Letter of Recommendation Template — free AI generator

What every recommendation letter template includes

The universal structure is remarkably consistent across letter types. A proper salutation ('Dear [Name]' or 'To the [Committee]' — never 'To Whom It May Concern' unless you truly have no information). An opening paragraph establishing who you are, how you know the subject, and for how long. Two to three body paragraphs with specific evidence — one anecdote each, not compressed lists of traits. A closing paragraph with an unambiguous endorsement calibrated to the request. A signature block with your name, title, institution, contact information, and (for professional letters) your physical address. The templates below preserve this structure across all subtypes while adjusting tone, length, and emphasis for the specific audience.

• Header with date, recipient address, and subject line where appropriate

• Salutation — specific to the reader when possible, generic when necessary

• Opening paragraph: relationship, duration, and capacity

• Body paragraphs: specific scenes, not trait lists

• Closing paragraph: direct endorsement tied to the program or role

• Signature block: name, title, institution, contact

Template variants by recipient type

A letter of recommendation template for college admissions runs 400-700 words, emphasizes intellectual curiosity and classroom engagement, and closes with fit-to-college-environment language. A grad school template runs 600-900 words, emphasizes research capacity or scholarly potential, and closes with fit-to-specific-program language. A job template runs 300-500 words, emphasizes measurable professional results and rehireability. A scholarship template runs 350-600 words, emphasizes the match between the applicant and the award's stated criteria. The templates below provide the right starting length and emphasis for each recipient type. Using a job template for a grad school letter produces a letter that reads too short and too professional-register; using a grad school template for a job letter reads as overwrought.

How the generator customizes the template to your specifics

Select the template type, paste in the bracket-field specifics (name, relationship, two or three anecdotes, program type), and the generator produces a finished draft with your details integrated smoothly into the structure. The output is not a fill-in-the-blanks form letter — the generator rephrases to avoid the templated feel that admissions readers and hiring managers recognize instantly. You still edit the final draft in your voice; the template is the skeleton, the generated draft is the muscle, and your editing adds the personal fingerprint. Most users spend ten minutes finishing a draft that would have taken an hour from scratch.