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New students - your IT account

When you officially become a student at the University, you’ll receive an email containing information about your new University IT account. This email will include:

  • the username for your IT account, and
  • the steps you need to follow to set a password.

You’ll need this username and password throughout your course to be able to access the University’s online services.

Please read the email carefully when you receive it, to find out your username and the steps to follow to set your password.

Important points

  • Please wait for at least one hour after you receive the email before you follow the steps in it to set your password.
  • As part of the process to set your password, you will also be prompted on screen to set up multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA is used by many institutions as an extra layer to help protect passwords and data. All students and staff are required to set up MFA. It works by automatically sending a verification request to a device you have (for example, your mobile phone) whenever you sign into any of the University’s services. When you approve the request on that device, the service you’re signing in to will open.
  • For the process of setting your password and setting up MFA, it’s best if you’re able to do this on a desktop computer (or laptop or Macbook), wherever possible. Please also have your mobile phone (or tablet or iPad) with you, as you’ll need to install the Microsoft Authenticator app onto it, if you choose to use this authentication method - see below.

MFA methods

When you see the prompt on screen to set up MFA, you’ll be able to choose from a few different methods.

  • If you have a smartphone, we recommend choosing the Microsoft Authenticator app method. This method offers the best experience and is also the method chosen by most students and staff. It works by sending the sign-in verification requests to your phone as push notifications, which you can then approve. See more information about the Microsoft Authenticator app, including how to install it.
  • If you don’t have a smartphone, you can choose to have the verification requests sent as text messages to your phone instead.

Something not working, or need further help?

During the set-up process, please read and follow the prompts on the screen as they will guide you through each step.

If you are struggling with setting your password or MFA, please call the University’s IT Services department for help on (+44) 01274 233333.