It's important that we have the right details for you on My Student Record, including the correct spelling of your name, your home and term address, and up-to-date contact details.
If you change address, get a new phone number or change your name, make sure you update your details on My Student RecordGo to the My Student Record site or notify the Student CentreGo to the Support and services page.
Changing your address
We'll be sending you a variety of correspondence during your studies here, so make sure we have the right addresses for you.
During the academic year, we'll send any correspondence to your registered term-time address (your 'contact address'). When the academic year finishes, we'll post any letters to your registered home address.
If either your home or term-time address changes, update your details on My Student RecordGo to the My Student Record site.
Changing your contact details
If we need to get in touch with you quickly, we may need to call you. Check that we have the right phone number(s) for you on My Student RecordLogin to My Student Record.
Make sure that we also have emergency contact details for you (eg contact details of a family member).
Changing your name, pronouns or title
If your name changes during the course of your studies or it has been incorrectly spelt on My Student Record, you'll need to notify us as soon as possible so that your record can be updated. Below we outline how we record your name details and what you need to do to change these if required.
Please note that we'll not accept name changes from third parties unless we have your written permission.
We reserve the right not to record a name if it is not appropriate for the purpose for which it is intended. We use the government guidance to inform our approach - see the Use and change of names guidance on GOV.UK.
All data held by the University in connection with any name change will be treated in confidence in accordance with the University’s information compliance policies.
Name order
Your official name will be recorded in our Student Record System as First Names, Middle Names, Surnames (also known as Family Names). If your identity documentation does not specify which of your names are first or surnames we'll record them in the order that they appear in your identity documentation. If there is only a single name on your identification documents, this will be recorded in the surname field and dashes will be entered into the other name fields.
Official name
Your official (legal) name will be used where there is a legal or statutory requirement to do so eg confirming your immigration status, correspondence with funding bodies, recording your academic achievement on degree certificates and transcripts etc. Your official name is also printed on your student ID card. It is your responsibility to ensure that your official name is correct on My Student Record. You’ll be asked to confirm your details as part of the enrolment process and in each subsequent year of registration on your course.
Preferred name
During enrolment, you can choose to enter a preferred name on My Student Record which we’ll use in all informal communication with you. This could be a shortened version of your name or an alternative name. This does not change your official name held on your student record, Blackboard or your ID Student Card. However, if you want your preferred name on your Student ID Card, you can request it when we print your card during enrolment.
Pronouns
During enrolment, you can choose to enter your preferred pronouns on My Student Record if you want to. These will appear in your student record.
How to change your names, pronouns, and title
Changing your name during the admissions process
During the application process, you’ll be required to provide evidence of your legal (official) name which will be recorded on our Student Record System. We require applicants to apply using the name on their passport, birth certificate or marriage certificate. If you want to change your name during the admissions process, you should contact UCAS if you are an undergraduate applicant or contact your University of Westminster admissions officer if you are a postgraduate or research applicant. For exchange and study abroad applicants, contact the Education Abroad Office. The evidence required to change your name can be found in the section below.
Changing your name during your studies
You cannot change your name on My Student Record. You’ll need to complete the Change of Personal Details request form and submit this to the Student Centre along with a copy of the relevant documentary evidence outlined below.
For the quickest results, log in to Compass to submit the request and your evidence. Alternatively, you can use live chat, email or give the request form and evidence in person to the Student CentreGo to the Support and services page.
To update your student record, we'll need clear colour and certified copies of your documentary evidence. You can attach these documents with your form. If these meet the requirements you may not be required to present your documentary evidence, however, in some cases we'll ask you to attend in person for a verification check. The University has a duty to prevent fraud and ensure that the student record matches the person who is studying at the University. Please note that there are different requirements for British citizens and non-British citizens.
Changing your official name
You’ll need to complete a Change of Personal Details request (see above) and submit this along with the original documents listed below to the Student CentreGo to the Support and services page. Your documentary evidence must show your new official name and the link with your previous name, except where there are legitimate exceptions. The evidence must be original or a certified true copy of the original - for more information see the Certifying a document guidance on GOV.UK. If the evidence submitted is unclear or if there is any doubt that you are not using your new name, we'll ask you to submit an alternative form of documentation.
After your change of name has been processed, your previous name will remain on the Student Record System but will no longer be used. This is to ensure that we have a record of your previous names in order to confirm your identity.
Titles
You can request to amend your title. Titles include (Mr, Ms, Mrs, Miss, Mx). You can have no title recorded if that is your preference.
Preferred name and pronouns
You can update your preferred name and pronouns on My Student RecordGo to the My Student Record site at any time. We don’t need to see any evidence for you to do this.
Documentary evidence - British citizens
Marriage/Civil partnership
A marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate that shows the link between your old and new name.
Divorce
A decree absolute or dissolution of civil partnership final order. If you want to use your original name, please provide a copy of your birth certificate and a signed statement confirming you are reverting to your previous name for all purposes.
Passport/Driving licence in your new name.
If your new name has been recorded in the birth entry a certified copy of a birth certificate is required. For more information see the Birth registration guidance on GOV.UK.
This is a written declaration of your intention to change your name and has to be witnessed by a person authorised by law to administer oaths. It can be a complicated process so you are advised to speak to an adviser (you can do this at a Citizens Advice Bureau).
For more information see the Use and change of names guidance on GOV.UK.
A Change of Name Deed (previously known as a “deed poll”) is a legal document that proves you have changed your name. There are two types: Enrolled and Unenrolled. For more information go to the Change your name by deed poll guidance on GOV.UK.
Enrolled
You can put your new name on record by enrolling it with the Royal Courts of Justice if you are 18 or over. There is a charge for this and it also means that your change of name is on public record.
Unenrolled
You can change your name yourself if you are over 16 by making your own deed poll. You'll need two witnesses who are 18 or over and your deed poll will not be on public record. We have provided a change of name deed poll template below for you to use. Please note that some organisations will not accept an unenrolled deed poll to prove a change of name.
We'll never ask you to provide a Gender Recognition Certificate but if you wish to submit this as evidence it will be accepted.
For more information see the Gender Recognition Certificate guidance on GOV.UK.
Sometimes personal circumstances can result in the need to adopt a pseudonym for personal safety. If you are in this situation, we shall require a police report or solicitors’ letter as evidence of the change. You may wish to speak to Student Advice about this if you need support.
If you are not a British citizen
If you wish to change your name, you must amend your name on your passport, travel document, UK Biometric Residence Permit or Application Registration Card and/or EEA or Swiss national identity card first. The names used in these documents take precedence over names used in other documents, such as marriage certificates and deed polls. If you are unclear, please contact the Student Centre for guidance.
What happens after I change my official name?
University systems
Once your name change has been processed all linked University systems will be updated automatically (eg Blackboard). We aim to process requests as quickly as possible and you’ll be notified when the change has been made. Please note that it may take 48 hours after you receive your notification for all systems to update.
Student ID card
You'll be notified once changes have been completed on your record via a Compass ticket or email. If you would like a new Student ID Card, show that information to the Student Centre who can supply a new ID card for you.
Email address
Your email will remain the same as this is based on your student ID number. However, your name in the email address book won’t change when your name has been updated. As part of the name change process, we'll raise a ticket with the Go to IT Service Desk home pageIT Service Desk to amend your name in the email address book.
Degree certificate and academic transcripts
For current students, your degree certificate and other graduate documentation would reflect your new name if this was changed prior to your degree being awarded.
For graduates who have been awarded their degree certificates we do not change the name on your award documents after these have been issued. There are some exceptions to this and in the following cases no charge would be made for issuing a replacement certificate:
- Change of Gender Identity
- Exceptional circumstances, eg public safety grounds
- An error by the University
To apply for a change of name on your completed student record, download and complete the Change of personal details form (available under Changing your name during your studies) and submit via Compass or at the Student Centre.
External organisations
You are responsible for changing your name with organisations outside of the University, for example, your bank, GP, local authority, sponsor, UKVI etc. Please note that these organisations may require different evidence to support a change of name.
Changing your name can have implications for other services, such as applying for a mortgage, looking for employment or choosing to immigrate. The University will keep a record of your former name and will record what documents we verified when changing your name. We will not keep copies of the documents unless they relate to your student visa, so it's important that you retain your documents so that you can provide evidence of your identity when needed.