How to ask for a letter of recommendation
Remind them who you are and what they saw you do, say what it is for and when it is due, and send what makes the letter easy to write. Weeks ahead, with an easy no.
Three rules
1
Ask someone who saw your work
A professor whose course you did well in, or who guided your project, writes a specific letter. A famous name who barely knows you writes a vague one.
2
Ask four to six weeks ahead
Professors get many requests in the same months. Ask early, and send one polite reminder a week before the deadline.
3
Send what makes it easy
Your CV, the programmes or job, the deadline and how to submit, and a short note of the work they saw. Never send a drafted letter unless they ask.
Write the request
Subject
Request for a letter of recommendation: [Your name]
Dear [Their name], [How they know you, and a result.] I am applying for [what you are applying for], and I would be grateful if you could write me a letter of recommendation. The deadline is [deadline]. To make it easier, I have attached my CV and a short note of the work you saw and the points I hope the letter can speak to. I am happy to meet if that would help. If you are not able to, I completely understand. Thank you, [Your name]
6 blanks in [brackets] to fill.
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Questions people ask
Should I write my own LOR draft?
Only if the recommender asks you to. Many universities ask the recommender to confirm the letter is their own. Send a list of the work they saw and points you hope they can mention instead.
How many LORs do I need?
Each programme says how many it wants, often two or three. Check every programme’s page; a mix of academic and work recommenders is common for applicants with job experience.
Can my manager write one instead of a professor?
Yes, if you have been working, and especially for an MBA or a job. Ask the person who saw your work most closely, even if their title is not the most senior.
What if they do not reply?
Follow up once after a week. If there is still nothing, ask someone else; it is better than a late or hurried letter.
Attach a CV worth recommending
Your recommender will skim it before writing. Make sure your projects read result-first; score it free, with no account.
General guidance. Each programme and employer sets its own recommendation requirements.