Hello,
I have been working over 6 years. Now I want to go for a Phd. My problem is every one who would recommend me is just an engineer like myself. They would give me a letter but they cant their organization's seal or letter head.

They have an e-mail id of the organization they work for. Thats it. The recommendation letter they would give me will be on plain paper - no letter head, no company seal.

Will such a letter be accepted.
Thanks

I don't see why they can't write you a reference on headed paper?

Well, only the human resource department of a company has a letter head. Even manaagers dont have a letter head. So, engineers cant have access to letter heads.
Only a very friendly HR department would give a letter head to some 'lowly' engineer (with 7 or 8 years experience in the industry).
For instance, if I were to ask my HR to give me his letter head for me to recommend my friend. He wont oblige. He may oblige someone who is may be a couple of levels higher up in the ladder.

i wouldn't worry too much about the letter head, if in the reference it is stated what your working relationship was (i.e. manager/supervisor)

Hello belfry,
Thanks for your response. My biggest fear is - How much weightage would such a letter carry?.

I am asking because - I need a put in a lot of hardwork and money for this (take GRE, TOEFL, select univs and spend on applications, go back to my schools and get my transcripts).
And after all this, if all univs reject me because they think I faked the recommendation letters I would be quiet dismayed.

(I mean, anybody could as well get recommendations from anybody claiming he or she supervise me in some XXX place. And I did a great job at XXX project.)

I think all universities ask for at least 1 academic reference for a PhD application. In this case, I think any non-academic references will not hold that much weight anyway. Therefore I don't think the letter head on your non-academic reference would be that important.

My understanding is that most 'big companies' don't authorise personal references and so to expect one on letterhead is unrealistic. Perhaps i'm taking the optimistic view point here but I'd focus on the GRE, and wouldn't worry about whether they trusted my referees.

I would agree that the university will expect an academic reference, are you able to get one? Although, after 6 years in industry they may be more lenient

Hello everyone,
Thanks for your replies. Belfry, I cant manage even one academic reference, because as it happens often in my univ most of the profs/teachers were there temporarily and moved onto the industry for a more lucrative oppurtunity. I could get references from them saying they once were in the academics and taught me. The aren't phds too.
I guess thats because I was from a not so good univ.

Looks like, atleast one academic reco is a must. It would be a real pity if I have to drop the Phd plans because of one acad reco.Never thought of all this at that time.

Have you achieved any professional engineering quals? EurIng or CEng or whatever the equivalent is in your country?

Hi Jewel, Yes. A very professional degree and a highly respected course. But unfortunately due to various reasons (mainly political and some economical), we didnt have any permanent profs or resident facult with Phds who taught us. Thats why the probablem with getting an academic reco for our batch.
Anyway, to give you the short answer - Yes, I do who have a very qualified accredited engineering degree.

i meant professional qualifications, such as chartered engineer, that are earned in industry - not a first degree.

Interesting, I didnt know such things existed. I guess I can apply for that with my credentials and get one.
Do you think that would help in someway?. Please let me know what you have in mind.