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Ph.D. Letter Service

PLEASE REVIEW POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND FEE BREAKDOWN CAREFULLY BEFORE REGISTERING!

Purpose and Eligibility

How to Establish a File

How to Add Letters of Recommendation to Your Account

Confidential vs. Non-Confidential

How to Request Your Letters to be Sent

Updating Your Account

Letter Service Fees

Waiver Option Form (PDF)

Letter Service Account Log-In

The Ph. D. Letter Service is an official repository for letters of recommendation supporting application for academic employment. This service is of valuable assistance for students and alumni who want to apply to numerous institutions, ease the burden on letter writers and be assured of the confidentiality and prompt mailing of their letters.

We will send your letters to educational institutions and fellowship granting organizations to support your academic and career objectives. The service is available to all enrolled students and alumni of the University of California, Santa Cruz. All letters received by the service become the property of the University of California.

You should obtain recommendations from individuals who can write a credible statement regarding your qualifications for educational employment. It is important that letter writers know you well, think well of you and are willing to write a thoughtful appraisal of your qualifications.

Candidates for academic employment should follow the advice of their department advisors regarding the number of letters needed for their academic specialty. Thesis and dissertation committee members can also provide information and assistance.

Letter Service clients who registered on or after July 1, 2009:
Original letters of reference are kept for four (4) years after registration date after which the file is destroyed on July 1. All agreements will expire July 1, 2013, and be subject to renewal only if available.*

Letter Service clients who registered before July 1, 2009:
Original letters of reference are kept for up to five (5) years after the file's last activity (payments received, letters received or letters sent). However, all agreements will expire July 1, 2013, and be subject to renewal only if available.*

*Clients who anticipate needing their letters past July 1, 2013, also have the option of registering with Interfolio (a similar letter service not affiliated with UC Santa Cruz). Letters on file at the Career Center can be transferred to Interfolio at any time. For information about Interfolio's different membership options and policies, please refer to http://www.interfolio.com.

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New clients please follow these instructions:

1. Read the Ph.D. Letter Service Policies, Procedures and fee breakdown carefully.


2. Go to the Ph.D. Letter Service Log-In Page, and follow the instruction on the left-hand side of the page for opening a new account.


3. If you need to pay the alumni annual fee or would like to make an advance payment for planned requests, click the "Make Payment" button on your account page to bring up the Ph.D. Letter Service payment form.


4. Print the payment form and send or bring your payment to the Career Center. Career Center fees are payable by cash or check. If paying by check, make your check payable to UC Regents. Career Center fees and funds deposited in accounts are non-refundable.

Existing Ph.D. Letter Service clients registering online for the first time, please follow these instructions:

1. Go to the Ph.D. Letter Service Log-In Page, and follow the instruction on the left-hand side of the page for opening a new account.


2. Check the box at the top of the registration form so we will know you are already a client.


3. After registering, contact the Letter Service Coordinator at (831) 459-2368 or letters@ucsc.edu. We will then update your account to show the letters you have on file as well as your payment information. You can then use the online system for all letter requests.

AFTER REGISTRATION, WE WILL:

1. Enter the letter writers' names in your online file as we receive your letters. Letters will be entered by 3:00 P.M. daily. You will receive a confirmation e-mail as new letters arrive.


2. Process requests daily and send confirmation e-mails as requests have been sent.


3. Provide open office hours at the Career Center to answer any questions. You may also send e-mail to letters@ucsc.edu or call 831-459-2368.

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You must establish a file before you begin asking individuals for recommendations.

You should provide each letter writer with a Waiver Option Form. This form indicates whether you desire the recommendation to be confidential and provides letter writers full details on how to submit their letter to the service. If a letter is received without a signed Waiver Form, the letter will be held as confidential. You may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print the form. If you cannot download the form, you may pick it up at the Career Center or have us e-mail it to you.

Letters can be mailed to the Career Center by US or campus mail (address found on the Waiver Option Form). Hand-delivered letters require a sealed envelope with the signature of the letter writer across the seal. Letters may also be e-mailed to letters@ucsc.edu ONLY IF the letter writer's official signature appears on the electronic copy.

You will receive confirmation e-mails as letters arrive. You can also verify which letters are in your file by logging-in to your account page.

If needed, letter writers may submit different letters for different purposes (e.g. one in support of academic employment, one in support of fellowships). Such letters will be clearly marked in your online account to avoid any confusion when making requests.

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The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 gives you the right to request confidential or non-confidential letters.

• Confidential means that you waive your right to see the letter. The Letter Service cannot show the letter to you or advise you of its contents. The Letter Service will maintain the confidentiality of a letter for the life of your file.


• Non-Confidential means that you retain your right to see the letter. The Letter Service will provide an unofficial copy to you at your request.

There are several factors that you should take into consideration when making your decision to waive or retain your right of access: the preference of the letter writer, the confidence you have in the letter writer, and the preference of the organization receiving the recommendation. It is important that you discuss this issue with your letter writers. Once we have received a letter, its confidentiality status cannot be changed unless a new letter and Waiver Option Form are submitted.

Due to a change in California law, recipients will be informed whether or not you waived your right to access the letter. Most faculty prefer to write confidential letters and may refuse to write non-confidential ones. Most letter service clients waive their right, but the choice is yours.

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You may only make a request once you have verified that the Letter Service has received your letters. Your Letter Service account profile will list letters currently on file. The volume of requests precludes us holding orders pending receipt of letters from letter writers.

The Letter Service processes orders on a first-come, first-served basis. Once we receive a request, we make official copies of the letters you have selected and send them with our official seal across the back flap of the envelope. During the busy season (October through February), you should allow up to five (5) business days for us to process your request after you submit it. During the rest of the year, it may only take between 1 and 3 business days.

If two working weeks have passed and you have not received confirmation that sent letters arrived at their destination, contact the institution directly. Obtain the name of the person with whom you spoke and submit a new request. We will re-send letters directly to that person at no additional charge.

All requests must be made online:

1. Log into your account, and click "Letter Requests" followed by "New Request."
2. Check the box of each letter you need sent.
3. Suppy the complete mailing address including the name of the institution.
4. Check the box for the delivery method you prefer.*
5. Click "Submit Request."
6. Repeat for each request.
7. We will send a confirmation e-mail when your request has been processed.
8. Your account will automatically be updated to show your new balance. If you need to make a payment:
   • Click on "Make Payment" on your account
   • Print the page and send in your payment as instructed to the Career Center. You can also add an advance payment for future mailings that will be deducted from your account as requests are processed. Checks should be made out to UC Regents. (Fee Details)

* If you are requesting that your file be sent overseas via FedEx, you must add the phone number of the recipient. Also, please note that FedEx cannot deliver to a P.O. Box.

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It is to your advantage to keep your account updated. Even if you are not actively seeking employment, it is advisable to keep the Career Center informed of your current contact information, especially your e-mail address.

To update your account:

• Log-in to your account
• Click on "Personal Information"
• Edit information as needed and submit

Letter writers may also send in updates of their letters as needed. All updates will be clearly noted in your account so as to avoid confusion when submitting requests.

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Career Center fees and funds deposited in accounts are non-refundable.

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PLEASE NOTE: We closely monitor the use of the Ph.D. Letter Service to insure that high ethical standards are maintained. We take positive steps to verify the authenticity of letters. Forgeries, efforts to obtain access to waived letters and other questionable practices by users of the service will be investigated and, when appropriate, brought to the attention of proper campus authorities or graduate/professional schools.

Contact the Letter Service Coordinator at letters@ucsc.edu or 831-459-2368 with any further questions.

Policies and procedures are subject to change without notice.

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