Letters of Recommendation

High school applicants must submit at least one teacher recommendation (up to 2 teachers permitted), and may submit one additional optional recommendation.

At least one required letter must be from a high school teacher who has taught you in an academic subject (English, mathematics, science, foreign language, social studies, or history). If you submit a second teacher letter, it should provide new perspective rather than repeating the first recommendation.

Recommender Guidelines

Strong letters of recommendation provide specific examples that demonstrate your academic excellence, innovative thinking, and commitment to positive change. We encourage you to select recommenders who can speak to these qualities and provide meaningful insights about you.

Please give your recommenders sufficient time to write their letters. It's considerate to provide them with at least 2-3 weeks notice before the application deadline.

Optional Additional Recommendation

You may submit one optional additional recommendation if there is another person who knows you well and can provide new insights beyond your teacher recommendations. This could be from an employer, community service leader, research mentor, coach, or other non-teaching adult. Please ask your recommender to include your full legal name, school name, and date of birth at the top of the letter.

How to Submit Letters of Recommendation

• Recommendation letters should be submitted online through the Lu Scholar Application portal whenever possible. This is the fastest method for materials to reach your file.
• If online submission is not possible, recommenders may send their letter as an email attachment to scholarship@lu-memorial.org. They should include your full legal name, school name, and date of birth at the top of the letter and in their email.
• Materials submitted by recommenders may take up to one week to process after we have received your submitted application. As a standard practice, we offer a grace period after the application deadline during which recommenders may submit their letters.
• You can check the status of your recommendation letters in your Lu Scholar Application portal after submitting your application.

Updated on February 7, 2026