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Aug 8, 2022

How to email a professor with 22 different examples

Learn how to email your professor (and what to avoid doing) and check out 22 sample emails to help you get started.

Lawrie Jones

Table of contents

Is there anything more nerve-racking than sending an email to a professor?

Every student will need to send an email to a professor at some point, whether you're asking for an extension, explaining an absence, or a little extra help. But how do you write an email to a professor?

In this guide on how to email a professor, we break down the steps to writing better messages. You'll learn the structure of a good email to a professor (and what to avoid).

And if this is not enough to convince you that it's easier than you might think, we finish off by providing 22 sample emails to a professor!

If you want to impress your professor with perfect grammar, make sure to try Flowrite :

How to send an email to a professor

So, how do you write an email to a professor? Professors are professional people who will be used to traditional email etiquette. That's not to say that you can't introduce some individuality into your emails; it's just important to show respect. 

You'll understand your relationship better than we do. You can be a little less formal if you feel it's appropriate.

Following the correct email etiquette is essential – and easy. In this article we break it down into steps to illustrate what we mean. We've also written about proper email etiquette on our blog before:

It's also important to keep emails short and to the point. Professors receive hundreds of messages daily and don't have time to delve too deeply to get the information they need. Say who you are, what you want, and why you're messaging upfront.

Should I send an email to a professor?

Classes can be busy, and a professor's time can be limited, so email is an ideal way to communicate with your Professor. Emails enable you to go into detail, create lists and spend time crafting a complex message.  

If your question or comment is urgent or sensitive, consider whether it's better to book a meeting or pull them aside for a chat. 

Only you can decide whether to email a professor.

How long should I wait for a reply?

Professors are people with busy lives and professional responsibilities, so you may need to wait for a reply. But how long should you wait for a response from your Professor?

There are no hard and fast rules on how long to wait for a reply, but the general rule is to give it two or three days before sending a follow-up. You can learn more in our guide on how to write a follow-up email.

Email format for messaging a professor

The email format for a professor should be familiar to anyone who understands the basics of messaging. Here's how it works:

• Subject line

• Body copy

• Signature

If you're unfamiliar with how to write a formal email, check out Flowrite blogs that delve deeper into what makes a great subject line, how to greet someone, appropriate sign-offs, and striking the right tone of voice. 

Subject line for an email to professor

Your subject line should spell out exactly what your message is about. Why? Because professors get hundreds of emails daily, they'll need a reason to open and respond to yours. 

We've provided some examples below.

How to greet a professor in an email

Professors should always be addressed using their titles. You can open an email in a few ways, such as:

• Dear Professor 

• Hi Professor

Avoid casual openings, such as "hey" or "how are you doing?". Instead, always uses your Professor's title to show respect, even if you start an email with "Hi" or "Hello."

How to address professor in email

We've covered the importance of using a professor's title in an email, but there's more to it. When discussing how to address a professor in an email, we're talking about the tone of voice – and getting that right can be tricky.

You'll want to be personal, but being too familiar can cause problems. We've written before about how to hit the right tone, so start there. Our examples below show how we've put this into practice.

How to start an email to a professor

An excellent way to start your email is by stating who you are and explaining what your message is about. As we've established, professors receive hundreds of messages every day, so they'll skim-read your message. Unless you're clear with what you want, you could find it binned.

You can see 22 examples of how to address your emails and get to the point as soon as possible.

How to sign off an email to professor

There are several ways you can end an email you a professor. Traditionally, you'd use "your sincerely," but today, you can be a little less formal. Some safe email endings to a professor include:

• Kind regards

• Yours sincerely

Email to professor examples

So, we've explained the basics of emailing your Professor; now it's time to put it into practice with samples. Here are 22 email to professor examples that should cover any scenario. So, whether you're asking for advice, access to a class, or a little extra support, we've got a template for you. 

22 sample emails to a professor

Here are 22 examples of how to email your Professor. These should cover a whole range of situations that you could find yourself in. As with all our templates, use them as inspiration, and be sure to adapt them to your specific situation. 

Ready to get writing to your Professor? Then let's begin.

1. How to write an excuse email to professor example

2. how to email professor for extension example, 3. how to email professor asking for extra credit example, 4. how to email a professor about failing a class example, 5. how to send a follow-up email to a professor, 6. how to write a formal email to a professor example, 7. how to email a professor about getting into their class example, 8. how to email a professor about a grade example, 9/ how to introduce yourself in an email to a professor example, 10. how to ask professor to accept late assignment email example, 11. how to email a professor for a letter of recommendation example, 12. how to email professor about missing class example, 13. how to write a polite email to a professor example, 14. how to write a professional email to a professor example, 15. how to write a proper email to a professor example, 16. how to ask a question to a professor email example, 17. how to write a reminder email to professor example, 18. how to reply back to a professor's email example, 19. how to email a professor about research example, 20/ how to schedule an appointment with a professor email example, 21. how to email professor about being sick example, 22. how to write a thank you email to a professor example, closing words.

Writing emails to a professor can cause mild anxiety, but it doesn't need to be so. We hope that breaking down how to email a professor into steps and providing a massive number of samples will help.

It's essential to understand the principles of crafting professional emails, such as an email to a professor – now it's time to put it into practice.

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How to Write an Email to a Professor (With Examples)

Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

How to email a professor in 7 steps, email to professor examples.

Emailing your professor can be a daunting task.

Writing professional emails is never easy, but composing an email to a professor can feel especially nerve-racking. After all, your professors have a lot of control over your academic success and your future career, so you don't want to make a mistake.

So, how exactly do you write a successful email to a professor?

In this article, we’ll give you a step-by-step guide for how to write an email to your professor, plus a set of email templates you can use.

We’ve broken the process of emailing your professor into seven simple steps.

Step 1: How to Write the Subject Line

Start by writing a clear, concise subject line for your email.

Your subject line should be specific to your situation. Ideally, your professor should understand why you’re emailing them without even having to open the body of your message.

For example, if you’re emailing to request an extension for a research paper, you can use the subject line “Research paper deadline extension.” Or, if you’re emailing to ask for a clarification about the syllabus, you can use the subject line “Question about class syllabus.”

Step 2: How to Address a Professor in an Email

You should start your email with a formal salutation.

You can use formal greetings, such as “Dear” or “Hi,” followed by your teacher’s preferred title, whether that’s “Professor [Last Name],” “Mr. [Last Name],” “Ms. [Last Name],” or simply “[First Name].”

If you’re not sure about your professor’s title, “Dear Professor [Last Name]” is always a safe bet.

Step 3: How to Start an Email to a Teacher

Start your email by introducing yourself and explaining which class you’re in. For example, you might write, “My name is Hannah, and I’m a freshman in your ENGL 453 class.”

It’s common for professors to teach multiple classes, especially at large universities, so they don’t always know all their students by name. If you’re emailing from your academic account, they’ll likely be able to see your full name in the system, but it’s still better to be safe than sorry.  

Of course, if you’ve already established a working relationship with your professor, and they know who you are, you don’t have to introduce yourself. Instead, you can start your email with a friendly greeting, such as “I hope your week is going well” or “Happy Friday!”

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Step 4: How to Explain Your Request

Now that you’ve finished your introduction, it’s time to explain all the essential information about why you’re writing this message.

Professors lead busy lives, so try to keep the body of your email as concise as possible. Don’t use a whole paragraph when a single sentence would do.

Try to keep a professional tone while you explain your request. You don’t need to sound overly stiff, but you should generally avoid using slang or making jokes.

If you’re writing about an issue that includes personal details, such as a health issue or the loss of a loved one, it’s okay to be vague when explaining your reasons. Don’t feel pressure to include details about your personal life that you’re not comfortable sharing.

Finally, be specific about what kind of follow-up action you’re requesting from your professor, if any. For example, you can write, “Please let me know if it would be possible to extend the deadline,” or “Please send me your feedback on this draft at your earliest convenience.”  

Step 5: How to End an Email to a Professor

You can end the body of your email with a simple expression of gratitude. You can write something like, “Thank you for your understanding and support,” or simply “Thanks for your time.”

Step 6: How to Sign Off an Email

Sign off your email with a simple closing salutation, followed by your first name.

Keep it simple and polite. Popular choices include “Best,” “Thanks,” “Sincerely,” and “Regards.”

Step 7: Edit Your Email with ProWritingAid

You don’t want to send your professor an email riddled with grammar mistakes, especially if it’s your English professor! And even if they teach a different subject, like math or biology, you still want to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward.

Editing your email with ProWritingAid can help you avoid mistakes. Our editing tool will correct grammar errors, spelling typos, and weak word choices.

You can even ask the tool to help you ensure you’re using a formal tone so your email doesn’t come across as casual or unprofessional.

Now that we’ve gone over the seven steps for writing an email to a professor, let’s look at some examples.

Here are some email templates you can use, depending on your specific situation.  

Sick Email to Professor Example

Subject line: Missing class today

Dear Professor [Last Name],

My name is [your name], and I’m a student in your class [class name]. I’m writing to let you know that I won’t be able to make it to class today, due to health issues. [Insert details if needed].

Please let me know what material we’ll be covering so I can make it up before the next class.

[Your name]

Sample Email to Professor Asking for Help

Subject line: Help with [class name]

My name is [your name]. I’ve been really struggling with your class [class name] this semester, and I’m having a hard time understanding [details].

Would you have time to sit down with me and help me better understand the material? I would welcome any support you can offer.

Thank you in advance! I look forward to hearing from you.

How to Email a Professor About a Grade

Subject line: My grade for [assignment/exam name]

I hope your week is off to a good start!

I recently received my grade for [assignment/exam name], and it was lower than I expected. Could you please tell me where I lost points?

I know you have a busy schedule, but I would really appreciate more details, since I’m sure that information could also help me improve my grades in the future.

Thank you so much for your time!

Sample Email to Professor for Research

Subject line: Research opportunities in your lab

I hope you’re doing well!

My name is [your name], and I’m a [year, major]. I’m writing to ask about research opportunities in your lab next semester.

I’m really interested in the topic you’re researching because [details], and I have experience conducting research with [previous experience, if any].

Please let me know if you have any openings that might be suitable for me. I look forward to hearing from you!

How to Write an Apology Email for Missing a Class

Subject line: Missing class yesterday

I hope your week is going well.

I’m writing to apologize for missing your class [class name] yesterday. I was unable to attend because [details].

I know it was an important class and that I shouldn’t have missed it. I’ll do my best to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Thank you for your support and understanding.

Extension Email to Professor Example

Subject line: Extension for [Assignment Name]

My name is [your name], and I’m a student in your class [class name]. I’m writing to request an extension for our assignment about [assignment details].

I’ve been struggling to complete the assignment in time because of [reasons]. I would really appreciate it if you could extend the deadline to [new deadline date], due to my situation.

Please let me know if that would be okay. Thank you so much for your flexibility.

Thanks again,

How to Write a Follow-Up Email to a Professor

Subject line: Follow-up re: [subject]

I recently emailed you about [topic].

I’m just writing to follow up on my previous email and make sure you’ve received it. If you have, please let me know when I can expect a reply.

Thank you again for your time!

Warm regards,

How to Email a Professor About Getting Into Their Class

Subject line: Joining your class [class name]

My name is [your name], and I’m a [year, major] at [school name]. I’m interested in joining your class [class name]. I’m really fascinated by [topic] because [reasons], and I’ve heard that your class is a must-take class for students interested in [topic].

I don’t know how much demand there is for the class, but I’m curious if there’s anything I should do in advance to increase my chances of getting into the class.

Thank you for your consideration! I look forward to hearing from you.  

There you have it—our guide for composing a clear and professional email to a professor.

Good luck, and happy writing!

Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.

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How to Email Your Professor (With Examples)

Lisa Freedland is a Scholarships360 writer with personal experience in psychological research and content writing. She has written content for an online fact-checking organization and has conducted research at the University of Southern California as well as the University of California, Irvine. Lisa graduated from the University of Southern California in Fall 2021 with a degree in Psychology.

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Every academic year, more and more professors complain that students do not know how to write nor respond to emails. Often, students are simply not taught how to write such emails to begin with. Some students are entirely clueless about what they’re doing wrong. To help make sure you don’t make these same mistakes, we’re going to show you how to email your professor (with examples)!

Keep on reading so that you can be confident in what you’re saying before you even hit “send.”

Emailing professors: A how-to guide

We’re sure that you’ve emailed people before, whether teachers, coworkers, friends, or family, but emailing professors is a little different. Emailing professors requires a level of formality not typically required when emailing people you’re already familiar with (yes, even if you know the professor well!). So, to make sure you don’t leave a bad impression on your professors, we’ve established a few tips that you should go by before sending off that email. Let’s get into them!

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Be professional

Perhaps most importantly, you should be professional when emailing your professors. But, what do we mean by this?

Simply, being professional when emailing your professors means using proper grammar, not using slang or emojis, and using their proper title (we’ll get into what this means next).

Further, if you’re asking for an extension for an assignment, giving a heads-up as to why you’ll be missing class, or anything along these lines, try not to give away too much personal information as to why. For example, rather than saying you have a stomach ache or caught the flu, you can instead say that you came down with an illness. The exact sickness (or reason) is not the most relevant information. Your professor will probably be grateful not to know anyway.

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Include their title + name.

Time for titles! If you’re not familiar with what titles are, titles refer to the words used before or after a person’s name that indicate a person’s position or role. When it comes to professors, students normally use either the title “Doctor” (abbreviated Dr.) or “Professor.”

And, as normally comes after someone’s title, you should be sure to include their last name after. So, let’s say you’re emailing a professor called Susan Robinson. You could start the email off with something like:

“Dear Dr. Robinson,” or “Hello Dr. Robinson,” or “Dear Professor Robinson,” or “Hello Professor Robinson,”

All these are fine choices, and it’s entirely up to you to choose whichever you prefer. And, if you haven’t quite noticed, it’s quite common to use “Dear” or “Hello” when starting off an email to a professor, but these aren’t your only options (just common ones). Whichever you use is, once again, up to your personal preference!

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Say something nice 

Yes, really. It doesn’t hurt to be nice when emailing professors, especially when you’re asking for their advice or help. 

So, how do you start out with something nice? Well, typically, after greeting your professor with their title and name (as we demonstrated above), you’ll add something along the lines of:

• “Hope you had a great weekend.”
• “I hope you’re enjoying the beautiful weather today!”
• “Hope you’re doing well!”

Make sense? Some professors appreciate such niceties. Not only will it indicate that you realize they have a life outside of academia, but it’s also just a polite thing to do. Yes, admittedly, some professors might not care, but others will!

Give context (i.e. who you are)

College professors have tons of students. So, oftentimes (if not always), they may need a little reminder on how they know you. This is especially true if you’re not in touch with them frequently. This is exactly what you should do next – explain who you are!

If you’re a student of theirs, the easiest way to do this is to mention what class of theirs you’re enrolled in, and what time it meets (or, if there are names for each section, you can mention that instead). This will give them some context before you ask a question, so they can understand exactly what assignment, topic, or question it is you’re asking about. This might go something like:

“This is *insert your name* from the Psychology 101 section that meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-2:30 P.M.”

Alternatively, if you’re not a student of theirs, explain your desired relationship to them (e.g., are you interested in enrolling in their class? Do you want to work in their research lab?). If this is the case for you, this might look like:

“This is *insert your name*, a second-year student majoring in Psychology. I am interested in enrolling in Psychology 102 next semester, and… *can ask/introduce your question here*” 

Now, unless you are 100% sure that your professor knows who you are by name, we definitely recommend you don’t skip this step! It may be awkward if your professor has to ask who you are after your initial email, so, better safe than sorry!

Last, but not least, try to use your university email if you have one! This immediately signals to your professor that you’re either a student or faculty member at their college. Your school email may make them more inclined to look at your email.

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Be straightforward

Since they have so many students, professors also receive a lot of emails. So, when emailing them, make sure to get straight to the point (no beating around the bush!). Be specific about your question, and provide context if needed. If you’ve already tried to solve your problem or answer your question in a number of ways, mention these. Doing so will cut down the amount of unnecessary emails sent back and forth. Also, it will also help you understand what tips or advice they shouldn’t give you (as you’ve already tried them).

On a similar note, if you have a question about a test or due date, we highly recommend checking your class syllabus first. These will contain your important test and due dates 99% of the time, if not more.

And, most importantly, remember to make your subject line specific and clear. For example, if you have a question about an assignment’s due date, your subject line could be something along the lines of “Question about Due Date of Assignment Name .” This will make it clear to the professor what the context of the email is, and will help avoid any misunderstandings.

After asking your question (or saying whatever you needed to say), it’s time to sign off! Most commonly, people will do this by using a “Best,”, “Thanks,” “Sincerely,” or something along those lines, followed by their name. If your university email does not include your full name, write both your first and last name in your sign off. This will make it clear to the professor who you are, even if they have another student with the same first name.

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A few examples

Time for a few examples! Here they are:

1.  If you’re asking a professor a question about an upcoming test date:

Hello Dr. Johnson,

Hope your week is off to a great start!

This is John Smith from your Chemistry 404 Monday/Wednesday/Friday 11 am – 12 pm class. Last Monday, you mentioned that our upcoming midterm is scheduled for September 25th. However, on the class syllabus it says that the test is planned for September 21st. I was wondering on which of these dates the midterm will be taking place?

Thank you in advance.

2.  Generalized email to a professor:

Dear Dr. Last Name ,

Hope you’re doing well!

This is Your name from Your class  at time . I had a question about * elaborate on the question.*

We hope that you’re now well-versed on how to write an email to a professor of yours. However, how do you go about cold emailing a professor for a research opportunity? That’s a great question! Let’s see.

How to email a professor for research opportunities

Luckily, the format for emailing a professor for research is not too different from that of emailing any professor. So, if you’ve already read all our tips above, you’re off to a head start. However, there are a few differences. 

Components to include

Before we get into what makes an email to a professor for research different, we should first list the basic components of this type of email (as they largely overlap with a normal email to a professor). Any email to a professor (for research) should:

• Have an informative subject line
• Be professional and straightforward
• Include their title and name
• Include why you want to join their research lab (why you’re interested in their research specifically)
• Mention any previous experience (if applicable)
• Elaborate on why research is important to you/will help you reach your goals
• Ask to schedule a time to meet or discuss possible research opportunities
• Your resume and transcript (attached to the email!)

Since we’ve already covered most of these components above (under Emailing Professors: A How-To Guide), we’ll now be focusing mainly on the unique aspects of writing an email to a professor for research. 

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Do your research!

If you’re interested in doing research, now’s your time to show off your skills! Before you go about emailing any research professor for an opportunity to work in their lab, you must first know what their lab studies. Doing this research will help you elaborate on why you want to join their specific lab, rather than any others, which will help you stand out amongst possible applicants (and will help you know if you’re actually a good fit for the lab or not!).

Why are you interested in their research?

After you’ve done research on the research of the professor you’d like to work with, use this information to detail what exactly about their research interests you. This can normally be done within 1-2 sentences, and should be specific – make sure to relate it to your interests and goals! This may look something like:

I am particularly interested in topic . I recently read your name/year of research paper on topic and developed an interest in your research. Specifically, I was fascinated by mention one of the findings of the research paper . If possible, I would love the opportunity to work in your lab to help contribute to further research on this topic during time frame.

If this seems a little confusing right now, don’t fret! We have some actual examples for later, so you can get an idea of what this section should look like when real topics and findings are included.

Ask to schedule a meeting

Now, it’s time to schedule a meeting (or, at least ask to)! After you go about mentioning what you find interesting about their research and expressing an interest in working in their lab, you should make a request to meet with them. There’s a few different ways you can do this:

• “ If you know of any internship, volunteer, or work positions available in research over the summer, I would love to set up a time to talk about these potential opportunities.”
• “If you have time, I would love to set up a time to talk about potential research opportunities.”
• “Would you be available to meet sometime this week to discuss your research?”
• “Would it be possible to meet with you to further discuss Topic and my possible involvement in research? I am available on Days and Times .”

Simple, right? After you ask to schedule a meeting, we highly recommend mentioning that your transcript and resume are attached to the email (and make sure to actually attach them). If you do not attach them, professors will often ask for them promptly afterwards (but not always).

Last, but not least, finish off the email with a nicety! You can do it more formally, with something like, “I greatly appreciate your time and consideration.” Or, you can do it more casually, with something along the lines of, “I look forward to hearing from you!”

Which way you choose is ultimately up to you – just make sure to be respectful! 

More examples

Time for some more examples! These are real examples of emails written to professors, in which students were asking for research opportunities (although some names and info have been slightly altered). Here we go!

1.  Email from a student without any prior research experience:

“Dear Dr. Lee,

I hope this email finds you well. My name is Abigail Thompson and I am a first-year undergraduate at the University of Minnesota, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Japanese. I am currently looking for opportunities to get involved with research over the summer. 

Psychological research, especially that relating to social psychology, sounds very interesting to me, so I am hoping to get involved early into my undergraduate career. I have reviewed your faculty profile and am interested in name of the research paper , especially how you explored how people who have experienced traumas cope with what they’ve been through. If you know of any internship, volunteer, or work positions available in research over the summer, I would love to set up a time to talk about these potential opportunities. I greatly appreciate your time and consideration, and my resume and transcript are attached to this email.

2.  Email from a student with prior research experience:

“ Dear Dr. Pudi,

I hope this email finds you well. My name is Jacqueline Fisher and I am a sophomore at UCLA, majoring in Psychology. I am currently looking for opportunities to get involved with research for this upcoming semester or over the summer. 

Last summer, I assisted in research at the University of California, Berkeley, where we studied people’s psychological responses to traumatic events. I am also interested in developmental psychology and how your research studies the effects of marital conflict on children.

If you have time, I would love to set up a time to talk about potential research opportunities. I greatly appreciate your time and consideration, and my resume is attached to this email. 

Have a wonderful time frame .

Jacqueline ”

Dear Reader,

You’ve now reached the end of the article!

I hope that this guide (and our example emails) have helped you gain the knowledge and skill of being able to email your professors (for class, research, or otherwise!). It’s sure to come in handy at some point, so, we wish you good luck, and send you off!

All the best,

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How To Write An Email To Your Professor—6 Copy-Paste Templates

Jun 25, 2022

Blog Academic Institutions How To Write An Email To Your Professor—6 Copy-Paste Templates

Do you ever struggle with what to say to a professor in an email? Writing an email to a professor requires more thought than sending a text to a friend.

It’s important to treat interactions with your professors in a mature, competent way. When you do that, your professors will be more inclined to help you. Plus, you’ll demonstrate to them that you can conduct yourself professionally—which will impress them and make them remember you for when opportunities arise, give them positive things to say about you in letters of recommendation and more.

Today’s blog will provide multiple email templates that you can use when emailing your professor in any of these common situations.

Scheduling a Meeting

If you want to schedule a meeting with a professor to go over an assignment, ask clarifying questions from class or questions about an upcoming exam, but can’t attend your professor’s regular office hours, use this template: Subject: Meeting About _____

Dear Professor (or however your professor address him/herself, i.e. Dr., first name, etc.) _____,

      I hope all is well. I started working on my assignment for _____ and I just had a couple of questions to make sure that I am on the right track. I also wanted to ask a question about yesterday’s lesson on _____, as I was a little confused and I want to ensure that I fully understand the content for the test next week. I know on the syllabus you mentioned that you have available office hours at _____ but I am not able to make it. Will you be at your desk at _____ or _____. Thank you, _____ Asking How to Improve Your Grade on an Assignment or Exam

If you’re unsatisfied with your grade on a recent assignment or exam, here is a template that will help you ask your professor on how to improve or if there are any extra credit options. Even though you’re probably frustrated with your grade, make sure to email your professor in a kind, professional way. Subject: Extra Support on _____

Dear Professor _____,

      I hope all is well and that you enjoyed your weekend. I saw that you posted the grades for our last reports. I was a little surprised and discouraged by my grade.

      I was wondering if you offer any extra credit opportunities, revisions or if you have any advice for me on how to improve on a future assignment. Are you available to meet _____ or _____ to discuss my report and a plan? Let me know what works for you.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Best, _____

Requesting an Extension

If you’re having a really tough, busy few weeks and you have an important assignment coming up, but you need more time to complete it, here is a template on how to tell your professor what is going on and to kindly ask for an extension. Be very specific about why you need an extension. Everyone is juggling multiple priorities, so telling your professor only that you’ve been “stressed out, sick or busy” isn’t enough. Explain the specific barriers you’ve faced when trying to complete the assignment. Even better, attach a note from your coach, employer or doctor who can attest to why you need an extension. Subject: Extension on _____

    I hope all is well. I have been extremely busy and stressed with assignments in other classes and with _____ (sports practice, on-campus job, other commitment, health condition, etc.). I do not think that I will be able to submit my best work to you with all of the other tasks on my agenda. I was wondering if you would consider granting me an extension on our upcoming project/paper and submit it by ______?

Asking for a Letter of Recommendation

If you know of a professor that you are close with or one who enjoys working with you, here is a template on how to ask for a recommendation for a future job or graduate school. Make sure that you give your professor at least two months’ notice so they have time to write a thoughtful recommendation.

Subject: Letter of Recommendation for _____

      I hope all is well and that you had a great _____ (summer, winter break, fall semester, etc…) I am applying for a _____ (summer internship, full-time job, graduate program, summer program, etc…) at _____. I really value and appreciate how you have helped me grow as a student and cultivated my interest in ____. The position requires a letter of recommendation, and I was wondering if you would consider writing one for me? If you are able to write it, I will follow up with a deadline and any additional information. I have attached a resume and cover letter below as a reference. I look forward to hearing from you, Kind Regards, _____ Information about a Particular Class

If you’re picking classes for the upcoming semester and you have researched a few classes or are unsure what you want to choose, here is a template that will help you ask a professor for more details on a class. If you have never taken a class with this professor before, make sure that you fully introduce yourself. Subject: Information on _____

      My name is _____ and I am a rising _____. I am trying to narrow down a few classes for the next semester. I am interested in _____ and I am considering majoring in _____. I was doing some research in the course catalog and I found your class. I am emailing you to see if you would consider sharing more details and potentially the syllabus on _____. Or, if you could refer me to a student who took this class who I could contact, that would be very helpful.

Thank you, _____

Personal Advice

If you developed a close relationship with a professor and you’re having a personal problem, here is a template to help if you feel comfortable enough to reach out to him or her.

Subject: Personal Help With _____

      I hope all is well. I recently encountered/am struggling with _____ and I’d love to talk to you about it. Will you be available _____ or _____ so I can come in and discuss this with you?

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How to Email a Professor: Tips and Samples

Dec 19th 2023

There are many situations when you need to email your professor: Asking a question, inquiring about your grades, or informing them about a missed class. If you’re wondering how to write an email to a professor, at the end of this article, you’ll find several email samples you can use for different occasions.

How to write an email to a professor: A step-by-step guide

1. Make sure you really need to send that email

If you want to email a professor asking a question, check your syllabus first. Chances are pretty solid you’ll find the answer. The syllabus can tell you about your workload, assignments, deadlines, and more. Your classmates are another valuable source of information, so make sure to talk to them first.

If the syllabus, or your peers, can’t answer your question, it’s fine to send an email with additional inquiries.

2. Use your school email

This is the best course of action because such an email looks professional and shows a recipient that your message is about classes. If you don’t have an educational email address, make sure to use an appropriate email address like [email protected] . Your [email protected] address isn’t suitable for academic correspondence.

3. Write a clear subject line

The subject line defines if a recipient opens your email, so make sure it’s clear, concise and to the point. A good subject line tells a professor what your email is about and how they should act on it.

4. Include a proper email greeting

Start your email to a professor with an appropriate and respectful salutation. Double-check their name before sending an email and make sure your greeting is followed by a comma.

5. Remind who you are

Professors have lots of students, so it’s important to tell them your name and the class you’re attending. This helps you save the recipient time and ensures you get a reply faster.

6. Get straight to the point

After greeting a professor and introducing yourself, it’s time to state your question or request. Keep it concise and clear, so the recipient can quickly comprehend what it’s about and what action is expected from them.

7. End an email politely and include a professional signature

How to end an email to a professor? Thank them for their time and sign off your email with “Sincerely” or “Best regards” followed by your name.

8. Proofread your email

Pay attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Make sure to stick to a formal tone and avoid emojis or informal abbreviations like FYI or ASAP. Check the spelling of your professor’s name one more time.

9. Put yourself in your professor’s shoes

Reread the email as if you are a professor who receives it. Is it clear who’s writing to you and what they want? Is the tone of the email polite and respectful? Does it comply with a formal email format? If all your answers are “Yes,” then feel free to send your email.

Email to professor samples

Once you’ve learned how to email a professor, it’s time to practice. Below, you’ll find a number of email samples for different situations. Please keep in mind that these examples are for reference only, and you should always personalize and tweak them to your needs.

If you frequently need to email your professor, you can add these templates to Spark and reuse them whenever needed. Learn how templates in Spark work .

1. Email to a professor about not attending class

Subject: History 1B: Class attendance Dear Professor Smith, This is Lexie Brown, from History 1B, Section 1. I am writing to inform you that I won’t be able to attend your class on Thursday, as I have a doctor’s appointment at 11 AM. Please find attached my assignment we are supposed to submit by Thursday. I will also do my best to look through the materials you provided for this class and ask my classmates to share their notes. Thank you. Best regards, Lexie Brown

2. Email to a professor about grades

Subject: History 1B: Inquiring about my grade Dear Professor Smith, My name is Lexie Brown, from History 1B, Section 1. I was wondering if we could set up an appointment to discuss my grade on [Assignment name] . I have checked that your office hours are scheduled on Wednesdays from 2 to 5 PM. If this is correct, please let me know if I can come. I look forward to your reply. Kind regards, Lexie Brown

3. Email to a professor asking a question

Subject: Question about the History 1B assignment Dear Professor Smith, I am Lexie Brown, from History 1B, Section 1. In the syllabus, the deadline for our latest assignment is listed as April 9th. However, in class on Monday you mentioned April 12th as the deadline. Could you please verify the correct deadline? Thank you so much for your time. Sincerely, Lexie Brown

4. Email to a professor asking for an appointment

Subject: History 1B: Appointment request Dear Professor Smith, I am a student in your History 1B class, Section 1. I faced some difficulties with selecting a topic for my research paper, and I would appreciate it if I could discuss it with you during your office hours. Please let me know if you are available to meet this week. Thank you for your time. I look forward to your reply. Best regards, Lexie Brown

Want to become better at email? Get Spark . This free and powerful email client lets you use email templates, so you can save time with writing similar emails. It also gives you email superpowers like snoozes, email scheduling, and follow-up reminders to help you work with email faster.

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How To Write an Email to a Teacher About Homework

Communicating effectively with educators is a key skill for students. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to write an email to a teacher about homework . Whether you have questions, need clarification, or are facing challenges with assignments, this guide helps ensure your communication is clear and appropriate.

To write an email to a teacher about homework , include a clear subject line, a formal greeting, a brief introduction, the purpose of your email, an explanation if needed, a request for assistance or clarification, your availability, a closing thank you, and your signature.

Table of Contents

Preparing to Write the Email

Before composing your email, gather all relevant information about the homework in question. This includes the assignment’s details, deadlines, and specific areas where you need assistance. Organize your thoughts so your email is concise and to the point.

What to Include in The Email to Your Teacher About Homework

• Subject Line : Be specific and concise, e.g., “Question About [Assignment Name] Due [Date].”
• Greeting : Address your teacher formally, using “Mr./Ms./Mrs. [Last Name].”
• Introduction : Start by introducing yourself, especially if it’s early in the school year. Mention your class and the period/session you are in.
• Purpose of the Email : Clearly state the reason for your email. If you have questions or need clarification on the homework, specify what parts you are struggling with.
• Explanation : If you’re facing challenges (e.g., illness, lack of understanding), briefly explain without making excuses.
• Request for Assistance : Politely ask for the help or clarification you need. Be specific about what you’re asking.
• Availability : Mention when you are available for a meeting or extra help, if necessary.
• Closing : Thank your teacher for their time and assistance.
• Signature : End with a polite closing, such as “Sincerely,” followed by your full name and possibly your class/section if it’s a large school.

Email Templates – Emailing a Teacher About Homework

Template 1: seeking clarification on homework.

Subject: Clarification Needed for [Assignment Name] Due [Date]

Dear Mr./Ms./Mrs. [Teacher’s Last Name],

I hope this email finds you well. I am [Your Name] from your [Class Name, Period/Session]. I am writing to seek clarification on the [specific aspect] of our current assignment, [Assignment Name], which is due on [Due Date].

I have reviewed the instructions, but I am still unclear about [specific part you are struggling with]. Could you please provide some additional guidance or examples?

Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to your response.

[Your Full Name] [Your Class and Section]

Template 2: Requesting Extension Due to Illness

Subject: Extension Request for [Assignment Name] Due to Illness

My name is [Your Name], from your [Class Name, Period/Session]. I am writing to inform you that I have been unwell for the past few days and have been unable to complete the [Assignment Name] that is due on [Due Date].

I have made considerable progress on the assignment, but due to my illness, I am unable to complete it by the deadline. I respectfully request an extension until [Proposed Extended Date] to submit my work.

Thank you for considering my request. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding in this matter.

Best regards,

Template 3: Asking for Help with Difficult Homework

Subject: Assistance Needed with [Assignment Name]

Hello Mr./Ms./Mrs. [Teacher’s Last Name],

I am [Your Name] from your [Class Name, Period/Session]. I am reaching out because I am having difficulties with [specific aspect] of our homework assignment, [Assignment Name].

Despite reviewing the class notes and textbook, I am still struggling to understand [specific problem or topic]. I would appreciate any additional resources or guidance you could provide.

Could we possibly arrange a time to discuss this further, maybe during your office hours or a free period?

Thank you very much for your help.

Yours sincerely,

Writing an email to a teacher about homework requires clarity, respect, and a willingness to seek solutions. By approaching your teacher with a well-structured email, you can effectively communicate your needs and foster a positive learning environment.

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How to Write an Email to a Professor (5+ Tips for Starting, Ending & Body)

Emailing your professor can feel like a daunting task, but these tips for how to write an email to a professor will help quell those fears..

Emailing your professor can be nerve-racking if you’re unsure of how to even start.

With many classes moving online, online email communication is more important than ever. It’s necessary to learn the proper email etiquette for professors so that you can thrive in class and maintain a good rapport with your professor.

To learn how to email a professor, keep reading.

We’ll break down an email step by step so that any concerns about how to write an email to a professor will be answered!

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How To Write An Email to a Professor: The Basics

Before getting started, there are some general unspoken guidelines to follow before you understand how to write an email to a professor. Firstly, try to answer your question before sending an email.  Many professors are busy  with classes, conducting research, attending conferences, and so on.

If your concerns cannot be met through information in the syllabus, assignment instructions, or elsewhere, then you can go ahead with your email.

A lot of the time, there is a community page in your classes’ online forum. This is a great additional resource to look into for the information you need. 

When going to write your email, remember to keep it friendly but professional. Writing an email to a professor is similar to writing an email to a boss. You want the language to be professional, not divulging too much personal information. 

Certainly, shy away from using slang and language you would use to speak to friends. Be polite, considerate, and respectful while writing a professional email.

Short, concise messages are the ideal way to communicate with your professor. Try to provide all of the information they need so that they do not have to waste a ton of time playing email tag with you.

Lastly, always use your school email address to communicate with your professor. State which class and session you’re from so they don’t have to spend time tracking down who you are. Providing this information is appreciated by professors.

Related Read : 15+ Best Study Tips: Top Advice & Effective Ways to Study Better

Subject Line

Your subject line should clearly communicate the main message of your email. How to email your professor begins with the subject line and purpose for emailing in the first place. Sometimes writing out the subject line after you write the email helps to clarify exactly what you need. 

It’s a good idea to put the course title and number followed by a brief explanation of what you’re communicating about. Not only does including the course title in the subject line help eliminate the email from going to spam, but it gives the professor valuable information before even starting to read the email. 

Getting Started: Salutations

Now it’s time to write the email. You’ve set yourself to be successful so far. All you have to do is get the structure formatted, and you’re good to go. 

For the greeting, keep it short and polite. Start by typing ‘Dear _____’.

Check the syllabus to see how your professor refers to themselves. Sometimes professors will want to be called ‘Dr.’ and other times ‘Professor’ followed by their last name is just fine. Saying dear or hello in the greeting keeps the exchange professional.

Opening Paragraph

An email sent to a professor is outlined, kind of  like an essay . You’ll have your opening paragraph, body paragraph, and conclusion.

For the introduction, introduce yourself. That way, your professor knows who is sending the email. If you’ve had any previous exchanges with your instructor thus far, you can mention them here. This helps jog their memory to place a face to your name. 

The introduction is where you should include your course number and title. While your instructor probably teaches more than one of the same classes, you’ll need to get specific by mentioning the dates and times you meet. 

You can take a moment to exchange niceties, but don’t go too into depth about subject matter that isn’t important to your email. Wishing them a nice week, referring to a movie they brought up in class, and so forth, is a good way to stay pleasant.

After this, get right to it.

Related Read : 25 Best Apps for College Students: Productivity, Studying, Learning & More

Body Paragraph

This is the bulk of the email that explains your problem and what you need from your professor to solve it. In this section, it’s good to be as detailed as possible. This avoids any confusion. You want your email to be resolved in as short of a time as possible, so details help.

This is where the purpose of your email comes in. If you have a question, comment, or concern, state it here. While you should provide all of the information your professor needs, don’t divulge unnecessary details.

Providing all of the information they need without wasting their time shows you respect them and what they do as a profession. Students who are unaware of how time-consuming being a professor is, tend to disrespect their professors. Going out of your way to make your question easily answered is appreciated. 

Your professor is not interested in excuses. If the reason you’re emailing is due to being late on an assignment, they aren’t really interested in hearing your elaborate excuse story. 

There are exceptions to this, of course. Emergencies do happen, and a lot of professors grant leniency if you create an open line of communication with them. It’s best to give them a heads up if you turn an assignment in late due to an emergency as soon as you’re able. 

Professors understand that things out of your control occur and will be willing to work with you. Do not make a habit of turning in late assignments. 

Wrap Things Up

After explaining your situation, clearly state what you need. A call to action makes this communication effective. Simply stating, ‘I need XYZ from you,’ tells them exactly what they need to do. 

Don’t be afraid to be direct about what you need. If you’re asking for a letter of recommendation, simply say this. If you need a form signed, state this as well. No matter your situation, don’t tip-toe around what you need from your professor. 

To close the bulk of the email, there are many statements you can try. These include: 

• Thanks for your time
• I look forward to hearing from you
• I look forward to your class
• Thanks for taking the time to talk

These are only some examples of what you can say to show your gratitude. Thanking them expresses gratitude, and it’s the perfect way to end the email.

Related Read : 25+ Best History Books of All Time for a Solid Understanding of Our World

Finishing Touches

Figuring out how to end an email to a professor is easy. The finishing touches will be your closing signature. Most emails can be closed with ‘Sincerely,’ ‘Best,’ or ‘Thanks again,’ followed by your name.

After concluding your email, it’s time to double-check it. Reread your email to make sure there are no grammatical or spelling errors. You don’t want to send an email with errors and make your professor get the wrong idea.

Taking the extra minute to go over your email is the last step to making sure the tone is professional and concise. Make sure your course number is displayed correctly, and the subject line matches your intentions. 

Following Up

You may need to follow up with your professor. They tend to get busy and could easily overlook your email or forget about it. Many professors do not reply to emails that do not need a reply. 

If professors replied to every email they got sent, their whole job would just be responding to emails. Keep in mind that your professor is busy. Give them time to get back to you. 

Look over your syllabus to see if your professor states what their email policy is. They might tell you exactly how long you can expect a reply. If not, waiting 48 hours for a response before following up is a good general rule. 

Here is how to start an email to a professor if you’re following up. Keep this one very short. Forward your previous email to them and include a subject line that says ‘Following up on the Previous Email.’ 

Give them a short response that says you’re just following up in case your professor missed or overlooked the email. This is pretty much all you need to do in this scenario, and now you wait.

Related Read : Glossary of College Terms: 25+ Important University Words to Understand

You’re Ready to Hit Send

Now you know how to email a professor. These guidelines are enough to get you started with any question or concern you have. Be confident in your written communication abilities . 

Remember the basic rules of staying polite and professional. Beyond this, your specific needs will have to be communicated by you. 

If you’re looking for a community of other young professionals with good resources to get your bio in the marketplace while using resources to be successful in school and a career, have a look at the rest of our blog . Thanks for reading!

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Emailing Your College Professor: Do's and Don'ts

Clarity and formality are key to effective messaging with college instructors, experts say.

Emailing Your Professor: Do's and Don'ts

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Make sure you use a clear subject line so your professor understands the urgency of your email.

Most college students do the bulk of their electronic communication via text messaging. But they may need to send emails when contacting professors.

Texting is casual: A student may not think twice about abbreviating long words or swapping punctuation marks for emojis when composing a message. But standards for emailing are different, especially in academic settings. Students' emails can influence the way their professors view them, experts say.

"Think about what type of student and person you want your professor to perceive you as," Michael Burns, a senior lecturer and director of career readiness in the communication studies department at Texas State University , wrote in an email. "The way you structure and communicate in an email creates an impression and you want to make sure you are being perceived in a positive way."

Here are some mistakes to avoid and principles to keep in mind when emailing a professor.

• Email from a personal account.
• Use a nondescript subject line.
• Forget a proper salutation.
• Rush the professor.

Don't Email From a Personal Account

Some professors will not open emails that come from unfamiliar addresses. And even those that do may never receive one sent from a student's personal account, according to Burns.

"It is not that I won't open an email from an address I don't recognize, it's more about the fact that many university firewalls send messages from unknown or non-university emails to junk and we don't see them," he says. "Students should always use their university email addresses when corresponding with a professor."

Don't Use a Nondescript Subject Line

"The subject line of your email matters just as much as the contents that are within the email," says Staci Perryman-Clark, director of the Institute for Intercultural and Anthropological Studies and an English professor at Western Michigan University.

Marilyn Sanders Mobley, professor emerita of English and African American Studies at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, says students need good subject lines to ensure their emails do not get overlooked.

Clear subject lines allow professors to understand the urgency of a student's inquiry. Students can demonstrate professionalism by using subject lines that properly summarize the contents of their message.

"If you have a question, be specific about what the question is in your subject line," Perryman-Clark says. "For instance, you could say 'Question About Chapter 2's Review Sheet' instead of just simply stating 'Question.'"

Don't Forget a Proper Salutation

While students may be accustomed to starting electronic conversations with the terms "Hey" or "Hi," experts encourage them to use more formal salutations when addressing professors. Mobley and Latrise Johnson, associate professor of English language arts and literacy at the University of Alabama , offer "Hello," "Dear," "Good morning" or "Good afternoon" as appropriate alternatives.

Students reaching out for the first time may not know what their professor wants to be called. Some professors with doctoral degrees may prefer a "Dr." title. Others prefer their first name. When in doubt, "Professor" is a safe bet, according to Perryman-Clark.

"If you don't know the professor's title, it never hurts to begin your email with 'Dear Professor X,'" she says.

Don't Rush Your Professor

Students waiting on a reply may be tempted to send a follow-up email after a few hours. But experts advise giving professors ample time to respond.

"If you've asked a question that you need answered, send a very polite nudge email after two days, not counting weekends," says Sarah Johnson, director of the writing center and an English instructor at Madison Area Technical College in Wisconsin.

Latrise Johnson advises students to wait even longer – a week – before sending an additional email. Professors often have many emails in their inboxes, and many other job responsibilities to take care of, she explains.

• Consider whether an email is necessary.
• Visit a writing center.
• Be concise.

Do Consider Whether an Email Is Necessary

Students may already have access to the information that they are hoping to get from a professor. Sarah Johnson encourages them to check the syllabus or reach out to a classmate for questions regarding class policies or assignments due.

Emails previously sent from the professor may also contain the guidance that the student needs. Burns says students need to read all of their professors' emails.

"We don't send emails for fun, they contain really important course information," he says. "A prepared student reads emails."

Do Visit a Writing Center

College writing centers are not exclusively for students who need help with class papers. Sarah Johnson encourages students to visit their writing center for help with particularly important emails.

"With high-stakes writing, it can be very worth it," she says.

Do Be Concise

Clarity is important, but students should aim to take as little time from their professors as possible in an email exchange.

"Students need to be reminded that professors have preparation, grading, office hours, department meetings, professional meetings, conferences, research and publication deadlines that limit the amount of time they have for reading and responding to emails," Mobley wrote in an email.

Experts say that students hoping to share complicated information with their professors should think about using other channels of communication before sending an email.

"If you find yourself writing an email that's going into its fourth paragraph, consider whether a phone call or a meeting might be a better way to convey what you need to tell your professor," Sarah Johnson says.

Do Proofread

Students should ensure that their emails are formal and grammatically correct before hitting the "send" button, experts say.

"I often receive emails that have no punctuation, no upper case letters, and they also include abbreviations like LOL or LMK," Burns says. "There is an expectation that more time is spent on an email, which means it should be written more professionally and proofread."

10 Factors for Selecting a College Major

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How to email a professor: 7-step guide with examples

What’s email worthy?

How to start your email to your professor.

• “Dear Professor [last name]”
• “Hello Dr. [last name]”

How to end email to professor

Information to include in your email, how to email a professor: your checklist.

• Define your subject line: your subject line should be concise and effectively detail what your email will be about.
• Make appropriate salutations: Begin the email with an appropriate greeting followed by ‘Professor.’
• Detail your reason for the email: In the body of the email be specific and detailed about your reason for sending an email to your professor.
• Attach necessary information: Depending on the reason for the email, it might be helpful to attach additional information. For example, if you are sick and requesting an excused absence, you might want to attach the sick note to the email.
• Make an appropriate sign-off statement: Construct the perfect closing line by thanking your professor for their time. This shows gratitude for their assistance with your request.  
• Sign your full name: Because this is your professor we are talking about and not a family member, it is ideal that you sign your full first and last name at the end of the email. This also allows the professor to look up any necessary information if your email address does not explicitly have your name spelled out.
• Proofread your email: Reading it once again even out loud can help you catch mistakes or typos in your email.

Email to professor samples:

Clarify an assignment, notify of absence and request materials, email asking for a recommendation letter, request a meeting, bonus: write a follow-up email.

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How To Write Email To Professor For Project Submission (Samples)

• February 20, 2023
• Academic Emails

You just finished work on an assigned project and need to submit it to your professor for grading. You need to draft a simple email but this is your first time and you’re not sure the best way to go about it.

This is where we come in as this article will provide some tips to help you put together the email. Additionally, we’ve also created some templates that you can modify for the purpose.

Use Proper Title

Use school email, formal tone, correct grammar, identify yourself, clear and brief, explain your situation, don’t forget attachment, wait patiently, clear subject line, end formally, school website, course overview (lms), course syllabus, other students, template 1: submitting completed project – no confirmation requested, template 2: submitting completed project – need confirmation, template 3: submitting uncompleted project, tips for emailing professors.

Let’s look at a few things to keep in mind whenever you’re writing an email to your professor.

Always remember to use your professor’s official title in your communication. Identify what their official titles are, before you contact them.

If they’ve officially earned the title “professor”, you should try and use the appropriate title to address them. On the other, you should use “Dr” if they haven’t yet received the “professor” title.

If you aren’t sure what their official titles may be, you can check the course syllabus or the faculty pages of the school website.

Examples: Dear Professor {{ Last name }} Dear Dr. {{ Last name }}

Every tertiary institution provides its faculty and students with official email addresses. If you don’t know the professor’s email address, we’ll show you how to find it later.

Keep in mind that your professor may not respond if you send them an email using your private email or if you simply send it to their private emails.

Using your school email also ensures that the professor will get the mail as your private email may end up blocked by spam filters.

Some professors also try to ensure there’s a balance between their personal lives and work. Any work-related emails, especially from students, to their private emails would simply be ignored.

So, if you want them to receive and read your email, you should make sure that you use your school email.

When emailing your professor, it’s important to keep it professional. No matter how close you are to them, you should avoid using any kind of informal language.

Emojis and other slang that you typically use with friends should be avoided. The professor would merely become irritated.

They might simply interpret it as a sign of disrespect so you should refrain from any form of informal tone or language.

So, unless the professor specifically instructs you to use informal language, always use formal language in any official email discussion between yourself and the professor.

No one enjoys reading horrible grammar. Professors expect students at that level of education to have good writing skills.

This is especially true when it comes to writing short messages like emails. That said, everyone makes writing mistakes especially when the information is lengthy.

But you can reduce these mistakes by using tools Grammarly which can help identify errors in your writing.

Keep in mind that these tools aren’t perfect, so it’s advisable to read through them yourself or ask a third party to read through them before you click “send”.

Professors are people like us all and have been in your shoes at some point in their academic journey. Additionally, they’ve also had to interact with students with all sorts of concerns and issues.

So, they’re empathetic to your situation so long as you speak to them politely. On the other hand, they would simply ignore any student acting entitled.

Professors teach multiple classes and may not be able to remember every one of their students. Don’t take it personally.

You don’t want to give them additional work to do by not identifying yourself. No professor wants to spend the next 30 minutes looking through their student list to identify who you may be.

Either identify yourself in the introduction of the email or include it in the email signature. You can also do both to make things easier.

This isn’t the time to show them how verbose you may be. You may have the time to do that but that doesn’t mean they have the time to read through it all. Avoid writing long emails if you want them to read through it all.

Professors receive multiple emails from students, other staff members, publications, and more. Don’t make things difficult for them by writing lengthy emails. Shorten the email as much as possible while also maintaining a polite tone.

Tell them exactly what you need or the exact information you’re sending. If you’re simply submitting a project, it’s advisable to let them know which project you’re submitting.

Don’t give them extra work by neglecting to include the project title. Loads of other students and classes could be sending their projects as well.

It’s advisable to let them know exactly which class you’re in.

Don’t forget to attach any relevant documents. Confirm this before you click “send” on the email. Can’t remember the number of times I’ve sent an email simply to receive a response that I neglected to attach the necessary documents.

Avoid bombarding them with reminders or you can get blocked. If they haven’t responded to your email, don’t worry.

Professors have busy schedules and they may not respond to your email especially when there’s no real need to.

Don’t forget to include a subject in your email if you want a response. Professors receive loads of emails daily and subject lines help them identify urgent emails so they can quickly respond.

It makes it easy for them to understand the content of your email without spending too much time reading the full body of your email, which saves them a lot of time.

Example: Project Submission – {{ Project Name }}

Thank the professor for their time and consideration as you close the email. If you didn’t specify it in the email’s introduction, provide your full name, class, and section information.

Example : Thank you Sincerely {{ Your full name }} {{ Class and Section }}

How To Find Your Professor’s Email

So how do you find the professor’s email address if this is the first time, you’re reaching out to them?

Check your faculty page on the school website. These pages usually include information about professors including their official contact information.

If your school uses some form of learning management system (LMS) you can check the course overview page for the professor’s assigned course.

You’ll find the professor’s official contact details on the course overview pages.

You can also check out the professor’s syllabus for their contact information. You’ll usually find the professor’s contact information as well as their attendance policies on the course syllabus.

You’re most likely not the only student who had to email the professor at some point. So, you can ask your classmates for the professor’s email.

Even if none of them has it, you can be sure that someone will provide some advice on where they may have seen it along the line.

Sample Emails To Submit Project To Professor

Email Subject Submission of {{ Project Name }}

Email Subject Incomplete Project Submission – {{ Project Name }}

Hi there and welcome to UnitWriter. My name's Chris, an expert in crafting effective email templates for all occasions. I created this blog to share my knowledge, by offering tips and templates to help get you started on your emails. Hope it's been helpful

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• March 28, 2023

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Follow-Up and Reminder Emails

Follow-up and reminder emails to professors can seem intimidating to write ;  you need an answer to a question or request ,  but you don’t want to seem pushy or demanding. Well ,  just like you rs , professor s ’   inb oxes are full of  email ;   sometimes your  message  might slip through the crack s ,  or the professor read  it  and  meant to reply ,   but  something urgent came up –so   gentle reminders are perfectly acceptable and even helpful.  As a general rule  of thumb ,  wait at least 48 hours to send a follow-up to a professor, and if you email on a Friday afternoon or weekend ,  wait until at least Tuesday afternoon before reaching out  again .   

Subject: Follow-up about [Reason for Follow -up] 

  Good afternoon Professor* [Last name],  

  I hope all is well. I wanted to follow up on my email from [when you sent it]  about [what your concern or question is] .  I understand you have a busy schedule, but  I  wanted to see about [whatever you are following up on].   

  I greatly appreciate your time. Thank you again in advance for your help with [question].  I look forward to hearing from you soon!   

  Sincerely,   

[Your name]  

Subject: Reminder about [Reason for Reminder] 

  Good morning Professor* [Last name],  

  I hope all is well. I know you have lots of things going on, but I just wanted to remind you that [whatever you are reminding of] is due/needed by [date]. Thank you again for taking time to complete [request]. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.   

  Thank you again!  

  Sincerely,  

*Use the title they use for themselves. If they haven’t specified, “Professor [Last Name]” is preferred.

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An email to your professor

Learn how to write an email to your university professor.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and tips and do the exercises.

Preparation

Matching_MjMwNzk=

Dear Professor Henley,

I am writing to inform you that, unfortunately, I am unable to continue to attend the Logic II course this semester. I would like to request permission to defer as I understand that this is only possible with your approval.

The issue is that I am currently doing an internship with ABC Ltd. It started in July and will continue until the end of the semester. The internship takes up 25 hours per week and I am concerned that it does not leave me with enough time to study. I have already asked if I can reduce my hours there, but this is not possible.

With your approval, I could take Logic II next semester instead. I realise that this would mean a heavier workload than usual next semester, but I assure you that I would be able to manage my time and keep up.

Thank you for considering my request and I would be happy to come in and discuss the matter further.

Sarah Price

• Use the person's job title if you don't know their name (e.g. Dear Admissions Tutor , Dear Marketing Manager ).
• Start your email by clearly giving your reason for writing. Then you can explain the problem.
• People are busy, so make it short and clear. Just include the most important information.
• If you have a solution to the problem, suggest it and politely ask if it can be done. If you don't, politely request help.
• Finish by thanking the person for their help and offering to discuss the matter further if necessary.
• Regards , (also With regards,   Best regards, or Kind regards, ) is a more friendly-sounding sign-off than Yours sincerely, but it is still formal.

TrueOrFalse_MjMwODA=.xml

MultipleChoice_MjMwODE=.xml

GapFillTyping_MjMwODI=.xml

What are some good and bad reasons for giving up a course?

Language level

In my opinion, On the one hand, situations haven't got meaning. Good and bad are labels to which we attach them. Maybe, giving up a course for not having a good mood ends up in a positive change in one person, and for another one, it ends up in bad happens.

On the other hand, Sometimes a reason is completely justifiable to a person while the same reason is just an excuse for another one because people have different abilities for managing their problems, relationships, financial situation, or even, health.

The worst thing to do is to compare ourselves with others' abilities or whatever is common and acceptable in society. This path makes us just blame ourselves, and it ends with bad feelings about ourselves.

I'm usually, but not always, honest with myself. I'm trying to do my best, but I have accepted I'm not perfect. If I make a mistake or a bad choice, I will forgive myself and let myself keep on the way with a good feeling. It's the only way I can go on and be better than before whenever I have been able to treat like this about my mistake, everything has gone in my favor.

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Probably lack of motivation, laziness, conflict of schedule, financial problems or could be due to illness, there are so many reasons behind dropping out a course and it entirely depends on every individual. The good part of dropping out a course is you get time to think what is more important and focus on the courses that your interested in, the downside of it is heavy workload by next semester.

One good reason for giving up a course, is that the family need is greater. One bad reason for giving up a course, is lack of interest.

Firstly I write bad reason to giving up the course. For the vacation is very bad to giving important course. Attend party, marriage ceremony and for going to cinema is bad reason Good reason,, Health problems, anyone in this have not Full immune system so if someone is health damage then surely take a rest

I don`t think it has the reason or justification to give up from something... Maybe if the reason is health problem... I know doesn`t matter how difficult is something "I can; I must to do; I will be better after that". In my country we tell: "I'm scratching with teeth and nails to do my goal" Everything depends of purpose, maybe and education...

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Writing an Effective Email to Your Professor

Writing an effective email, ineffective and effective emails.

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It is important to know how to communicate effectively to your professors through email. An email to a professor should be clear and professional.

Here is an example of an ineffective email from a student:

Below is one approach to revising the ineffective email:

SUBJECT: Be sure to utilize the “subject” field in an email. This immediately orients your professor regarding the email’s content. It can be especially helpful to include the name of the course and the section number.

SALUTATION: This greeting line is known as the “salutation.” Since this is an email to your instructor, it’s better to err on the formal side. Begin your email with “dear” rather that “hi,” and address him or her as “Professor Jones” or “Dr. Jones” or “Instructor Jones” (whichever is accurate).

BODY OF THE EMAIL: Before writing the email, gather your thoughts. Make sure you know what your objective is for sending this email:

Why are you writing?

What are you asking of your instructor? Is there a deadline?

Also, do your “homework.” Show the professor that you’ve done a little sleuthing before you emailed him or her to figure out what you may have missed (for example, try checking the syllabus).

PROFESSIONALISM: Treat school like it’s your job (or one of them). Communicate to your professor as you would your supervisor at work. Be respectful and mindful of their time. This is a person who could write you a letter of recommendation one day.

Also, check for misspellings, grammar mistakes, or punctuation goofs.

FULL NAME: Be sure to include your first and last name. Yes, your name may be part of your email address, but save the professor some time by identifying yourself in the email (especially if your email is [email protected] while charming, this does not identify you to your professor).

Curious about the differences between “CC” and “BCC” when emailing? Not sure about the appropriate time to use these email fields? Click HERE  for more information.

• Last Updated: Jul 21, 2021 3:04 PM
• URL: https://research.ewu.edu/writers_c_writing_email

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How to Email Professor About Late Work

Last Updated: April 12, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. and by wikiHow staff writer, Caroline Heiderscheit . Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 136,251 times.

With deadlines, jobs, activities, and relationships to juggle, managing your schedule as a student can be tough. If you’ve realized you’re going to miss a deadline (we’ve all been there), you might be wondering how to email your professor for an extension, to apologize, or to limit any late penalties. Don't worry, we've got you covered. Below, we'll walk you through how to email your professor, plus we'll give you some sample emails to inspire you, too. To learn how to email your professor about late work, read on!

Example Emails to Professors for a Late Assignment

Every now and then, it’s okay to miss a deadline. When this happens, send an email immediately and say something along the lines of, “I apologize for turning in this assignment late. Know that I take my work seriously, and I'll do my best to avoid this in the future. I would greatly appreciate an extension on this paper if possible.”

Tips For Late Work Emails

• Don’t say: “I’m just genuinely so, so sorry. I can’t believe I turned this in late, and you have no idea how long I prepped for this assignment. I really am so sorry that I missed the deadline, and you should know that I will do my best in the future, even when I have tech issues, to not let this happen again.”
• Instead say: “I apologize for turning in this assignment late. Know that I take my work seriously and I’ll do my best to avoid this in the future.”

• Don’t say: “Message from a student in Psych 104,” “Need an extension,” or “Hello from Randy Bernard!”
• Instead say: “Extension Request for Psych104, Paper 2: Randy Bernard”

• Use a formal greeting. “Dear Professor James,” and “Professor James,” are perfect. “Hey,” and “Hi,” are too informal and should be avoided.
• Same goes for your signoff—choose a formal phrase. “Best,” and “Sincerely,” are great picks.
• If you’re asking your professor for something, be sure to ask, not demand. Instead of saying “I need” an extension, say that an extension would be extremely helpful to you.
• Remember to use “Please” and “Thank you," too!

• This could hurt your relationship and increase penalties on your assignment.
• So instead, say you're sorry: “I apologize for my late assignment. I know you're busy, and I don’t want to waste your time.”
• “I’m sorry for this late paper, especially because it communicates a lack of care and concern for my grades that I don't feel is accurate.”

• “If I had an extra 48 hours to complete this assignment, I’d be able to fully explore and structure my insights for this term paper.”
• “I would greatly appreciate an extension on this project. With a little more time, I could turn in my very best work and learn even more from this assignment."

• “Last night, my dog had a bar of chocolate without me realizing. I’ve spent the entire evening with her at the vet.”
• "To be entirely honest, I've been dealing with some mental health issues that are seriously affecting my schoolwork."
• If you can, avoid lying. If you're granted an extension and the truth comes out later on, you could face major consequences.

• Don’t say: “Honestly, it was out of my hands entirely. I’m a victim of circumstance, and that’s why my assignment is late.”
• Instead say: “It's true that I didn’t plan for this to happen. That being said, if I’d started earlier, this wouldn’t have been an issue. So I know, ultimately, this is my fault. I take full responsibility.”

• “This isn’t like me, and in the future, I promise to do better.”
• “I take my schoolwork very seriously. If it weren’t for my dog’s illness, I would have made getting this assignment in my top priority.”

Sample Emails

Why You Should Email Your Professor About Late Work

• Policies around extensions differ from school to school, but by writing an A+ email, you can only help your chances.
• Generally, professors only give you an extension under extenuating circumstances, like a major accident. They're going to be less inclined to extend an assignment if you had competing priorities, like work.
• Professors are people too, and they want to help! Especially if you don’t have a history of late work, when you plead your case, they may be more forgiving than you’d expect.

• Especially if you had a major, unforeseen factor pop up in the final moments before submitting your assignment, you may be able to explain and limit your punishment.

• By offering a respectful and honest apology for your late assignment, you can improve your relationship with your professor, earn their respect, and possibly limit your late assignment’s penalties.

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://dean.williams.edu/files/2010/09/Guide-to-Emailing-Professors-1.pdf
• ↑ https://advising.yalecollege.yale.edu/how-write-email-your-instructor
• ↑ https://studentaffairs.loyno.edu/health-counseling/university-counseling-center/news-ucc/emailing-your-professor-tips-tricks-health
• ↑ https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/how-to-ask-for-an-extension/
• ↑ https://www.makemyassignments.com/blog/how-to-complete-your-assignments-before-the-deadline/
• ↑ https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2019/09/23/tips-handling-missed-deadline-opinion

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Email To Professor To Submit Assignment

We’ve all been there at some point in our education. For one reason or another, we are unable to meet the deadline for an assignment and need to find a way to appeal to a professor to accept our late submission.

Sending an email to your professor would be the best option. The only question remaining is the contents of the email. After all, professors have loads of work to do and would not be able to read a long email.

Still, you need to convey your point to the professor and make it convincing. A long email would most likely lead to no response or a negative one. So how do you send a convincing email that would increase the chances of a positive response?

How To Find A Professor’s Email

The first step to emailing your professor is finding their email address. If you don’t know their email, how do you find it?

You might also like:

• How To Email Professor During Holiday
• Sample Email To Professor Asking For Syllabus  

School Website

The first approach would be to try looking for the professor’s email address on the school’s website. If your school has a learning management system, you’ll find your professor’s official contact details on the overview page of their course.

For schools with simple websites, you’ll find your professor’s email on the relevant faculty pages. Each professor’s official title, name, picture, and email address would be available on those pages.

Course Syllabus

Another way to find your professor’s email is to take a look at the course syllabus. Most tertiary institutions include each course’s professor’s contact email on the syllabus. This enables students to easily find their professor’s emails and contact them when necessary.

Ask Other Students

If the above options fail to yield the expected results, you can reach out to other students individually or on school forums and other dedicated student community pages. A typical example is asking on your student WhatsApp or Telegram groups.

You’ll most likely receive a response from another student or at the very least receive a tip from a student on where they may have seen the professor’s email address .

Tips For Writing To Professors

Simply writing “please find my assignment attached” may not be enough, especially in cases where you’ve missed the deadline for submission. Let’s take a look at certain things to keep in mind when emailing professors.

Use School Email

Refrain from contacting your professor through your personal email address. School email addresses are given to us for a reason. When looking to submit your assignment to your professor, it’s advisable to use your school-issued email address.

This will ensure that your email reaches the teacher as your personal email could likely end up in a spam folder. The school’s email addresses are whitelisted on the same network making it possible for anyone using the school’s email to receive emails within the school’s network.

The last thing you want is to carefully craft an email to send to your professor only to find out they never received it. You can’t blame the professor in such situations especially when the deadline has long expired.

Clear Subject Line

The subject of the mail should be clear to better convey the intent of the email to your professor. Typical examples include:

Apology for late submission

Requesting an extension of the deadline

Formal Address

Use the instructor’s appropriate title when addressing them. It may seem like a simple mistake when you address a professor as a Dr., but academics can be quite keen about their titles.

Avoid addressing professors as doctors as the title means a lot to them. Recognize their position and make sure you are familiar with their official titles. Use their official titles (Dr., Professor) when addressing them to avoid making a bad impression.

Identify Yourself

Professors may teach more than one class and interact with multiple students daily. Simply sending an email with your name isn’t enough for them to identify you, and the class you’re in.

Don’t give them extra work to go through their list of students to identify which class you may be in. They’d most likely ignore your email and focus on other pressing matters.

Make it easy for them to recognize you by providing your full name, and the class you’re in which they teach.

Formal Tone

Irrespective of your relationship with the professor, refrain from using informal language during official email communications. Avoid using abbreviations, emojis, and other forms of slang in your email. Refrain from including personal information that is irrelevant to the discussion or topic.

Correct Grammar

The role of a professor is to educate their students and they expect students at that level of education to have good grammatical skills. Writing an email that’s difficult to read will lead to the professor ignoring your email.

If you aren’t confident in your writing, let a third party read carefully read through the email before submission. Additionally, you can leverage tools like Grammarly to help identify errors in your writing. Keep in mind that these tools aren’t perfect. It’s advisable to go through your writing to identify any errors.

Clear Communication

Try and clearly convey your specific need in only a few sentences. Professors are busy and won’t have time to read lengthy emails. Avoid filling your sentences with words that would obviously require a dictionary to make a sentence understandable.

Being polite in your email can go a long way toward scoring points in your favor. Ensure that the tone of your email is polite and the necessary respect is being conveyed. Irrespective of any negative impressions you might have of the professor, it’s advisable to show them respect in your communication.

End Formally

At this point, you need to show appreciation to the professor for taking the time to read up to the end of the email. Simply thank them for their time and sign off your email with “Sincerely” or “Best regards” followed by your full name.

Professors have a lot of work to do and responding to your email may slip their minds. Refrain from spamming them every few hours with reminders as that could just serve to annoy them. If they don’t get back to you, simply follow up after your next class with them.

Sample Email To Professor To Submit Assignment

Template 1 – late submission due to emergency.

Email Subject

{{Assignment Title}} : Apology for late submission

Dear Professor {{ Last name }},

My name is {{ Your name }}, from {{ Class name }}. I would like to apologize for the late submission of my assignment which was due {{ Assignment due date }}. My brother fell sick and had to be hospitalized which left me little time to work on my assignment as I had to take care of him.

I realize I should have brought this to your attention earlier, and humbly beg that you consider this submission. Going forward, I promise that I will not repeat this mistake. Thank you for your time and consideration.

{{ Your name }}

Template 2 – Assignment Deadline Extension 1

Request for deadline extension of {{ Assignment Title }} assignment

Dear Dr. {{ Last name }},

My name is {{ Your name }}, and I am in your {{ Class name }}. I am finding it a little hard to find relevant materials for my {{ paper title }} given the complexity of the topic. I would like to ask for a little more time to thoroughly go through the various publications linked to the topic.

I would hope to be able to complete this assignment by {{ Date you wish to submit assignment }}. Thank you very much and I will endeavor to produce a well-researched paper on {{ Assignment Title}}.

Template 3 – Assignment Deadline Extension 2

Deadline extension {{ Assignment Title }}

My name is {{ Your name }} and I am a {{ First, second, third, or fourth }} year student in your {{ Class }}.

I am emailing you to ask if it might be possible to be granted additional time for the {{ Assignment title }} due on {{ Assignment due date }}. Unfortunately, I am behind with this assignment because {{ Reason why assignment can’t be completed on time }}.

I would hope to be able to complete this assignment by {{ Expected date of completion }}. I hope that you will consider my request and I look forward to hearing from you at your convenience.

Template 4 – Assignment Submission

Assignment submission : {{ Assignment Title }}

I hope this email finds you well. This is to inform you that I have completed my {{ Assignment title }} assignment that you had assigned to the class {{ Date assigned }}. A PDF version of the assignment is attached to this email.

While I believe my delivery is well-researched, I would be grateful for any suggestions or feedback you might have. Thank you for your time.

Akshay Vikhe

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Retired MCG professor accused of sexual battery at YMCA

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - An emeritus Medical College of Georgia professor is accused of sexual assault at the Wilson Family YMCA on Wheeler Road, officials say.

On March 25 around 3:58 p.m., deputies met with a mom who stated her son told her that William Salazar, 65 , walked up to him inside the bathroom where he allegedly touched the juvenile victim inappropriately.

The mom told deputies that Salazar then insisted that the juvenile come to the “stem area,” according to the incident report from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

MORE | Foster child removed after Grovetown suspect accused of explicit content

According to the report, the juvenile told Salazar that he had to leave and then reported the incident to staff who escorted Salazar off the property.

The Charles B. Webster Detention Center says Salazar was booked and charged with sexual battery on April 4 and released on a $1,300 bond.

MORE | Man accused of sending explicit messages to undercover officer

“The Augusta University Police Department was notified by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office that a former faculty member has been arrested for an alleged incident that occurred at a location that is not affiliated with the university and which allegedly took place several months after his employment at the university ended. The university will cooperate with the Sheriff’s Office and other authorities involved in the matter as requested,” Augusta University said in a statement to News 12.

In 2022, we talked with Salazar about a free health clinic for our local Spanish-speaking community.

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

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Assistant/Associate/Full Professor of Urban Entomology

Apply now Job no: 531052 Work type: Tenure-Track Faculty Location: Main Campus (Gainesville, FL) Categories: Biology/Life Science, Agricultural Sciences Department: 60140000 - AG-ENTOMOLOGY AND NEMATOLOGY

Advertised: 08 Apr 2024 Eastern Daylight Time Applications close:

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