C4.21 Writing Emails in English¶
How to Email UK Teachers? How to Write an English Email?
When studying abroad, email is the most common way to communicate with your school and teachers. It is used to share information such as school events, exam details, and visa updates. Teachers or the school may not inform you of certain details in person, but will instead send them via email.
Therefore, sending emails is the duty of the school and teachers, while proactively checking your email is your own duty.
As shown in the picture below: This is a unified email notification sent by a UK university to its students.
How to Email UK Teachers? How to Write an English Email?
When studying in the UK, checking your email is essentially a daily must-do. It is recommended to check it at least once in the morning and once in the evening. Of course, if your email is set up to send real-time notifications to your phone (like text messages), you don’t need to open the email app manually every day—you can just open it when you get a notification.
Get the Teacher’s Email Address First
On the first day of each course, every teacher will start with a self-introduction and write down their contact information. An email address will always be included; some teachers may even emphasize that email will be the main way to communicate in the future, urging everyone to check it regularly.
If you miss important information (such as a classroom change, canceled class, required materials, or exam schedule) because you didn’t check your email, the responsibility lies with you. This may result in being marked absent from class or missing an exam. Exceptions will only be made if you encounter a major emergency and can provide relevant supporting documents.
About the Teacher’s Email Address
Most UK school teachers use official school email addresses. An official school email has a suffix with the school’s name or abbreviation. For example, the official email suffix for Coventry University in the UK is @coventry.ac.uk.
Some teachers may share their personal email addresses if they find the school email inconvenient. Be sure to copy down all the teacher’s contact information in class—it may come in handy later.
Why Not Use Social Media or Messaging Apps?
You might wonder why teachers don’t use platforms like Facebook or WhatsApp, or communicate via phone calls. The main reasons are:
These methods may involve the teacher’s personal privacy.
Messages on such platforms may not be permanently saved, making it hard to track information or confirm identities.
Not all teachers are willing to share their personal social or contact details. Instead, they may recommend calling the college’s front desk and asking to be transferred to them.
Note that overseas work hours are very strict. Once, I was having a thesis consultation with a teacher in the classroom—she had to leave immediately when it was time to get off work. In the end, I walked her home and continued discussing my thesis along the way.
How to Write the Email
1. Language
Always write the email in English. Since your courses and lectures are in English, your emails to teachers should also be in English. Do not use a language the teacher cannot understand. If you really want to include a phrase (e.g., to express respect or well-wishes in your native language), always add an English translation afterward.
2. Format
Emails are essentially irreversible—they represent your image and carry weight. Therefore, you must pay attention to the format when emailing UK teachers.
For example, once my teacher assigned a task: record a presentation video and send it to their email. The task didn’t count toward the exam score, but it did affect our class participation grades (I previously wrote a guide on what a presentation is and how to prepare for one).
I assumed my classmates would use a standard email format (like a formal letter) with a greeting and signature, just like I did. To my surprise, the teacher expressed dissatisfaction in class the next day. They said, “Everyone, next time you send an email—even if you don’t want to include a greeting—please at least state who you are, why you’re emailing, and where the attached file is. This shows respect for your own image.”
Standard Email Format for UK University Teachers
The format should be similar to a formal letter:
Greeting: Align it to the left at the top of the email.
Body: Start with a greeting, then state your identity and purpose clearly.
Closing: Add a polite sign-off.
Signature: Include your name and relevant details.
Example Template
Dear [Teacher’s Name],
Good afternoon. My name is [Your Full Name], my student ID is [Your Student ID Number], and my major is [Your Major]. I am writing to [state your purpose, e.g., “submit my presentation video”]. Please download the [document/video] from the attachment below. Thank you, and I am looking forward to your kind reply.
Best Wishes,
Sincerely / Your Student / [Your Full Name]
(Optional: You can add your phone number below your name if you wish.)
As shown in the pictures below: I originally wanted to find an email I sent to a UK teacher as an example, but couldn’t. Instead, I’m using two recent emails (one in Chinese, one in English) as references.
First, the screenshot of the Chinese email: Since the recipient was someone I knew in real life, I used “亲” (a casual “dear” in Chinese) as the greeting. However, for most emails, I use greetings like “亲爱的某某某” (Dear [Name]) or “您好” (Hello).
A note on Chinese personal emails: If you’re worried that starting with “亲爱的某某某” might cause misunderstandings due to cultural differences, or if you forget how to spell the recipient’s name or are unsure of their surname, you can use more neutral greetings like “尊敬的” (Respected), “敬爱的” (Esteemed), “您好” (Hello), or “亲” (for people you know). In this case, I had called the recipient in advance to say I would send an email, so I didn’t introduce myself at the start—instead, I included my name in the email subject and signature.
In fact, the format of an English email is basically the same as that of a Chinese email. As shown in the picture below, greetings in foreign countries usually start with "Dear". For example, if you’re emailing a school department like the Student Center, you can write "Dear Student Center".
ShishengMao’s reminder: If you know the teacher’s title—such as Doctor, Professor, or others—you can write "Dear Professor [Last Name]". If you’re unsure of their title, it’s safer to write "Dear [Full Name]" to avoid misaddressing them. Alternatively, you can use "Dear [First Name]" or "Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]". Note that you should avoid using "Miss"—this term specifically refers to unmarried women, while "Ms." can be used for both married and unmarried women. Though the two sound similar, their spellings are different.
If you don’t know who will receive the email, you can use the general greeting "To Whom It May Concern".
This phrase is useful in many situations:
When applying to UK universities or UK jobs and needing a letter of recommendation, the recommendation letter typically starts with "To Whom It May Concern".
When you need a student status certificate (e.g., for opening a bank account or applying for a Schengen visa), school-issued certificates usually begin with this greeting too.
Some schools even offer a tool on their student portals for downloading student certificates automatically—so students don’t have to queue at the Student Center. You can simply download and print the certificate for immediate use. Coventry University in the UK is one such example.
ShishengMao’s reminder: UK student status certificates differ from those issued by Chinese schools. Most UK universities do not require a stamp for the student certificate to be valid. It is recognized by all UK government agencies, financial institutions, and private enterprises. In contrast, student certificates from Chinese schools must have an official stamp to be accepted.
3. Grammar and Spelling
First, do not write in all uppercase letters. Only capitalize the first letter of the first word in each sentence—just like when writing an essay. If you insist on using all caps out of carelessness, your grades for the course may be at risk. For essays, using all caps guarantees a failure (100% chance), and I’d even say it’s a 200% guarantee to make sure there’s no doubt.
Second, avoid abbreviations. Using abbreviations implies you assume everyone understands them, but in reality, this may not be the case. Common examples like "BTW" (By the way) or "ASAP" (As soon as possible) might seem obvious to you, but some people (including teachers) may not recognize them. Even if they do, they may choose not to reply, as abbreviations can come across as disrespectful—teachers are not your friends, but authority figures you should address formally.
Since you have plenty of time to craft an email, draft it first, revise it, read it aloud a few times, and proofread before sending. Grammar mistakes can make it hard for teachers to understand your message, preventing them from giving you the answer you need. Spelling errors can even change the meaning of words. While some sharp teachers may guess your intended word from context, most will not bother to do so.
For example, I once made a spelling mistake I still remember vividly years later: I wrote "Bother" instead of "Brother". It was so embarrassing, but I managed to smooth it over. I originally wanted to use a casual "brother" to build rapport, but I quickly rephrased it to apologize for "bothering" the recipient too often, turning the mistake into a polite remark.
4. Double-Check the Recipient’s Email Address
Before sending an email to teachers, the school, or classmates, always verify the recipient’s email address. Check that all letters, numbers, and symbols are correct—one small slip could result in sending your assignment to the wrong person. A classmate of mine did this once: he had saved two people’s emails under the same English name (one was the teacher, the other a classmate). He sent the email without double-checking, and only realized the mistake later when he checked his sent folder.
5. Your Email Type
As a registered international student at a UK university, you will receive a unique student email account on your registration day, with a password you set yourself. Using your school email is best for contacting teachers—they may not open emails from other domains, and some non-school emails may even be automatically filtered to spam or blocked by the university’s system.
What if you don’t have a school email yet? You can use domestic Chinese email services, or international ones like Gmail or Hotmail. Try to avoid NetEase Mail, as emails from NetEase may sometimes fail to be delivered. For example, Coventry University in the UK explicitly specifies certain email types to avoid in some communications, as shown in the picture below:
However, not every university will explicitly tell you which email services to avoid. After all, there are many countries worldwide, each with its own local email providers. Currently, Hotmail and Gmail remain the most widely used and recognized globally.
6. Email Subject Line
This is extremely important. Do not use trivial subjects or send emails without a subject line—recipients may mistake them for spam, ads, or viruses and delete or ignore them outright. Instead, make the subject line clear and to the point. For example, if you’re submitting an essay, your subject line could be "Submission of [Essay Title] for [Course Name]".
Never send an email with only an attachment. Follow the format mentioned earlier: state your identity (name, student ID, semester), the purpose of the email (e.g., "submitting my essay"), and ask the teacher to download or review the attachment. You can also add a polite note, such as "Please let me know if there are any errors or areas for improvement. Thank you very much for your help."
7. Email Content
Be concise and focus on key points. Avoid long, rambling paragraphs. Use line breaks to separate ideas—do not clump all text together. Teachers receive far more emails than you might imagine: from full-time students, part-time students, school notifications, other teachers, and even countless spam emails. You get the idea... Brevity and clarity are critical.
8. Replying to the Teacher’s Email
Always reply promptly when you receive an email from a teacher. A simple response works: "Good afternoon. I have received your email. Thank you very much for your reply/help." End with a polite sign-off like "Best Wishes" and your name.
For example, if you asked the teacher a question and they replied thoughtfully, they may be waiting for your feedback—even checking their email periodically throughout the day to see if their response helped. Replying confirms that their help resolved your issue. If you still have questions, you can follow up in the same thread, but always send a final thank-you note once the matter is settled.
9. Do Not Use Emojis or Jokes
Emails are text-based communication tools, not social apps for chatting or making friends. As an international student emailing an academic teacher at a UK university, never include emojis, funny images, jokes, or humorous memes.
You can use emojis or share jokes with teachers on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp if you have a close personal relationship—once you’re sure your bond is strong enough. However, ShishengMao’s reminder: Many foreigners value personal privacy and clearly separate work from personal social interactions. A friend of mine is very close to his class teacher—they go cycling, travel, and work out together. Their relationship is extremely tight, but this varies from person to person. As for their conversation topics? Well, use your imagination...
10. More Tips to Be Added...
I haven’t thought of everything yet—feel free to add your own suggestions!