How to Ask a Teacher for a Summer Program Recommendation (Email Template Included)

To get a recommendation for a summer program, ask a teacher who has taught you this year, ask at least three weeks before the deadline, and hand them a one-page brief with the program's name, what it is, the deadline, where to send the letter, and three specific things you did in their class. The Irish Life Experience (ILE) requires one teacher and one counselor recommendation with every application, and the final deadline is April 1. The email, the brief, and the timeline below get both letters done in a week.

Who to ask

For the teacher letter: a current-year teacher in a class where you participate. Humanities teachers (English, history, languages) are the natural fit for a cultural program, but a science teacher who has seen you lead a group is better than an English teacher who barely knows you. Not a coach, not a family friend.

For the counselor letter: your assigned school counselor. If you have not met them this year, book a ten-minute appointment first and bring the brief. Counselors write dozens of these; the brief is what makes yours easy.

When to ask

Three weeks before you want to submit. To hit the January 1 early-bird price, ask before Thanksgiving. Teachers are busiest at quarter ends and in late March, which is exactly when ILE's April 1 deadline falls. Asking early is the difference between a letter and an apology.

The email (copy, paste, personalize the bracketed parts)

Subject: Recommendation request — Irish Life Experience summer program (due [date])

Dear [Mr./Ms. Last Name],

I'm applying to the Irish Life Experience, a 25-day summer study program in Ireland for high school students (June 28 – July 23, 2027). It includes classes in Irish language, history, and literature, and the application asks for a recommendation from a teacher who knows me in class. I'd be grateful if you'd write one.

The letter is due [date]. It can be short — a page or less — and it's submitted [by email to [email protected] / through the link below]. I've attached a one-page brief with the program details, the deadline, and a few reminders of things from your class, in case it's useful.

If you're not able to this term, I completely understand — just let me know so I can ask someone else in time.

Thank you,
[Full name]
[Class and period]

The one-page brief (what to hand the teacher)

Teachers write good letters fast when they do not have to look anything up. Give them this on one page:

1. Program: Irish Life Experience — 25-day study program in Ireland, June 28 – July 23, 2027, for students 14–18. Graded classes in Irish language, history, Irish-American history, literature, dance, drama; 40+ tours; 7:1 supervision; running since 1998. Website: irishlifeexperience.com.
2. What ILE looks for (from the admissions page): intelligent, independent, motivated, enthusiastic, well-rounded students with a passion for experiencing a new culture.
3. Deadline and how to submit: [date]; [route].
4. Three specifics from your class: a project, a discussion you led, a time you helped someone, something you struggled with and fixed. Dates if you have them.
5. Why you want to go: two sentences in your own words. Heritage, language, history, independence — whatever is true.
6. Anything else you're involved in: one line each — sports, music, jobs, volunteering.

After you ask

• Day 0: send the email with the brief attached.
• Day 7: if no reply, a one-line follow-up in person: "Did you get my email about the Ireland program letter?"
• Day 3 after the deadline you gave them: check with ILE that both letters arrived.
• Within a week of submission: a handwritten thank-you note. Teachers remember this when the college letter request comes in the fall.

For parents: what you can and can't do

You can remind, proofread the brief, and request the transcript from the school office. You should not email the teacher yourself — admissions staff can tell, and so can teachers. The ask coming from the student is part of what the letter is about.

Frequently asked questions

How many recommendations does the Irish Life Experience require? Two: one from a teacher and one from a school counselor, plus a current transcript, submitted with the application and the $600 deposit.

How long should a summer program recommendation letter be? Half a page to a page. ILE reads for specific evidence of maturity, curiosity, and conduct, not length.

Can a coach or employer write the recommendation? ILE asks for a teacher and a counselor. A coach's letter can be added as a third, optional reference.

What if a teacher says no? Thank them and ask someone else the same day. A "no" three weeks out is a gift; a "no" three days out is why you ask early.