Email Address Policy
This page outlines the CiCS policy relating to your email address; how it is allocated, when you can request it is changed and how you can request it is changed.
How are email addresses allocated?
All staff and students are given an email account when they join the University. To ensure that each email address is unique they are formatted following the guidelines below:
- Staff and Research Students
Staff email addresses take either the full name, initials or a combination of the two depending on availability. Parts of the address are separated using a period. Research students may also apply to have an email address in the same format as for staff.
For example:
- Taught Students - starting before 2009/2010
Email addresses for taught students have traditionally been in the format department + year + initials @sheffield.ac.uk
For example:
If you started at the University of Sheffield prior to the academic year 2009/2010 you will have the content of your email moved over to the new Student Email Service. Your email address will not change.
- Taught Students - starting 2009/2010
Starting in the academic year 2009/2010 CiCS will give all taught students a more meaningful email address.
This will take the format of initials + surname + n @sheffield.ac.uk
Note: The initials and surname will not be separated by a period.
For example:
- First student with no middle initial: cwillis1@sheffield.ac.uk
- Second student with no middle initial: cwillis2@sheffield.ac.uk
- First student with a middle initial: cjwillis1@sheffield.ac.uk
Can I change my email address?
CiCS will only allow staff and students to change their email address if one of the following criteria is met:
- The address you have been given is offensive or otherwise inappropriate.
- The address you have been given does not reflect the name you are known by.
- If the address you are using is receiving abusive or inappropriate mail.
How do I change my email address?
To request a change to your email address please contact the UCards and Registration team as follows:
- Requests will be accepted via email only, ucards-reg@sheffield.ac.uk.
- The request must come from the email address you would like to change.
- Please include the reason for your request (this must satisfy the CiCS criteria for change).
- Please include a preferred alternative (this must satisfy the CiCS criteria for email addresses).
Each request will be assessed by the UCards and Registration team to ensure that they satisfy the above policy; requests that do not satisfy the above policy will be rejected.
CiCS will action your request as follows:
- An automated email will acknowledge your request.
- The Ucards and Registration team will respond to let you know if your request has been approved or rejected.
- If your request has been approved they will let you know your new email alias.
- Your old email address will continue to work unless otherwise specified.