UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH

Academic and Non-Academic Reference*

Non-academic references may be acceptable from applicants who have been out of higher education for 5 years
or more, those applying for vocational training programmes and applicants with relevant industrial or
professional experience.
Dear Referee,
You have been asked to provide a reference in support of an application for admission to the
University of Edinburgh. Your reference will greatly assist the University of Edinburgh in reaching a
decision on this application and we thank you in advance for your assistance.
The University reuires a dated reference with your name and position clearly stated on letterheaded
paper, if uploading the document onto the EU!"#D system or as an e$mail attachment. #f sending the
reference as an e$mail, please send it preferably from the e$mail address at the institution or
organisation you are representing. #n addition, please provide, as a minimum, key identifying
information such as the applicant%s name and programme applied to and, if known, the applicant%s
UU& 'EU!"#D identifier(, the )chool applied to and the proposed date of admission.
To assist you, please find below the points which the University would like you to consider when
composing your reference*
+. #n what capacity have you known the applicant, and for how long, -or previous students or
employees, please also indicate how long ago.
.. /ssess, as appropriate, the applicant0s abilities in terms of* analytical reasoning1 ability to grasp
concepts1 ability to work independently1 ability to argue cogently1 originality1 industry1
motivation1 perseverance1 breadth of interest1 technical competence.
2. !omment, as appropriate, on the applicant0s responsiveness to supervision3mentoring1
responsiveness to constructive criticism, capacity for self$evaluation1 ability to work with others1
ability to organise work.
4. !omment on any academic or professional e5perience that you consider relevant to the
ualification applied for.
6. #f appropriate, indicate how confident you are that the applicant is likely to complete successfully
the ualification aimed for. 7lease indicate how strongly you are supporting this application 8 not
strongly, strongly or very strongly.
9. #f appropriate, comment on any postgraduate study or other forms of training already undertaken
or in progress.
:. Your reference may also be used to support a )cholarship application, so where appropriate please
also comment on a candidate0s suitability for an award.
-or academic referees
;. #f the applicant has yet to graduate, please indicate the degree result which, in your opinion,
would most accurately reflect the applicant0s abilities.
<. #f possible, indicate the applicant0s ranking compared to other students on the same course or
compared to other students you have taught 'for e5ample, 6
th
in a class of ;= students1 in the top
+6 per cent of students taught(.
-or non academic referees
+=. 7lease indicate how long the applicant has been3was working within your institution or
organisation. #f possible, please rate the applicant%s performance compared to peers at the same
stage of career.
* The Data Protection Act 1998 gives the subject of your reference the right to ask to see it. In responding to such reuests !e are reuired to !eigh up
your interests as the referee against the interests of the app"icant and then decide !hether or not to re"ease the reference. The app"icant has the right to
cha""enge any non#disc"osure decisions that !e $ake. This $eans that !e cannot guarantee that the reference !i"" not be disc"osed. %o!ever& !e !i""
a"!ays seek your opinions and take the$ into account in any discussion about disc"osure .
++. #f possible, indicate the applicant%s capacity to undertake new pro>ects or pieces
of work and their promptness to respond to these.
7lease upload your reference on the EU!"#D system 'if you have received a EU!"#D e$mail reuest(.
/lternatively, if you are unable to upload it onto the EU!"#D system or if you have been contacted
directly by the applicant, please send it back by e$mail to the relevant 7ostgraduate ?ffice 'please see
over(.
For Po!"rad#a!e Ta#"$!%&a!er a''(ica!ion For Reearc$ a''(ica!ion 'e.g. PhD& (Phi"& )dD*+
,o""ege of %u$anities - .ocia" .cience/ hsspg0ed.ac.uk ,o""ege of %u$anities - .ocia" .cience/ hsspg0ed.ac.uk
,o""ege of (edicine - 1eterinary (edicine/
$v$pg0ed.ac.uk
,o""ege of (edicine - 1eterinary (edicine/
$v$pg0ed.ac.uk
,o""ege of .cience - )ngineering/ sciengpg0ed.ac.uk .choo" of 2io"ogica" .ciences/ gradbio"0ed.ac.uk
.choo" of ,he$istry/ che$istry.gradschoo"0ed.ac.uk
.choo" of )ngineering/ pg#ad$issions0eng.ed.ac.uk
.choo" of 3eosciences/ go0geos.ed.ac.uk
.choo" of Infor$atics/ phd#ad$issions0inf.ed.ac.uk
.choo" of (athe$atics/ pg0$aths.ed.ac.uk
.choo" of Physics - Astrono$y/ pg0$aths.ed.ac.uk
If )o# are #na*(e !o #'(oad )o#r reference on!o EU+,ID or end i! e(ec!ronica(()
P"ease provide a reference on the (e!!er$eaded paper of your institution or organisation& or !ith the officia"
sta$p of your institution or organisation. 4ou $ay then either give it to the app"icant in a sea"ed enve"ope& !ith
your signature !ritten across the sea" or
For Po!"rad#a!e Ta#"$!%&a!er a''(ica!ion& return it to the re"evant ,o""ege Postgraduate 5ffice/
,o""ege of %u$anities - .ocia" .cience& David %u$e To!er& 3eorge .uare& )dinburgh )%8 967
,o""ege of (edicine - 1eterinary (edicine& ,hance""or8s 2ui"ding& 99 :itt"e ;rance ,rescent& )dinburgh )%1<
9.2
,o""ege of .cience - )ngineering& =eir 2ui"ding& The >ing8s 2ui"dings& )dinburgh )%9 ?64
For Reearc$ a''(ica!ion 'e.g. PhD& (Phi"& )dD*+& return it to the re"evant ad$inistrative unit/
S#*-ec! Area Posta" Address
Ar!. H#mani!ie and Socia(
Science
,o""ege of %u$anities - .ocia" .cience& David %u$e To!er& 3eorge .uare&
)dinburgh )%8 967
&edicine and Ve!erinar)
&edicine
,o""ege of (edicine - 1eterinary (edicine& ,hance""or8s 2ui"ding& 99 :itt"e ;rance
,rescent& )dinburgh )%1< 9.2
Science and En"ineerin"
2io"ogica" .cience .choo" of 2io"ogica" .ciences& (ichae" .!ann 2ui"ding& >ing@s 2ui"dings& )dinburgh&
)%9 ?6A
,he$istry .choo" of ,he$istry 6oseph 2"ack 2ui"ding& >ing@s 2ui"dings& )dinburgh& )%9 ?66
)ngineering .choo" of )ngineering& ;araday 2ui"ding& >ing@s 2ui"dings& )dinburgh )%9 ?6:
3eosciences .choo" of 3eosciences& 3rant Institute& >ing@s 2ui"dings& )dinburgh )%9 ?6=
Infor$atics .choo" of Infor$atics& Infor$atics ;oru$& 1B ,richton .treet& )dinburgh& )%8 9A2
(athe$atics .choo" of (athe$atics& 6a$es ,"erk (aC!e"" 2ui"ding& >ing@s 2ui"dings& )dinburgh&
)%9 ?6D
Physics and Astrono$y .choo" of Physics - Astrono$y& 6a$es ,"erk (aC!e"" 2ui"ding& >ing@s 2ui"dings&
)dinburgh& )%9 ?6D
Thank you for your assistance in this $atter.
* The Data Protection Act 1998 gives the subject of your reference the right to ask to see it. In responding to such reuests !e are reuired to !eigh up
your interests as the referee against the interests of the app"icant and then decide !hether or not to re"ease the reference. The app"icant has the right to
cha""enge any non#disc"osure decisions that !e $ake. This $eans that !e cannot guarantee that the reference !i"" not be disc"osed. %o!ever& !e !i""
a"!ays seek your opinions and take the$ into account in any discussion about disc"osure .