【Career Development Centre of Student Affairs Office】Further Study Insider (5) — Is Your Professor Always Saying That They’re Busy? Send Three Emails to Secure A Strong Reference

【學生事務部 生涯發展中心】 升學情報 (五) -- 教授總回復‘沒空’？三封電郵助你獲取強力推薦信

 2025-10-20     SAO-SCS     Bulletin / 公告 

Are you facing any of these common situations?

  • Emailing a professor for a recommendation letter, but not receiving a reply?
  • Receiving a vague, unconvincing letter?

The key issue is—you haven’t mastered the art of requesting a recommendation letter! Below is a complete set of email templates, guiding you step-by-step from the initial request to the final reminder, to help you secure a strong recommendation from your professor.

First Email: Initial Request (3 months before deadline) – Make an Impression and Request a Meeting


Email Template:

Subject: Meeting request regarding postgraduate recommendation

Dear Professor [Professor’s Surname],

I am [Your Name], a student who took your [Course Name] module. I am currently applying for a postgraduate programme [e.g. an MSc in Economics at LSE]. Your teaching on the [Specific Module] sparked my interest in the [Field of Study].

Would it be possible to meet for 15 minutes to discuss a letter of recommendation and receive some advice on my application? I am flexible and can accommodate your availability.

Please find attached the following materials for your reference:

  1. My transcript (Grade for the module: [Score]).
  2. A draft of my personal statement.
  3. My dissertation (including your annotated version).

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
[Contact details]

 

Key Tips:

  • Name your attachments clearly (e.g., ‘JohnSmith_EconomicsDissertation_with_Professor_Annotation.pdf’).
  • Proactively offer multiple possible meeting times.

 

Second Email: Supplementary Materials (1 Week After the Meeting) – Provide the Information Needed to Write the Letter


Email Template:

Subject: Reference materials for [Your Name]‘s application to [Programme]

Dear Professor [Professor’s Surname],

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me last week. I have compiled the following materials to help with my reference:

  1. 1. Key Academic Achievements:
    • Project completed under your supervision:
      • [Project Name]
      • Outcome: [Specific Data/ Awards])
    • • Other relevant experience (e.g., [Internship/ Dissertation])
  2. 2. Programme Requirements
    • [University Name] particularly values [Skills/ Experience].
    • The letter of recommendation may highlight [Research Direction/ Personal Qualities].
  3. 3. Recommendation Key Suggestions:
    • • Mentioning my [Specific Skills/ Project Contributions] would be greatly beneficial to my application.

Deadline: [Date] [link to the system is attached].

Please let me know if you would like to make any adjustments. I really appreciate your support.

Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]

 

Key Tips:

  • Use bold text and bullet points to improve readability.
  • Include a link to upload the recommendation letter.

 

Third Email: Gentle Reminder (2 Weeks Before Deadline) – Ensure Timely Submission


Email Template:

Subject: Please be reminded that the deadline for the [Programme Name] recommendation is approaching

Dear Professor [Professor’s Surname],

I hope this email finds you well. I am [Your Name], a student who participated in your [Course/ Module].

I am writing to remind you that the recommendation system at [University Name] will close on [Date]. Here is a simple guide for submission :

  1. Click on the link: [Upload Link]
  2. You will need to complete three sections:
    • Evaluation form (about five minutes).
    • Letter of recommendation upload (you can paste text or upload a PDF).

If you have already submitted, please disregard this email. If you require any assistance, I am happy to provide further information.

Thank you again for your invaluable support.

Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]

 

Key Tips:

  • Maintain a polite and appreciative tone rather than a demanding one.
  • Emphasise the simplicity of the process (‘only three sections’).

 

The Ultimate Trick: Lower the psychological barrier to make it easier for the professor to write the letter.
==> ‘It only takes ten minutes to complete the evaluation form. I’m happy to provide a draft if that would be helpful.’

Important Reminder: After applying, it is important to send a thank-you note (handwritten notes are more impactful) and share your results.

Next Step: Contact the professors from your best-performing modules first

 

Professors are generally willing to help——they are simply busy. Your key task is to make the process of writing a letter of recommendation as quick and easy as possible.

你是否遇過以下情況？

  • 發電郵請求推薦信，教授沒有回覆。
  • 獲得的推薦信內容空泛，缺乏說服力。

問題關鍵在於：你未掌握請求推薦信的要訣！以下提供完整電郵範本，從初次請求到最終提醒，逐步指導你獲取教授的強力推薦！

第一封：請求郵件（提前三個月）- 建立印象並邀約面談


範本： 

主題：關於研究生推薦信的面談請求

尊敬的[教授姓名]教授：

本人是曾修讀您[課程名稱]的學生[你的姓名]，現正申請[目標項目，如：LSE經濟學碩士課程]。您在[具體課程]中的教導，令我對[領域名稱]產生更濃厚的興趣。

未知可否約見15分鐘時間，當面向您請教推薦信及申請建議？本人可配合您的任何方便時間。

隨函附上以下資料供參考：

  1. 本人成績單（課程成績：[分數]）
  2. 個人陳述初稿
  3. 課程期末論文（含您批註的版本）

感謝您抽空閱讀！

[你的姓名]
[聯繫方式]

 

關鍵技巧： 

  • 附件命名清晰（如“張三_經濟學論文（教授批註版）.pdf＂）。
  • 主動提供多個可約見時段。

 

第二封：補充材料電郵（面談後一周） – 提供撰寫推薦信所需資料


範本： 

主題：【推薦信材料】 [你的姓名]申請[項目名稱]

尊敬的[教授姓名]教授：

感謝您上周抽空面談！為方便您撰寫推薦信，我已整理好以下材料：

  1. 學術經歷清單：
    • 在您指導下完成的項目：
      • [項目名稱]
      • 成果：[具體資料/獎項]
    • 其他相關經歷（如：[實習/論文]）
  2. 申請項目要求：
    • [院校名稱]特別重視[能力/經驗]
    • 推薦信可突出[研究方向/個人特質]
  3. 推薦信重點建議：
    • 若能提及本人的[具體技能/項目貢獻]，將對申請大有幫助

截止日期：[日期][附上系統連結]

再次感謝您的支持！如有任何需要調整，請隨時告知。

[你的姓名]

 

關鍵技巧： 

  • 用粗體及列表提升可讀性。
  • 附上推薦信上傳連結。

 

第三封：溫馨提示電郵（截止日前兩周） – 確保準時提交


範本： 

主題：教授提提您：[項目名稱]推薦信截止日期將至

尊敬的[教授姓名]教授：

祝您一切安好！本人是曾參與您[課程/項目]的[你的姓名]。

教授提提您，[院校名稱]的推薦信系統將於[日期]關閉。以下是簡易提交指引：

  1. 點選連結：[上傳連結]
  2. 需填寫內容（僅三部分）：
    • 評分表（約五分鐘）
    • 推薦信上傳（可貼上文字或上傳PDF）

若您已提交，請忽略此電郵。如需任何協助，本人隨時可提供補充資料！

衷心感謝您的幫助！

[你的姓名]

 

關鍵技巧： 

  • 使用溫馨提示語氣而不是催促。
  • 強調流程簡便（“僅三部分”）。

 

終極心法：降低心理門檻，讓教授寫推薦信更輕鬆。
==> 在郵件裡寫：“您只需十分鐘完成評分表，推薦信部分我可提供初稿”。

重要提醒：申請結束後，務必向教授發送感謝信（手寫感謝卡更顯誠意）並告知錄取結果。

立即行動： 從成績最優異的課程教授開始聯繫。

 

教授並非不願幫忙——他們只是事務繁忙。你的關鍵任務，是讓撰寫推薦信的過程盡量省時省力。