Reference Guidelines (UCAS)

Dear Referee: 

Thank you for your willingness to write a recommendation for your student.

FORMAT:

The reference required is comprised of 3 sections (further clarification on each section is provided below). Please be sure to clearly separate each section in your reference.

You can use up to 4,000 characters total (including spaces and line breaks). This is the total count for all three section responses combined. There is no character limit per section, you can allot characters to each section as you prefer. 

Section 1: a general statement about your school, college/centre to include:

  • Size and type of school/college
  • Numbers of students in student’s year or average class sizes
  • For secondary schools: information about the availability of qualifications such as AP tests or IB diploma. 

Section 2: If applicable, enter any information about extenuating circumstances which may have impacted the applicant's education and achievement

  • Any factors which may have affected, or will affect in the future, their performance, for example personal circumstances
  • On an optional basis, any information about performance in individual tasks or qualifications that the applicant has not already given in the personal statement
  • Information about any special needs and other requirements. The reference should not give information about an applicant’s health or disability without their agreement.
  • If English is not student’s native language, please comment on their ability to write and speak in English and say if any of their studies where taught in English.

Section 3: Any other supportive information specific to the applicant and relevant to the degree programme applied for that you think universities/colleges should be aware of.

  • Existing achievement, with particular reference to skills and experiences that would be beneficial to the successful completion of a law degree
  • Potential for success in the field of law, including predicted results or performance
  • Motivation and commitment towards the chosen course or courses
  • Powers of analysis and independent thought
  • Relevant work experience, work placements, voluntary work and so on
  • Proposed career plan
  • Where relevant, their suitability for training for a profession in Law
  • Please remember that universities and colleges will see both the personal statement and reference. The reference therefore should be written in a way that supports the applicant’s intentions for progressing to higher education in the UK as directly as possible.
  • If the applicant is still working for you, provide information about potential future employment opportunities.
     

Top Tips

  • Write your reference letter out in advance in a word processor so that you can monitor your overall character count. 
  • Short, concise and factual sentences to demonstrate suitability for the course(s) applied for can be entered into section 3
  • Save your reference in case a university wishes to discuss the student’s candidacy further with you (rare in our experience) but also so that you can use Section 1 over again if you are asked by another student. 
     

SUBMITTING YOUR REFERENCE

We take your privacy very seriously.  The most secure and dependable way to send us your document is electronically by inputting your reference into the textboxes provided on this page. Due to the updates made by UCAS recently, we can no longer accept uploaded reference letters in the standard format. If you have any questions about this, please let us know. 

Canada Law From Abroad Secure Reference Link

 

Data Protection Policy

When you complete the reference upload form, you will be asked to allow Canada Law from Abroad to process and store your data.  The data processed and stored will be the following: 

  • Your name
  • Your email address
  • Your reference (and any information contained within that letter, such as an academic postal address and phone number) 

This data will only be used for the following purposes: 

  • Completing the student’s university applications
  • Submitting the student’s university applications As a contact point for the student’s chosen universities 
    • Please note that the universities may get in touch with you to further discuss the student’s application.
  • As a contact point for Canada Law from Abroad if we require more information from you. (For example, if the reference letter is missing important information, or a university has asked us to follow up with you on their behalf). 

Please note that you will not be added to any mailing or marketing lists. Your information will only ever be used to action applications to universities.

 

Confidentiality Policy

When you write a recommendation for any applicant, please remember that under the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation, the applicant can ask for a copy of the letter and any other personal information that both UCAS and Across the Pond has about them.

 

If you have any issues uploading your reference let us know so we can help you out: team@canadalawfromabroad.com

Thank you very much for your time!  We appreciate your support. 
 

Best Wishes,

Canada Law from Abroad

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