References
Online application
While your referees have until 11:59 p.m. MST on January 22 to provide their references, you must provide the names and contact information for your three referees within the online application.
Our system will auto-generate an email to each referee with a unique link to our online reference form after you submit your application.
By submitting your application, you are confirming that you have received consent from your referees.
Referee types
We prefer academic referees when assessing applications, because they can answer questions about their experience with you in an academic setting. An academic referee is someone who taught you at a post-secondary institution.
If you are unable to find academic referees, then you may choose to use professional referees. A professional referee is someone who has interacted with you in a professional capacity, such as an employer or an individual from an organization with which you have volunteered.
We understand that applicants who have been out of school for many years may find it hard to obtain academic referees, and so must choose professional referees.
If you are currently in an undergrad or graduate program, or recently graduated from post-secondary studies, you should choose academic referees. If you are applying to our PhD program, please include your Master’s thesis supervisor as one of your referees.
How to find good referees
You should choose instructors who know you well. Their job title (e.g. professor vs. sessional instructor) matters less to us than their ability to provide us with insight into your academic abilities.
Some things you may want to consider when selecting academic referees are:
- Are there any instructors who taught you multiple times?
- Did you have any smaller classes, where you had more chances to interact with the instructor?
- How well did you do in your potential referee’s class?
- Do you have a graduate program supervisor who knows you well?
If you must choose professional referees, you should choose someone in a supervisory role, from either your employment or volunteer work, who can answer the questions asked of them in our online reference form. If you cannot choose a supervisor (e.g. you are self-employed) then you should choose the best person available who has interacted with you in a professional capacity and can answer the questions posed.
Whether you are using academic or professional referees, you should talk to your potential referees in advance, and get their permission to use them as referees. Ask them if they are able to provide a positive reference for you. Let them know they will need to provide their reference through our online reference form, and discuss how important it is for them to provide their reference as early as possible, even though the deadline is January 22 or February 8, depending on the program.
Unsuitable referees
Personal references – i.e. friends and family – and references from your high school teachers will not be considered under any circumstances.
The reference form
We will ask your referees to rank your skills in comparison to others they have taught; about your academic performance, strengths, and weaknesses; and whether they recommend you as a suitable candidate. Your referees will also have space to provide additional comments on the form.
Professional referees will be asked to answer the questions to the best of their ability, using their knowledge of you in a professional capacity. They will be unable to answer some of the questions regarding your academic performance.
What to do if your referee says they cannot find their email
First, have your referee check their spam/junk folder. When referees have difficulty receiving the email with their unique link, it is usually because their email filters send it to their spam folder, or their institution/company email does not accept auto-generated emails.
Please ensure you obtain an email address from your referee that is capable of accepting auto-generated emails, and that your referee adds admissions@sapl.ucalgary.cato their safe senders list.
It may take several days after you submit your application before your referees receive their emails.
If your referee still cannot find their email, you may contact us to have the email resent, or update your referee’s email address.
How to request referee changes, update a referee’s contact info, or resend referee emails
You may request a referee change, update your referee’s contact info, or have the email resent to your referee by emailing admissions@sapl.ucalgary.ca between September 1 and January 14.
You must include your full name and UCID number with your request.
To change referees, you must also provide the following:
- The name of the referee you wish to remove. It is your responsibility to let this person know they are no longer a referee and that their link to the online reference form will no longer work.
- The name, organization name, phone number, and email address for the new referee.
Please exercise patience after submitting your request during peak times of the application cycle, due to a high volume of similar requests. If your referee absolutely cannot complete the online reference, they can follow the directions as per the program-specific reference guideline documents below, and email their reference as a pdf file directly to admissions@sapl.ucalgary.ca. Note they cannot copy the applicant on the email or ask the applicant to submit the reference on their behalf.
Have a question?
Contact the SAPL admissions team for help navigating the admissions process.