Have you ever struggled with emailing your professor? Here is a simple step-by-step guide to lead you on how to email a professor while sounding professional.
If you do this the right way, you can get more out of your requests and build a stronger relationship with your professors.
You don’t want to sound rude, but you also don’t want to sound too distant.
It’s also super simple so don’t worry about reaching out to your professors!
Do you need to email your professor about an unexpected circumstance, a favor, or accommodation?
No matter which situation you are in, there is an example to help you tackle them!
Ultimate Guide on How to Email a Professor
Do you have a bazillion thoughts running through your head each time you think about contacting your professor?
The truth is you do not have to view them as scary monsters who are unapproachable or ruthless.
Professors are people too-and they understand a lot of what you are going through.
Oftentimes, you just need to know how to communicate effectively to be able to get what you want.
How to email a professor about missing class
Usually, you don’t have to email a professor about missing a lecture unless participation is mandatory.
Most students either just skip or don’t go to class without notifying anyone.
It’s not a good habit to be skipping class, but sometimes there are more important matters than attending a class.
Since our college has podcasts and videos, I’m not too worried if I have to skip a class for personal reasons.
Some instances of skipping a class may be:
- you got sick
- there’s a really important exam that you need to study for
- you have a presentation that you have to practice
- there is a career fair that you have to attend
- any other emergency issues
It’s fine to skip a class if something unexpected comes up.
Usually, you can just notify the teaching assistant or instructional assistants about your circumstance.
If you want to let your professor know, here’s a brief example:
Dear Professor ______,
Unfortunately, I cannot attend class on (date) because of (circumstance). I was wondering if it is possible to make up for (that class/meeting/assignment). It would be wonderful if that happens, but it is not possible I understand too. Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
Your Name
How to email a professor about being sick
Getting sick is inevitable and being sick near an important assignment deadline or quiz happens.
If you know that you can’t make it or complete an assignment on time, email your professor.
Ask if there are any alternatives or accommodations that can be made for you.
These might be an extension for a project/assignment, a different test date, or a different makeup assignment.
You do not want to sound pushy or informal in your email as it portrays you as irresponsible.
Don’t use slang or texting language when communicating with your professor.
Wrong Example of an Email
Hi i’m very sick and can’t take the quiz tmrw. Can you gimme an extension?
thanks, jim
This brief email is too informal and utilizes too many slang terms.
There are also typos, grammar issues, and conventional problems.
And you usually don’t want to address your professor informally unless they allow you to.
You do not want to exude an unprofessional manner since the professor will probably think that you are not taking the issue seriously.
And, they will not likely give you accommodations from that email. Instead, a better approach might be:
Sample Email
Dear Professor __________,
Explain your circumstance and why you need to have an extension or accommodation. I have recently gotten sick and cannot finish the (explain which assignment, project, or quiz) that is due (the date). Is it possible to (get an extension or take it on a different day)? I understand that this may be difficult and inconvenient, but I really don’t have the energy and mindset to (work on assignment/quiz/exam). Thank you for your understanding and I wish you have a wonderful rest of your day.
Sincerely,
Your Name
This is my normal go-to format for an email.
I address who I am writing to, the issue, the next steps, a conclusion, and your signature.
You always want to include the reason why you are requesting an accommodation and express your understanding of any accommodations that can be made.
Include as much as you can in the email because you don’t want to send multiple emails back and forth.
Are you sick? Check out What to Do When You Are Sick at College.
How to setup a signature in your email
If you want to save time on your intro or signature section, you can use a shortcut in the settings of your Gmail.
- Log in to your email
- Go to your settings in Gmail next to the question icon on the upper right
- Click on See all settings
- Scroll to Signature near the bottom of the page
- Click on create new and add a name that you want to name your signature
- Type in what you want in the text box
- Pick if you want to use your new signature on new emails and reply or forwards.
After you have your signature ready, it makes it so much quicker when sending emails.
You can also add a regular ending like ‘Have a nice day!’ to the end of your messages if you prefer.
Interested in more posts about college? Check out How to Study Last Minute and Still Ace Your Test.
How to email a professor about unequal teamwork
If you have a group project in a class and some team members are not contributing at all, you should consider emailing your professor.
First, you want to talk to your team member who is not contributing to check if they have any circumstances or situations.
If they don’t reply, escalate the issue to the teaching assistant before going to the professor.
Usually, there is a team evaluation form where team members can evaluate the team and express how each person contributed.
Then, points are given to members who contribute more, and points are deducted for students who don’t contribute as much.
Similarly, the email can go something like this:
Dear Professor ______,
Explain your situation and the steps that you have taken to solve this issue. Talk about how many times you have reached out, what you tried to do, and what response (if any) you got. If they said they will change but didn’t, include that within the email too. However, with all the communication and steps taken, (name of the team mate who doesn’t contribute) has not been contributing to (project/assignment). I wanted to bring this issue up with you and hopefully (what you want/what you want the professor to do). Thank you for listening and I hope you have a nice day.
Sincerely,
Your name
You don’t want to sound like you are ranting and you should express how understanding you are.
Express how much work or stress it causes you that your team member is not communicating or contributing.
It might also be more effective to discuss this issue during office hours so you are talking about the issue in person.
The professor will also be more likely to solve the issue there on the spot by trying to contact the other member or deducting points from their grade.
Try to be as calm as you can and show any evidence (non-responsive texts or emails) of your effort to reach out and their lack of effort to respond or contribute.
How to email a professor on recommendations
If you need a letter of recommendation for a master’s, ph.D, job, or anything, an email is super important.
First, you want to find a professor that you know well and who knows YOU well.
You don’t want a professor who barely knows who you are to write your recommendation because those will likely be generic and basic.
After you have decided on your professor, you want to first send an email asking to meet in person for details.
If they aren’t on-campus and out of town, you can also include all the reference materials within your email.
A sample greeting email may be:
Dear Professor ______,
I have (opportunity/job/school) that needs a reference/recommendation letter. It would be amazing if you have time to write me a letter of recommendation. Would you have time over a cup of coffee for additional details? Thank you very much!
Sincerely,
Your name
This can change depending on what details you need to add or what situation you are in.
You can ask to meet up over a cup of coffee or tea to pass along your brag sheet or materials for your professor to mention.
If you don’t have a professor you know, you can start going to office hours, sitting near the front of the class, and asking questions.
The more you interact with the professor and converse with them, the more personalized your recommendations will be.
You want your professor to have an impression of you and be able to put a face to your name.
Tips on crafting the perfect email
- Be more courteous/polite than you are used to
It’s never a bad idea to include more formalities and mannerisms than you regularly do.
Add in how thankful or grateful you are if an accommodation or request can be reached.
Express your gratitude and always include a thank you and have a nice day.
It can be different modifications, but it’s nice to have that at the end.
2. Address your professor correctly
If your professor has a Ph.D., then address them as Doctor or Professor before their name.
It’s a sign of their work and years spent for that title.
Don’t call them Mrs. or Mr. or teacher.
3. Include your situation within the email
You want to get to the point in your email without dragging on about a bunch of different issues.
Explain your circumstance, and the next steps that you want to happen, and understand if something cannot be reached.
This may be an accommodation, a letter of recommendation, or an extension that might not be viable.
If that happens, ask for any other options or express your understanding.
4. Check for grammar and spelling errors
You don’t want to have a bunch of typos or errors in your email, so double-check your email.
Make sure to read it out loud or use a grammar checker to scan for any mistakes.
You don’t want to show carelessness especially if you are requesting a favor or letter of recommendation.
5. Don’t worry
This might not be an email tip, but more for you.
Don’t worry about emailing your professor or stressing about the tiniest things.
You want to be communicative and express what you need because professors are there for you.
