Tips for Requesting Recommendations

Requesting Recommendations

The recommendation letter or form is a common requirement for graduate-level admissions and/or funding opportunity. It can be stressful to rely on others when completing an application by a strict deadline; therefore, the following suggestions/best practices will help ensure your success.

Tips and Best Practices

  • Give yourself (and your recommender!) plenty of time to complete the process well in advance of the program’s deadline. We would suggest asking your recommender 3-4 weeks before the deadline.
  • Check how the institution’s application system works. If the application system automatically sends recommendation requests to your recommenders via e-mail, it is common courtesy to request their recommendations before entering their contact information.
  • Provide your recommenders with information about yourself. Most programs require recommendations from academic references, and your former professors may have taught quite a few students in their careers. In order to differentiate yourself from other students, you could include:
    • courses you took with the recommender (Semester date, special projects or papers, etc.)
    • resume or curriculum vita
    • statement of purpose for the program to which you are currently applying
    • your GPA and any test scores when they are needed for program entry (GRE, TOEFL, etc.)
    • anything you feel would be pertinent and/or wish to highlight including research interests, special awards received, or characteristics that set you apart from other applicants
  • Give them time to write and submit your recommendation. Since deadlines (especially for a fall start date) can cluster around the same time period, your recommenders may have received multiple recommendation requests. Common courtesy dictates at least a three-week window before following up if you still have not received the recommendation. Again, this is why we encourage you to contact your recommenders well before the deadline.
  • Check your application status at least once a week. You will not know if you need to follow up with your recommenders (after three weeks) if you do not know your application status.
  • Thank your recommenders. On average, it can easily take several hours for each recommendation provided. Ideally, write a handwritten note instead of an e-mail.
  • Follow up with the results! Your recommender supported your application, so send a quick email to share your news.

For further details on recommendation requests, particularly for funding applications (though the advice is applicable across various contexts), please visit our Letters of Recommendation page.