Guide to registration

The registration timeline

Completion of Conditions Letter and University Card Form

This letter will include a form for your University Card. You will be asked to complete and return this form as soon as possible as a condition of your enrolment. A student record can only be created for you when your card form has been received and processed.

Card Processing times:

The Card Office only processes Card forms in the lead-up to the relevant term starting. Processing begins in July for Michaelmas starters; in mid-December for Hilary starters, and in late-March for Trinity term starters.

IT Details and your SSO Activation email:

You will only be able to access your University email account and complete online registration once you have activated your SSO. 

If you are starting a new course at the University, you will be sent your IT activation code and log-in details by email once you have returned your signed Card Form and it has been processed. 

Your login is called your Single Sign On (SSO). Your SSO is a string of 4 letters and numbers (e.g. abcd1234) that is unique to you and is the Oxford system for accessing a range of IT services, including Student Self-Service and your University email address.

Please note that if you have been at Oxford before, whether as a student or staff member, you will retain your original SSO. 

Termly Registration window opens

Both new starters and continuing students will be sent an email when the registration period opens inviting you to register for the forthcoming academic year using Student Self-Service. You will receive this email at your University email address and must register before the Friday of Week 1 of term. When you log in to Student Self Service you will need to check your personal, contact, academic and other information, and confirm that you wish to be enrolled at the University of Oxford.

Deadlines for enrolment periods

The deadline for each enrolment period is Friday week 1 of term. Term dates can be found on the University’s Dates of Term page.

Completing your registration 

If it is your first year of a new course, registration will consist of two steps: 1. online registration and 2. formal enrolment.

When you arrive in Oxford you will need to go to your college (or department if you do not have a college) for the final part of your University registration to be completed (step 2) and to be issued with your University card. If you are not in Oxford at any time during the registration period you must contact your college or department to ensure that the final step of the registration process is completed for you.

If you are a continuing student, you only need to complete your online registration (step 1) and do not need your college or department to complete step 2 for you.

If you have not registered you will be unable to access all the features in Student Self-Service. Once your registration has been completed, your student maintenance loans, tuition fee loans, and grants will be paid in accordance with your loan/grant agreement. You will also be able to log back into Student Self-Service to print your enrolment certificate as proof of student status. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Getting ready for University Student Registration

What are the requirements to register as a new student?

• You must have:
• Accepted your offer of a place
• Met the conditions of your offer (academic and financial)
• Submitted your completed University Card Form
• Received by email your University Single Sign On (SSO) IT details and activated your account. Your Single Sign On (SSO) will be in this format: abcd1234

How quickly do the Card Office process Card Forms?

• The Card Office only processes Card forms in the lead-up to term start. Processing begins in July for Michaelmas starters; in mid-December for Hilary starters, and in April for Trinity term starters.
• You will receive an automated reply if you send your Card Form to the Card Office to acknowledge receipt of your submitted form – during busy periods of processing forms, the Card Office is unlikely to process your Card Form on the same day it is received.

Are there times of the year where access is restricted to Student Self-Service?

• There is a brief period at the end of August each year, where the University database is rolled over to the forthcoming academic year. During this period, it is not possible for students to gain full access or to obtain an Enrolment Certificate from Student Self-Service. Functionality returns on September 1.

I am a new student, why have I not been sent my Single Sign On details from IT Services?

• You need to have returned your signed Card Form in order for your student record, and associated SSO, to be created. Once complete, you will receive by email your SSO login details and activation code from the IT Services Team:  ([email protected]).
• The Card Office only processes Card forms in the lead-up to term start. Processing begins in July for Michaelmas starters; in mid-December for Hilary starters, and in April for Trinity term starters.
• Check your junk email folder regularly in case.
• Is your email address still valid? If you have changed your email address from the one supplied for admission please contact your College Office, or Departmental Administrator to amend the email address we hold for you.
• If you have previously held a staff or student status at the University before, you may need some additional assistance getting back online for your new course. 
• If you have done all this, and the problem persists, then contact Student Registration.

All of my course mates have already received their SSO and activation code from IT Services, why haven’t I?

• You need to have returned your signed Card Form  in order for your student record, and associated SSO, to be created. Once complete, you will receive by email your SSO login details and activation code from the IT Services Team: ([email protected]).
• How quickly you will receive your SSO details depends on when you returned your Card Form, and when it was processed by the Card Office, and whether you returned your Card Form during the Card Office’s processing times.

I’ve been a student at Oxford before, and am starting a new course. When can I expect to receive my SSO details? 

• The automated email that sends students the SSO activation code does not happen for returning students or for staff since they already have SSOs, which have been activated. The SSO at Oxford is for life and will never change, regardless of changes in status or gaps between periods of enrolment or employment at Oxford.
• Students who have previously completed a course at Oxford need to use their same SSO details, but may need to renew their passwords to use it again if it has expired.  Students can renew their passwords here: https://webauth.ox.ac.uk/ If you experience any problems with resetting your password, please contact the team at IT Services directly for help: Service Desk on 01865 612345. Calls are usually resolved quicker, but if you are unable to call, you can raise a ticket here: https://help.it.ox.ac.uk/service-desk - if you cannot remember your old password or didn’t set up a security question, you will need to ask them for a Rescue Code in order to change your password.

I am/was a member of staff – when will I receive my SSO?

• The automated email that sends students their SSO activation code does not happen for returning students or for staff since they already have SSOs, which have been activated. The SSO at Oxford is for life and will never change, regardless of changes in status or gaps between periods of enrolment or employment at Oxford. Former and current staff will retain their original SSO.
• Unfortunately, the system doesn’t completely realise that the staff record (whether current or historic) and the student record belong to the same individual, and the two profiles have to be manually merged.
• This is a common problem, but easily resolved: please contact our colleagues in the Student Systems team at [email protected] to let them know you have (or have had) both staff and student status and so can’t see the full student view on Student Self Service/eVision, and they will be able to reconcile the two profiles on the system. Once they have done this, you will see the tab for ‘My Student Record’, and will be able to complete your online registration.

I am a returning student (on-course) why can’t I complete my registration?

• Students must register once a year, at the anniversary term in which you started your current course.
• Current students will be prevented from registering if:
• It is not the anniversary term of the start of your current course, for example, if you are a Hilary term starter and you are trying to register during the Michaelmas term registration period. You will be able to access all the pages of Student Self-Service, but you will need to log back in and register at the start of your registration term.
• You are returning from a suspension and the central office is unaware of your return date, or there is a hold against your record.
• Suspension periods run up to the day before the term you are due to return. If you are a Graduate student, you will need to complete a GSO form (GSO.17a Return from suspension of status) to confirm you are returning from suspension.
• If you are an Undergraduate student, you should get in touch with your College Office (or Departmental Administrator if you do not have a College) to confirm you are returning from suspension.
• You are not required to register if you are beginning a period of suspension.

Registering with the Disability Advisory Service (DAS)

• Students who are new to the University, or returning students who have acquired a disability since initial registration, are able to inform the Disability and Advisory Service (DAS) about their disability, and register with the service during the annual University Student Registration process. (Outside of the registration window, this information can also be recorded on your Student Self Service by visiting: My Student Record > Check My Details > Disability Information.)
• You are encouraged to tell the University if you have a disability, specific learning difficulty (SpLD) or long-term health condition as early as possible, so that you can benefit more quickly from the full range of support available.
• Please refer to the University page Tell us about your disability for more information, including the requirements for formal evidence which should be provided.
• Should you require further assistance with understanding the process, or about what documentation to provide, please contact the UAS Disability team directly at: [email protected] for expert advice.

2. University Student Registration and changes to student status

Will I have to register if I am suspended?

• You are not required to register if you are beginning a period of suspension.
• If your student status is suspended, you will not be able to proceed with your online registration, or generate an enrolment certificate. You will only be able to register after the confirmed end-date of your suspension has passed.
• If you are a Graduate student, you will need to complete a GSO form (GSO.17a Return from suspension of status) to confirm you are returning from suspension.
• If you are an Undergraduate student, you should get in touch with your College Office (or Departmental Administrator if you do not have a College) to confirm you are returning from suspension.

I am a continuing student on a study abroad year, do I still need to register?

• Yes, undergraduates on a compulsory year abroad must register.
• Those on an inbuilt optional year abroad should ask their college to be suspended.
• If you are on an optional year abroad (for example, Erasmus) you need to register. Ask your college if you are unsure.
• If you are a graduate student researching abroad your mode of study should be 'Oxford based' not 'Year Abroad'.

I am about to submit / I have had my viva / I am going to submit corrections do I need to register?

• Yes. Until students receive their Leave to Supplicate, they are considered ‘on-course’ for the purposes of registration, even if they have already submitted or had their viva.
• Please do complete your online registration for this academic year. If you’ve already submitted all your assessments and your final project, you wouldn’t normally be required to pay course fees or continuation fees. Please contact your Department directly if you have further questions or concerns about this.
• By registering in your final year, you will ensure that you have 23 months of access to your student records upon completing your course.

3. Common Issues

What do I do if I cannot remember my password or login details?

• You can renew your password here: https://webauth.ox.ac.uk/ If you experience any problems with resetting your password, please contact the team at IT Services directly for help: Service Desk on 01865 612345, or you can raise a ticket here: https://help.it.ox.ac.uk/service-desk - if you cannot remember your old password or didn’t set up a security question you will need to ask them for a Rescue Code in order to change your password.

How do I log in to Student Self-Service?

• The University’s Multi-Factor Authentication  (MFA) for Single-Sign On process requires you to sign in by entering your username with a specific domain as, for example, [email protected] (please note the capital letters), rather than, for example, abcd1234 on its own.
• If you have been trying to log in with your email address (firstname.lastname @college or @department), a @said.oxford.edu address, or SBS-specific login details this will not work. Logging in to  Student Self-Service is always done using your SSO.

Why can’t I log in to Student Self-Service?

• Check that you are trying to log in from the Oxford Students website link to Student Self-Service.
• Check that the registration period is open. 
• There is a brief period at the end of August each year, where the University database is rolled over to the forthcoming academic year. During this period, it is not possible for students to gain full access or to obtain an Enrolment Certificate from Student Self-Service. Functionality returns on September 1.
• The University’s Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for Single-Sign On process requires you to sign in by entering your username with a specific domain as, for example, [email protected] (please note the capital letters), rather than, for example, abcd1234 on its own.
• If you have been trying to log in with your email address, a @said.oxford.edu address, or SBS-specific login details this will not work. Logging in to Student Self-Service is always done using your SSO.
• If it’s a problem with your password, you can renew it here: https://webauth.ox.ac.uk/ If you experience any problems with resetting your password, please contact the team at IT Services directly for help: Service Desk on 01865 612345, or you can raise a ticket here: https://help.it.ox.ac.uk/service-desk - if you cannot remember your old password or didn’t set up a security question you will need to ask them for a Rescue Code in order to change your password.
• If you have Student Self-Service open on multiple browsers or across multiple devices (like on your phone and on a computer browser) it will automatically log you out for security reasons. In that case, log out/close all extra tabs across all devices and try logging in again.
• Try using a different browser, clearing your cookies, or opening an incognito web browser – this will prevent any previous login information from automatic login attempts
• There may be an underlying issue - if you continue to receive a specific error code when attempting to access Student Self Service please let the Student Systems team at [email protected] know what it says and they may be able to help.

I keep being logged out “for security reasons”, why is this happening?

• If you have Student Self-Service open on multiple browsers or across multiple devices (like on your phone and on a computer browser) it will automatically log you out for security reasons. In that case, log out/close all extra tabs across all devices and try logging in again.
• Try using a different browser, clearing your cookies, or opening an incognito web browser – this will prevent any previous login information from automatic login attempts
• There may be an underlying issue - if you continue to receive a specific error code when attempting to access Student Self Service please let the the Student Systems team at [email protected] know what it says and they may be able to help.

I have a Microsoft account already, and it is preventing me from accessing my Oxford details. What should I do?

• Try using a different browser, clearing your cookies, or opening an incognito web browser – this will prevent any previous login information from automatic login attempts

”Access Denied” and other error messages

• If you have been trying to log in with your email address (firstname.lastname @college or @department), a @said.oxford.edu address, or SBS-specific login details this will not work. Logging in to Student Self-Service is always done using your SSO, in the format [email protected] (please note the capital letters).
• If you have Student Self-Service open on multiple browsers or across multiple devices (like on your phone and on a computer browser) it will automatically log you out for security reasons. In that case, log out/close all extra tabs across all devices and try logging in again.
• Try using a different browser, clearing your cookies, or opening an incognito web browser – this will prevent any previous login information from automatic login attempts
• There may be an underlying issue - if you continue to receive a specific error code when attempting to access Student Self Service please let the the Student Systems team at [email protected] know what it says and they may be able to help.

Why can’t I complete my registration?

• Current students will be prevented from registering if:
• It is not the anniversary term of the start of your current course, for example, if you are a Hilary term starter and you are trying to register during the Michaelmas term registration period. You will be able to access all the pages of Student Self-Service, but you will need to log back in and register at the start of your registration term.
• You are returning from a suspension and the central office is unaware of your return date, or there is a hold against your record.
• You are not required to register if you are beginning a period of suspension.

I completed registration, why have I lost access to “My Student Record”?

• In order to be enrolled on the first year of a new course, your College must first finalise your registration. Between completing your online registration and your College enrolling you, your access within Self Service will be limited (and you will not be able to see ‘My Student Record’ or amend your details). This will open up again once you are marked as ‘enrolled’.

Why can’t I generate an enrolment certificate?

• Once enrolled, you will be able to generate your enrolment certificate directly from your Student Self-Service under “My Student Record” as well as update your phone number and other personal details under “my contact information” at any point during the academic year.
• If it’s your first year of a new course, your enrolment certificate won’t be available to you until you have completed online registration (step 1) and are enrolled by your College (step 2). In future years of your course, you will only need to complete online registration at the start of each academic year.

I’ve registered, but my loans company says I haven’t completed registration

• Student Finance England also refer to a “registration” – but in this instance, this is the process that universities follow to confirm to SFE that a student has enrolled on their course and is eligible to be paid the loan. This is different to your registration with the University of Oxford (although students must complete this – and their formal enrolment if it’s their first year – before the University will send confirmation).
• After colleges/departments have finalised a student’s enrolment, their enrolment will be confirmed with Student Finance: the central University sends this information to SFE on your behalf. If you have questions or concerns about the release of your loans, please contact the UAS Student Fees Team.

4. Your Information

What is the difference between my Single Sign On (SSO) and my email address?

• Your SSO (abcd1234) is a unique number that identifies you, and is the underlying email account associated with your University of Oxford email. An email account is not the same as an email address.
• Email accounts are tied to your underlying SSO. More than one address can be associated with a single account. Individuals with affiliations to both a department and a college can have an email address for each. Typically, students advertise only one of these addresses, but mail addressed to either of them will be delivered to the same mailbox (i.e. abcd1234) on the Nexus365 system.

What is the difference between my Student Number, Card Number, and Candidate Number?

• Student Number: Your Student Number is found on your University card, closest to the photograph and above the expiry date; it is also included in your offer letters (referred to as your ‘applicant number’).
• University Card Number: Your Card Number is the string of digits on your University card that is above the barcode on the right. This number is also used for your Bodleian library account, used to log into SOLO, the ‘Bodleian-Libraries’ Wi-Fi network, and library workstations and computers.
• Your Candidate Number: An individual number is allocated to each candidate as part of the means of ensuring anonymity in Examinations. This number is automatically generated once your University card is processed, but will not appear anywhere on your card, since it used to maintain your anonymity for your exams and submissions. Only key individuals, like your departmental administrator or the team processing exams will be able to link you to your Candidate Number. You can check your Individual Candidate Number in your Exam Timetable, which is accessed on your Student Self-Service under My Exams > Examination Timetable

How do I download my enrolment certificate?

• You can generate your enrolment certificate directly from your Student Self-Service under “My Student Record”.
• You should ensure that your term time address is up-to-date on your Student Self-Service (under ‘My Contact Information’) before generating your certificate.
• Please be advised that when used for official purposes, your enrolment certificate should usually be signed and stamped by your College Office (or Departmental Administrator if you do not have a College).
• If it’s your first year of a new course, your enrolment certificate won’t be available to you until you have completed online registration (step 1) and are enrolled by your College (step 2). In future years of your course, you will only need to complete online registration at the start of each academic year in order to generate your enrolment certificate.

 Where do I find GSO Forms?

• There are a number of graduate forms which can now only be found on your Student Self-Service under My Student Record>Check My Details>On-course applications. The forms are made available to students depending on the stage of their studies, and can be accessed by expanding the “+” to see the drop-down menus.
• Your GSA (Graduate Studies Administrator) is your primary departmental administrative contact, and will be able to advise you with more authority on any questions you might have about the content of / information needed for the form itself and/or when you can expect to be able to access this form.

What happens with my gender data and pronouns?

During the 2023-24 academic year, the University is enhancing the way that student gender data is recorded and used. On (re)registration, you will be asked to confirm your legal sex (in line with legal documents) and title, and invited to provide the gender you identify with, and your pronouns. You can update this information at any time, via Student Self Service.