# Recommendation letter from a professor: who to ask, when, and a ready request email

> **The short answer**: Ask for a recommendation letter from a professor who taught you and knows your work, four to six weeks before the deadline, and send your CV and a list of programmes with it. KFUPM asks for two letters for most master's programmes and KAUST for three; referees upload them through a link from the admissions system.

**Key takeaways**

- Pick the professor who saw your work up close, not the biggest title in the department.
- KFUPM thesis master's: two letters. KAUST graduate programmes: three.
- Ask at least four weeks ahead and send a packet your professor can write from.
- KAUST does not accept a referee's personal email address, so use their official university one.
- A thank-you note after submission keeps the door open for the next letter.

![Recommendation letter from a professor: how and when to ask, with ready templates](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/recommendation-letter/recommendation-letter-cover-en.webp)

## What is a university recommendation letter?

It is a letter a professor or supervisor writes about your abilities and sends straight to the place you are applying. The admissions panel reads it for what your transcript cannot show: how you work on a project, how you argue a point, whether you finish what you start. That is why a vague letter can count against you. It tells the panel the referee barely knows you.

## Who should I ask for a recommendation letter?

Someone who knows your work in detail. Rank your options like this:

| Referee | When they are the best choice |
|---|---|
| Graduation project or research supervisor | Usually the first pick for a research master's, because they saw your independent work |
| Professor of a core course where you scored high and took part | When they know you by name and can cite specific work |
| Co-op or summer training supervisor | For jobs, graduate development programmes and some professional degrees |
| Adviser of a club you led | An extra letter for leadership, not the main one for graduate study |

![Comparison card of the guide table](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/recommendation-letter/recommendation-letter-inline-2-en.webp)


Check what kind of referee the programme wants. KFUPM prefers faculty who taught you undergraduate courses for a master's, and faculty who taught you graduate courses for a PhD.[^1] A letter from your manager does not replace an academic one when the programme names it.

## How many recommendation letters do Saudi universities ask for?

It varies between programmes inside the same university, so read your own programme page:

- KFUPM thesis-based master's: two letters through the online recommendation system.[^1]
- KFUPM project-based master's: two letters, with a 2.5 GPA and an English test.[^4]
- KFUPM Computer Engineering PhD: three, at least two from instructors or current supervisors.[^5]
- KAUST master's and PhD programmes: three letters.[^2]
- KAUST research internships: one letter from a faculty member at your current institution.[^3]

We suggest lining up three referees even when the programme asks for two. One professor dropping out a week before the deadline will not sink your application.

## When should I ask for a recommendation letter?

Four to six weeks before the deadline. Professors write for dozens of students in the same admissions season, and a late request is either declined or rushed. Better still, start the relationship a term or two earlier: go to office hours, ask about the material, join an extra project if one is offered. A professor who has known you for a year writes a very different letter from one who only recognises your face.

## How do I ask a professor for a recommendation letter?

1. **Ask whether they can write a strong letter**: This wording lets them decline politely, which is better for you than a lukewarm letter.
2. **Ask in office hours**: Then email the details the same day.
3. **Send a complete packet**: CV, statement of purpose, transcript, and a table of programmes with deadlines and the submission method for each.
4. **Remind them what to write about**: The course and your grade, a project or moment that stood out, and one skill they saw.
5. **Enter their details in the portal**: Only after they agree, because the request goes out automatically.
6. **Follow up once**: A week before the deadline if the letter is not in.
7. **Thank them and share the result**: After submission, and again when you hear back.

![5-step flow: Ask whether they can write a strong / Ask in person or in office hours if you / Send a complete packet / Remind them what to write about ](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/recommendation-letter/recommendation-letter-inline-1-en.webp)


## Recommendation letter request email template

Request email in English:

```
Subject: Recommendation letter request: [your name], [course]

Dear Dr. [name],
I took your [course] in [term], where I [specific work: project, paper, presentation]. I am applying to [programme] at [university], and the deadline is [date].
Would you be able to write a strong letter speaking to [specific skill or work]? I have attached my CV, statement of purpose and a table of programmes with the submission method for each.
Thank you for considering it, and I fully understand if your schedule does not allow it.
Best regards,
[name] | [student ID] | [mobile]
```

Request message in Arabic:

```
عنوان الرسالة: طلب خطاب توصية: [اسمك]، مقرر [اسم المقرر]

سعادة الدكتور/ة [الاسم]،
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته،
أنا [اسمك]، درست معكم مقرر [اسم المقرر] في [الفصل]، وقدمت فيه [عمل محدد: مشروع أو بحث أو عرض]. أتقدم إلى [البرنامج] في [الجامعة أو الجهة]، وآخر موعد للتقديم [التاريخ].
هل تستطيعون كتابة خطاب توصية يتحدث عن [المهارة أو العمل المحدد]؟ أرفقت سيرتي الذاتية وخطاب الدافع وجدولاً بالبرامج وطريقة الرفع لكل منها.
أقدر وقتكم، وأتفهم تماماً إن كان جدولكم لا يسمح.
مع الشكر،
[اسمك] | [الرقم الجامعي] | [الجوال]
```

Rewrite the third line for each professor. The sentence that names specific work from their course is what makes them remember you, and they build the letter on it. If your statement of purpose is not ready, finish it first with [how to write a statement of purpose](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/statement-of-purpose/).

## A timeline for three letters

| Before the deadline | What to do |
|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Pick three referees instead of two, so you have a spare. |
| 6 weeks | Ask in office hours and send the packet the same day. |
| 4 weeks | Enter the referees who agreed in each portal and check the links reached them. |
| 1 week | Check each letter's status in the portal and nudge anyone who is late. |

## How is the letter submitted?

Most universities no longer ask you to upload anything. At KAUST you enter each referee's name and email in the application, the request goes to them automatically the moment you do, and they submit directly.[^2] KAUST does not accept personal email addresses for referees. At KFUPM, referees get a link from the online recommendation system.[^1]

In practice: never enter a professor's details before they agree, or they get an automated request from a system they have never heard of. Use their official university address exactly as the college directory lists it, and warn them that an automated email is coming so it does not land in spam.

> **Tip**: Some professors ask you to write a draft. Write it with honest, specific examples and let them edit and submit it themselves. Do not overpraise yourself; the letter carries their name.

## Can AI write a recommendation letter for me?

Do not have any tool write the letter itself. It is your professor's testimony, not yours. Use AI only to organise your packet: turning your projects into bullet points, or checking the English in your request email. What goes in the letter is the referee's call, and a tool has no idea what they saw you do in class.

> **tiswa's take**: tiswa's take: ask the professor who gave you a good grade in a hard course where you spoke up, before you ask a department head who never taught you. The mistake we see most is chasing the bigger name and getting two generic lines that convince no panel.

## What mistakes ruin a recommendation letter?

- Asking a professor whose class you rarely attended, or where your grade was average.
- Asking days before the deadline.
- A bare request with no attachments, leaving them to hunt for your CV and dates.
- A personal or mistyped email in the portal, so the link never arrives.
- No thank-you after submission. You will need this professor again.

## Should I get a recommendation letter after co-op training?

Yes, and in the last week, not months later. Ask your supervisor from [co-op training](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/coop-training/) or [summer training](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/summer-training/) for a letter, or at least for permission to list them as a reference on your [CV](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/cv-for-students/). If you trained at a large company, for example through the [Aramco internship](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/aramco-internship/), also ask for a short recommendation on your [LinkedIn profile](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/linkedin-for-students/), where every visitor sees it.

While you build your application, stop paying full price for your tools. tiswa puts student discounts on software, subscriptions and devices in [study deals](https://tiswa.app/en/deals/study/). [Join tiswa](https://tiswa.app/en/join/)

## Questions

### How do I ask a professor for a recommendation letter?

Ask in office hours whether they can write a strong letter, then email your CV, statement of purpose and a table of programmes with deadlines.

### How many recommendation letters do I need for a master's?

Two for most KFUPM thesis-based master's programmes and three at KAUST. Check the number on your programme page.

### Can AI write a recommendation letter for me?

No. The letter is your referee's testimony; use AI only to organise your packet or check your request email.

### Who should I list as a CV reference as a student?

A professor or training supervisor who agreed in advance and knows your work, with their official university or company email.

### Can I get a recommendation letter after coop training?

Yes. Ask your training supervisor in the last week; the letter suits jobs and professional programmes but does not replace an academic one.

### What if my professor says no?

Thank them and ask the next referee on your list. An early no is better for you than a weak letter.


## Sources

[^1]: KFUPM College of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies: Admission requirements, https://cgis.kfupm.edu.sa/admission/admissionrequirement
[^2]: KAUST Admissions: Entry requirements, https://admissions.kaust.edu.sa/how-to-apply/entry-requirements
[^3]: KAUST Admissions: Internships, https://admissions.kaust.edu.sa/study/internships
[^4]: KFUPM: Master of Science (Project-Based), https://www.kfupm.edu.sa/study/graduate-programs-ms
[^5]: KFUPM Computer Engineering: PhD admission and program requirements, https://coe.kfupm.edu.sa/academics/graduate-programs/phd-program/admission-and-program-requirements