I need to ask for reference letters
Choose referees who know your work, ask early and give them everything they need to write a strong, specific letter.
In short
Start here, today. List four or five people who have seen your work closely, such as lecturers, a project or thesis supervisor or a manager. Next to each name, write one piece of work they saw and one quality they could speak to. Then email the strongest person on the list today to ask whether they'd be willing. This takes about 20 minutes.
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Choose people who know your work
Good referees have seen you do the kind of work the program involves, such as a lecturer who marked your project, a thesis or research supervisor or a manager in a related job. Check how many letters each program wants and whether some must be academic. A detailed letter from someone who supervised you closely usually helps more than a short one from someone well known.
Ask early, and ask properly
Ask at least a month before your first deadline, and earlier if you can, especially near the end of term when academics are busiest. Ask whether they feel able to write a strong letter, so they can decline gracefully if not. Once they agree, confirm in writing which programs you're applying to and when each letter is due.
Send a short, complete pack
Put everything in one email so your referee doesn't have to search: your CV, a draft of your statement, your transcript if it's relevant, and a list of every program with its deadline and how the letter will be submitted. Add a short reminder of the work you did with them, with dates, and one or two things you hope they might mention. The easier you make it, the more specific the letter is likely to be.
Set up the portals carefully
Enter each referee's name and email address exactly as they gave them, using an institutional address if they have one. Tell them when to expect the emails and who they will come from, and suggest they check their junk folder. If a program only sends the link once you submit, submit early enough to give your referee time.
Remind gently, and have a backup
Add each request to the Waiting-For List with a follow-up date about a week before the deadline, and send a short, friendly reminder with the date and link if the letter hasn't arrived. If a referee goes quiet close to a deadline, ask politely whether they're still able to write, and ask the admissions office whether a letter can arrive a few days late, since some programs allow this. Keep a backup referee in mind in case someone can't help after all.
Plan around time away from study
Many programs accept professional references from applicants who have been working for some years, so check each program's rules or ask the admissions office. It's still worth writing to a former lecturer: remind them which course or project you did with them, when it was and what you produced, and attach the work if you still have it. Lecturers can often write a useful letter years later when you give them enough detail.
Say thank you and share the outcome
Thank each referee once their letters are in, and let them know how your applications turned out, whatever the result. Vassar's career centre suggests the same, and it keeps the relationship warm for the next time you need a reference.
Words you can use
Is this you? Signs to look for
- You keep putting off the email because it feels like asking for a huge favour.
- You're not sure whether a professor who barely knows you is better than a manager who knows you well.
- You finished your degree years ago and doubt that any of your lecturers would remember you.
- A referee agreed weeks ago, and the portal still says their letter is missing.
Why this happens
Writing references is a normal part of an academic's job, and most people who agree to write one want it to help you. The usual problem is time. A strong letter needs specific examples, and a referee who is rushed or short of information can only write something general. The University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Education career centre suggests giving referees a month or longer if possible, along with your résumé, your personal statement and examples of your work.
The best referee is usually someone who knows your work well, even if they're not the most senior person you've met. Vassar College's career centre suggests choosing people who can report honestly on your best qualities, and asking whether they feel they know your work well enough to write a strong letter. That question gives a referee an easy way to say no, which protects you from a lukewarm letter.
Many applications now collect letters online. When you enter a referee's details, the application system emails them a link to upload their letter, sometimes only once you've submitted. UBC's graduate school, for example, emails each referee a unique link and can't accept free email accounts such as Gmail for referees. Details like these can hold a letter up, so it's worth checking them early.
Worth a look (6)
- Letters of recommendation, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education Career CenterPractical advice on who to ask, how much notice to give and what to send your referees.
- Recommendation letters, Vassar College Center for Career EducationShort guidance on choosing recommenders, briefing them and thanking them afterwards.
- Reference letters, UBC Graduate SchoolAn example of how an online reference system works, including the difference between academic and professional referees.
- FindAPhDA large searchable database of PhD projects, programs and funded studentships, strongest for the UK and Europe but with places worldwide. You can filter by subject, country and funding.
- FindAMastersA directory of master's degrees and other postgraduate courses at universities around the world, with guides to funding and applying. Handy for comparing taught and research master's options.
- MastersportalSearch and compare master's programs worldwide by subject, country, fees and scholarships. Browsing is free, and a free account lets you save programs.
When to bring someone in
If you're not sure who to ask, a lecturer or supervisor you trust can often tell you whose letter would carry the most weight in your field. If a referee can't be reached close to a deadline, contact the program's admissions office early, since they may allow a little extra time or a substitute. If you've been away from study for many years and can't find an academic referee, ask the admissions office what they accept before deciding you can't apply.
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