Guides · Applications
Recommendation letters and your CV
Who to ask for a recommendation letter, how to ask politely and early, and how to write a clean one-page CV.
Two documents appear in almost every scholarship application: letters from people who know you, and a short CV. Both are easy to do well if you start early.
Recommendation letters
A recommendation letter is written by someone else, usually a teacher or school leader. It tells the panel what you are like when you are not talking about yourself.
Who to ask
Choose people who know your work well and can give real examples:
- A subject teacher from a subject related to your course.
- Your class teacher, head of department or head of school.
- A mentor, club leader or employer, if they know your work well.
Pick someone who knows you over someone with an impressive title who barely knows you.
How to ask
- Ask at least 3 to 4 weeks before the deadline. Good letters take time.
- Ask politely and in person if you can, then follow up in writing.
- Ask a clear question: "Do you feel you know my work well enough to write me a strong recommendation?" This gives them an easy way to say no, which is better than a weak letter.
- Give them what they need, in one tidy folder or one email:
- the scholarship name and the deadline,
- how they must send the letter (upload, email, or sealed envelope),
- your CV,
- your personal statement draft,
- a short list of things you would like them to mention, like a project, a result or a time you led others.
After they agree
- Remind them politely one week before the deadline.
- Thank them in person or in a message.
- Tell them when you get your result. They will want to know.
Your CV
A CV is a one-page summary of you. For students, one page is enough.
What to include
- Name and contact: phone, email (use a sensible address like
firstname.lastname@gmail.com), and town and country. - Education: school, years, and your results or grades.
- Achievements: prizes, positions, top results.
- Experience: projects, volunteering, jobs, leadership in clubs.
- Skills: languages (with level), computer skills, anything useful.
- Referees (optional): or say "available on request".
How to write each point
Start with a strong verb and show a result:
- Weak: "Member of the debate club."
- Stronger: "Led the school debate club of 25 students; team reached the regional final in 2025."
Common mistakes
- A long CV. Keep it to one page.
- A photo, unless the application asks for one.
- Fancy colours and many fonts. Plain and tidy is best.
- Mistakes in spelling or dates.
- Unprofessional email addresses.
Saving it
Save your CV as a PDF with a clear name, for example Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf. Keep a copy in your email and on your phone.
Keep a "documents folder"
Make one folder (on your phone or email) with your CV, scanned certificates and transcripts, passport photo page, and your best personal statement draft. When a deadline appears, you will be ready.