For Faculty: Submitting Letters to Interfolio

Interfolio—an online credentials service

How to submit your letter

In the summer of 2000, University Career Services legally merged with Interfolio, a highly secure web-based credentials holding company. Since then, Interfolio has been considered an extension of our office for the purpose of credentials files. A person requesting a letter of recommendation from you should provide you with a signed waiver and instruction form from Interfolio. This instruction form includes:

  1. instructions how to return the letter of recommendation to Interfolio,
  2. information as to whether the student has waived their rights (confidential) or not (non-confidential). It is the student’s right to decide if the letter will remain confidential or non-confidential. Confidential letters are taken much more seriously than non-confidential letters, and we strongly encourage students to keep their letters confidential.
  3. a number and letter combination (document identification code) on the bottom. That code must be referenced when you submit the letter to Interfolio.
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Ways to submit your letter

Recommendations may be sent to Interfolio several ways. The first three must have the instruction form (mentioned above) submitted with the letter. All letters should be on official letterhead. Sign your letter. Make sure to use your full name and professional title.

  • U.S. Postal Service
  • Expedited mail services
  • Faxed
  • Uploaded electronically to Interfolio directly from your computer. The document identification code will be referenced when uploading the document and will tell you specifically who the letter should be for. A writer account must be created with Interfolio but it is free service to you. Submitting letters electronically will require a letterhead template (Department stationary created in a word document) and a digital signature (scanned signature to a .jpeg, .gif, .tiff file).
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How do I obtain electronic letterhead?

The Information Technology Department has electronic letterhead available for your use. Check to see if your Department's letterhead is on file at ITC. Download the appropriate file to your hard drive. Open the document and follow the directions to enter your name and title.

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How do I obtain an electronic signature?

If you need help obtaining an electronic signature, please contact Interfolio, the Robertson Media Center in Clemons Library (924-7286, open 10am–6pm), or the Research Computing Help Desk in Wilson Hall (243-8800, open 9am–5pm). If you cannot reach these offices, you may contact Donna Ryan at UCS (924-8914).

If you have the access to a scanner, you can create an electronic signature by following the steps below:

  1. Sign a blank sheet of unlined, white paper with a black ink pen.
    • The best type of pen to use is a black felt-tip pen.
    • The size of your signature should be the same as what you would write on a check.
  2. Scan the signed sheet.
    • The scan should be in the following format: Black and White (1-Bit), 300 DPI (Dots Per Inch).
    • The scanned signature should be cropped to the edges of the signature (leave as little white space around the signature as possible).
  3. Save the image in one of the following formats: TIFF, GIF, JPEG or PNG.

Once you have your scanned signature, open the Microsoft Word Document that contains your letter of recommendation.

  1. Scroll through the document to your signature block. You will need 2–3 lines of white space between your final salutation (e.g. "Sincerely") and your name and title.
  2. Click below your final salutation and above your name and title to place your cursor in the 2-3 lines of white space.
  3. In Microsoft Word's Menu Bar, click the following menus: “Insert”→ “Picture”→ “From File”.
  4. Locate your scanned signature on your computer’s hard drive and click on it.
  5. Click the “insert”button. This will place your scanned signature in the document.
  6. Save the Word document.
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