Fellowship-Specific Recommendation Guidelines

Below is a list of the most common fellowship awards for which LMU students are likely to apply. Each opportunity has its own, unique selection criteria, so reviewing the information below will help you tailor your letter of recommendation.

  • Recommendations should reflect an applicant's:

    • Academic record and potential to succeed in a rigorous academic setting
    • Commitment to language learning
      • Plans to continue the language study beyond the scholarship period, including in his/her future professional career
    • Connection between target language and career/academic goals
      • Academic field of interest and future career goals
      • Strong level of knowledge and potential for future growth in his/her chosen field
    • Ability to adapt to an intensive program and a challenging cultural environment
    • Unique perspective and contributions to the CLS Program
      • CLS actively seeks applicants in diverse fields of study, including STEM fields, law, medicine, and others

    Resources:

  • Recommendations should reflect an applicant's:

    • Effective display of intellectual intensity in the sciences, mathematics and engineering
    • Strong commitment to a research career in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering
      • Evidence of potential to succeed in a PhD or MD/PhD program, e.g. potential for doing doctoral work at a top institution
    • Potential for a significant future contribution to research in his/her chosen field
      • If possible, please compare the applicant to former students who have continued on to graduate school and been successful, as well as have established research careers. 

    Resources:

  • Recommendations should reflect an applicant's:

    • Strong level of knowledge and potential for future growth in his/her chosen field
    • Ability to carry out research (if applicable) and think and write analytically
    • Emotional stability, maturity, motivation and seriousness of purpose
    • Appropriate linguistic preparation and ability to adapt to a different cultural environment
    • A proposed project that is feasible and has merit
    • Likelihood of making a favorable impression as a United States citizen abroad

    Resources:

  • Recommendations should reflect an applicant's:

    • General fitness for the course(s) proposed
    • Suitability of the university chosen
    • Academic Merit
    • Leadership potential
    • Ambassadorial potential, potential to improve the UK-US understanding

    Resources:

  • Recommendations should reflect an applicant's:

    • General fitness for the course(s) proposed
    • Suitability of the university(s) chosen
    • Academic excellence
    • Leadership potential
    • Commitment to community and public service

    Resources:

  • Recommendations should reflect an applicant's:

    • Outstanding intellect- Literary and scholastic attainments
    • Leadership- Energy to use one's talents to the full
    • Character- Moral force of character and instincts to lead, and to take an interest in one's fellow beings
    • Commitment to service- Truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship

    Resources:

  • Recommendations should reflect an applicant's:

    • Leadership Abilities and Potential:  This letter should confirm the experience described in Question 7 (specific example of the applicant's leadership).  The letter writer need not have witnessed the example first hand, but he or she should be able to discuss the example and how it fits within the context of the student's leadership.
    • Commitment to a Career in Public Service:  This letter should confirm the experience described in Question 8 (recent, satisfying public service activity).  The letter writer need not have witnessed the activity first hand, but he or she should be able to discuss the example and how it fits within the context the student's commitment to a career in public service.
    • Intellect and Prospects for Continuing Academic Success:  This letter should discuss the student's overall academic background in context of the student's future plans for career and graduate school (Questions 11 to 13).  It is recommended, though not required, that the writer have taught the student at some point.

    Resources: