diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/tests/test_views.py b/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/tests/test_views.py
index c7cf5b13dc..5dfb00c0fe 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/tests/test_views.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from django.test.utils import override_settings
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 from django.core.exceptions import ObjectDoesNotExist
+from django.core import mail
 from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
 
 from util.testing import UrlResetMixin
@@ -923,6 +924,15 @@ class TestSubmitPhotosForVerification(UrlResetMixin, TestCase):
 
         response = self.client.post(url, params)
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, expected_status_code)
+
+        if expected_status_code == 200:
+            # Verify that photo submission confirmation email was sent
+            self.assertEqual(len(mail.outbox), 1)
+            self.assertEqual("Verification photos received", mail.outbox[0].subject)
+        else:
+            # Verify that photo submission confirmation email was not sent
+            self.assertEqual(len(mail.outbox), 0)
+
         return response
 
     def _assert_full_name(self, full_name):
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/views.py
index 74f86f0635..4e5f77505b 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/verify_student/views.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import datetime
 from collections import namedtuple
 from pytz import UTC
 
-from edxmako.shortcuts import render_to_response
+from edxmako.shortcuts import render_to_response, render_to_string
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from django.views.generic.base import View
 from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _, ugettext_lazy
 from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required
+from django.core.mail import send_mail
 
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.user_api.api import profile as profile_api
 
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ from xmodule.modulestore.exceptions import ItemNotFoundError
 from opaque_keys.edx.keys import CourseKey
 from .exceptions import WindowExpiredException
 from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
+from microsite_configuration import microsite
 
 from util.json_request import JsonResponse
 
@@ -850,12 +852,14 @@ def submit_photos_for_verification(request):
     if SoftwareSecurePhotoVerification.user_has_valid_or_pending(request.user):
         return HttpResponseBadRequest(_("You already have a valid or pending verification."))
 
+    username = request.user.username
+
     # If the user wants to change his/her full name,
     # then try to do that before creating the attempt.
     if request.POST.get('full_name'):
         try:
             profile_api.update_profile(
-                request.user.username,
+                username,
                 full_name=request.POST.get('full_name')
             )
         except profile_api.ProfileUserNotFound:
@@ -880,6 +884,21 @@ def submit_photos_for_verification(request):
     attempt.mark_ready()
     attempt.submit()
 
+    profile_dict = profile_api.profile_info(username)
+    if profile_dict:
+        # Send a confirmation email to the user
+        context = {
+            'full_name': profile_dict.get('full_name'),
+            'platform_name': settings.PLATFORM_NAME
+        }
+
+        subject = _("Verification photos received")
+        message = render_to_string('emails/photo_submission_confirmation.txt', context)
+        from_address = microsite.get_value('default_from_email', settings.DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL)
+        to_address = profile_dict.get('email')
+
+        send_mail(subject, message, from_address, [to_address], fail_silently=False)
+
     return HttpResponse(200)
 
 
diff --git a/lms/templates/emails/photo_submission_confirmation.txt b/lms/templates/emails/photo_submission_confirmation.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..028af4f22a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lms/templates/emails/photo_submission_confirmation.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+<%! from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _ %>
+
+${_("Hi {full_name},").format(full_name=full_name)}
+
+${_("Thanks for submitting your photos!")}
+
+${_("We've received your information and the verification process has begun. You can check the status of the verification process on your dashboard.")}
+
+${_("Thank you,")}
+
+${_("The {platform_name} team").format(platform_name=platform_name)}