# How to Email a Professor for a Letter of Recommendation > When to ask, what to attach and what to write when you email a professor for a recommendation letter, plus the reminder and thank-you that come after. Source: https://hidengpt.com/write/email-professor-for-recommendation-letter # I need to ask my professor for a recommendation letter by email. Ask at least three to four weeks before the deadline, a month or more if you can. Say what the letter is for, the deadline and why you're asking them, and offer your CV, statement and course details. HidenGPT's Email format, set to Business email, turns those facts into a short, polite request. The letter itself stays the professor's. Updated October 6, 2026 · by the HidenGPT team Try it with your own details Enter to send · Shift+Enter for a new line ## How to do it in HidenGPT - 01 Pick a professor who knows your work, ideally from more than one course or a project, and check their faculty page for instructions on letter requests. - 02 Write down what you're applying for, the deadline, the courses you took with them and when, your grades and one paper or project they'll remember. - 03 Pick Email under “Use it for”, set Email type to Business email, Tone to Professional or Formal and Length to Short, then type those facts into the main box. - 04 Check that the draft asks one clear question and includes the deadline, then attach your CV, draft statement and a list of programs with their deadlines. - 05 If they say yes, ask whether they'd like a reminder, then send a short Follow-up a week or two before the deadline and a Thank-you once the letter is in. [Email / Newsletter](https://hidengpt.com/tools/email): Subject lines that get opened, emails and newsletters that get replies. ## When to ask, and whether to email Ask early. The University of Washington School of Public Health's career pages say at least three weeks before the deadline, preferably a month or more, especially if you need several letters. The University of Redlands career office says at least three to four weeks, and CU Boulder's history department asks for at least a month, even from professors who already have a letter on file. Western Kentucky University's Office of Scholar Development suggests four to five weeks if you have them, then a polite reminder one to two weeks before the deadline. Email is a normal way to ask. UW's career pages say a formal request can be made by email or by appointment, though they'd rather you go over the materials in person than only send attachments; CU Boulder's history department and WKU also suggest asking at office hours first and sending the details by email after. If you can't meet, Redlands' career office publishes email templates for undergraduates, graduate students and alumni. Before you write, check the professor's own page: some post exactly what they want in a request, and some track letters in their own spreadsheet of deadlines. ## What to put in the email, and what to attach The email has four jobs: say what the letter is for, when it's due and how it's submitted, why you're asking this professor (the course, the semester, a paper or project), and ask whether they'd be willing. Redlands' career office lists being vague and assuming they'll say yes as common mistakes, so ask a real question and leave room for a no. Keep the email short and put the detail in attachments. Attach what helps them write something specific: your CV or resume, a draft statement of purpose (CU Boulder suggests a paragraph or two on your goals if there's no statement), the programs with their deadlines and links, the courses you took with them with semesters and grades, and a graded paper from their class if you still have it. UW's career pages also suggest telling them who else is writing for you, so each letter can stress different strengths, and WKU notes you can ask a writer to address a specific topic, such as your research experience. If the application asks whether you waive your right to see the letter, UW and WKU both recommend waiving it. ## What the Email format does here Pick Email and set the type to Business email: the draft states the purpose in the first paragraph and ends with a clear next step and a date. It opens with a subject line aimed at under 50 characters, with a warning above 60, and with Subject line ideas on (the default, under More details) you also get three alternatives. It asks for one thing, keeps paragraphs short enough to read on a phone and ends with your signature or a [Your name] placeholder. A light red pen pass, on by default, cuts stock lines like “I hope this email finds you well”. Use Follow-up for the reminder: it refers to your first email in one sentence, stays very short and leaves out guilt trips like “you haven't replied”. Use Thank-you once the letter is in; it says specifically what you're thanking them for. On Pro or Pro Max, a voice built from emails you've written (at least 300 characters; 2-5 pieces works best) keeps all three sounding like you. The draft is your request; the letter is the professor's to write. ## Not the right tool if - Writing the recommendation letter itself. The letter is the professor's; your part is giving them the facts and materials to write it. - Asking a high school teacher for a college application letter. HidenGPT is for people 18 and over; your school counselor can help with that request. - A professor who takes requests through their own form. Use their form instead of an email. ## Other ways to do it Your career center or academic advisor Free, and they know your school's norms and timelines. Some publish email templates for this exact request. Office hours Asking face to face first is what several departments recommend; follow up by email with the materials. A career-center email template Free and quick. Swap the stock opening line for one that names the course you took with them. ChatGPT or another chatbot Fast, but expect stock openers, and check every course name, grade and date. ## Questions ### How do I email a professor asking for a letter of recommendation? Say what the letter is for, when it's due and why you're asking them, then ask whether they'd be willing and offer your CV, statement and course details. Keep it short, use a plain subject line such as “Recommendation letter request: MSc application” and leave room for a no. ### How far in advance should I ask for a letter of recommendation? At least three to four weeks before the deadline, and a month or more if you can. That's the range the career offices at the University of Washington School of Public Health and the University of Redlands give; CU Boulder's history department asks for at least a month. ### What should I send a professor for a letter of recommendation? Your CV or resume, a draft statement of purpose, the programs with their deadlines and links, and the courses you took with them, with semesters and grades. A graded paper from their class helps them write something specific. ### Is it okay to email a professor for a letter of recommendation? Yes. UW's School of Public Health says a formal request can be made by email or by appointment; some departments, like CU Boulder history, would rather you ask in person first and send the details by email after. ### How do I remind a professor about a letter of recommendation deadline? Send one short, polite email a week or two before the deadline that repeats the date and offers to answer questions, as WKU's Office of Scholar Development suggests. UW's career pages advise against chasing unless the professor asked for a reminder, so ask when they say yes. ### How do I ask a professor for a letter of recommendation after graduation? Remind them who you are: the course and semester, your grade and a paper or project they'd remember, plus your current CV. The University of Redlands career office publishes a separate email template for alumni. ### Should I waive my right to see the letter of recommendation? Usually, yes. UW's School of Public Health and WKU both recommend waiving it, because writers tend to be more candid and readers trust letters the applicant hasn't seen. ### Can I try it for free? Yes. You can try 2 drafts a day on the homepage without an account, enough for the request and a reminder. Saving drafts and writing in your own voice need a plan; Pro is $3 for the first month. ## Related - [I need a thank-you email after my interview that doesn't sound copied.](https://hidengpt.com/write/thank-you-email-after-interview) - [I need a cover letter that sounds like me, not like ChatGPT wrote it.](https://hidengpt.com/write/cover-letter-that-doesnt-sound-like-ai) - [I want an AI essay writer that actually sounds like me.](https://hidengpt.com/write/ai-essay-writer-that-sounds-like-you) - [English is my second language. 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