The name you supply on your enrolment application will be used on various documents, communications, and systems during your time at UC. If your name changes or you would like to be known by a different name than your legal name, there are various processes to getting your name updated in UC's systems.
Topic
Changing your name
03 September 2026
HOW TO APPLY
Your preferred name is the name you prefer to be known by and is normally different from your legal name. It will not appear on official documentation from the University but will show in LEARN and on informal university communications. It can be updated at any stage in your myUC profile by following these steps:
- Log in to myUC.
- Select your name in the top-right corner, then select 'My profile'.
- In the 'Personal Details' section, enter your preferred name in the 'Other Names' in the 'Other name(s)' field, then tick 'Preferred Name'.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and select 'Update Profile' to save the changes.
Changing your preferred name in myUC will not change your legal name in UC systems.
Your legal name is the name shown on official documents such as your passport and birth certificate. UC uses this name on official university records and documents such as your graduation certificate (testamur) and academic transcript.
If you have changed your legal name, you can ask for your name to be updated on university records so your new legal name shows on these documents.
You will need to provide evidence of the change to your legal name, showing both your old and new names. This can be a marriage certificate, name change certificate, NZ birth certificate, or dissolution documents.
Your evidence can be provided in person to the Enrolments team or by email to document-validation@canterbury.ac.nz along with a request for a legal name change and your student ID number. If sent by email, supporting evidence should be certified.
Your legal name will also be updated on the National Student Index.
UC systems do not currently support changes to usercodes and/or postgraduate email addresses. Requests are normally considered only when there are exceptional circumstances (such as for valid rainbow or equity-related reasons) and when your legal name has been changed.
Submit a request to rainbow@canterbury.ac.nz and explain the exceptional circumstances supporting your request.
Your student ID card, also known as your 'Canterbury Card' is your formal identification on campus and shows your name, usercode, and ID number.
To change the name shown on your card, visit the Security Office with your current card* and request a replacement card with your preferred name or new legal name.
Please note: changing the name on your card will not update your name in UC systems. To update your legal name in UC systems you must complete the legal name change process listed above.
*If you cannot provide your current ID card for replacement, you will be charged a lost card fee.
Your registered legal name will be used on official documents such as your graduation certificate (testamur) and your official academic transcript.
If your legal name is not showing correctly on your testamur and/or academic transcript, please contact transcript@canterbury.ac.nz.
If your legal name has changed since your graduation certificate (testamur) was issued, you can request a replacement testamur showing your new legal name by emailing transcript@canterbury.ac.nz. You will need to hand in your current certificate and pay the applicable fee.
