We can always do with saying thank you to our professors. After all, they do a lot for us to help us get through the academic year.
But how do you go about writing a thank-you email to your professor?
This article will provide some sample emails to show you how to send a thank-you email to a professor.
How to Write a Thank-You Email to Your Professor
The first thing you need to know is the basics. It’s worth having a list prepared to remind you of what to say when writing a thank-you email to your professor.
Check it out:
- Thank them in the subject line
- Address them politely
- Say “thank you” in the opening sentence
- Let them know what impact they’ve had on you
- Close the email politely
- Sign your name
Of course, you might want to thank your professors for plenty of reasons. You should be polite in your emails and tell them how much they mean to you.
Your professors will be flattered to receive a thank-you email. So, now you just need to know how to write a thank-you email to a professor.
We’ve provided email examples for each major situation (including a subject line) to show you how to thank a professor in an email.
- Thank-you email after acceptance
- Thank-you email at the end of the semester
- Thank-you email for extension
- Thank-you email for replying
- Thank-you email for letter of recommendation
- Thank-you email for help
- Thank-you email for meeting
- Thank-you email for a grade
Thank-You Email after Acceptance
Firstly, let’s start with an acceptance letter. If your professor has accepted you into a course or helped you get accepted into something, it’s worth thanking them for it.
Professors always welcome thank-you emails from students. Even if they haven’t met you yet, it’s worth thanking them so you can build a good relationship early.
Also, professors are likely to respond to an acceptance email if you word it politely. Start with “thank you” and continue to talk about why you’re so excited about your acceptance.
Check out these sample emails to see how to use it:
Subject: Thanks for the Acceptance Letter
Dear Professor Willis,
Thank you for the acceptance letter, and I’m excited to start this course. I will ensure to put my best effort into it.
All the best,
Elliot Roberts
Subject: Thank You For Acceptance
Dear Professor Short,
I really appreciate the acceptance letter. I can’t wait to start working with you and see how things go.
Kind regards,
Sammy Weiss
Thank-You Email at the End of the Semester
Everyone looks forward to the end of the semester. But don’t forget to thank your professor and their teaching skills for getting you through another one! You owe them a lot, after all.
We recommend sending a thank-you email at the end of the semester for a few reasons.
Firstly, if you’ve just finished a course, a thank-you email will show your professor how grateful you are to learn from them.
Secondly, if you are close to your graduation ceremony, a thank-you email is your last chance to thank your professor. Don’t miss out on the opportunity!
You can also check out these example emails to help you:
Subject: Thanks for a Great Semester
Dear Professor Winkly,
Thank you for all of your help this semester. You’ve taught me so much during this course.
Kind regards,
Jonathan Pinkerton
Subject: Thank You for All Your Help
Dear Professor Kingsnorth,
Thanks for all the amazing classes you took this year. I couldn’t have asked for a better professor.
Yours,
Robert Adams
Thank-You Email for Extension
Are you wondering how to thank a professor for an extension email? If they came through and are okay with accepting late work, you need to thank them! After all, you had to ask them to extend the deadline.
You should say thank you for getting an extension on an assignment. It shows you appreciate the thoughtfulness of your professor. They didn’t have to do you a favor but chose to do so to make life easier for you.
Start with a simple “thank you.” Then, you can build on it throughout the email by explaining that the extension has alleviated your stress.
Perhaps these email examples will help you with it:
Subject: Thanks for the Deadline Extension
Dear Professor Jenkins,
Thank you for the extension on my deadline. I’ve been really struggling to get it completed on time.
All the best,
Bex Bell
Subject: Thank You For Extending My Deadline
Dear Professor Abridged,
I really appreciate you extending my deadline until Friday. That has taken so much pressure off me.
Yours,
Samantha Walker
Thank-You Email for Replying
You don’t have to thank a professor for replying, but it could show that you are polite and respectful. It’s one of the least important reasons to thank someone, but it still comes in handy when you need it.
We recommend using this when you ask a question and need a response quickly. It shows you appreciate your professor taking time out of their schedule to help answer your query.
These email samples will also help you with it:
Subject: I Appreciate Your Swift Response
Dear Professor Jones,
Thank you for responding so quickly. I was not expecting to hear back from you until the start of next week.
Kind regards,
Karl Margaret
Subject: Thank You for Getting Back to Me
Dear Professor Francais,
I appreciate your quick response, as it’s helped in answering questions that I had.
All the best,
Sarah Copley
Thank-You Email for Letter of Recommendation
We’re always happy to show you how to say thank you to a professor. After all, there are so many reasons why you might need to.
This time, let’s say you need to thank a professor for a reference. You should be clear and direct in your email. Let them know that you really appreciate what they said in a recommendation letter.
It’ll go a long way to building a good relationship with your professor, after all.
Here are a few email samples to show you how to use it if you’re still unsure:
Subject: Thank You for Your Reference
Dear Professor Tone,
I want to thank you for your letter of recommendation. I read it and am flattered that you said those things about me.
All the best,
Fiona Tateson
Subject: Thanks for the Reference!
Dear Professor Willis,
Thank you so much for your recommendation letter. I have a much better chance of getting this job now.
Yours,
Suzanna Beaner
Thank-You Email for Help
Professors should always be there to help you. Whether you need them for work, school, or personal reasons, you can always reach out and see what they can do to help!
If your professor has helped you recently, you should thank them. Start with a simple phrase that highlights your appreciation.
From there, you can explain how their help impacted you (depending on the situation). It will let them know that they’ve positively and profoundly impacted your life.
You can also refer to these email examples if you’re still stuck:
Subject: I Appreciate All Your Help
Dear Professor Charleston,
Thank you for your feedback and guidance over this period. I certainly couldn’t have done any of this without you.
All the best,
Ellie Morgan
Subject: Thanks For Your Advice
Dear Professor O’Connor,
I really appreciate all the time you spent helping and guiding me this year. I owe whatever comes next in my life to you, of course.
Thank you so much,
Philippa Walters
Thank-You Email for Meeting
Have you had a good meeting with your professor? Perhaps they advised you on your next steps in life, or you met with them after an interview to let them know how it went.
Whatever the case, you may want to send them an email to thank them for taking the time to meet with you. After all, professors can have quite busy schedules. If they’ve met you during their work hours, they likely put something important aside to do so.
Start with “thank you.” It’s simple, but you can’t go wrong with it. We also recommend explaining what you took away from the meeting to let them know how well they helped you.
You may also want to refer to these email samples:
Subject: Thanks for Listening to Me
Dear Professor Monroe,
Thank you for your time during the meeting on Friday. I’m certainly glad you listened to what I had to say.
All the best,
Charlie Proud
Subject: Thank You For Your Guidance
Dear Professor Adams,
I really appreciate your taking the time to meet with me after my interview. After all, you helped to put things into perspective.
Thank you so much,
Russell Knock
Thank-You Email for a Grade
There are two main reasons you might thank a professor for a grade. Firstly, they might have given you a good grade for an assignment. Of course, you might owe that to their excellent teaching, so you should thank them for it.
Secondly, you might have asked for your grade to change. Upon review, your professor may have agreed to change your grade. It’s worth thanking them in this instance if it means you get a better grade overall.
Check out the following examples to see how to use it:
Subject: Thanks For Helping Me Get This Grade
Dear Professor Mortimer,
I owe you a lot because you helped me achieve this grade. I wouldn’t have done nearly as well without your guidance!
Kind regards,
Sara Roper
Subject: I Appreciate the Second Chance
Dear Professor Owen,
Thank you for changing my grade from yesterday. I certainly appreciate you listening to me and changing grades accordingly.
Yours,
Woody Bergmount
Should You Send a Thank-You Email to a Professor?
Of course, you should send a thank-you email to your professor. If you have something to say thank you for, why not reach out and let them know?
Generally, the chances are they will appreciate your email. They may even respond to show you how touched they are.
Even if they didn’t want or expect a thank-you email, that’s okay. In the event that your professor doesn’t want you to say thank you, they probably won’t respond to your email. There’s no harm in that.
But, if we review the different situations in this article, we’ll be able to break down when you should (and shouldn’t) thank your professor.
Generally, thank your professor for important landmarks. For example:
- After an acceptance
- At the end of the semester
- Extending a deadline
- Writing a letter of recommendation
- Meeting with you
- Giving or changing a grade
You do not have to thank your professor in the following cases:
- If they replied to your email
- If they provided minor help with your studies
Although, all of this is very dependent on you and your preferences. You can thank a professor for absolutely anything if you’d like to! We will not discourage that.