thank you letter to phd supervisor

Guide: How to Say Thank You to Your PhD Supervisor

Completing a doctoral degree is an incredible achievement, and your PhD supervisor has played a crucial role in guiding you through this challenging journey. Expressing your gratitude towards your supervisor is not only polite but also helps nurture a long-lasting professional relationship. In this guide, we will explore various ways to say thank you to your PhD supervisor, both formally and informally. Let’s dive in!

Formal Ways to Say Thank You

Sending a formal thank you message or letter to your PhD supervisor is a thoughtful gesture that shows your gratitude for their guidance and support. Here are some tips for writing a formal thank you:

• Be sincere: Start by expressing your genuine appreciation for their help and insights during your doctoral journey.
• Highlight specific contributions: Mention the specific ways your supervisor aided your research, whether it was through funding, advice, or reviewing your work.
• Mention personal growth: Reflect upon how their mentorship has contributed to your personal growth as a researcher and professional in your field.
• Show gratitude for their time and effort: Acknowledge the countless hours spent providing feedback, attending meetings, and supporting your research.
• Offer to stay in touch: Convey your interest in maintaining a professional relationship and using their continued guidance in the future.

Example of a formal thank you email:

Dear [Supervisor’s Name], I am writing to express my sincerest gratitude for your invaluable guidance and unwavering support throughout my doctoral journey. Your expertise and mentorship have been instrumental in shaping my research and helping me achieve this significant milestone. I greatly appreciate the time and effort you devoted to providing constructive feedback on my work, attending numerous meetings, and offering invaluable insights that significantly enhanced the quality of my research. Not only have you fostered my academic growth, but your guidance has also influenced my personal development as a researcher. Your dedication to nurturing young scholars like myself is truly inspiring. I would love to stay connected and continue learning from your expertise in the future, as I believe your mentorship will be invaluable as I embark on the next phase of my career. Again, thank you for your exceptional guidance and support throughout. It has been an honor to be your student. Wishing you good health and continued success. Warm regards, [Your Name]

Informal Ways to Say Thank You

While formal messages are appreciated, expressing your gratitude in an informal manner can create a more personal connection with your PhD supervisor. Here are some tips for conveying your thanks in a less formal manner:

• Engage in a face-to-face conversation: Arrange a meeting with your supervisor to express your gratitude in person. This can be an opportunity for a heartfelt conversation.
• Express genuine emotions: Be authentic and express how grateful you are for their guidance and mentorship. Share anecdotes or specific moments that made a significant impact on your research journey.
• Offer a personal token of appreciation: Consider small gestures like a handwritten note, a meaningful book, or a personalized gift that reflects your supervisor’s interests or hobbies.
• Invite them to celebratory events: If appropriate, extend an invitation to any graduation ceremony or other events that mark the completion of your doctoral degree.

Example of an informal thank you conversation:

[Student]: Hey, [Supervisor’s Name]! I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt thanks for everything you’ve done throughout my PhD journey. Your guidance and support have made a tremendous difference, and I cannot thank you enough. [Supervisor]: Thank you, [Your Name]. It’s been a pleasure mentoring you. Is there anything specific that you found particularly helpful? [Student]: Definitely! I truly appreciate the valuable feedback you provided during our weekly meetings. Your insights and expertise always pushed me to think outside the box, resulting in a research project that I am incredibly proud of. [Supervisor]: I’m glad to hear that. It was a pleasure working with you, and your dedication to your research made a significant impact. I have no doubt that you will achieve great things in your future endeavors. [Student]: Thank you for believing in me and for your continuous support. Your mentorship has not only shaped my academic journey but also inspired me to become a better researcher. I am forever grateful. [Supervisor]: You’re most welcome, [Your Name]. It’s been a pleasure being your supervisor. Remember, I’m here to support you even after you complete your PhD. Let’s keep in touch and continue this professional relationship. [Student]: Absolutely! I would love to stay connected. Thanks again, [Supervisor’s Name]. You’re the best!

Final Thoughts

Expressing your gratitude towards your PhD supervisor is essential in recognizing their efforts and maintaining a positive professional relationship. Whether you choose a formal written message or an informal heartfelt conversation, remember to be sincere, specific, and appreciative of their time and guidance. Your kind words and gratitude will undoubtedly be cherished by your supervisor for years to come.

Remember, completing a PhD is just the beginning of your journey, and your PhD supervisor’s mentorship can prove invaluable as you navigate future academic or professional milestones. So, take a moment to say thank you in a way that resonates with you and, most importantly, makes your supervisor feel appreciated.

Related Posts

Guide: How to Say "Thank You, but No Thank You"

When someone offers their help, opinion, or assistance, it is important to show gratitude and acknowledge their kindness even if you are unable to accept it. Expressing your appreciation while gently declining can maintain positive relationships and avoid hurt feelings. In this guide, we will explore formal and informal ways to say "thank you, but no thank you" and provide you with tips and examples for various situations.

Guide: How to Say "Thank You, but No Thank You" Politely

Expressing gratitude while declining an offer or invitation can be a delicate task. It's important to be both respectful and clear in your response. In this guide, we'll explore various ways to say "thank you, but no thank you" politely, catering to both formal and informal situations. While regional variations may exist, we will focus on widely accepted and applicable approaches. So, let's dive in and master the art of gracious declination!

Guide on How to Say "Thank You, but No Thank You" to a Job Offer

Receiving a job offer is an exciting moment in your professional journey. However, there may come a time when you need to decline an offer. It's crucial to handle this situation with grace and maintain positive relationships. In this guide, we'll explore formal and informal ways to express your gratitude while politely declining a job offer. Let's dive in!

How to Say Thank You for a Thank You: A Comprehensive Guide

Expressing gratitude is an essential part of building and maintaining strong relationships. Often, we find ourselves in the position of wanting to thank someone for their expressions of thanks. Whether in a formal or informal setting, it is important to respond with sincerity and warmth. In this guide, we will explore various ways to say thank you for a thank you, offering tips, examples, and regional variations where applicable.

How to Say Thank You for a Thank You Card: A Comprehensive Guide

Receiving a thank you card is a heartwarming gesture that deserves a thoughtful response. Expressing gratitude in return not only shows appreciation but also strengthens the bond between you and the sender. In this guide, we will explore various ways to say thank you for a thank you card, including formal and informal approaches. While regional variations exist, we'll focus on general tips and examples to help you craft the perfect response.

How to Say Thank You for a Thank You Email: A Comprehensive Guide

Responding to a thank you email with gratitude is a wonderful way to express appreciation and maintain strong relationships. Whether you're responding formally or informally, this guide will provide you with essential tips, examples, and variations to help you craft the perfect thank you response. Let's explore various approaches you can take!

Guide: How to Say Thank You for a Thank You Gift

Receiving a thank you gift is a wonderful gesture that deserves its own expression of gratitude. Whether you want to convey your appreciation in a formal or informal manner, knowing the right words to say can strengthen your connection with the person who thoughtfully recognized your kindness. In this guide, we will provide you with tips, examples, and regional variations on how to say thank you for a thank you gift. So, let's dive in!

How to Say Thank You for a Thank You Note

Receiving a thank you note is a heartwarming gesture that shows someone appreciates you. Whether you've received a thank you note for a kind act, a gift, or a simple act of support, responding with gratitude is the perfect way to reciprocate the sentiment. In this guide, we'll explore different ways to say thank you for a thank you note, both formally and informally. Here you'll find numerous tips, examples, and variations to express your gratitude!

Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Arabic Cantonese Chinese Dutch English Farsi Filipino French German Greek Hawaiian Hebrew Hindi Irish Italian Japan Japanese Korean Latin Mandarin Mexican Navajo Norwegian Polish Portuguese Punjabi Romanian Russian Sanskrit Sign Language Spanish Swahili Swedish Tagalog Tamil Thai Turkish Ukrainian Urdu Vietnamese

• Privacy Policy

Want to Get your Dissertation Accepted?

Discover how we've helped doctoral students complete their dissertations and advance their academic careers!

Join 200+ Graduated Students

Get Your Dissertation Accepted On Your Next Submission

Get customized coaching for:.

• Crafting your proposal,
• Collecting and analyzing your data, or
• Preparing your defense.

Trapped in dissertation revisions?

Writing a thank you note to dissertation committee members, published by steve tippins on june 25, 2020 june 25, 2020.

Last Updated on: 2nd February 2024, 02:37 am

As much as your dissertation may have been a battle, and as much as members of your committee may have seemed unreasonable at times, their ultimate goal was to help you be a better researcher and finish your degree. They were your allies. So when you do finish, a strong thank you is important.

You may even dislike members of your committee, but remember that after you finish your dissertation , your committee members don’t just disappear. You will be working in a related field to them and having a good relationship with them may be important for your career later on. For example…

• You may need a recommendation from them
• They may be able to introduce you to potential data sources for research
• They may know people that ask them about you
• You may do joint research with some of them in the future

Or, maybe you’ve received a ton of support from your committee members and feel nothing but gratitude for how they’ve guided you. In that case, all the more reason to express your gratitude!

Either way, an academic field is a small world. Maintaining good relationships with members of the field is important for your career. And saying “thank you” is just good manners, after all.

Here’s how to write a thank-you note to dissertation committee members who’ve helped you along the way.

Thank Them in the Acknowledgments Section

It’s important to include a thank you note for your dissertation committee members in the acknowledgments section of your dissertation . It doesn’t have to be very long–one or two sentences is enough. It’s vital to do this because it’s expected, and not doing so may seem like an intentional snub. 

Thank Your Committee Members Personally

It’s also kind to thank your committee members personally as well. Even the person who’s been hardest on you has helped you get to where you are. A personal thank-you often feels more genuine, personal, and real than what can be communicated by written words. Even if it’s as simple as looking them in the eye, shaking their hand, and saying “thank you for everything,” it matters.

Write a Thank You Note for Dissertation Committee Members

Even if you’ve already done everything above, it’s best to write a separate thank you note for your dissertation committee members as well. There are a couple of reasons to send an additional thank you note. First, they may never look at the acknowledgments section of your dissertation. And secondly, it shows that you went just a little above and beyond. 

With handwriting being what it is today, I’d say it’s acceptable to write it on a computer. Print it out, sign it, and deliver it (slide it under their door, put it in their mailbox, mail it to them).

Tips for Writing a Thank You Note for Your Dissertation Committee 

Be specific. Show them that you paid attention by thanking them for the specific roles that they played and the specific ways that they helped you get to the end. Saying something like, “thank you for being on my committee, without you I would have had to have somebody else on my committee,” isn’t going to endear you to them.

Address them properly. Even though you’re technically a doctor now too, still say, “Thank you Dr. ___” Unless they’ve explicitly asked you to call them by their first name, default to calling them “doctor” until they tell you otherwise.

Be genuine. It’s important not to have your letter sound like a form letter. While it should still be professional, it shouldn’t be sanitized of any personal touch. If you have funny memories of your time working with them, it would be appropriate to recount these with a tone of appreciation.

Example Thank You Note for Dissertation Committee 

Dear Dr. ___,

Saying thank you just doesn’t seem to be enough now that you’ve helped me complete this journey. You were an integral part of me being able to make it to the end.

Without the help that you gave me in developing my methodology and the emotional support you gave me, I wouldn’t have made it.

I hope that I can “pay forward” what you’ve done for me by helping other people. I will use your selfless support as a model as I move forward.

Best wishes,

Dear Dr. ____

I’m writing to offer my deepest gratitude for the guidance you provided me as part of my dissertation committee.  From the time I took your History of Education in the Progressive Era course, I knew you would be the one to help me sort out my thinking on my topic.  Your suggestions brought in threads of thought that made my research so much richer, and my dissertation something I can be proud of having written.  You’ve also inspired me with your own body of research and the gift of helping me visualize a similar trajectory for myself.  I feel confident that I can succeed, standing on your shoulders.

I look forward to working with you again in the future, as our research interests will undoubtedly invite future collaboration.  No doubt, we’ll be at the same conferences year after year!  May you continue to inspire and enrich your students.  I will miss being among them!

With Deepest Gratitude, Me

Final Thoughts

Now that you have your degree and are moving into the world of an academic career, you will be met with a host of new challenges. If you’re looking for someone who knows the territory, feel free to take a look at my Academic Career Coaching services and reach out for a free 30-minute consultation .

Steve Tippins

Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins

Related Posts

Dissertation

What makes a good research question.

Creating a good research question is vital to successfully completing your dissertation. Here are some tips that will help you formulate a good research question.  What Makes a Good Research Question? These are the three Read more…

Dissertation Structure

When it comes to writing a dissertation, one of the most fraught questions asked by graduate students is about dissertation structure. A dissertation is the lengthiest writing project that many graduate students ever undertake, and Read more…

Choosing a Dissertation Chair

Choosing your dissertation chair is one of the most important decisions that you’ll make in graduate school. Your dissertation chair will in many ways shape your experience as you undergo the most rigorous intellectual challenge Read more…

Make This Your Last Round of Dissertation Revision.

Learn How to Get Your Dissertation Accepted .

Discover the 5-Step Process in this Free Webinar .

Almost there!

Please verify your email address by clicking the link in the email message we just sent to your address.

If you don't see the message within the next five minutes, be sure to check your spam folder :).

Hack Your Dissertation

5-Day Mini Course: How to Finish Faster With Less Stress

Interested in more helpful tips about improving your dissertation experience? Join our 5-day mini course by email!

Our cookies

We use cookies for three reasons: to give you the best experience on PGS, to make sure the PGS ads you see on other sites are relevant , and to measure website usage. Some of these cookies are necessary to help the site work properly and can’t be switched off. Cookies also support us to provide our services for free, and by click on “Accept” below, you are agreeing to our use of cookies .You can manage your preferences now or at any time.

Privacy overview

We use cookies, which are small text files placed on your computer, to allow the site to work for you, improve your user experience, to provide us with information about how our site is used, and to deliver personalised ads which help fund our work and deliver our service to you for free.

The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience.

You can accept all, or else manage cookies individually. However, blocking some types of cookies may affect your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

You can change your cookies preference at any time by visiting our Cookies Notice page. Please remember to clear your browsing data and cookies when you change your cookies preferences. This will remove all cookies previously placed on your browser.

For more detailed information about the cookies we use, or how to clear your browser cookies data see our Cookies Notice

Manage consent preferences

Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems.

They are essential for you to browse the website and use its features.

You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. We can’t identify you from these cookies.

Functional cookies

These help us personalise our sites for you by remembering your preferences and settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers, whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, then these services may not function properly.

Performance cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and see where our traffic comes from, so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are popular and see how visitors move around the site. The cookies cannot directly identify any individual users.

If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site and will not be able to improve its performance for you.

Marketing cookies

These cookies may be set through our site by social media services or our advertising partners. Social media cookies enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They can track your browser across other sites and build up a profile of your interests. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to see or use the content sharing tools.

Advertising cookies may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but work by uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will still see ads, but they won’t be tailored to your interests.

A Letter to My PhD Supervisor

16 th August 2022

• Post on Facebook
• Send to a friend
• Recommend 2

PhD supervisors are the unsung heroes of doctoral degrees, helping students stay calm, complete their assignments and achieve excellent results throughout the course. If there’s a problem that you need to talk through or want to bounce an idea off of someone, PhD supervisors are there to lend an ear. As such, it seems only fair to shine a light on the guidance generously given by these wonderful experts. Siung Ghai is studyinga PhD in Space Physics at the University of Sheffield . He explains how much his supervisor has done for him during his degree, and why they’re so important in assisting you with your PhD studies…

Ever since I was young I have always wanted to be an astronaut. However, whenever I have told people about this, they have laughed at me. But now that I’m studying towards a PhD in Space Physics, and through this have had the opportunity to work with scientists, NASA and the European Space Agency, they’re not laughing anymore!

One person who never laughed at me was my brilliant supervisor Simon. When I told him my dream was to go to outer space he listened to me with 110% concentration. Our first meeting was a moment that I'll never forget. There was no laughter, just unwavering support for my passion and dream, something which I’ve come to greatly appreciate in my time at university as a postgrad.

The best supervisors are those that stimulate and foster your talents and ability with unconditional support. I passed my degree with flying colours and excelled in my current PhD work but could not have done any of this without the support and guidance of my supervisor.

When you’re a PhD student it’s often easy to feel lonely as the reality of independent study sets in. It’s important that your supervisor is as available as possible to you – and I was lucky to find someone who was always ready to listen to any of my concerns.

Throughout my studies Simon was proactive about putting networking opportunities in front of me, not just with others within the UK with an interest in my discipline, but also on the overseas stage. I was invited to give academic presentations at three international space assemblies in Turkey, the USA and Japan, largely thanks to his support.

Space may be the final frontier, but many countries have an interest in the field. It’s impossible to work in isolation so a supervisor who can support you with international collaboration opportunities will be a huge asset to you. I was lucky to benefit from his connections and was paired up with scientists from NASA for my current research – something which I could only have dreamed of, when starting out as an undergrad all those years before.

But as much as support is valuable, it’s about inspiration too. A supervisor who can motivate you to go the extra mile, to do that little bit more, will pay dividends in terms of the quality and standing of your eventual research output. Simon inspired me not only to dream big, but dare to achieve bigger than anything I thought possible. It’s easy to feel intimidated by someone who is a leading expert in their field, but when this person can make you feel as though you are on the same level it is easy to be inspired to do more.

I’m not for a second pretending that a wonderful supervisor will make your PhD a walk in a park…there will be challenges, it will still be hard work. But if you can find a PhD supervisor just a little bit like Simon, you will be very lucky indeed. I can’t be more grateful to have had him as part of my research journey.

Next: Search for Doctorate Degrees in Astronomy and Space Science

DON'T MISS OUT

Receive regular newsletters packed with useful tips.

Converting a Postgraduate Certificate to a Masters

PG certificates are a perfect stepping stone to a Masters degree as you’ll not only...

How to Make the Most of Postgraduate Open Days

If you’re going to university open days to help you figure out where you could do...

Five Reasons to do a Postgraduate Diploma

CONTENTS What is a postgraduate diploma? Employability Time Constraints Career...

Similar articles and videos

Staying motivated on a phd, guide to phd degrees, phd study: preparing to teach your first seminar, on the front line of criminology at the university of kent, don't miss out.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base

Sample emails to your dissertation supervisor

Published on October 13, 2015 by Sarah Vinz . Revised on March 24, 2017.

Table of contents

Making an appointment, asking questions, confirming agreements.

Dear Dr. Janssen,

The college has informed me that you will be my supervisor. I would therefore like to make an initial appointment to discuss my dissertation idea with you.

I look forward to hearing from you as to when you would be available to meet with me.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

Dear Prof. Smith,

I have encountered several difficulties while working on my dissertation. Could you please answer the following questions?

• I have found only limited literature on the concept of “social enforcement.” Are you familiar with any authors who have written on this topic?
• Measuring “social enforcement” in the literature has proven virtually impossible. At this point I would like to use “social control” as a starting point for the concept. What are your thoughts on this?

I would like to make an appointment to discuss these questions with you. When would be convenient for you?

I am writing in follow-up to our meeting on Monday. Could you please check the notes I have prepared concerning what we agreed and confirm that they are accurate?

Thanks in advance for your response.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Vinz, S. (2017, March 24). Sample emails to your dissertation supervisor. Scribbr. Retrieved April 15, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/tips/sample-emails-to-your-dissertation-supervisor/

Is this article helpful?

Sarah's academic background includes a Master of Arts in English, a Master of International Affairs degree, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She loves the challenge of finding the perfect formulation or wording and derives much satisfaction from helping students take their academic writing up a notch.

Unlimited Academic AI-Proofreading

✔ Document error-free in 5minutes ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

2024 Aaron Akpu Philip (AAP)

"as long as you are still on the ladder, you will get to the top. keep climbing.".

• Research & Development Highlights

A LETTER TO PHD SUPERVISORS

Dear PhD Supervisors,

On Thursday, 26th August 2021, at 2:00 pm, I got off the phone with my friend doing a PhD in another institution who explained to me his horrific experiences with his supervisor. My friend has been struggling to get his family into Australia since he started his PhD journey. Like everyone else, he was supposed to apply for an exemption for his wife and child. Although he had every document required, he needed a letter from his supervisor to support his application, but apparently and in his words: “the man does not want to have anything to do with my personal life and my family”.

This is the premise of my letter to you. While I understand that there could be many reasons why you might not want to meddle in the personal lives of your students. This is different. It is different because my friend only needed a letter to help him get reunited with his family again since he left Nigeria in 2019. In the midst of all these, you have continued to push your students to submit the draft of their manuscripts, you hound them with deadlines. Arguably, your primary responsibility is to ensure that the student progresses academically, but how productive will your student be when their mental health is negatively impacted?

These issues are compounded for international students who secure scholarships to study. Sometimes we are voiceless and powerless because we get caged in the pain of not standing up to you who supported our application to get a scholarship. Sometimes we mask the pain with the hope that it will get better. If you look deeper, we are bleeding.

Recently, a friend with whom we submitted an application could not ask his supervisor for a reference. Not because he did not want to but because he did not trust his supervisor to paint a good picture of him as a result of the toxic relationship. In 2017, a friend of mine on a PhD scholarship in the UK dropped out because of his supervisor. This is sad. This is painful.

After listening to my friend speak today, I reflected on my own experience with my supervisors, whom I remain absolutely grateful for. My supervisors (Dr. Julie Anne King and Dr. Jo Durham) are a template for what “GOOD SUPERVISORS” should represent. I know this because:

• Every supervisory meeting I have begins with “Aaron, how is Ezinne (my bride) and Zoe ( my daughter) doing?
• The meeting ends with “Please say hi to your family for us.
• If it is a virtual meeting, they will usually say, “Aaron, if Zoe is not sleeping, can we see her and say hi?”
• My principal supervisor sometimes takes time to ask “When is Ezinne starting her PhD? Hope she still has those plans?”

In many meetings, we spent more than 30 minutes discussing family before coming back to my PhD. Apologies if you feel upset that I have used my supervisors to make a point but I have only had the courage to do this because they are nothing short of AMAZING. In fact, they have been so kind to me and my family that my bride calls them “MY PHD MOTHERS”. Please do not be shocked by this, and No! It is not a breach of professional boundaries but an expression and appreciation of how deep their humanity goes. As PhD Supervisors, you should be parents to us. You are literally our academic parents who nurture us towards maturity.

My appeal to you today is to adopt a template that works for you in supervising and caring for your PhD students. Feel free to learn from my supervisor’s template, part of which is shown in points 1-4. Whatever template you choose, “BE HUMAN”.

In closing, your duty to your student is to ensure they excel in their PhDs, and since health and success are inextricable, it is important you care more for their health, without which they cannot function. If your focus remains ONLY on the number of papers your student can publish with outright neglect of their wellbeing, as is the case of my friend, YOU HAVE FAILED AS A SUPERVISOR.

I do hope you reflect on my letter and treat PhDs better. In my case, I am fortunate, as you can see in the attached picture of my supervisor and I.

Thank you for attending to my letter, and feel free to share this with your colleagues.

Regards, AAP Doctoral Researcher QUT School of Public Health and Social Work

THE PHD JOURNEY IS OVER

AN IMAGINED CONVERSATION

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FAILURE

WE WILL NEVER GET TO THE TOP – WE ARE THERE ALREADY

“HOW DO YOU HANDLE FAILURE AARON?” – THE POWER OF STORIES

NO GOOD DEED IS SMALL

• Publications
• Research and Development Highlights

• Condolences & What To Say

How to Write a Great Thank You Letter to a Professor

Updated 12/28/2023

Published 05/11/2020

Kate Wight, BA in English

Contributing writer

Cake values integrity and transparency. We follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the best content possible. We also may earn commission from purchases made through affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more in our affiliate disclosure .

A good teacher will teach you the information you need to learn to pass a class but a great teacher will teach you things that will enrich your life in the long run. When someone goes above and beyond for you, it’s important to acknowledge it and express your gratitude. 

Cards and Stationery to Pair with Your Message

• Beyond Grateful Simple Thank You Cards ($14.49)
• Thank You for Helping Me Grow Card ($5.99)
• Compass Thank You Card for Professor ($6.49)
• Personalized Monogrammed Stationery ($21.95)
• Greenery Decorative Printer Paper and Stationery ($10.99)

Jump ahead to these sections:

Steps for writing the best thank you note for your professor, sample thank you letters to your professor.

What’s the best way to say, “ thank you for your support ” to a professor you enjoyed? Many professors really appreciate a heartfelt thank you letter. This kind of letter is generally longer and more formal than a quick email. 

Here, we break down how to write a great thank you letter to a professor step-by-step. We’ve also included some samples for reference. 

Follow these steps and produce an impressive thank you note to say "thank you, Professor":

• Start and end with appropriate salutations
• Open by saying thank you
• Include a quote
• Give more specific details
• Be positive
• Keep it short and sweet
• Say thank you again

Step 1: Go postal

If you’ve grown up in the modern era, you may do most of your communication digitally. Texts and emails are quick and effective ways to communicate. But there’s something special about sending correspondence through the mail. It feels more personal and intimate.

Take a little extra time to send a letter to your teacher or professor. You can mail it directly to the school to your professor’s attention or drop it off at the office. That personal touch will make your letter feel extra special. You can still type your letter if your handwriting isn’t the best.

Step 2: Start and end with appropriate salutations

When writing a formal letter, it’s important to address the recipient by his or her title. You can start it with something like, “Dear Professor Smith” or “Dear Dr. Jones.” If you’re unsure of your professor’s title, you can always check the college or university website.

When you close your letter, be sure to choose an appropriate sendoff as well. “Sincerely” is always a classic signoff before you sign your name. You can also use something like “ with gratitude ” in conclusion.   

Step 3: Open by saying thank you

When writing any kind of formal letter, it’s best to open with the general purpose of your letter. It sets up the expectation for what the rest of the correspondence will be about. 

Step 4: Include a quote 

For extra panache, you can open your letter with a quote about gratitude. Check out our list of thank you quotes for inspiration. 

Step 5: Give more specific details

In your next paragraph, you’ll want to expand on the reasons behind your thank you. Here is where you’ll give some more specific details about why you’re thanking your professor.

You could thank her for always being available to help you revise papers. You could thank your professor for being understanding when you had a personal crisis that interfered with schoolwork. You could thank her for writing you a reference letter. Just break down each idea into its own brief paragraph. 

Teachers and professors don’t always get specific feedback from students. They may get generic feedback in an end-of-year survey. But they will appreciate knowing what specifically they’ve done to make an impact on you. This section is really the heart and soul of your thank you letter. 

Step 6: Be positive

A thank you letter should be uplifting. You may be thanking your professor for helping you through some hard times.

Don’t dwell too much on the details of those difficulties. Instead, focus on the gratitude aspect of your letter. 

Step 7: Be sincere

You may feel like a formal letter has to be devoid of personality. That’s not always the case, though. A letter should show elements of your personality and character.

Y ou can best achieve this by being sincere in your appreciation.

Step 8: Keep it short and sweet

Even if you’re overflowing with gratitude for your professor, you don’t have to go overboard. If your letter is too lengthy, your gratitude may actually be buried.

They say brevity is the soul of wit. But brevity is important in many other ways, too. 

Step 9: Say thank you again

If you had to write a term paper for your professor’s class, he likely taught you to wrap up the paper by restating your thesis. The same thing applies to a formal letter. Reiterate the reason you’re writing the letter at its conclusion. 

Here are some examples of what a thank you letter might look like for a few different occasions. 

Thanking your professor for a recommendation

Dear Professor Smith,

I just wanted to send a quick note to thank you for writing me a letter of recommendation. Truthfully, I had been on the fence about applying to grad school. When you asked what my plans for the future were and offered to write me a recommendation, it gave me the push I needed.

Over the past four years, I’ve learned so much from your classes. But the most important thing I’ve appreciated is your belief in me. Because you set such high expectations for me, I tried to raise my academic level to meet them. I’m a better researcher and writer because of you.

Again, thank you for seeing something in me and encouraging me to be better. Thanks for believing in me enough to write me a letter of recommendation. Your support means more to me than I can express.

Thanking your professor for teaching you

Dear Dr. Jones, 

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for teaching me this semester. I’ve never been moved to write a thank you note to a teacher before. But that’s probably because I’ve never had an instructor like you. 

First, I want to thank you for keeping the class reading list so affordable. For so many of my classes, the reading lists cost hundreds of dollars. You did a great job keeping it affordable for students working their way through school like me. 

Second, I want to commend you for your patience with all students. You were so understanding about the fact that people have real-life issues that can interfere with schooling. I think it’s especially great that you allowed a student to come into a lecture with her child when her babysitter was sick. I know a lot of other professors wouldn’t have been so understanding. I also appreciate that you have a flexible attendance policy for students with chronic illnesses.

Finally, I want to thank you for your teaching style. You really seem engaged with the material you’re teaching, and that makes it more exciting for students. I also appreciated the supplemental videos and notes you provided. It added more to my understanding of your course.  

Your understanding and compassion for all students are really admirable qualities. Thank you for making this semester so transformative.

With gratitude,

Matt Markson

Thanking a professor for working with you

Dear Professor Buckley,

I wanted to reach out and thank you for all the support you showed me last semester.

As you know, I had many health issues as well as personal dramas in my life last year. But when I approached you about dropping your class, you were determined to help me figure things out so I could graduate on time. Not a lot of professors would have recorded their own lectures so a student could attend class remotely. You went above and beyond for me.

I also appreciate you letting me have extended deadlines for my papers. Being able to get things in on a delayed schedule made a huge difference for me.

Henry Adams said, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” Please know that your influence on my life will affect me until the end of time. I will forever be thankful for your patience and kindness.

All the best,

Mary Lipton 

Thank Your Professor or Teacher with a Letter 

Teachers and professors can have a profound impact on our lives. When they do, it’s important to communicate what that means to you. Professors don’t gravitate toward wealth or prestige. At their core, they really want to make a difference in people’s lives.

Take some time to type or handwrite a letter to thank your professor for everything. Your professor will appreciate it more than you could know.  

Post-loss tip: If you are the executor for a deceased loved one, the emotional and technical aspects of handling their unfinished business can be overwhelming without a way to organize your process. We have a post-loss checklist  that will help you ensure that your loved one's family, estate, and other affairs are taken care of.

Categories:

You may also like.

How to End a Thank You Letter or Email: 13 Examples

How to Write a Heartfelt Thank You Letter to Family

How to Write a Thank You Letter to Your Mentor: 6 Steps

Write a Thank You Letter to a Teacher + Examples

Recommended for you

A thank you letter to my academic advisor, here is your well-deserved thank you..

In my previous experiences with academic advisors, I haven't had the best luck. Not once have I had an academic advisor that genuinely cared about me or that believed in me. Once I got to college that all changed. I'm not sure words can explain how grateful I am to finally have an academic advisor that is incredibly dedicated and supportive, but I'm going to give it a shot.

First off, thank you for being my academic advisor. I was not assigned to you. I reached out to you because I heard absolutely wonderful things about you in hopes of you becoming my academic advisor. You could have easily said no because saying yes meant adding another thing to your very busy schedule. But, you said yes and I'm forever grateful. Without you, I would not be able to handle everything that college and life throws at me. Having you backing me up 100% allows me to be at peace, at least a little bit.

Thank you for believing in me and supporting. Many advisors aren't too hopeful or supportive, especially when it comes to students who plan on graduating early. But with you, I feel like anything is possible. You have faith in me and will do anything to help me set and reach all of my goals including graduating early. Whether it is you helping me map out my next few years in college, approving course overload or simply helping me sign up for fall, spring and summer courses, I can always count on you.

Thank you for being just as enthusiastic as I am, which for those who know me is difficult. I always look forward to coming into your office. As soon as I see your smiling face I know I'm going to leave happier than I came in. Along with our similar attitudes, you and I can geek out over the little things like planners on Amazon and studying abroad in beautiful countries. You're much more than an advisor and our meetings never feel like meetings. Our meetings feel like two friends sharing things such as advice and/or stories.

Thank you for seeing me as my strengths and not my weaknesses. Also, thank you for pointing out strengths I didn't even know I had. Each time we meet you boost my confidence so much and in college, that is something I really need and appreciate. You know what they say about confidence: it's key, so thank you for unlocking opportunities for me through compliments like "you're awesome" or even just letting me know you enjoy advising me.

Lastly, thank you for being a wonderful person!

This one is for you, Dr. Cash. Thank you!

Your super appreciative advisee

Subscribe to our Newsletter

19 lessons i'll never forget from growing up in a small town, there have been many lessons learned..

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

1. The importance of traditions.

Sometimes traditions seem like a silly thing, but the fact of it is that it's part of who you are. You grew up this way and, more than likely, so did your parents. It is something that is part of your family history and that is more important than anything.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

No matter how many times they get on your nerves or make you mad, they are the ones who will always be there and you should never take that for granted.

3. How to give back.

When tragedy strikes in a small town, everyone feels obligated to help out because, whether directly or indirectly, it affects you too. It is easy in a bigger city to be able to disconnect from certain problems. But in a small town those problems affect everyone.

4. What the word "community" really means.

Along the same lines as #3, everyone is always ready and willing to lend a helping hand when you need one in a small town and to me that is the true meaning of community. It's working together to build a better atmosphere, being there to raise each other up, build each other up, and pick each other up when someone is in need. A small town community is full of endless support whether it be after a tragedy or at a hometown sports game. Everyone shows up to show their support.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

People say this to others all the time, but it takes on a whole new meaning in a small town. It is true that life is about the journey, but when you're from a small town, you know it's about the journey because the journey probably takes longer than you spend at the destination. Everything is so far away that it is totally normal to spend a couple hours in the car on your way to some form of entertainment. And most of the time, you're gonna have as many, if not more, memories and laughs on the journey than at the destination.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

Word travels fast in a small town, so don't think you're gonna get away with anything. In fact, your parents probably know what you did before you even have a chance to get home and tell them. And forget about being scared of what your teacher, principle, or other authority figure is going to do, you're more afraid of what your parents are gonna do when you get home.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

Everyone deserves a chance. Most people don't have ill-intentions and you can't live your life guarding against every one else just because a few people in your life have betrayed your trust.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

While small towns are not always extremely diverse, they do contain people with a lot of different stories, struggle, and backgrounds. In a small town, it is pretty hard to exclude anyone because of who they are or what they come from because there aren't many people to choose from. A small town teaches you that just because someone isn't the same as you, doesn't mean you can't be great friends.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

In a small town, you learn that it's okay to be who you are and do your own thing. You learn that confidence isn't how beautiful you are or how much money you have, it's who you are on the inside.

10. How to work for what I want.

Nothing comes easy in life. They always say "gardens don't grow overnight" and if you're from a small town you know this both figuratively and literally. You certainly know gardens don't grow overnight because you've worked in a garden or two. But you also know that to get to the place you want to be in life it takes work and effort. It doesn't just happen because you want it to.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

If you're from a small town, you know that you will probably only meet a handful of people in your life who ACTUALLY know where your town is. And forget about the people who accidentally enter into your town because of google maps. You've gotten really good at giving them directions right back to the interstate.

12. How to be humble.

My small town has definitely taught me how to be humble. It isn't always about you, and anyone who grows up in a small town knows that. Everyone gets their moment in the spotlight, and since there's so few of us, we're probably best friends with everyone so we are as excited when they get their moment of fame as we are when we get ours.

13. To be well-rounded.

Going to a small town high school definitely made me well-rounded. There isn't enough kids in the school to fill up all the clubs and sports teams individually so be ready to be a part of them all.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

In a small town, good luck holding a grudge. In a bigger city you can just avoid a person you don't like or who you've had problems with. But not in a small town. You better resolve the issue fast because you're bound to see them at least 5 times a week.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

One of my favorite things about growing up in a rural area was being able to go outside and go exploring and not have to worry about being in danger. There is nothing more exciting then finding a new place somewhere in town or in the woods and just spending time there enjoying the natural beauty around you.

16. To be prepared for anything.

You never know what may happen. If you get a flat tire, you better know how to change it yourself because you never know if you will be able to get ahold of someone else to come fix it. Mechanics might be too busy , or more than likely you won't even have enough cell service to call one.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

It's okay to ask for help. One thing I realized when I moved away from my town for college, was how much my town has taught me that I could ask for help is I needed it. I got into a couple situations outside of my town where I couldn't find anyone to help me and found myself thinking, if I was in my town there would be tons of people ready to help me. And even though I couldn't find anyone to help, you better believe I wasn't afraid to ask.

18. How to be creative.

When you're at least an hour away from normal forms of entertainment such as movie theaters and malls, you learn to get real creative in entertaining yourself. Whether it be a night looking at the stars in the bed of a pickup truck or having a movie marathon in a blanket fort at home, you know how to make your own good time.

19. To brush off gossip.

It's all about knowing the person you are and not letting others influence your opinion of yourself. In small towns, there is plenty of gossip. But as long as you know who you really are, it will always blow over.

Grateful Beyond Words: A Letter to My Inspiration

I have never been so thankful to know you..

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

You have taught me that you don't always have to strong. You are allowed to break down as long as you pick yourself back up and keep moving forward. When life had you at your worst moments, you allowed your friends to be there for you and to help you. You let them in and they helped pick you up. Even in your darkest hour you showed so much strength. I know that you don't believe in yourself as much as you should but you are unbelievably strong and capable of anything you set your mind to.

Your passion to make a difference in the world is unbelievable. You put your heart and soul into your endeavors and surpass any personal goal you could have set. Watching you do what you love and watching you make a difference in the lives of others is an incredible experience. The way your face lights up when you finally realize what you have accomplished is breathtaking and I hope that one day I can have just as much passion you have.

SEE MORE: A Letter To My Best Friend On Her Birthday

The love you have for your family is outstanding. Watching you interact with loved ones just makes me smile . You are so comfortable and you are yourself. I see the way you smile when you are around family and I wish I could see you smile like this everyday. You love with all your heart and this quality is something I wished I possessed.

You inspire me to be the best version of myself. I look up to you. I feel that more people should strive to have the strength and passion that you exemplify in everyday life.You may be stubborn at points but when you really need help you let others in, which shows strength in itself. I have never been more proud to know someone and to call someone my role model. You have taught me so many things and I want to thank you. Thank you for inspiring me in life. Thank you for making me want to be a better person.

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life..

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Don't freak out

This is a rule you should continue to follow no matter what you do in life, but is especially helpful in this situation.

Email the professor

Around this time, professors are getting flooded with requests from students wanting to get into full classes. This doesn't mean you shouldn't burden them with your email; it means they are expecting interested students to email them. Send a short, concise message telling them that you are interested in the class and ask if there would be any chance for you to get in.

Attend the first class

Often, the advice professors will give you when they reply to your email is to attend the first class. The first class isn't the most important class in terms of what will be taught. However, attending the first class means you are serious about taking the course and aren't going to give up on it.

Keep attending class

Every student is in the same position as you are. They registered for more classes than they want to take and are "shopping." For the first couple of weeks, you can drop or add classes as you please, which means that classes that were once full will have spaces. If you keep attending class and keep up with assignments, odds are that you will have priority. Professors give preference to people who need the class for a major and then from higher to lower class year (senior to freshman).

Have a backup plan

For two weeks, or until I find out whether I get into my waitlisted class, I will be attending more than the usual number of classes. This is so that if I don't get into my waitlisted class, I won't have a credit shortage and I won't have to fall back in my backup class. Chances are that enough people will drop the class, especially if it is very difficult like computer science, and you will have a chance. In popular classes like art and psychology, odds are you probably won't get in, so prepare for that.

Remember that everything works out at the end

Life is full of surprises. So what if you didn't get into the class you wanted? Your life obviously has something else in store for you. It's your job to make sure you make the best out of what you have.

Navigating the Talking Stage: 21 Essential Questions to Ask for Connection

It's mandatory to have these conversations..

Whether you met your new love interest online , through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

1. What do you do for a living?

What someone does for a living can tell a lot about who they are and what they're interested in! Their career reveals a lot more about them than just where they spend their time to make some money.

2. What's your favorite color?

OK, I get it, this seems like something you would ask a Kindergarten class, but I feel like it's always good to know someone's favorite color . You could always send them that Snapchat featuring you in that cute shirt you have that just so happens to be in their favorite color!

3. Do you have any siblings?

This one is actually super important because it's totally true that people grow up with different roles and responsibilities based on where they fall in the order. You can tell a lot about someone just based on this seemingly simple question.

4. What's your favorite television show?

OK, maybe this isn't a super important question, but you have to know ASAP if you can quote Michael Scott or not. If not, he probably isn't the one. Sorry, girl.

5. When is your birthday?

You can then proceed to do the thing that every girl does without admitting it and see how compatible your zodiacs are.

6. What's your biggest goal in life?

If you're like me, you have big goals that you want to reach someday, and you want a man behind you who also has big goals and understands what it's like to chase after a dream. If his biggest goal is to see how quickly he can binge-watch " Grey's Anatomy " on Netflix , you may want to move on.

7. If you had three wishes granted to you by a genie, what would they be?

This is a go-to for an insight into their personality. Based on how they answer, you can tell if they're goofy, serious, or somewhere in between.

8. What's your favorite childhood memory?

For some, this may be a hard question if it involves a family member or friend who has since passed away . For others, it may revolve around a tradition that no longer happens. The answers to this question are almost endless!

9. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?

We all have parts of our lives and stories that we wish we could change. It's human nature to make mistakes. This question is a little bit more personal but can really build up the trust level.

10. Are you a cat or a dog person?

I mean, duh! If you're a dog person, and he is a cat person, it's not going to work out.

11. Do you believe in a religion or any sort of spiritual power?

Personally, I am a Christian, and as a result, I want to be with someone who shares those same values. I know some people will argue that this question is too much in the talking stage , but why go beyond the talking stage if your personal values will never line up?

12. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Even homebodies have a must visit place on their bucket list !

13. What is your ideal date night?

Hey, if you're going to go for it... go for it!

14. Who was/is your celebrity crush?

For me, it was hands-down Nick Jonas . This is always a fun question to ask!

15. What's a good way to cheer you up if you're having a bad day?

Let's be real, if you put a label on it, you're not going to see your significant other at their best 24/7.

16. Do you have any tattoos?

This can lead to some really good conversations, especially if they have a tattoo that has a lot of meaning to them!

17. Can you describe yourself in three words?

It's always interesting to see if how the person you're talking to views their personal traits lines ups with the vibes you're getting.

18. What makes you the most nervous in life?

This question can go multiple different directions, and it could also be a launching pad for other conversations.

19. What's the best gift you have ever received? 

Admittedly, I have asked this question to friends as well, but it's neat to see what people value.

20. What do you do to relax/have fun?

Work hard, play hard, right?

21. What are your priorities at this phase of your life?

This is always interesting because no matter how compatible your personalities may be, if one of you wants to be serious and the other is looking for something casual, it's just not going to work.

Follow Swoon on Instagram .

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in challah bread or easter bread.

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

A few weeks ago, I was given a loaf of bread called Challah (pronounced like holla), and upon my first bite, I realized it tasted just like Easter Bread. It was so delicious that I just had to make some of my own, which I did.

The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients

2 tsp active dry or instant yeast 1 cup lukewarm water 4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup white granulated sugar 2 tsp salt 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk (reserve the white for the egg wash) 1/4 cup neutral-flavored vegetable oil

Instructions

• Combine yeast and a pinch of sugar in small bowl with the water and stir until you see a frothy layer across the top.
• Whisk together 4 cups of the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
• Make a well in the center of the flour and add in eggs, egg yolk, and oil. Whisk these together to form a slurry, pulling in a little flour from the sides of the bowl.
• Pour the yeast mixture over the egg slurry and mix until difficult to move.
• Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes. If the dough seems very sticky, add flour a teaspoon at a time until it feels tacky, but no longer like bubblegum. The dough has finished kneading when it is soft, smooth, and holds a ball-shape.
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place somewhere warm. Let the dough rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Separate the dough into four pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a long rope roughly 1-inch thick and 16 inches long.
• Gather the ropes and squeeze them together at the very top. Braid the pieces in the pattern of over, under, and over again. Pinch the pieces together again at the bottom.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment and lift the loaf on top. Sprinkle the loaf with a little flour and drape it with a clean dishcloth. Place the pan somewhere warm and away from drafts and let it rise until puffed and pillowy, about an hour.
• Heat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the reserved egg white with a tablespoon of water and brush it all over the challah. Be sure to get in the cracks and down the sides of the loaf.
• Slide the challah on its baking sheet into the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking. The challah is done when it is deeply browned.

I kept wondering how these two breads could be so similar in taste. So I decided to look up a recipe for Easter Bread to make a comparison. The two are almost exactly the same! These recipes are similar because they come from religious backgrounds. The Jewish Challah bread is based on kosher dietary laws. The Christian Easter Bread comes from the Jewish tradition but was modified over time because they did not follow kosher dietary laws.

A recipe for Easter bread is as follows:

2 tsp active dry or instant yeast 2/3 cup milk 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup white granulated sugar 2 tbs butter 2 large eggs 2 tbs melted butter 1 tsp salt

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; stir well. Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan; heat until milk is warm and butter is softened but not melted.
• Gradually add the milk and butter to the flour mixture; stirring constantly. Add two eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal size rounds; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each round into a long roll about 36 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick. Using the two long pieces of dough, form a loosely braided ring, leaving spaces for the five colored eggs. Seal the ends of the ring together and use your fingers to slide the eggs between the braids of dough.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place loaf on a buttered baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp towel. Place loaf in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Brush risen loaf with melted butter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Both of these recipes are really easy to make. While you might need to have a day set aside for this activity, you can do things while the dough is rising or in the oven. After only a few hours, you have a delicious loaf of bread that you made from scratch, so the time and effort is really worth it!

Trending Topics

Songs About Being 17 Grey's Anatomy Quotes Vine Quotes 4 Leaf Clover Self Respect

Top Creators

1. Brittany Morgan,   National Writer's Society 2. Radhi,   SUNY Stony Brook 3. Kristen Haddox , Penn State University 4. Jennifer Kustanovich , SUNY Stony Brook 5. Clare Regelbrugge , University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Trending Stories

19 things you can do when you turn 19 years old, nostalgic 2000s songs: 100 throwback hits that'll transport you to childhood, an apology letter to the ex i will always love, 21 superlatives for your formal, 45 throwback songs you forgot about, best of student life top 10 reasons my school rocks, 70 of the most referenced movies ever, 7 new year clichés: break free, embrace change, the ultimate birthday: unveiling the perfect day to celebrate, unleash inspiration: 15 relatable disney lyrics, subscribe to our newsletter, facebook comments.

• How to Email a Potential Supervisor
• Applying to a PhD

It’s well known that contacting a potential PhD supervisor before applying to their position can greatly increase your chances of success. Unfortunately, it also works the opposite way.

The good news is that leaving a great impression is much simpler than you would think; it simply comes down to how you structure your first email.

To learn how to email a potential supervisor the correct way, follow our guidelines below.

Guidelines for Your First Email

1. do your research.

Before contacting a supervisor, you need to have researched them. Hopefully, you would have already have done this before deciding that they would be suitable for your project. However, if you haven’t, read up and learn about their research.

This is important to confirm that your project is relevant to the supervisor and that they have suitable expertise to support you.

As well as information about their research and recent publications, you can find their email address on their University’s academic profile page. Their email address should also be available in the PhD listing you originally saw the position.

2. Use a Clear Subject Line

Use a short subject line which clearly shows your intention. Supervisors receive countless emails a day from students, other professors, external collaborators and research bodies. Therefore, an unclear subject line will probably go unnoticed in their busy inbox.

Good examples of subject lines include:

• Enquiry for NERC-funded PhD in Climate Change
• Prospective Applicant – EPSRC – Material Science PhD

If the University provides a reference number in the PhD listing you found the position, ensure you include it at the end of your subject line.

3. Address Them

Always start your email with “Dear” followed by the supervisor’s surname.

Make sure you use the supervisor’s correct title. Starting an email to a professor with “Dear Dr” rather than “Dear Professor” won’t only annoy them but will imply you have poor attention to detail. Therefore, using the wrong title will immediately set a poor impression and sometimes may even be enough for the supervisor to stop reading your email.

4. Introduce Yourself and State Your Intentions

First, introduce yourself by providing the following information:

• Your academic qualifications
• Your level of experience

Second, indicate that you are interested in undertaking a doctoral research project. If you’re emailing regarding a specific project, then provide its title.

If the University isn’t offering projects with pre-defined titles, then instead indicate which specific areas of the research field you are interested in. When expressing your research interests, also discuss why you are interested in having them as your supervisor. In your explanation, include relevant examples of their recent work and relate it back to your research topic. This will show the supervisor that you have thought about the direction of your research and have undertaken detailed research around the topic. It will also show that you’re familiar with their work. This won’t only help build rapport but will also show the supervisor that you believe he will be a good match for you.

After discussing your interests, confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements and move on to discuss your funding situation. If you intend to apply for funding or a scholarship on acceptance into your programme, mention this and list the names of the funding bodies and scholarships you will be applying to.

5. Conclude

Conclude your email by reinforcing your enthusiasm for the position and summarising why you think you’d make a great research student.

In addition to this, you could also suggest a meeting as a way for the two of you to discuss the contents of your email. This isn’t required but does sometimes make it easier for the supervisor if they have a lot to discuss.

6. Thank Them

Thank the supervisor for their time and end your email with “Kind regards” followed by your first and last name in full.

Email Etiquette

Attach Supporting Information

Your goal should be to make the exchange as simple as possible for the supervisor. Therefore, attach any supporting information such as your CV if you expect they may ask for it or find it useful. This will save them having to email you back asking for further information should they need it.

Keep It Brief

As mentioned above, supervisors won’t have time to keep going back and forth, therefore, avoid vague statements or being too broad about your interests.

Whilst it’s OK to email several potential supervisors offering similar positions, ensure you tailor each one so it’s relevant to the specific supervisor you’re emailing. If your email is too generic, they’ll likely think you repurposed it from one of your earlier emails to another supervisor and so choose to ignore it.

Lastly, before you hit send, read over your email and confirm it’s free from any grammatical mistakes. As a postgraduate student applying to a PhD position, your email needs to be error-free.

Be Patient With Follow-Ups

Supervisors are extremely busy people. They have classes to teach, research students to supervise and several independent projects to lead. Therefore, don’t be too disheartened if you don’t hear back from them right away.

If you don’t receive a reply after a week, send them a polite follow up. If they still don’t get in contact after another week, they’ve likely either stopped accepting applicants are too overwhelmed to process their inbox. In these cases, it’s best to start looking for alternative supervisors.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

Browse PhDs Now

Join thousands of students.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

Writing a Grad School Interview Thank You Email

• Early Career

So you’ve decided to embark on a new and exciting journey in your education by applying to a graduate school program. You join the ranks of many other scholars who seek to advance their education.

Low and behold, with an exceptional grad school application, you have moved forward in the process of completing an interview with the university. What comes next? You may think that all that is left is to wait and see if you are accepted into your chosen program. However, you may be missing the extra step of sending a grad school interview thank you email.

Why You Should Send a Thank You Email After Your Grad School Interview

Many prospective students do not follow up with the university they interview with either because they don’t believe it is necessary or because they don’t know to. With this extra step of sending a friendly thank you letter after your graduate school interview, you will be on the interviewer’s radar as an enthusiastic candidate. Also, the interviewer will see that you are genuinely interested in their graduate school and take the process seriously. Going that extra mile might mean the difference between acceptance and denial.

Best Time To Send Your Post-grad School Interview Thank You Email

The best time to email your grad school interview thank you is within 24–48 hours after completing your interview.

A grad school interviewer will often interview several candidates in anticipation for the upcoming semester. Email them any later and your email may be out of context from the interview haze. Or worse, the interviewer may get the impression that you are inconsiderate or forgetful.

The clock starts ticking as soon as you leave the interview, but don’t let this timeframe rush you to send a poorly written email. Take some time to evaluate your performance, and make notes on interesting talking points. The following list is a good starting point for compiling ideas.

• What interested you about the degree program
• Some of the strongest answers you had given
• Any information the interviewer provided that stuck with you

This isn’t all of the information that you should put in your thank you email. Keep reading to learn about essential thank you email components.

Information to Include in Your Thank You Email

The point of your post-grad school interview email is to thank the interviewer.

A generic thank you email is inauthentic and won’t cut it, here. Grad school interviewers will often interview several candidates in a small period of time. You must insert unique identifiers that’ll make your interview memorable.

In addition to the notes that you took post-interview, consider adding the following notes to your grad school interview thank you email.

• Elaborate on why you are thankful for the interview
• Show appreciation for the interviewer’s time
• Restate your interest in their grad school program
• Give one fact about why you would make a good candidate

You’re well on your way to writing a thank you email. Review the samples below to guide your writing process.

Winning Grad School Interview Thank You Email Samples

Once you’ve compiled a few talking points, you’re ready to write your thank you email. Don’t be overwhelmed by the task! The email doesn’t have to be a thesis—a few short paragraphs will do. Below we have listed some examples that you can personalize instead of simply copy and pasting.

Sample Grad School Interview Thank You Email #1

Dear Dr. LaCroix,

I wanted to reach out and thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to interview me for the Creative Writing Program at Northwestern Arizona University. I appreciate that you were able to go over some of the aspects of the program which make it unique. The most appealing part of the Creative Writing Program that you shared with me is working with publishing houses based in NYC.

Your advice on having me submit more of my creative writing to larger publications helped motivate me to get my work to a wider audience. I enjoyed your feedback on my writing style, and I believe that I would be an ideal candidate for Northwestern Arizona University’s program due to my dedication to the art of storytelling. I look forward to hearing from you once final decisions are made. Once again, thank you for the opportunity to interview with you.

The beginning of this letter starts with thanking the interviewer, then explains specifically what the student was thankful for. The student also touched on specific aspects of the interview so that the recipient would remember the student. The email ends with a call to action and restates the thank you.

Sample Grad School Interview Thank You Email #2

Dear Dr. Scheibel,

I wanted to thank you for generously considering me for the Masters of Biology program at MIT. I know that you have a busy schedule, and I appreciate your time interviewing me and sharing some of what makes MIT unique.

The interview with you shed some light on what I can expect in the program. I especially like how MIT has biology research labs on-site and opportunities for internships. I believe that my background in working in a biomedical research lab for the past two years has prepared me for the next step in my career, which is obtaining my graduate degree to study microbial diseases.

Again, thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you on your final decision.

Again, the sample grad school thank you email opens with a thank you. The opening also acknowledges that the interviewer has a busy schedule and is doing you a favor by taking the time to interview you. The email further mentions a specific program detail that the interviewee likes and why. The letter ends with why they would be a good candidate and thanking the interviewer. The call to action motivates the interviewer to maintain contact with the writer.

Sample Grad School Interview Thank You Email #3

Dear Dr. Roderick,

I hoped to reach out and thank you for talking with me about the opportunity to study mathematics at UCLA’s Mathematics Graduate Program. Your dedication to interviewing me with your busy schedule shows me how concerned UCLA is with considering candidates for their graduate programs.

Thank you for explaining how the library at UCLA has its own collection of mathematic resources that I could use while studying. Because of my experience in tutoring math at the undergraduate level, I think that I would be able to accomplish my dream of teaching mathematics at a university.

I am happy to have learned more about the program and hope to hear from you when final decisions are made.

The opening paragraph is focused on thanking the interviewer and why the writer is thankful. The second paragraph details a few of the interviewer’s talking points to show that the writer was paying attention during the interview. The author then writes a background sentence on why they should be admitted to the graduate program. The last paragraph summarizes the grad school interview thank you in just one sentence.

Connect with the Best Resources for Grad School Interviews

Whether you are at the point of sending out that professional thank you letter after your grad school interview or still going through the process of interviewing, InterviewFocus has the tools you need to make the best impression possible.

Future graduate students already know the definition of hard work and dedication. This also translates to how much effort and preparation you put into an upcoming grad school interview. With InterviewFocus, you can take advantage of their mock interviews , which give you personalized feedback on your eye contact, filler words and even facial expressions.

Get interview ready for graduate school with InterviewFocus !

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

About the author: featured.

Related Articles

Highlighting Internships & Projects: 15 Tips for Students with Limited Experience

51381 Apr 16th, 2024 / 3 mins for reading / 12

Highlighting Internships & Projects: 15 Tips for Students with Limited Experience Navigating the job market with limited work experience can be daunting for college students, ...

How to Align Career Goals With Company Vision in Interviews

51020 Apr 3rd, 2024 / 3 mins for reading / 164

How to Align Career Goals With Company Vision in Interviews When stepping into an interview, aligning your career aspirations with the company's vision can be ...

How To Deal With The “What Are Your Weaknesses” Interview Question

50709 Mar 26th, 2024 / 3 mins for reading / 195

How To Deal With The "What Are Your Weaknesses" Interview Question Navigating the tricky terrain of the “What are your weaknesses?” interview question can be ...

FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW AND WE WILL EMAIL YOU OUR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW TIPS CHECKLIST

Questions or Comments

Asking for a recommendation letter from a PhD supervisor

Letters of recommendation are required for many applications, and PhD supervisors are often asked to provide these letters to PhD students. How you ask your PhD supervisor, what support you provide, and how you deal with a difficult supervisor relationship, matters for the quality of recommendation letters.

Reasons to need a recommendation letter from a PhD supervisor

Asking for a recommendation letter from a phd supervisor in person, asking for a recommendation letter from a phd supervisor via email, offering to provide a draft when asking for a recommendation letter from a phd supervisor, dos and don’ts when asking your phd supervisor for a recommendation letter, dealing with a difficult relationship when needing a recommendation letter from a phd supervisor.

There are various reasons to need a recommendation letter from a PhD supervisor. First, there are job applications.

PhD supervisors usually are some of the people who work most closely with a PhD student. Therefore, their opinion and feedback are valued for both academic and non-academic job applications.

However, especially for academic applications (such as postdoctoral positions), the PhD supervisor’s assessment of the student’s academic quality tends to be highly valued by application committees.

Letters of recommendation are often required for scholarship, grant and bursary applications. As many PhD students rely on these funding sources, a good recommendation letter from the PhD supervisor is really important in these instances.

Often, the recommendation letter is, next to the PhD student’s motivation letter, a key factor of success that can accelerate or slow down a PhD student’s career.

Recommendation letters from PhD supervisors are important, and a lot is riding on them. So how do you ask for a letter? The best and easiest way is in person.

Things to consider when asking for a letter of recommendation in person:

• Timing: If you have a job or grant application in mind, it is important to mention it to your PhD supervisor well in advance. Avoid asking for a recommendation letter last minute at all costs!
• Requirements: Tell your PhD supervisor about your application plans, and ask if he/she is willing to write a recommendation letter. Be specific about the requirements (length, points to cover, deadline, etc.) of the letter, so that your PhD supervisor knows exactly what to expect.
• Content: Letters of recommendation should never be generic. Therefore, always suggest key points to include in the letter. Don’t be shy. Providing direction in terms of the content of the letter makes it easier for your PhD supervisor to complete the task, and ensures that each recommendation letter is tailored to the specific application. And it does not mean that your PhD supervisor has to take over all your suggestions.
• Email confirmation: PhD supervisors tend to be busy, and they may forget about your letter. Even after agreeing that your PhD supervisor writes a recommendation letter for you, make sure to put this agreement, including the deadline and key points to include, into writing by sending an email.
• Friendly reminder: If you have not received your recommendation letter and your deadline is approaching, send a friendly reminder. Acknowledge that your supervisor is probably very busy, thank him/her for supporting you, and once again offer to help with drafting the actual letter.

Not all PhD students see their supervisors regularly and have the opportunity to ask for a recommendation letter in person. You can also ask for a recommendation letter via email.

When asking for a recommendation letter via email, it is extremely important to be concrete and concise.

The main reason for this is that you cannot explain elaborately what the application is about, why you need to letter or answer any direct questions when you ask your supervisor via email. And you don’t want your request to drown in an essay-long email.

Things to consider when asking for a letter of recommendation via email:

• Email subject: Make sure to be explicit about your request in the email subject. For instance: “Kind request for a recommendation letter for x application”.
• Purpose: Start your email by explaining why you need a recommendation letter in 2-3 sentences. Instead of talking about all the details, you can attach the job description or call for applications to your email, and simply refer to it in text.
• Content: Letters of recommendation should never be generic. Therefore, be explicit about the requirements of the application, and suggest key points to include in the letter. Don’t be shy. Providing direction in terms of the content of the letter makes it easier for your PhD supervisor to complete the task, and ensures that each recommendation letter is tailored to the specific application. And it does not mean that your PhD supervisor has to take over all your suggestions.

If you are struggling to formulate such an email, have a look at 5 sample emails asking for letter of recommendation from a professor.

You may also like: Sample emails asking for letter of recommendation from a professor

Having students write their draft letters of recommendation is a widespread practice in academia. While it may seem weird at first, offering to provide a draft recommendation letter about yourself can be a good idea.

Some PhD supervisors are of course completely committed to their supervisees and will take the time to write a unique, tailor-made recommendation letter each time they are asked to do so.

In reality, however, PhD supervisors are extremely busy and get multiple requests for recommendation letters regularly. Not only from PhD students but also from bachelor bachelor’s and master’s students.

Providing a draft letter, or key points to include or highlight, can ensure that the recommendation letter is on point, and addresses all relevant aspects of the application.

Therefore, many supervisors will request a draft version from you anyways. Many others will appreciate your offer of writing a first draft. Editing and adding opinions here and there is much easier for PhD supervisors than writing a recommendation letter from scratch.

In my experience, the chance that a PhD supervisor agrees writing a recommendation letter is much higher when the PhD student offers the provision of a draft.

You may also like: 3 sample recommendation letters for brilliant students

To summarise the information above, here are the key dos and don’ts when asking your PhD supervisor for a letter of recommendation.

• Ask your supervisor for a recommendation letter well in advance of the application deadline
• Be clear about the purpose and requirements for the letter
• Offer to write a draft letter yourself, or to provide key points to include
• Give your PhD supervisor a concrete deadline
• Ensure that each recommendation letter is tailored to the specific application
• Ask your supervisor last minute, or too close to the deadline
• Be vague about the content that you’d like to have included in the letter
• Leave the content of the letter entirely up to your supervisor
• Expect your supervisor to remember the letter and the dates of submission
• Submit a generic letter of recommendation as part of your application

Not every PhD student has a good or convivial relationship with his or her PhD supervisor/s. Thus, there may be some difficult situations.

If you think that your PhD supervisor will not put a lot of effort into the letter (because of a lack of time or interest), you can often mitigate the situation by providing a good draft. Make sure to inquire first if they are okay with you providing a draft. You cannot control the content of the final letter, but you can certainly steer it.

If you think your PhD supervisor will provide a very negative recommendation letter, it is better not to ask for one. Most applications do not explicitly ask for a recommendation letter from the PhD supervisor. So try to ask someone else, for instance, a good colleague, the head of the department, or someone else you collaborate with.

If you have a bad relationship with your PhD supervisor but your application explicitly asks for a letter of recommendation letter from that PhD supervisor, you have two options:

• Do include the recommendation letter of the PhD supervisor, even if it is a negative one, and provide an additional explanation about your relationship. Furthermore, provide positive recommendation letters from other people, even if they are not required, to counterbalance the negative opinion of the PhD supervisor.
• Do not include a recommendation letter from the PhD supervisor, even if the application requires one. Explain why you decided not to include this specific recommendation letter, and provide alternatives.

The latter two scenarios are not ideal and should be a last resort.

Get new content delivered directly to your inbox!

Subscribe and receive Master Academia's quarterly newsletter.

10 signs of a bad PhD supervisor

Sample emails to your thesis supervisor, related articles.

How to write a literature review introduction (+ examples)

Major revisions: Sample peer review comments and examples

Co-authorship guidelines to successfully co-author a scientific paper

10 qualities of successful postgraduate students