Email a Professor

 

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

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. If that’s something you were looking for, there’s no need to send an email and waste your professor’s time. 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.

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 firstname.lastname@example.com. Your bro$$77@example.com address isn’t suitable for academic correspondence.

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.

Here are some subject line examples:

Question about [Course name] assignment

[Course name]: Asking for an appointment

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.

Here’s how to start an email to a professor:

Dear Professor [Last Name],

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.

Here’s how to start an email to a professor:

My name is Lexie Brown, from History 1B, Section 1.

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.

For example:

I was wondering if we could set up an appointment to discuss my grade on [Assignment name]. Please let me know if you are able to meet next week.

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.

Here’s an example:

Thank you for your time and have a great day.
Sincerely,
Lexie Brown

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.

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.