The basics
You need 3 letters from 3 different experts who have known your work for 12 months or more
Every Tech Nation application needs 3 letters of recommendation. Each comes from a different well-established expert in digital technology who has detailed knowledge of your work over at least 12 months. Each letter must be written for your Global Talent application, not reused from another purpose, and must give different examples from the other two. The 3 letters do not count towards your 10 evidence documents.
- 3 letters, 3 different authors
- Each author has known your work for at least 12 months
- Written for this application only
- Different examples in each letter
- Separate from your 10 evidence documents
Choosing authors
Who counts as an established expert, and who does not
Each author must be an established expert in digital technology, and Tech Nation judges whether they are. Seniority alone is not enough: they also need detailed knowledge of your work over at least 12 months. Letters from people in roles listed as unsuitable, such as managers at outsourcing or consultancy firms, do not count as letters from leading industry experts.
Content
What each recommendation letter must say
Each letter must cover the same core points, but with its own examples. Vague or generic letters that lack specific details about your achievements and impact weaken an application. Every example an author mentions should match evidence elsewhere in your application.
- How the author knows you
- Your achievements in digital technology
- Why the author considers you show exceptional talent or exceptional promise
- The contribution you would make to the UK digital economy and the digital technology field in the UK
- How you would benefit from living in the UK
- Your plans for future work
Format
The format rules every letter must meet
Letters that miss a format rule are an avoidable weakness. The page limit is up to 3 single sides of A4, and the author's credentials and contact details do not count towards it. The author's CV, or other accepted proof of their credentials, must be inside the letter, not in a separate file.
- Typed and dated
- Signed by the author, or by someone on behalf of the recommending organisation
- A telephone number and email address for the author
- The organisation's logo and registered address, where applicable
- The author's CV included within the letter
- A digital signature service such as DocuSign can be used, with the log file showing the author signed from a different IP address to you
Integrity
Templates and AI tools are not acceptable
Templates are not acceptable anywhere in the application, including letters. Letters that look like duplicates or templates, or closely match evidence from other applicants, may be treated as fraudulent or not acceptable. AI and language tools such as ChatGPT must not be used to create letters. Referees may be contacted, applications are checked for AI use, and fabricated letters are reported to the Home Office.
- Each author writes in their own words
- No shared or recycled wording between your 3 letters
- Every claim should be accurate and verifiable
Briefing authors
How to brief your letter authors without writing the letters for them
Give each author the facts and the rules, then let them write. Agree in advance which part of your work each author will cover, so the 3 letters give different examples. Share the list of required content and format rules so nothing is missed.
- Confirm the author has known your work for at least 12 months
- Agree which projects or achievements each author will describe
- Share the dates, figures and links that match your evidence so details are consistent
- Send the list of required content and the format checklist
- Ask for the author's CV inside the letter and current contact details
- Any extra reference letters within your 10 documents must be different letters, specific to a criterion, and meet the same standard
1Is your work in digital technology, and not at a consultancy or outsourcer? Technical roles at other employers, such as banks, count; business roles need a product-led company.
2Has your work been recognised beyond your own employer in the last 5 years?
3Can you show at least 2 of: innovation, recognition beyond your job, significant contribution to a product-led company, or academic contribution?
4Do you know 3 established digital technology experts who have known your work for at least 12 months?
Answer the 4 questions to see where you stand.
A quick self-check, not an assessment. It does not predict any outcome.
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Book a free 30-minute callRelated guides
Keep reading
Guides applicants usually read next on this topic.
What does Tech Nation look for in a Global Talent application?
Find out who Tech Nation covers, what the mandatory and optional criteria ask for, and how the 10 documents and 3 letters work.
Read related guideTech Nation optional criteria examples: what counts for each of the four criteria
A criterion-by-criterion guide to the evidence that can work, and the evidence that does not, for the four Tech Nation optional criteria.
Read related guideWho should write my Global Talent recommendation letters?
Find out how many letters each endorsing body asks for, who qualifies to write them and the mistakes that get letters set aside.
Read related guideApplying from outside the UK. If your letter authors work outside the UK, make sure each letter explains their standing in digital technology clearly, includes a working telephone number and email address, and comes with an authorised English translation if it is not written in English.
Article FAQ
Questions to settle before you spend time or money.
Use these answers to check the practical risks, documents, and decisions connected to this topic.
Can my manager write one of my Tech Nation recommendation letters?
Not as evidence of recognition. Tech Nation says reference letters from an immediate colleague, manager or friend are not sufficient, so choose established experts in digital technology outside your immediate team.
Can I reuse a reference letter written for another purpose?
No. Each letter must be written for your Global Talent application.
Can I use a template or AI tool to draft the letters?
No. Templates and AI tools such as ChatGPT are not acceptable, and letters that look templated may be treated as fraudulent.
Does the author's CV count towards the 3-page limit?
No. The limit excludes the author's credentials and contact details. The CV must be included within the letter, not as a separate file.
Do the 3 letters count towards my 10 evidence documents?
No. Your CV and the 3 letters of recommendation are in addition to the 10 documents.
Plan your letters
Not sure who should write your 3 letters?
In a free 30-minute call we look at your possible letter authors against Tech Nation's published requirements and help you plan which examples each letter should cover.