• Ask at least 2 - 3 months prior to the application deadline

• Professors
• Teachers Assistants with a professors approval and signature
• Employers / Internship supervisors

• Email or call first to see if the potential author would be willing to serve as a reference.
• If so, set up a meeting during their office hours.

• Confidential or Non-Confidential Authorization form (depending on what you chose when you opened your file)
• Brief cover letter including suggested deadline for mailing their letter to the RLS, your current contact information, what type of program you are applying for and a personal statement.
• Reference Letter Writing Guidelines

• You will receive a notification via email as soon as the RLS acquires a letter for your file.
• If you have not received a notification and your deadline is near, you may contact the RLS at careerletters@sa.ucsb.edu or you may need to contact your recommender to remind them to send the letter out.
• Write brief 'Thank you' notes to your references.

Help?

• How to ask for a reference letter