Sample Letters in Support of EB-1 Outstanding Professors and Scholars
The samples are provided only with the purposes of serving as guidance on how to draft a letter of
support. These are not templates. When drafting the letter, it is of utmost importance to highlight the
impact and relevance of the research work of the scholar in the field. While it is critical to explain the
scholar’s work in an area that is of relevance to science, this will not be sufficient. The letters should
focus on explaining what has made the scholar’s research so significant to the point that has
raised the scholar to be outstanding as compared to his/her colleagues in the field. The letter
should include not only the importance of the research per se but what has made the
contributions of the scholar internationally outstanding in the particular filed of expertise.
Sample #1: Departmental Support Letter
(to be submitted on KSU department letterhead)
Tuesday, February 09, 2016
USCIS
Attn: AOS
2501 S. State highway 121
Business Suite 400
Lewisville, TX 75067
RE: First Preference Employment-Based Permanent Residency Petition – Outstanding
Professor/Scholar
Petitioner: Kennesaw State University
Beneficiary: Dr. John Doe.
Attn Service Officer:
Dr. Doe is an internationally known professor, with outstanding ability, in the field of X.
The Petitioner
Kennesaw State University (KSU), the third-largest university in the University System
of Georgia, is a comprehensive university with expanding undergraduate and graduate
programs in Kennesaw, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Nearly 20,000 commuter and
residential students, including more than 1,700 from 136 countries, pursue their
undergraduate and graduate studies at Kennesaw State. The student body is a mix of
traditional and nontraditional students with an average age of 26. Approximately 20
percent of students are members of ethnic minorities.
Founded in 1963, Kennesaw State University's dedication to fostering excellence in
public service brought it recognition from the American Association of State Colleges
and Universities as one of the nation's top publicly engaged universities in its study
"Stepping Forward as Stewards of Place." In addition, the American Council on
Education selected KSU as one of eight institutions in the country for a study called
"Global Learning for All," which will focus on good practices in promoting international
student success. The university is committing itself to expanding the global experience
of students, faculty and staff through its Quality Enhancement Plan, known as the "Get
Global" initiative. The QEP is part of KSU's continuing efforts to reaffirm its accreditation
for the next 10 years with the Southern Association's Commission on Colleges (SACS).
[Include a paragraph indicating department specific accomplishments.]
Position Requiring Person of Outstanding Ability
Kennesaw State University, Bagwell College of Education, Department of X, is offering
the position of Associate Professor to Dr. Doe, an internationally known and respected
professor in the field of X, who will bring extraordinary skills and scholarship to this
position. Kennesaw State University has every intention of employing Dr. Doe for a
term of indefinite duration in which he will have an expectation of continued employment
unless there is good cause for termination. This is a tenure track (permanent,
continuing, continuing eligible, tenured) position, and the university has every intention
of employing Dr. Doe permanently. In this permanent position, he will maintain an
active scholarship program and will participate fully—and with distinction—teaching both
undergraduate and graduate education, serving as a strong role model for our students.
[Include a paragraph or two detailing the job duties more specifically.]
Outstanding Ability of Beneficiary
Dr. Doe, a citizen of (country), received his undergraduate training and beginning
research in X at The University of --------------, (country), on (date), 19--. From there, he
proceeded to obtain his advanced degrees—MS. and Ph.D. in X from The University of
-------. During those years he served as a research assistant and associate. Following
the completion of his Ph.D. in (month, year), he moved on to serve as visiting research
associate in the Department of Education. Upon completion of that experience in 1984
he returned to his home country to apply his knowledge and skills at his alma mater,
where he remained until 19--. As outlined in his enclosed curriculum vitae, Dr. Doe has
been awarded for his excellence in research from his undergraduate days in T------, to
his graduate studies in S----- and beyond. Continuing to expand his research base
internationally, he was awarded the --------- Fellowship in 19—by the European
Community for a year of sabbatical work in the Department of Education at the
University of ------------, in the UK. In 19—he returned to the US for a period as a visiting
scholar.
One of the key indicators of Dr. Doe’s extraordinary contributions in the field of
Education came when he was awarded the ------------- Award in 19—by the
internationally known ---------------.
This award, which was in the Field
of__________________, is one of the highest honors bestowed upon a Latin American
technological researcher.
International respect of Dr. Doe’s professional opinion can be seen in several letters
related to the review of others’ work in various international professional journals.
Throughout the last few years Dr. Doe has been extraordinarily prolific in his research
writing, having 52 articles published in international, peer-reviewed journals and books,
as well as 53 articles included in conference proceedings, and 7 more works submitted
for publication. In addition, he has made 53 presentations throughout the world and has
submitted 5 more works for presentation internationally.
Based on the foregoing, we submit that Dr. Doe is an alien of extraordinary ability in the
field of Education, with a level of knowledge and skill that is possessed by very few
individuals. We respectfully request your kind consideration and favorable adjudication
of our First Employment-Based Preference petition on behalf of Dr. Doe. Kennesaw
State University will compensate Dr. Doe at the rate of $------ per annum.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at 770.xxx.xxxx.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
Dr. William Zoom
Department Head
Department of X
Kennesaw State University
Sample #2: Support Letter
Tuesday, February 09, 2016
USCIS Texas Service Center
4141 North St. Augustine Road
Dallas, TX 75227
Attn Service Officer
RE: First Preference Employment-Based Permanent Residency Petition by
Kennesaw State University on behalf of Dr. John Doe as an Outstanding
Researcher.
It is a pleasure to write this letter in support of Dr. _____________ application for the
employment based priority worker EB-1 under the category of “Outstanding Professor and
Researcher”. I strongly believe that his/her contributions to the field of ____________________
are outstanding.
I am a Professor of ________________ with more than
______ years of experience (elaborate on qualifications). My teaching and research interests
focus on ________________ with emphasis on ___________. I am also _________ (Editor,
Chair, Director…). This puts me in a good position to evaluate Dr. _______ academic and
scientific contributions.
I have known Dr. ___________ since _____ when ________ (elaborate).
Dr. ______ bright scientific capabilities are obvious. He/she has made outstanding
contributions to the field of _______________. His/her unique work on ____________ is
outstanding because it touches upon critical issues while developing a unique and novel
framework (elaborate). As a result, Dr. ________ theory on ________ has been published in
prestigious international journals and has highly impacted our field of research. Moreover,
his/her theories on __________ has increased the understanding of ________ and helped in
the development and identification of _____________ which has shed novel light on the
applicability of the classical formula on ________ As a result, impact and benefit to our field is
patent. In particular, his/her research in ________ (elaborate).
Dr. _______ has continuously distinguished him/herself for his/her scholarly work. This
is evidenced by his/her publication record. Dr. _______ is the author of BOOK and has
published _____ peer-reviewed articles in scholarly journals of international circulation. In
addition to been a frequent guest speaker at international scholarly conferences, he/she has
been awarded ____ competitive grants from federal agencies totaling $______ as principal
investigator, ____ grants totaling $ _______ as co- principal investigator and _____ grants
totaling $ _______ as collaborator.
Dr. has been recognized for his/her many outstanding contributions by the induction into
_________ Honor Society in _____. Dr. _______ is a Fellow of the __________. He/she has
also received the AWARD of ____________ from ____________. In addition Dr. _______ won
the ____________ for his/her research/teaching work.
In conclusion, Dr. ________ is an outstanding recognized international scientist that has
made significant contributions to his/her area of research. The United States academic
community and our community at large will profit greatly by scientists of the stature of Dr.
___________ and I strongly recommend that he/she be granted permanent residency in the
United States.