Student Reference Requests

Reading Time: 8 minutes

Have you ever been approached by a student requesting that you serve as a professional or academic reference for them?  

If so, you may have felt a mix of emotions. If the request comes from a student you know well, who has a solid work ethic, and has proven their commitment and expertise in your course, you might feel honoured to have been asked and pleased to support them. But if the request comes from a student you’ve not had an opportunity to get to know—who hasn’t shown up to class regularly or has submitted substandard work, you might feel confused, used, and/or pressure to serve as a reference if they seem not to have any other options.   

This hub post will outline: 

1. reasons why students might approach you to be a reference  

2. suggestions about how to set proactive boundaries about these requests before they actually occur 

3. advice on how to make the process as smooth as possible

At the end of this post, you’ll also see some example email templates and spoken scripts you’re welcome to use with your own students.  

Why students might approach you to be a reference 

There are several reasons students might request you to be a reference for them if they are applying for a job or to other post-secondary programs that require references.  

• In the best-case scenario, a student making this request will know you well, have attended class regularly, turned in high-quality assignments on time, and have good reason to believe you’d be well-equipped and willing to speak to future employers or academic admissions teams about their potential.  

• In other cases, students might have limited options. They may be new to Canada, for example, and not have had any previous education or work experience in this country. Many employers or academic institutions often require 2 or 3 credible Canadian references and this can be a real challenge for international students in particular who often have limited connections in Canada and may need to find a job rather quickly to help pay for rent and groceries etc. Even if you’ve not yet gotten to know all of your students well, you may be one of the only adult/authority figures familiar to them and if you’ve exhibited a compassionate, supportive demeanor in class, they might view you as someone willing to help them out.  

• Some very thought-provoking literature on the topic (Manango, 2024) also highlights how certain students—especially international students, may be drawn to faculty members from the same cultural background(s), especially if these faculty members share in class that they were once international students themselves. In these cases, students may believe these Instructors would feel compelled to help them because of their identity and/or experiences. This is often very taxing for these faculty members who need to decide whether or not to take on this invisible (and often emotional) labour more frequently than their colleagues. In some cases, students may not even realize that the faculty members they are requesting assistance from might work at the college just part-time and might not have the hours in the day to take on this extra unpaid work (Henry & Tator, 2012; Manango, 2024; McGill, 2019).   

How to be proactive about reference requests at the start of the semester

One way to set boundaries at the start of the semester is to let students know on the first or second day of class about your feelings related to serving as a reference. Some faculty members have found storytelling an effective technique. For example, you might say something like:  

I’d like to share something with you, as we have many more weeks of class together ahead of us. I recognize that many of you are here because this course and your program at Conestoga are steppingstones towards rewarding careers or future studies. Please know, I want to support you as much as I can with these endeavors. I am always happy to answer questions you may have or to offer advice. But, as someone who has worked in the _______ industry for many years, integrity is also very important to me, and I have run into instances in past teaching semesters where students who I didn’t get to know (because they rarely came to class or participated in discussions, and never showed up to my office hours etc.) ended up asking me to be a reference for them when applying for a job. I want to let you know now that I will not be able, in good faith, to do this for any of you if I do not know you well enough to speak honestly about your character and capabilities. The good news is that when there have been students I’ve gotten to know very well over the semester and it’s clear to me that they are committed and capable and always seeking to learn and grow (as demonstrated by coming to class regularly, asking questions about the lessons in class or during my office hours, pouring time and energy into course assignments) I’ve been more than happy to have myself listed as a reference on these students’ applications. In some cases, when there have been exceptional students in my classes, I’ve even helped facilitate industry connections and pointed them toward job openings in the field, offering myself as a reference.  

If you do share something to this effect with students at the start of the semester, hold true to your word. Having students know that demonstrating a strong intention to learn in your class may lead to additional career-related connections and support may incentivize some of them to prioritize attending class over competing demands. 

Facilitating the process

If you do feel comfortable and are willing and able to carve out the time to serve as a reference for a student, here are some tips that can help facilitate the process:  

– Ask the student to email you a detailed description of the job posting/ academic program they are applying to as well as a list of the reasons why they are hoping to get this job/ continue their studies.  

– Request a copy of the student’s CV and ask them to highlight key areas they’d like to you mention in your reference letter/ phone call. If you feel their CV needs some improvement, you might provide some feedback yourself on this to assist with their success, and/ or point them towards Conestoga Career Centre as a resource.  

– If they are applying for further post-secondary studies, you may also request to review their letter of intent/ research proposal or additional materials associated with their application to get a better sense of how they are positioning themselves and the work/research they hope to do in that program.  

– Ask the student who the other references are (no need to get specific names, of course), but it would be helpful to know if you’re the only academic reference and if they’d like for you to speak specifically about their assignment quality, class attendance or participation record, or capacity to think critically and creatively etc. that other references (former managers etc.) may not be equipped to discuss.  

– If you have very limited time, but do want to support a certain student, you may even ask them to draft a rough copy/ share point form notes that they would like for you to include in your letter and then you can use this as a basis and edit accordingly before signing to help speed up the process.  

Scripts and Templates

Even if you do not feel comfortable/ able to be a reference for a student, you can still be supportive and caring in your response. Try using the “sandwich” model—open on a positive note, then share the news that is likely to disappoint them, and then close with an encouraging comment.  

When you feel unable to provide the requested reference:  

Dear,  ______ It’s always nice to hear from you and I thank you for requesting my assistance to serve as a reference with your _____ application. It sounds like a really neat program/ job and I am glad to hear you’re pursuing it! Unfortunately, at this time I will not be able to be a reference for you. Given that (you’ve rarely attended class and I’ve not yet had an opportunity to get to know you as a person, or see how you interact with peers/ contribute to the classroom community etc./ haven’t yet submitted work that helps me gauge your commitment to the course or competence in the field), I don’t believe I’m the best person, nor do I feel equipped to serve as a reference for you. I do wish you all the best with this application/ interview process. Please let me know how things go or if you feel there is any other sort of guidance/ support I can provide. As a reminder, my office hours are ________.  

Best wishes,  

______________________________________________

If you’re unsure of whether or not you’d like to be a student’s reference, you may want to ask some additional questions. In many cases, the way students respond (or don’t!) will help you decide whether or not you are willing and able to serve as a good reference for them.  

Dear, _______.  

I appreciate you reaching out to me. This sounds like an interesting opportunity for you and I appreciate you asking me to serve as a reference. Before I decide whether or not I’m well-suited, I have a few additional questions:  

• Why do you feel I’d be a good fit to serve as an academic reference for you? (Why did you ask me instead of some of your other professors?)  

• What are some of the things you’re hoping I’d highlight about you in my reference letter? How have you demonstrated these things to me in class or via your submitted work?  

______________________________

What if you tell students “no” but receive pushback? (E.g. an international student claiming they have no other options, they plead with you to serve as a reference, make things personal by bringing in your own cultural identity or experience).  

Dear, _______ 

I’m sorry to hear that you’re disappointed by my response and feel you don’t have anyone else who can serve as a reference for you. I know it can feel very frustrating when you are so eager to get Canadian work experience, but seem to need Canadian references to progress to the interview stage. As you noted, I did live something similar when I arrived in Canada as an international student and remember how challenging that felt. As I mentioned, at this point in time, I am not able to serve as a reference for you because I’ve not yet seen sufficient evidence of your work ethic, contributions to the classroom community etc. and so if I were to speak honestly with those who contacted me on your behalf, it would likely not reflect well on you, and I’m not comfortable being put in that position. When I faced similar struggles as a newcomer to Canada, I remember deliberately making efforts to forge strong relationships with my professors. I’d attend office hours regularly to discuss course material and follow-up with class discussions (as I wasn’t always comfortable speaking up in class in front of my peers). I’d also communicate with my professors about assignment expectations well before due dates approached to show my engagement with the materials and commitment to improving and applying their suggestions. I would be happy to support you in these ways and would like to remind you that my office hours are _________ . This is designated time each week where I have gotten to know many students in the class quite well and I’d encourage you to attend when you’re able too. If that hour doesn’t work with your schedule, you’re always welcome to email me and we can set up another time to meet and discuss. I do wish you all the best with this application process.  

While students undoutedly appreciate when faculty members agree to serve as references for them, this task is above and beyond your regular work (i.e. not a college expectation) and so it is important to remember that you are allowed to set your own parameters about if and when you agree to do this favour for them. It is also important that you feel you’re able to speak honestly when called upon as a reference for a particular student so as to maintain your own and the college’s integrity.

References

Henry, F., Tator, C. (2012) Interviews with Racialized Faculty Members in Canadian Universities. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 44 (2). pp 75-99.

Manango, J.C. (2024) April 24. Who else would help you? How racialized faculty and graduate students navigate systemic racism together. The Ubyssey. Retrieved from: https://ubyssey.ca/features/faculty-graduate-students-navigate-systemic-racism/

McGill, Craig M. (2019) The Profesionalization of Academic Advising. Nacada Journal, Vol 39 (1). pp.89-100.