Guide
Ten templates for emailing professors
How to unapologetically ask for help and get what you want from your professors without sending rambling emails.
A lot of my friends come to me for advice on sending emails to professors and ask how they should email their professors on a certain topic. A lot of times, their first drafts are rambling and contain unnecessary or too much information, and after a few minutes I work with them to figure out a better way to ask for what they want without apologies or anxiety. Here are my most-used templates for emailing professors on common topics such as extensions, late work, and absences.
Information about technical difficulties
There have been times where I had trouble with my computer or using assistive technology to complete an assignment on time, or I was worried that technical difficulties would cause me to miss a deadline. At one point, the technical issue involved my entire student account so I had to send the email to my professor from a non-school related email account. In order to verify my identity, I included my student identification number, though I did have a professor that requested a photo of my student ID and a random object on the table for extra verification.
What to include:
- What type of device is being used- tablet, computer, phone, etc
- Error message and/or error code, along with additional explanation if needed
- Other office(s) that have been contacted about this issue
- Expected timeline for how long it will take to get fixed
Sample email
Dear Professor,
I am currently dealing with a technical issue related to my desktop computer and how it interacts with my screen magnification software. I am getting an Error 1600 message, which means that my computer is enlarged 1600% and it’s impossible for me to see anything on the screen. I have an appointment with the assistive technology department to troubleshoot this issue tomorrow, but I wanted to let you know what was going on in case the issue takes longer to resolve.
Related links
- Why To Take Virtual Classes in College
- What To Know About College Assistive Technology Specialists
- Reporting Accessibility Issues: College O&M
- Questions To Ask When Choosing A Desktop Computer For College
Requesting a specific partner or presentation time
When organizing group projects or trying to figure out a time to present a project, most professors are happy to ensure that you can complete assignments or present on a timeline that works well for you. I have had no problems getting professors to let me go first/last in a presentation or make sure that I am in a group with someone who is used to helping me with assistive technology. While these instances are rare, professors are also understanding if you request not to work with a specific student, and often don’t need a detailed reason as to why – in one instance, my friend had a protective order against another student in the class and asked the professor that they not be assigned together.
What to include:
- Name of project/assignment
- Name of other student you want to work with, or name of student to avoid
- Reason for requesting a particular partner
- Request for date/time for presenting a project
Sample email
Dear Professor,
For Project 2, is it okay if I work in a group with Jolene instead of Kylie? Jolene is used to reading things out loud for me, and it’s easier for us to focus and work on the project if I don’t have to focus on troubleshooting assistive technology.
In addition, I will need to present first on the presentation day as I will not be in class for the last 15 minutes due to a meeting.
Related links
- How To Use Microsoft Office Sway With Assistive Technology
- How To Create Accessible PowerPoints
- How I Use Microsoft Whiteboard With Low Vision
- Ten Staff Members To Meet Before Starting College
- Alternatives To Trifold Presentations
Asking for an extension
When I ask for extensions, I try to make sure that it is for a relatively short amount of time and typically connected to another issue. My most common request is for a twelve-hour extension, which I have never had a professor turn down, though I have requested a longer extension on certain projects if the reason I am requesting an extension is due to illness.
What to include:
- Reason for delay
- Request for extension with proposed time
- If the item is finished and just can’t be uploaded, offer to drop off a physical copy
Sample email
Dear Professor,
I am having trouble getting my program to compile and keep getting an Error 123 code saying I have spacing issues, but my vision is getting super blurry due to exhaustion so they are hard to fix properly. Is it okay if I submit the assignment by noon tomorrow so I can work on fixing it in the morning? I can also drop off a printed copy of the code I’ve written at your office hours tomorrow.
Related links
- What If I Miss Assignments Or Classes In College?
- Ten Information Technology Skills Every College Student Needs
- How I Use Repl.it IDE With Low Vision
Documenting illness or injury
I’m great at writing these emails, partially because I have an unpredictable chronic illness. I tend to send these emails from the emergency room or wherever I am, but you don’t have to do that – just send it at your earliest convenience.
What to include:
- Brief explanation of illness/injury
- Assignments or exams that need to be rescheduled
- Expected date/time for returning to class
Sample email
Dear Professor,
I left campus by ambulance on Tuesday and am currently in the hospital to have my appendix removed. I will not be in class on Monday, and will need to reschedule my midterm exam as I will be resting at home. I expect to return to campus in two weeks.
Related links
- How To Store Emergency Medical Information For Android and iOS
- What If I Get Appendicitis In College?
- What If I Get A Concussion In College?
- How I Attend College Classes Remotely With Chronic Illness
Documenting planned absence
If you are having a planned absence from classes that has nothing to do with illness or injury, I recommend writing the email at least two weeks before you leave. If there’s an academic reason you will be missing class, make sure to mention that too.
What to include:
- Date(s) for planned absence
- Reason for absence
- Offer to complete work early or get assignments before they are posted
Sample email
Dear Professor,
I will not be in class from September 24 or September 26th as I will be attending the Grace Hopper Celebration for women in computing. I will turn in all assignments due for the week before I leave for Texas. Please let me know if there is anything else I need to do for class that week.
Related links
- Airport Security and Low Vision
- Ten Questions To Ask When Choosing A Virtual Class
- Ten Tech Skills Every College Student Needs For Virtual Classes
Sharing information about a disability services file
At the beginning of each semester, I share my Disability Services file information with my professors in a short email. I prefer to go over this information on the first day of class, but I also write a summary of my condition and ask for confirmation on the textbook ISBN so I can make sure it is available in an accessible copy – since some professors don’t post course syllabi before the first day of class, I have to ask for this information over email.
What to include:
- Name and class name/section number
- Reason for having a Disability Services file
- How the accommodations will be implemented in the classroom
- Copy of faculty contact sheet or accommodations list
- Request for any classroom materials in advance, i.e textbook
Sample email
Dear Professor,
My name is Veronica, and I am in this section of that class. I have a file with Office of Disability Services for low vision and testing accommodations. I need materials in a digital format so that I can enlarge them to a font size I can read. This will not be needed for exams, as I will be taking tests in the Office of Disability Services testing center. I also use various other assistive technologies, which I will bring on the first day. I’ve attached my faculty information sheet which contains additional information about my accommodations.
Before the semester starts, may I get the name/ISBN of the textbooks and other materials for the semester? I want to make sure I can have them in an accessible format for the first day of class.
Related links
- How To Create A Disability Services File
- How To Explain Disability Accommodations To Professors
- How I Talk To Professors About Photosensitivity
- How To Request Accessible Textbooks In College
Questions about grades
One time, I was trying to figure out how I got a 10% on an assignment I had worked on for hours. While I didn’t eliminate the possibility that I misunderstood everything, a quick clarifying email to the professor confirmed that there was an error in the grading system, and I received a 100%.
What to include:
- Name of assignment
- Listed grade
- Screenshot, if relevant
Sample email
Dear Professor,
I noticed on the course website that I received a 10/100, or 10%, on Homework 9. Can you confirm if this is the correct grade?
Related links
- Ten Spooky Inaccessible Assignments and How To Fix Them
- Tips To Stay Organized In Virtual Classes
- Learning to Self-Advocate
Requesting extra help
While I pride myself on being able to find the answer to almost any homework question online, there have been moments where I just stared at the screen and wondered how I was supposed to approach a particular problem. Instead of telling the professor I am confused over everything, I like to narrow down the problem to the specific concept I don’t understand and see if they can help. Some professors prefer that students contact the class assistant or TA for homework help, but the email format remains the same.
What to include:
- Name of assignment and question/section
- Ways I have tried to solve it so far
- Request other potential methods, or ask to meet in office hours
Sample email
Dear Professor,
On Question 9 of Homework 6, I can’t figure out how to eliminate 25% of the population. I have tried using the subtraction function and multiplying the population by 0.75, but neither of these things are working and it shows the population is unchanging. Do you have any tips on how to solve this? Or should I come to office hours to talk about this?
Related links
- Brainfuse Online Tutoring Review
- Using Online Homework Help In College
- Choosing A Tutor For Low Vision Students
- How Amazon Alexa Can Help You Study For Exams
Looking for internships or on-campus jobs
One of my friends got an interesting internship at their university by asking their professor if they knew of any local internships or on-campus jobs for students. This gives students great experience and allows them to find internships without having to travel all the way across the country – unless they want to!
What to include:
- Timeline for internship request – I recommend starting to search 3-6 months in advance, though some tech internships have a 12 month process
- Areas of interest
- Desired location and work option – work from home, hybrid, etc.
Sample email
Dear Professor,
I’m currently looking for a Spring 2019 or Summer 2019 internship or on campus job related to data science or assistive technology. Do you know of any companies or departments I should look into? I would prefer to stay in this area if possible and am open to in -person, hybrid or remote options.
Related links
- How I Learned To Navigate My Internship Building With Low Vision
- What’s In My Bag- Project Management Intern Edition
Getting into a waitlisted class
Many professors have the power to issue overrides for students to enroll in their classes, assuming prerequisites are met. I used this method when I was trying to get into a Python class and the professor was happy to force add me to their class roster so I could get access to the course website.
What to include:
- Major/minor – some classes have a higher priority for students in select majors
- Name of class and course identification number
- Request for a force add/manual add
- Offer to send student ID number – I don’t include this in the initial email as I don’t want to give it out unnecessarily
Sample email
Dear Professor,
I’m a data science major and am interested in taking CDS 123 (class identification number 123456), but I am currently unable to enroll. Are you able to manually add me to the class if I send my student identification number?
Related links
- What If I Get Dropped From All My College Classes?
- How I Use The Coursicle Class Scheduling App
- How To Schedule College Classes
More tips for emailing your professors
- Some professors require students to use a specific subject line template and will not respond to emails that do not have this subject line
- Most of my professors don’t allow students to email completed assignments and require them to be uploaded to the course website. However, professors can extend the submission period for individual assignments on the course website
- Testing accommodations are arranged through Disability Services, not with the professor
- I have an entire post dedicated to practicing self-advocacy skills like this one called Learning to Self-Advocate
By Veronica Lewis/Veronica With Four Eyes, www.veroniiiica.com
Updated January 2024; original post published July 2020.
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