How to Get Strong Reference Letters for a European Scholarship Application

Who to ask

Choose referees who speak to your actual work, not just your title or your grade. A thesis supervisor, a professor who taught a course where you did strong project work, or a manager who directly oversaw a relevant job all make better referees than a senior person with a big title who barely knows you. Most European scholarship programs, including Erasmus Mundus and DAAD schemes, ask for two academic references, though some accept one academic and one professional reference if you have been out of study for some time.

Ask referees who commit to your specific deadline honestly. A referee who is enthusiastic but overloaded produces a letter late, or a generic one written in a rush. It is better to ask a referee with slightly less seniority who has time to write something specific.

What to give your referee

• Your current CV or resume

• The program name, the funding body, and a short description of what the scholarship funds

• A short list of two or three specific achievements or projects you would like them to mention, especially ones they supervised directly

• The submission deadline and method, including whether they upload the letter themselves through a portal

• Any required form, template, or word limit specified by the program

Giving a referee a bullet list of specifics saves them time and produces a stronger letter, since specific examples read as more credible than general praise.

Timing and follow-up

Ask at least four to six weeks before the deadline. Academic staff often have several students requesting letters around the same application season, and a rushed request is more likely to be declined or delayed. Send a polite reminder about two weeks before the deadline, and another a few days before if the portal still shows the letter as missing.

Many European scholarship portals, including Erasmus Mundus consortium systems and DAAD's application system, have the referee submit the letter directly through a secure link rather than you collecting and uploading it yourself. Confirm this early, since asking your referee to email you a signed PDF when the program requires a portal upload instead wastes time for both of you close to the deadline.

What makes a reference letter weak

Selection committees notice reference letters that repeat generic praise without a specific example, since these read as a template the referee reuses for every student. A letter with only one or two sentences, or one that focuses on personality rather than relevant skills and achievements, does little to strengthen your application. A letter that arrives after the deadline, forcing the admissions office to chase it separately, counts against an otherwise strong application too.

Avoid choosing a referee purely for their title or seniority if they cannot describe your work specifically. A detailed letter from a supervisor who worked with you closely outweighs a short, generic letter from someone more senior who barely remembers your name.

If a referee says no or goes quiet

Ask early enough that a decline still leaves time to approach someone else. If a referee agrees but then goes quiet close to the deadline, follow up once directly and offer to resend your CV and program details in case the original email got buried. If the deadline is genuinely at risk, contact the scholarship office to ask whether a short extension or a substitute referee works, since some programs allow this if you ask before the deadline rather than after.

Keep a backup referee in mind from the start of your application, especially for scholarships that require two or more letters. Having a second person already briefed on your application saves time if your first choice cannot deliver.

Should you waive your right to see the letter

Some portals ask whether you waive your right to read the reference before it reaches the committee. Waiving generally signals confidence to the reviewer, since committees know an unwaived letter might be softened to avoid conflict with the student. Discuss this with your referee before they write, since a referee who expected the letter to stay confidential may write it differently once they know you can read it.

Format requirements

Check the specific program's stated format before your referee starts writing. Common requirements include the letter being on official letterhead, signed, dated within a set window before the deadline, and written in English or the language of instruction. Some programs require the letter as a single PDF, others require a structured online form filled in directly by the referee rather than a free-text letter.

If the program provides a structured reference form instead of a free letter, tell your referee this clearly, since a strong general letter attached to the wrong format can mark your application incomplete.