How to Write a UCAS Reference Letter

As students get ready to put together their university applications, one particular aspect of their application will be particularly important: the UCAS reference letter. This letter provides direction to admissions teams to better understand the student’s strengths, accomplishments, and potential.

In this blog, we’ll take you through how to write a dynamic reference that presents students' academic ability while portraying their attributes. Whether it is demonstrating their accomplishments or showing how committed they are, we are here to help you truly shine and enable students to step confidently into their post-secondary education journey. So let’s get started!

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What is a UCAS Reference Letter? Why is it Important?

A UCAS reference letter is a supportive note written by your academic tutor that gives admissions tutors a clearer picture of who you are beyond your grades. It plays a crucial role in your university application for several reasons:

It confirms and supports the claims you make in your personal statement, helping admissions teams trust your story.
It helps set you apart when two candidates have similar academic records.
It shows your strengths beyond just test scores and grades.
It provides context about your background and journey, giving insight into how you’ve achieved your success.

What Impact Do Reference Letter Have on My Application?

A recommendation letter is not just an event; it is an academic endorsement. Think of it as a barrister delivering testimony on your behalf to the admissions committee. Here are reasons why it matters:

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Adds validity: It may validate your achievements, work ethic, and personality by an individual who has seen you perform in an academic context.

Offers differentiation: A useful reference testimonies on your characteristics that may not show up in academic record - service, resilience, and creativity.

Provides context: It can provide explanation on the bumps you may have had to endure while in schooling (i.e., illness or personal challenges) in a professional and acceptable way.

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It provides you with a regimented advantage: A thoughtful and personalized letter may provide you with an advantage or differentiation. It may help your application stand out from many other candidates who have similar credentials.

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What are the UCAS Reference Letter Requirements

Undergraduate applicants must submit one reference letter through UCAS.
Postgraduate applicants usually don’t need a reference unless their chosen program asks for one.
Including a reference letter is highly recommended, especially for competitive courses like medicine.
For UK medical school applicants, the reference letter and personal statement complement each other and are both crucial.

Difference Between a UCAS Reference and a Letter of Recommendation?

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Feature	UCAS Reference	Letter of Recommendation
Purpose	Supports a UK university application via UCAS	Supports applications for US or other global universities
Structure	Follows a 3-part format set by UCAS	Usually free-form or guided by university-specific prompts
Tone	Objective, academic-focused.	Often more personal and detailed
Audience	UK admissions tutors (focus on course fit).	Broad – admissions teams, scholarship panels, etc.
Includes	Academic context, school overview, applicant's suitability	Student strengths, anecdotes, character, achievements
Number Required	Only one reference per UCAS application	Typically 2–3 recommendations per university
Submission Method	Submitted through UCAS by school/referee	Sent directly to universities or via portals like Common App
Focus	Academic potential + fit for course	Holistic – academics, personality, values, extracurriculars

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Who Can and Who Can’t Give a UCAS Reference?

When it comes to UCAS references, it's not just about finding a person who likes you; it’s about finding a person who knows you academically and can speak to your potential. Here’s an easy breakdown to help you avoid these common mistakes.

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Who can provide your UCAS reference:

A teacher or subject tutor - with the best cases being someone who has taught you recently.
Head of Sixth Form or course coordinator - typically, they have a good overview of your strengths.
An academic or careers advisor - they should be aware of your aspirations and if you will be a good fit for the course.
Training provider - if you are doing a course of study outside of school or college.

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These people know how you work, what you have done and what you want to do, which is precisely the information universities are looking for.

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Who cannot provide (even if they know you well):

Family members - irrespective of the qualifications they hold.
Friends or peers - even if they have seen how hard you work.
Employers or colleagues - unless you are out of education and applying independently.

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Anyone who does not know you from an academic perspective simply cannot provide the knowledge to be of use.

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How to Choose a Referee?

Now, another important question is how to choose a referee. So, if you’ve recently been in education, you can get your UCAS reference letter from a person who can share relevant information about you and your skills. If you’ve been in education for a while, then universities might ask for an employment reference. Also, keep in mind that your referee might not know about your application or courses, so discuss all the information about why you chose a specific course and university with them beforehand.

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How to Write a UCAS Reference Letter?

A reference letter for UCAS should be more than a grade summary; it's a chance to show the student beyond numbers. Here are the pieces of a good one:

A good reference letter includes:

Personal insight: Tell relevant stories and mention extra-curricular activities that give character and interests away.
Academic strengths: Discuss the academic performance, work ethic and engagement, with a wider range of detail such as attendance, relative subject strengths or where students have made significant improvements over time.
Course-related: Outline the reasons why the student has a good fit with their chosen course and how any relevant skills are applicable.
Evidence of growth and potential: Outline how the student has progressed both academically and holistically, so they show they are ready for university when the time comes.
Career ambitions: You could express their career ambitions and outline how the course they have applied for relates to their long-term ambitions.

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Referencing skills to look for:

Verbal and written communication skills

Time management and organisational skills

Reliability and ability to meet deadlines

Teamwork and leadership skills

Attendance and punctuality (first impressions do count)

International students: If appropriate, you may want to mention how their global perspective has added to learning within their specific portfolio.

How to Write a UCAS Reference Letter as a Referee

As a referee, you should follow the guidelines below while writing your UCAS reference letter:

1. Complement the Personal Statement

A good reference letter compliments the candidate's personal statement. So, it is very crucial to read and skim through your student’s personal statement in order to understand their overall aspirations, challenges and reasons for picking a particular course.

Accuracy and relevance are essential, so ensure that the reference you write exactly mirrors & reflects the student themselves and correlates to what they have written in their personal statement.

2. Show Evidence

Back up your statements with specific examples and evidence of the student's accomplishments, skills, and qualities. This will add credibility to your reference and help the admissions team get a clear picture of the student's abilities. Academic performance is where you can mention specific courses, subjects, or assignments where the student excelled. You can provide evidence by citing their high grades, exceptional projects, research papers, or awards received. For example, you could say, "In their final year, the student achieved an overall average of 95%, earning the top position in their class. Their research project on environmental sustainability was recognised with a regional science award."

3. Describe your Student's Potential

Admissions tutors will be looking at a student's potential in a university setting, so it's crucial to include this in any given reference. It's important to talk about why you think they'll thrive in that chosen university environment and in that particular program of study.

Key Tips for Writing a Strong UCAS Reference Letter

To write an effective UCAS reference letter, clarity, balance, and professionalism are important components to keep in mind. The basic principles of the letter include the following:

Using UK English: It is important that your spelling, grammar usage and syntax correspond to British English, not American English.
Word Count: You will have a maximum of 4,000 characters (around 500 words) to complete your reference. You should strive to write engagingly, concisely, but clearly and descriptively.
Neat and Professional: Avoid using bold, italics, and underlines; you want neatness and layout for standard format.
No hyperlinks: Avoid clickable links. If you use a link, use the full URL; no longer than 60 characters.
Balance Academics and Personality: You should be contemplating a method of striking an equal balance between academic performance and personal characteristics.
Honest and accurate: This means offering a clear and honest representation of the candidate's skills, as well as their potential, without hyperbole.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid in a UCAS Reference Letter

A UCAS reference letter should be explicit, professional, and assess the students’ strengths. Here is some advice on things to avoid:

Personal Bias – It should be as fair and objective as possible; focus on facts, not opinions.
Vague or General Statements – Avoid generalisations or broad statements. Be specific and give real examples.
Unsupported Claims – Don't use the word "exceptional" without some evidence to justify it.
Irrelevant details – Focus on academic performance, character, and related achievements.
Negative or Critical Statements – If something can improve, do this as constructively as possible.
Over-Exaggeration – Be honest. Do not sell it as something that it is not by dramatically exaggerating someone’s “exceptional” qualities.
Grammatical Errors – Proofread and be careful. Typos hurt your credibility.
Unprofessional Tone – Do not use slang or informal expressions. Remain formal and respectful.

Reference Letter for UCAS Examples

Are you still absorbing all the information on how to write a reference for UCAS? The good news is that the UCAS official website has collated a few examples of how to write a UCAS Reference letter for 2025 applicants. This guide will help you understand the content & information that will answer your question about how to write a reference letter.

In conclusion, it is very important to meticulously plan, structure, and understand how to write a UCAS reference letter, as these references are very different from the commonly seen academic and job referrals. Now, you are fully equipped to accept any UCAS referral requests from your students! Also, ensure to equip yourself with the UCAS tariff points.

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Major Change in the UCAS Reference Letters in 2025

Previously, writing a UCAS reference lacked structure and clarity, but from 2025, a new structured format will provide a clearer and more consistent process.

New UCAS Reference Letter Structure (From 2025)

All undergraduate references will now be structured and will have 3 sections instead of a handwritten letter.

1. School/College Statement

This statement allows context around the applicant's current learning context. Referees may include: