Submit a Letter of Recommendation (For Letter Writers)
When a letter of recommendation (LOR) is requested, an email will be sent notifying the letter writer of the request. After receiving a request, the letter can be uploaded directly to Interfolio, or if the requester has provided a document request form, the letter can be mailed to Interfolio. When a letter is requested, a free Dossier account is created. The Interfolio Dossier account does not need to be used to upload letters of recommendation to Interfolio, but it is recommended to organize, track, store, and send all of the recommendation and evaluation requests.
Some organizations require signatures be added to letters of recommendation, including letters submitted electronically. Please check to make sure the letter is signed if the requester has indicated that a signature is required.
Check out this article Overview of Accepted File Types for more information on accepted LOR file types.
Submit LOR
1. Navigate to Request Details from the Upload Letter button.
- Click Upload Letter in the request for a recommendation email.
Note that if you do not see the blue Upload Letter button, you may need to update your browser.
- If you're already logged into your Interfolio account, navigate to Letters > Letters to Write > Request Details
2. Accept or Decline Request
i. The Request Details page will display.
Request Detail | Information |
---|---|
Due By | If the requester has set a due date for the request, it will appear here. |
Recommendation Type | Indicates the purpose of the recommendation and the type of letter needed. |
Opportunity Description | If the recommendation is for a particular opportunity, a link or text description will appear here. |
Message | If the requester includes a message with the request, the text will appear here |
Documents | If documents are attached to the request, click View Documents to read the files online, or click Download to download it to your computer |
ii. Click Accept or Decline. Choose to accept the request and begin the process of writing and submitting a letter, or decline the request. This decision can be reverted.
The requester will be informed of either decision when they check the status of the request in their Dossier account.
3. Upload Supporting Materials and Submit
- There may be attached files to review. View the files under the Supporting Materials section.
- Click Select File for Upload to upload and submit the LOR.
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Browse To Upload or Drag & Drop to upload recommendations.
Check out this article Overview of Accepted File Types for more information on accepted LOR file types.
- Click Submit Recommendation when finished.
- A confirmation screen will appear.
Using Interfolio's Dossier service is not required to submit letters, but a free account is created when a user requests a letter through the Interfolio Dossier system.
- A confirmation screen will appear.
Manage LOR
Revert Decision
Revert Decision to Accept or Decline a Letter Request (for Letter Writers)
If the due date for the requested LOR has not passed, you can revert your decision to accept or decline the request.
Revert Decision to Accept or Decline a Letter Request
- Access the request either by selecting Upload Letter from the emailed request you received or by logging in to your Interfolio account.
- Navigate to Letters > Letters to Write.
- By default, the filter is set to display pending letter requests (requests that have been accepted or no decision has been made.) Change the filter to Declined to find a requests you previously declined. Select View Details next to the letter.
- Select the I've changed my mind link to revert your decision.
Replace Letter
Check out this article on how to Replace or Update Letters for further direction on the next steps to take.
FAQ
Can the requester view the content of my letter?
Can the Applicant/Candidate View the Content of a Letter of Recommendation?
If the request is for a confidential letter of recommendation, no, the applicant or candidate will never be able to view the content of the letter. Applicants/Candidates can view the following information for confidential letters of recommendation:
- The status of the request (requested, pending, completed, or declined) on the Letters and Materials page of their Dossier account. If the request is completed, they will also see the date and time the letter was uploaded.
- If the applicant/candidate clicks “view details” for the confidential letter, they will see the following screen:
If the request is for a non-confidential letter of recommendation, the applicant or candidate will be able to view the content of the letter. Whether the request is for a confidential or non-confidential letter will be shown in the emailed request and under Type on the Letters to Write page when uploading your letter.
Interfolio performs quality checks on all letters for our upgraded Dossier Deliver users. If we find an issue with a letter, we will reach out to the applicant. Read more about the quality check process here.
The Letter Writer did not receive the letter of recommendation request. How can I resend the request?
Check out this article on how to Send and Manage Letter of Recommendation Requests for further guidance on how to resend a letter of recommendation request.