LoginFormat requirements
| Requirement | Rule |
|---|---|
| Length | Two single-spaced pages or less |
| Margins | One inch on all sides, measured to the text. Printed letterhead may extend into the margin. |
| Font | 12-point |
| Letterhead | Your PDF should be on institutional letterhead. (Writers at facilities that do not permit letterhead, such as some federal laboratories, are exempt.) |
| Signature | Sign the PDF |
| File format | Upload the signed letter as a PDF |
| Hyperlinks | Do not include hyperlinks — materials hyperlinked to letters will not be read |
Letters that do not meet these requirements will not be read — Campus Representatives are instructed to return non-compliant letters for revision.
Where and when to send it
1
Login to application portal
Once the student adds you as a recommender, you will receive an email from the application portal with a link to log in.
Click on the link in the email. You will be taken to a page that asks you to answer a few questions and submit a letter no more than two pages long. Additional guidance on your letter can be found at How to Write a Letter of Recommendation.
2
Print and submit
Answer the questions and print your letter on institutional letterhead (unless your facility does not permit it), sign it, and upload the signed version as a PDF through the portal.
Meet the campus deadline set by your Campus Representative — it falls before the Foundation’s nomination deadline.
3
Campus Rep and student follow up
Once you upload your letter to the portal, the Campus Representative will have access to it. Campus Representatives have been asked to review letters and may suggest changes they believe could strengthen a letter and make the student more competitive for the scholarship.
Students cannot see your letter. If you would like to provide the student with a copy of your letter, you can.
If anything prevents you from delivering the letter — or you realize you cannot write a strong one — tell the Campus Representative immediately so an alternate writer can be arranged. Writers can be substituted up until nominations close on the last Friday in January at 5:00 p.m. Central Time.
What you’ll be asked
Five questions accompany your letter on the submission form. They are listed here so you can prepare your answers before you start — the form cannot be saved, it can only be submitted once, and you will receive an email copy when you submit.
- How long have you worked with this Goldwater nominee?
Required · choose one- Academic Term
- For a Summer
- For a Year
- For More than a Year
- Other
- In what capacity have you worked with the nominee?
Required · written answer, up to 100 words - Does the applicant’s undergraduate coursework, completed and planned, prepare them for the rigor and depth of graduate study required for their intended research path?
Required · choose one- Yes, Fully Prepared
- Partially Prepared, with Minor Gaps
- No, Requires Significant Foundational Work
- Insufficient Basis for Evaluation
- Compared to other research-oriented students you have taught or mentored, how would you rank this applicant’s research ability?
Required · choose one- Exceptional
- Outstanding
- High Achieving
- Above Average
- Average
- Insufficient Basis for Evaluation
- Compared with previous students you have worked with in your laboratory or classroom, what is the highest degree you believe this student will likely achieve?
Required · choose one- Bachelors
- Masters
- Doctorate
- Other
- Please upload your letter of recommendation.
Required · PDF, two pages maximum