Applying to Graduate School? - A Sample Cover Letter for Your References to Use

The first thing you want to do in writing a cover letter to your recommenders is provide your name and contact information in the top corner (preferably the left corner, which follows the block writing style). This includes your full name (what will appear on official university documents and so forth), your email address (in case your letter writer, or "recommender," needs to reach you for any reason), your mailing address (to be professional), and your phone number (so that when you've failed to check your email, your recommender can still contact you).

Next, follow this guide:

Dear Professor [professor's last name here],

Hello! Thank you for agreeing to write my letters of recommendation for graduate school! In the attempt to make this process as effortless as possible, I have enclosed the following: a copy of my draft Statement of Purpose, my current Undergraduate Curriculum Vitae (CV), an unofficial copy of my transcripts, and brief summaries for each university's department of interest.

As mentioned, I have included my CV and sample Statement of Purpose for reference. If you have any questions about either of these, feel free to contact me at the number listed above, or you may email me for clarifications or suggestions.

Please enclose each Letter of Recommendation in their designated envelopes with the flaps sealed and signed across the sealed area to ensure that the admissions office and departments treat them as official when the letters are received with my other application materials. After you have completed the letters, please enclose all of them in the provided manila envelope so that I may mail a complete application to each university. I am waiving the right to view my recommendations for each program. However, if you feel comfortable with doing so, I would greatly appreciate a sample copy of your letter for my files.

My earliest deadline is [here, I suggest stating that the earliest deadline is about two weeks earlier than whatever is actually your earliest deadline because professors are notorious procrastinators], and I intend to have all of my applications in by then. Completing them all at once will ensure that I am on schedule and will encourage the admissions officers to treat my application with the maximum positive consideration. Please call or email me when all recommendations are ready and I will come to retrieve the manila package. Please have the letters ready by [make this date about three weeks before the previous date at the beginning of this paragraph] so that I can mail my complete application packets in a timely manner.

Thank you for your continued assistance and support for my efforts. I promise to send a postcard from the graduate program for which I am accepted, and to keep in touch!

Sincerely,

[Type your full name here, print, and sign above.]

Now that you have completed a professional and polite cover letter for your recommenders, if you need help in writing a fabulous Statement of Purpose (or "Personal Statement"... they are the same thing), or in learning how to complete the rest of your "Recommender's Packet," please feel free to read my other articles. I hope this has been helpful and good luck!