Recommendations FAQ


Recommendation FAQ

If you are submitting a letter of reference for a fellowship applicant, we recommend that you read this page explaining the recommendation process before trying to submit your letter of reference.

In the online fellowship application, an applicant has the opportunity to register up to three recommenders. The applicant who has asked you to submit a recommendation should register your name and e-mail address in his/her application. The application website (called Embark) will then automatically send you an email notifying you of how to log in to the application website. The e-mail from Embark will also provide you with your own username and password. In order to log in, you will need to click on a link in the e-mail and enter the username and password provided. Once you are logged in to the website, you may either upload your recommendation from a document file, or write it into the space provided. Once you have completed your recommendation and saved it, you will be directed to submit it.

In order for you to receive your login information, the applicant must register you on his/her application. If you have not received an email from “Embark Online Recommendations” that provides you with a username and password, perhaps the applicant has not registered you yet, the email directed to you was lost in your spam filter, or he/she typed in an incorrect e-mail address for you.  Please encourage the applicant to check his/her application to make sure that your correct contact information was provided.

If you do not have an email address or access to a computer, please contact us by phone (202 745 4436) and we will give you instructions on how to proceed.  Letters of reference should be submitted no later than November 1.

Do I need to start a fellowship application in order to submit a letter of reference?

No. Once a fellowship applicant registers you as a recommender in his/her application and provides your name and email address, an email from Embark will automatically be sent to you.  This email will provide you with a username and password.  If you follow the link in the email, you will be directed to log in to the Embark system with the username and password provided, and then directed to submit your letter of reference.

What do I do if I have not received an email from Embark with my username and password?

Please check your spam filter.  The sender on the email is “Embark Online Recommendations” and the title of the email is “(applicant name)’s Online Recommendation.”

If the email is not in your spam filter, perhaps the fellowship applicant has not yet registered your correct name and email address on his/her recommendation.  Please get in touch with him/her and ask him/her to register your correct information on his/her application. 

Do I need to upload a document into the Embark website, or may I type my recommendation directly into the system?

You may do either.  If you prefer, you may upload your letter of reference in the form of a document and submit it that way.  Or, you may hand-type your letter of reference into the system, save it, and submit it that way.

How will I know that I have submitted my letter of reference successfully?

The Embark web page will inspect your letter of recommendation and then inform you that your letter has been submitted successfully.  If there is a problem with your letter of reference, the Embark system will direct you to fix it, and then re-submit your letter.