from a teacher who has known you for two years, seen your ups and downs, observed how you react to difficulties and how you treat others – such a letter says more than any exam score.

The Harvard Common Data Set consistently rates recommendation letters as “considered” or “important” in the admissions process. MIT explicitly states on its admissions page that recommendation letters help them understand “who you are in the classroom and beyond.” Stanford talks about seeking “intellectual vitality” – and it’s the teacher who can confirm that you possess this intellectual vibrancy by describing a moment when you asked a question no one else in the class had ever asked.

In practice: two applications with identical SAT scores, similar essays, and comparable extracurricular profiles can result in completely different decisions – and often, it’s the recommendation letter that tips the scale.

How Many Recommendation Letters Do You Need – USA, UK, Europe

Requirements vary dramatically depending on the system you’re applying to. Here’s a breakdown:

United States (Common App)

• 2 letters from subject teachers (teacher recommendations) – usually from different fields (e.g., one STEM, one humanities)
• 1 letter from a counselor (school counselor recommendation) – in the Polish context, this is typically a homeroom teacher, principal, or school psychologist
• Optionally 1-2 additional letters – from a mentor, employer, coach – some universities allow this through the “Other Recommender” section in Common App
• Note: some universities have specific requirements – e.g., MIT requires 2 teacher letters (one STEM, one humanities) + a counselor letter. Dartmouth allows for a peer recommendation (a letter from a classmate!).

United Kingdom (UCAS)

• 1 academic reference – written by a teacher or the UCAS coordinator at your school
• The UCAS reference is written on behalf of the school, not from a specific teacher – but in practice, it’s usually a teacher of a subject you’re applying for
• The format is different from the American one – more formal, focused on academic potential, less on personal anecdotes
• Learn more about this system in our UCAS guide

Continental Europe

• Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland (ETH/EPFL): usually do not require recommendation letters for undergraduate studies – admissions are based on academic results
• Italy (Bocconi, Polimi): do not require recommendations for most BA programs
• France (Sciences Po): requires 1-2 academic recommendations
• Spain (IE University): requires 1 recommendation letter
• Ireland (Trinity College Dublin): through UCAS – 1 reference

Key takeaway for international students: if you’re applying to the USA, you need a minimum of 3 letters. If to the UK – 1. If to continental Europe – usually 0. Plan accordingly and don’t ask teachers for letters you don’t need.

Whom to Ask for a Recommendation Letter – Your Strategy

This is one of the most important questions in the entire process and where students from systems like Poland’s often make their first serious mistake. The rule is simple but counterintuitive: don’t ask your best teacher – ask the teacher who knows you best.

The Teacher Who KNOWS You, Not the Teacher Who Gave You an A

Imagine two scenarios:

• Teacher A: You have an A in their class, but you’re one of thirty students. The teacher remembers your name and knows you do well on tests. They might write: “This student is very good, always prepared, excellent grade.”
• Teacher B: You have a B in their class, but you’ve discussed your research project with them after class. They saw you helping weaker students. They know about your dream of studying abroad. They might write: “I remember the day Kasia came after class with a question that surprised me. We discussed it for an hour, and a week later, she brought me a ten-page analysis that would be solid university-level work.”

Which letter is stronger? The second one, of course. Admissions officers recognize generic letters from a mile away – and treat them as neutral, not positive. A letter that says “good student, I recommend” doesn’t help your application. A letter with a specific anecdote, emotion, and the teacher’s personal perspective – helps immensely.

Practical Selection Criteria

Here’s a list of questions you should ask yourself when choosing a teacher:

1. Does the teacher know me personally? – Have we ever talked outside the context of grades? Do they know my interests?
2. Has the teacher seen my best moments? – A presentation, a project, a class discussion, helping another student, reacting to a difficult question?
3. Does the teacher teach a subject related to my planned major? – For STEM applications, a math, physics, or chemistry teacher is best. For humanities – a literature, history, or English teacher.
4. Is the teacher able to write in English? – If not, are they willing to collaborate with you on translation?
5. Is this a teacher from your junior/senior year (the final two to three years of high school)? – American universities prefer recommendations from teachers from junior/senior year.

Whom NOT to Ask

• A teacher who has only known you for one semester
• A teacher with whom you have the highest grade, but who can’t say anything about you beyond “diligent student”
• A teacher known for writing short, formal opinions
• A parent, relative, or anyone with an obvious conflict of interest

The International Context – How to Help a Teacher Who Has Never Written a Recommendation Letter

This is a section you won’t find in any American guide, because it addresses a problem specific to students from educational systems like Poland’s. In the USA, every high school teacher has written dozens of recommendation letters. In many other countries – your teacher has probably never written a single one.

It’s not that teachers in these countries are worse. It’s that in their educational systems, recommendation letters don’t exist. The teacher doesn’t know what format to use, how long the letter should be, what the admissions committee expects, and – most importantly – what tone to use. The academic tradition in many countries is formal and reserved. The American tradition of recommendations requires enthusiasm, specific examples, and personal engagement.

What You Can Do

1. Give the teacher context. Explain what a recommendation letter is in the American system. Say directly: “This isn’t just a formal opinion from the school register. It’s a personal letter describing what I’m like as a student and as a person.”

2. Give the teacher a “brag sheet.” This document contains:

• A list of your academic achievements (academic competitions, contests, projects)
• A list of extracurricular activities with context
• Your goals – why you want to study abroad, what major you’re pursuing
• 2-3 specific situations from that teacher’s class that could serve as anecdotes in the letter
• A list of universities you’re applying to

3. Provide examples of strong letters. Not full letters (that would be unethical), but explain what works: specific anecdotes, comparison to other students, the teacher’s personal perspective. You can say: “The best letters start with a specific story – a moment you remember.”

4. Give them time. A minimum of 2-3 months before the deadline. A teacher who has never written such a letter needs time to think, write, and possibly revise. Asking a week before the deadline is a recipe for a generic letter.

5. Offer help with English. If the teacher isn’t confident with English, offer to help translate – but emphasize that the content and opinions must be their own. Some universities accept letters in the native language with a professional translation.

6. Provide a format template. Show the teacher the structure: a header with their details, an opening paragraph (how they know the student), 2-3 paragraphs with specific examples, a concluding paragraph with an unequivocal recommendation.

You can find more about building an extracurricular profile that will provide material for strong recommendations in our guide to extracurricular activities.

What Makes a Recommendation Letter Truly Strong

Admissions committees at top universities read thousands of recommendation letters annually. After a few hundred letters, an admissions officer can distinguish a generic letter from an exceptional one in 30 seconds. Here’s what makes the difference:

Specific Anecdotes Instead of General Praise

Weak: “Jan is a very good student, active in class and always prepared.”

Strong: “I remember a lesson on thermodynamics when Jan raised his hand and asked if the second law of thermodynamics applies to biological processes at the cellular level. That question wasn’t in the curriculum – and frankly, I had to go home and look up the answer. The next day, Jan came in with three scientific articles on the topic that he had found independently.”

Comparison with Context

Weak: “Ania is the best in her class.”

Strong: “In eighteen years of teaching chemistry, I’ve probably had over a thousand students. Ania is in the top five when it comes to independent thinking and the ability to connect concepts from different fields. She is the only student who has ever independently proposed extending a school experiment with additional variables.”

Discussion of Growth and Overcoming Challenges

Committees aren’t looking for perfection – they’re looking for character. A letter that shows how a student overcame a difficulty is stronger than a letter describing only successes.

Example: “At the beginning of his junior year, Marek struggled with the analytical part of physics – his first midterm exam score was 62%. But what he did next sets him apart from all my other students: he came to office hours, asked for additional assignments, and systematically improved his level over three months. Second midterm: 89%. Third: 97%. This isn’t talent – it’s the determination I see in every aspect of his learning.”

The Teacher’s Personal Tone

The strongest letters sound like they were written by a real person, not an official. The committee wants to hear the teacher’s voice – their enthusiasm, surprise, pride.

Closing example: “If I had a daughter, I would want her to have a classmate like Tomek. And if I had one student I could send to the best university in the world with confidence that he would not disappoint – it would be him.”

Brag Sheet – Your Secret Weapon

A brag sheet is a document you give to your teacher when asking for a recommendation. In the USA, it’s standard practice – in some other cultures, it might sound like boasting. But it’s not boasting – it’s a tool that helps the teacher write a specific, detailed letter.

Even a teacher who knows you well doesn’t remember everything. They don’t remember that in your sophomore year, you won the regional round of an academic competition in biology. They don’t know that you lead a coding club for younger students. They don’t know that you’re applying for biomedical engineering at MIT. A brag sheet gives them the context without which writing a strong letter is simply impossible.

What a Brag Sheet Should Contain

1. Your details – name, surname, grade, planned major, and universities
2. Academic summary – most important achievements, academic competitions, exam scores (SAT, TOEFL)
3. Extracurricular activities – with context and measurable results (not “volunteering,” but “coordinator of volunteers at a children’s hospital, 120 hours, managed a team of 8 people”)
4. 2-3 specific memories from that teacher’s class – moments that can serve as anecdotes. E.g., “I remember when, during a lesson on the French Revolution, I asked about parallels with the Solidarity movement – and we discussed it for half the class.”
5. Qualities you want the teacher to emphasize – e.g., intellectual curiosity, determination, teamwork skills, leadership abilities
6. Why you are asking this particular teacher – this is not just a compliment, but information that helps the teacher understand which aspect of your personality the letter should address

How to Present a Brag Sheet Without Awkwardness

Students from cultures that value modesty might feel awkward giving a teacher a list of their achievements – this is understandable. Here’s how to approach it:

• Say directly: “I know this might seem strange, but in the American system, this is standard practice. This document is meant to make writing easier for you – it’s not boasting, but a helpful tool.”
• Provide the document in writing (printed or as a PDF), don’t just tell them verbally – the teacher needs it handy while writing
• Offer to meet so the teacher can ask questions

You can find more about building an extracurricular profile that will provide material for strong recommendations in our guide to extracurricular activities.

Counselor Letter – The Biggest Challenge for International Candidates

In the American admissions system, the school counselor recommendation is a letter written by the person responsible for the student’s academic and personal development – someone who has known them for years, understands the school’s context, and can place the student within the context of the entire class. In a typical American high school, a counselor oversees 200-500 students and writes recommendations for them as part of their job.

In many countries, such a role does not exist. A school psychologist or guidance counselor primarily deals with students facing problems. A homeroom teacher might change every few years and often knows the student superficially. A principal might see a student once a year at an assembly.

Solutions for International Candidates

Option 1: Homeroom Teacher. This is the most common choice and usually the best, provided the homeroom teacher has known you since at least your freshman year. Explain the counselor’s role to them, give them a brag sheet, and clarify that they should describe:

• Your standing relative to your class and school
• The school’s context (School Profile – a separate document)
• Your personal qualities visible in daily interactions
• Any relevant circumstances (family difficulties, changing schools, obstacles you’ve overcome)

Option 2: School Principal. If your homeroom teacher barely knows you, the principal might be a better choice – especially if you are active in school life (student council, organizing events, representing the school in competitions).

Option 3: Common App allows you to explain the situation. In the Additional Information section, you can briefly write that in your educational system, there is no equivalent of an American school counselor and explain who is writing the letter in their stead. Admissions committees at top universities are aware of this issue – you are not the first international candidate.

Option 4: External mentor or educational consultant. If you work with a mentor from College Council, they can act as an advisor who understands the context of your application. However, a formal counselor letter should come from your school.

School Profile – A Document International Students Often Forget

In addition to the counselor letter, Common App requires a School Profile – a document describing your school: grading scale, number of students, subjects offered, high school leaving exam results, percentage of students going to university. In the USA, every school has a ready School Profile. In many countries – your school probably doesn’t have such a document.

Solution: prepare it yourself (or ask your homeroom teacher for cooperation) and have it signed by the principal. It should include:

• School name, address, contact details
• Grading scale (e.g., 1-6 with a description)
• Number of students in your class and in the school
• Advanced subjects offered
• Average high school leaving exam results for the school (if good – worth including)
• Context: whether the school is public/private, if it’s ranked

Timeline – When to Ask for Recommendations

Timing is crucial, and international students often start too late. Here’s the optimal schedule:

Junior Year (penultimate year of high school), Spring (March-May)

• Identify the teachers you will ask for recommendations
• Start building relationships – engage in classes, ask questions, attend office hours
• Inform teachers of your plans – don’t formally ask yet, but say: “I plan to apply to study abroad and would like to ask you for a recommendation letter next school year.”

Senior Year (final year), September

• Formally ask – ideally at the beginning of the school year, a minimum of 2-3 months before the first deadline
• Hand over the brag sheet – printed, with all the information the teacher needs
• Explain the technical process – how to submit the letter via Common App or UCAS (or who will do it on the teacher’s behalf)
• Provide deadlines – with at least a 2-week buffer (if the Early Decision deadline is November 1st, ask for the letter by October 15th)

October-November

• Check status – gently ask if the teacher needs additional information
• Don’t pressure – but ensure the letter is ready at least a week before the deadline
• Help with technicalities – if the teacher has problems with Common App, help them step-by-step

Key Deadlines 2025/2026

More about the entire application process timeline – in our detailed study abroad application schedule.

Submitting Letters – Common App, UCAS, and Other Platforms

Common App

In Common App, the teacher submits the recommendation letter directly – not through you. The process is as follows:

1. In the “Recommenders and FERPA” section, you provide your teachers’ and counselor’s contact details (name, surname, email, subject)
2. You must sign the FERPA waiver – a statement that you waive your right to view the recommendation letters. Always sign this waiver. If you don’t, the committee will treat the letters with less trust (because the teacher might have written “under student censorship”)
3. Common App automatically sends the teacher an email with a link to submit the letter
4. The teacher fills out a short form (rating the student in various categories on a scale) and uploads the letter as a PDF or types it directly
5. You do not see the content of the letter – and you should not ask the teacher what they wrote

Note for international teachers: the Common App interface is in English. If the teacher is not confident with the platform, sit with them and help technically – but do not read the content of the letter.

UCAS

In UCAS, the reference is submitted by the school, not by an individual teacher. Your school must be registered with the UCAS system (a “UCAS centre”). If it’s not – you can apply as an independent applicant and submit a teacher’s reference yourself. Details – in our UCAS guide.

Other Platforms

• Coalition App – a similar system to Common App, the teacher submits directly
• European university portals – usually require uploading the letter as a PDF or sending it by email to the university’s address
• UC Application (California) – does not require recommendation letters (an exception!)

Common Mistakes by International Candidates with Recommendation Letters

After years of observing the application process of international students to foreign universities, here are the most common recurring mistakes:

Mistake 1: Asking Too Late

Three weeks before the deadline is too late. A teacher who writes a letter in a hurry will write a generic letter. Ask a minimum of 2-3 months in advance – in September of your senior year, not November.

Mistake 2: Choosing a Teacher “Based on Grade”

A teacher with whom you have an A, but who doesn’t know you personally, will write a weaker letter than a teacher with whom you have a B, but who knows you as a person. Admissions officers are looking for depth, not just confirmation of a grade in the register.

Mistake 3: Not Giving the Teacher Context

An international teacher may not know what a Stanford admissions committee expects. If you don’t give them a brag sheet, a format template, and an explanation of the process – they will write something akin to a formal school opinion: formal, dry, without anecdotes. This is not their fault – it’s your responsibility.

Mistake 4: Writing the Letter for the Teacher

Tempting, but unethical and risky. Admissions committees can recognize when a letter sounds like it was written by a student, not a teacher (e.g., too well-written English, a tone inconsistent with the teacher’s perspective). You can help with translation, but the content and opinions must be authentic.

Mistake 5: Ignoring the Counselor Letter

Many international students dedicate 95% of their energy to teacher letters and forget about the counselor letter. Meanwhile, this letter provides the context an admissions officer needs: who you are in the context of your class, what your school is like, what obstacles you’ve overcome. Do not skip it.

Mistake 6: Not Signing the FERPA Waiver

If you don’t sign the FERPA waiver in Common App, the committee will treat the letters with reservation. Signing the waiver doesn’t mean you’ll never see the letters – it means the teacher wrote them honestly, without fear of the student reading them. Always sign the waiver.

Structure of a Strong Recommendation Letter – Outline

I cannot provide a full sample letter (because every letter should be unique), but here’s a structure you can show your teacher:

Paragraph 1: Introduction and Relationship Context

Who I am, how long and in what context I know the student.

• “I have been a physics teacher at XIV High School in Krakow for 15 years. I have taught Anna for two years in an advanced physics and mathematics class.”

Paragraph 2: Academic Skills with Specific Examples

What intellectually distinguishes this student? A specific anecdote.

• A moment when the student asked an exceptional question, solved a problem in a non-standard way, or went beyond the curriculum.

Paragraph 3: Personal Qualities and Character

What is this student like as a person? How do they influence their environment?

• How they treat peers, how they react to difficulties, whether they help others, whether they are a leader.

Paragraph 4: Growth and Determination

How has the student changed/developed during the time I’ve known them?

• Overcoming difficulties, progression of skills, initiatives undertaken voluntarily.

Paragraph 5: Unequivocal Recommendation

A strong, personal conclusion.

• Comparison to other students (e.g., “top 1% of students I have taught in my entire career”).
• Personal endorsement (e.g., “I recommend Anna without any reservations and with full conviction”).

Length: 1-2 pages (400-800 words). Not too short (looks like lack of engagement), not too long (an admissions officer won’t read 5 pages).

Cultural Differences – Polish vs. American Recommendation Culture

This topic is crucial and often overlooked. The culture of writing recommendations in Poland and in the USA are two completely different worlds.

The Polish Tradition: Formality and Restraint

In Polish academic culture, praise is sparse. A good student is a “very good student” – not “the most brilliant mind I’ve ever encountered in my career.” Teachers in Poland write formally, concisely, without emotion. A school opinion in the Polish style sounds roughly like this: “A diligent, disciplined student, achieving very good academic results. Active in class. Recommended.”

The American Tradition: Enthusiasm and Specificity

In American recommendation culture, a strong letter sounds completely different: it’s full of enthusiasm, specific examples, personal anecdotes, and unequivocal declarations. “This is the most intellectually curious student I have taught in my twenty-year career” – this is not an exaggeration in the context of an American recommendation; it’s standard.

What This Means in Practice

If a Polish teacher writes a letter in the Polish style – formal, reserved, without emotion – an admissions officer at an American university will interpret it as lukewarm. In the American system, a lack of enthusiasm = a lack of recommendation. This isn’t fair, but that’s how the system works.

Your task is to explain this cultural difference to your teacher. Don’t tell them what to write – but explain that American convention requires stronger expressions than those they are accustomed to. “Very good student” in the Polish context is high praise. In the American context, it’s “damning with faint praise” – praise so weak it’s detrimental.

Additional Recommendation Letters – From Whom and When

Beyond the required letters from teachers and counselors, some universities allow (or even encourage) the submission of additional recommendations. But beware: an additional letter must offer a new perspective. If it repeats what teachers have already written, it only takes up the admissions officer’s time.

When an Additional Letter Makes Sense

• Mentor from a research project – if you worked on a scientific project under the supervision of a professor or scientist
• Employer – if you had an internship or job where you demonstrated exceptional skills
• Sports coach – if sports are a key element of your profile (e.g., national team member)
• Leader of an organization you’re involved in – if your community involvement is central to your application

When an Additional Letter Harms

• When it repeats the content of the main recommendations
• When it comes from someone who barely knows you (e.g., a famous professor you spoke to once)
• When the university explicitly asks not to send additional materials (e.g., Brown University: “We strongly advise against additional letters”)

College Council, Prepclass.io, and Okiro.io Support

The process of obtaining strong recommendation letters is not just a matter of asking – it’s a strategy that begins months, or even years, before the deadline. If you feel you need support:

• College Council – our mentors help international students at every stage of the application process, including recommendation strategy: whom to ask, how to prepare a brag sheet, how to help teachers with the format. Schedule a free consultation.
• Prepclass.io – a platform for TOEFL exam preparation, which is required by most American and British universities. A strong TOEFL score (110+) supports your application alongside recommendation letters.
• Okiro.io – a platform for Digital SAT preparation. An SAT score of 1500+ is the foundation upon which you build the rest of your application – including context for recommendations.

Read more about SAT preparation in our complete guide to the SAT exam and about TOEFL in the TOEFL exam guide.

Read Also

If this guide was helpful to you, here are articles that will deepen your knowledge of the application process:

• The US University Application Process – A Complete Step-by-Step Guide – the entire process from A to Z
• Common App Step-by-Step – A Guide – how to fill out each section of the application platform
• US University Application Essays – A Comprehensive Guide – how to write an essay that stands out in a pile of thousands of applications
• Extracurricular Activities – How to Build a Candidate Profile – strategy for building an extracurricular profile
• Study Abroad Application Timeline – all deadlines in one place

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about Recommendation Letters

Article updated in February 2026. Information compiled based on official Common Application 2025/2026 guidelines, UCAS 2025/2026, admissions documentation from Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Yale, and the experience of College Council mentors.