The Online Letter of Recommendation

The online letter of recommendation process is the system preferred by most departments.

Enter the name and information for your recommenders in the online application. You must include a valid e-mail address for each recommender. Check with your recommenders beforehand to ensure that you have their correct email address and check your data entry for accuracy.

After you add a recommender an email is automatically generated notifying them of: your request for a letter, your email address, the department to which you have applied, and your access decision.

The email contains a link to the letter of recommendation website. The first section of the site asks the recommender to verify their personal information. The second section allows for a ranking of your overall abilities. The third section allows for the upload of a letter of recommendation in PDF format.

Once the letter is submitted the recommender cannot access the letter again . The recommender receives a confirmation email notifying them that the recommendation has been received by UCSD. E-mails are also generated to you and the department as notification that a letter has been received.

Letter of Recommendation Management Site

To monitor the progress of your online letters go to the Application Management Page of the on-line application website and Click on the "Manage Recommendations" button. Here you can determine which letters have been received. From this site you can also send an e-mail reminder to recommenders.

If a recommender is not responding to your request you should check the e-mail address for accuracy and contact the recommender by telephone.

On the Manage Recommendations site you can also add recommenders. You cannot remove recommenders once they are listed.

In the event that you need to change a recommender's e-mail address, you must re-enter the recommender information in the additional spaces provided. It is not possible to change the e-mail address of the original entry.  

Paper Letters of Recommendation

If your recommenders prefer to use the paper letter of recommendation process, a paper form is available below. Give your recommenders two items:

•  The Paper Letter of Recommendation form

•  The Department Address

Paper Letter of Recommendation Form (http://ogs.ucsd.edu/Admissions/Apply/Documents/rec_letters.pdf)

For paper letters you must still complete the Recommendations section of the online application.  Enter the name and email address of each recommender, regardless of whether they will submit an online recommendation or a paper recommendation.  Each recommender added will receive an email containing a link to your waiver of access decision. Advise your recommenders that they should send the letter of recommendation directly to the department to which you are applying.