How to Email Your Professor

For some reason, professors are extremely difficult to get in touch with even though they are the gatekeepers for so many university processes.

This is your guide to emailing your professor -- written by a professor!

First of all, make sure you NEED to email your professor.

Scour the syllabus and course materials to be sure that the answer to your question is not listed somewhere.

Use the preferred platform indicated by the professor.

Your professor might have listed in the syllabus or shared in class the best way to contact them and you should stick to this method. For example, I always tell my students to message me through Canvas because it organizes my messages by course and makes it easier for me to respond to students' questions.

Email during M-F work hours.

You are most likely to get a response at this time. If you are doing your schoolwork at night or on the weekend, go ahead and write the email and then send it at a later date and time using the Schedule Send feature on Gmail.

Expect 48 hour turnaround time.

Be sure to send your email enough in advance so that you will get the response in time. Do not send your professor another email during this 48 hour window.

Use professional language.

Be clear, direct, and concise. Provide the context in 1-2 sentences and then pose your question. Be sure to proofread your email or have a friend look it over.

Greet and address your professor with the appropriate title.

If your professor has a Ph.D., Ed.D., M.D., etc., you should refer to them as Dr. ___, unless they have indicated otherwise. If not, you can use Professor or Mr./Ms. ___. If you are unsure, do a quick search to find their university profile. Be sure to greet them and indicate which course and section you are in.

Do not feel the need to divulge personal information unless your professor is someone you trust.

Try direct statements like these: “I am unable to attend class this week” “I am facing challenges completing this assignment in time. I would like to request an extension.”

No because needed! Not only can sharing your personal circumstances alter your professor’s perception of you, but more than likely they don’t deserve to be privy to your life!

If you need action from your professor, signal it in the title or body of your message.

You could write: Signature Needed or Meeting Request to call their attention. If possible, gather as much info as you can to make their part easier, and honestly, do all the work for them if you can!

If you haven’t heard back in a week, follow up with a gentle reminder.

Write a new email stating that you are following up and then include your previous email in the body of the text. If you are needing to move forward and cannot keep waiting for them, you could say, "If I don't hear from you by ___, I will be moving forward with ___." Remember - no one is as invested in your education as YOU so be your own advocate!