How to: Upload a Confidential Letter to an Online Application System
Users with a Dossier Deliver subscription can request to upload confidential letters of recommendation to an online application system. These types of deliveries are called Confidential Letter Uploads.
Only letters of recommendation that have already been received in your Dossier account can be used in a Confidential Letter Upload. See here for more information on requesting a confidential letter of recommendation through Interfolio.
Some online application systems will ask for the letter writer's contact information so that an email with a link can be sent to the writer to upload the letter to the application. Other online application systems provide a URL link to share with the letter writer that connects to a website where they can upload the letter. This article will show how to upload confidential letters to both types of online application systems.
Interfolio has a 1-4 day turnaround time from the point the request is received to upload the letter.
If an institution asks for contact information from the letter writer during the confidential letter upload process, an address for example, the Interfolio representative will enter Interfolio's contact information.
For medical and dental school applicants: This article will explain how to upload letters to the online application systems like AADSAS and AACOMAS.
1. Go to the Deliveries page
2. Click "New Delivery"
3. Select the Confidential Letter Upload delivery method
4. Select the method that the online application uses to request and receive letters of recommendation and click "Next"
Some online application systems ask for the letter writer's email address so an email containing a link can be sent to the writer to upload the letter to the application. Other online application systems provide a URL link to share with the letter writer that connects to a website where they can upload the letter.
Note that only letters of recommendation that have already been received in your Interfolio Dossier account can be used in a confidential letter upload. Interfolio will assign your letter of recommendation a unique email address that the letter will have permanently.
1. Select "You enter your recommenders' email address" and click "Next"
2. Select the letters you would like to send by clicking the checkbox next to the letter and then clicking "Continue"
3. Copy the document email address listed next to each letter
The email address for each letter can be copied by clicking the Copy button next to that letter.
3. Log into the online application system in another tab or window, and navigate to the location where the recommender's email address needs to be added, paste the unique email address in the field where the application asks for the recommender's email address.
Below is a sample from an online application system:
4. Submit your request to the online application system
5. Return to your Interfolio Dossier, click Continue
6. Once Interfolio receives the request from the Online Application System, a delivery will be created on the Deliveries page. Interfolio will process this confidential letter upload in approximately 1-4 days from receiving the request.
Depending on the system, it may take Interfolio a day or more to receive the request.
Some systems require the uploader to answer additional questions in order to upload a letter. Those questions will be left blank and N/A will be selected whenever possible. However, if the questions are required, we will cancel the request and notify you.
1. Select the "You Provide a Link To Your Recommenders" option
2. Enter the name of the organization or institution and the URL that was provided and click Next
3. Select the letters that need to be uploaded to the online application and click Continue
4. Review the Delivery Details, and click Submit Delivery
5. There will be a pop-up message that appears in the lower right side of your account confirming your letter upload request has been successfully submitted
The status of confidential letter uploads are listed on the Deliveries page under the Status column
Why is the confidential letter upload delivery not listed on the Deliveries page?
Occasionally, online application requests from third party application systems do not reach Interfolio. This can happen for a few reasons:
- The application hasn't processed your letter writer data yet, and therefore hasn't sent us a request yet
- The document email address was entered incorrectly
- A special character (like an accent) is preventing us from processing the email request correctly
- An error occurred within the third-party application
We recommend:
- Contact the Interfolio Scholar Advocate team at help@interfolio.com .
- If the request from the online application as not been received, re-request the letter on the application system
Please monitor pending deliveries closely and contact Scholar Services if an expected delivery is not listed.
