References

Guidance on who you can ask for a reference in the School of Mathematics

What is a Reference?

A reference is a short, factual supporting statement for a job, voluntary work, internship or application for further study that demonstrates specific competencies and suitability for the role. A reference is provided by a ‘referee’. 

You only need to supply references when the employer or institution asks you for them. You don’t usually have to include them in your CV, but you may be asked to put details of referees on an application form. If applying for a job, it’s most common for an employer to use the references after a final interview, or once a provisional job offer has been made. 

Reference Etiquette

There are some basic but important things you should know when it comes to asking for references: 

Your reference should be written by someone who knows you well enough to write about your suitability for the role.

There is further School of Mathematics’ guidance on who to ask for a reference in the ‘Who to ask for a reference’ section below. 


There is no obligation for someone to provide you with a reference, and it is considered impolite not to ask before nominating someone as a referee. School of Maths’ staff members will not provide references if they have not been asked about this in advance.


You should give staff 4 weeks in which to provide a reference. (Please note, this does not include periods where staff members are on annual leave, or the University is closed.) 

We would advise having alternative referee options in place in case your chosen referee is not available at the point at which you need your reference.


Referees can only provide individual students with a limited number of references. You should therefore ensure that your applications are targeted and specific. We would suggest discussing the positions you are intending to apply for in advance with your Academic Cohort Lead (ACL). 

When submitting applications, if you complete more than 5 and do not have any success, you may wish to review the guidance around applications, CVs and covering letters provided by the Careers Service. You could also consider booking an appointment to talk to with Careers.


 

Who to ask for a reference in the School of Mathematics

It is very important that you read all of the guidance below. You should approach staff in the School of Mathematics in the following order:

1. Academic Cohort Lead (ACL)

Your ACL should be the first person you approach for a reference. Your ACL is the academic member of staff who has been assigned to support you with your studies and will normally be best placed to help you – although the expectation is that you should have had some previous interaction with your ACL before asking for a reference. If you have not previously interacted with your ACL, they may discuss with you approaching someone else (eg. a project supervisor) who knows you better.

(If you are unsure who your ACL is, this information can be found in EUCLID under the ‘Programme’ tab.)

2. Dissertation, Project or Vacation Scholarship Supervisor

Should you require a second academic reference, you should approach your dissertation or project supervisor where available. 

3. Course Organizers

Some applications for further study may ask you to provide a third, academic reference, in which case, you may need to ask a Course Organizer. Wherever possible, you should choose a Course Organizer with whom you have had direct, individual academic interaction (and not just one who is running a course for which you achieved a high mark). This will enable the Course Organizer to provide you with a personalized reference based on their interaction with you during lectures or workshops, or through seeing your work. If you approach a Course Organizer who does not know you sufficiently well to provide a personalized reference, they will use a School template to provide you with a factual reference that will include the following information:

  • Your personal details
  • The title of the role or programme of study for which you are applying
  • The Course Organizer’s details
  • The name of the course concerned
  • The credit level of the course (the year in which it is normally taken)
  • Whether the course is core, compulsory or optional for your programme of study
  • A brief summary of the course content
  • Confirmation that you successfully completed the course
  • Your final mark for the course
  • Where this mark placed you in the class (expressed as a percentage)

If you are in any doubt about who to approach for a reference, you are welcome to discuss this with your Student Adviser. Please note that Student Advisers will not themselves be able to provide you with a reference.

Supporting Documentation

Official documentation to support your applications (eg. proof of your current status as a student or your transcript) can be accessed here: Official Documents | The University of Edinburgh. 

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