Changing Your Name or Gender
The accuracy of your academic record is essential to the integrity of the University of Toronto’s academic mission. It’s important that university records correctly identify students.
How to check the name on your academic record
Log in to ACORN and navigate to the “Profile & Settings” tab to see what names U of T has on file for you.
Your Preferred, Record, and Legal Name will appear on the “Personal Information” card.
Learn more about how your names are used below.
Preferred Name
The Preferred Name is the name a student wishes to be called. It is not an official name and is optional. Preferred Name is used in Quercus, class lists, the Student Advising System (SAS), and on your MS365 account. Adding a Preferred Name to your record does not change the name on your official academic record.
- Go to the my.auth.utoronto.ca website, log in and change your Preferred Name.
- No supporting documentation required.
Students are advised to maintain consistency with their name to help protect their identity and personal information. Students who frequently change their name, use names that are intentionally offensive, or encourage misrepresentation will be asked to meet with their divisional registrar. In the case of preferred names, the University reserves the right to limit the number of preferred name changes and may remove a preferred name from a students record if it is inappropriate.
Record Name
Your Record Name will appear in almost all university systems, on the official academic record, and on official documents such as transcripts and diplomas. The Record Name normally aligns with your Legal Name. You are able to change your Record First and Middle Name on your academic record without legal documentation.
Changing a Record First and Middle Name, that is different from your legal name can only be done by current students. If you would like to change your Surname, please see the Legal Name change process. Alum may only make legal name changes.
Be aware that a change to your Record First or Middle Name that differs to your Legal Name (i.e., a Chosen Name) on your academic record may impact identity verification processes. You may face challenges with verifying your identity or your academic credentials for:
- Government student loan programs (e.g., OSAP)
- Verifying your Ontario Education Number (OEN)
- Study permit applications and compliance
- Post-graduate work permit applications
- Professional licensing/accreditation boards (e.g., medicine, nursing, law)
- International employment application processes
- Applications to other educational institutions (e.g., graduate school applications or university transfers)
- Filing taxes
- Complete the Change of Name or Gender Request Form.
- Legal name change documentation is not required
- Submit the form to your registrar’s office. You will be asked to present valid photo identification. Please note, the identification being requested is to confirm your identity and does NOT need to correspond to your new name being requested.
After changing your name, you will need to ensure your name is updated in other university systems:
- Email: Visit the UTORid webpage to request a change to your email address.
- TCard: Your TCard must match your Record Name. See the TCard office for more information.
Note: Your UTORid cannot be changed, even after you change your Record Name on your official academic record.
Legal Name
U of T is required to record your full legal name for licensing, accreditation, tax and government reporting requirements. If you would like to change the Legal Name on your academic record, Valid ID and or other approved documentation is required.
If you are a newly admitted student, your legal name will be recorded during the TCard issuance process. If you are a returning student, your registrar’s office can help add a legal name.
- Complete the Legal Name Change Form.
- Submit the form and one of the following approved documents to your registrar’s office.
- Name change certificate from an approved government agency (e.g. Office of the Registrar General).
- Birth certificate
- Government issued marriage certificate, divorce decree or court issued separation document
- Citizenship card issued by an approved government agency
- Permanent resident card
- Passport
After changing your name, you will need to ensure your name is updated in other university systems:
- Email: Visit the UTORid webpage to request a change to your email address.
- TCard: Your TCard must match your current name on ACORN or Quercus. See the TCard office for more information.
Note: Your UTORid cannot be changed, even after you change your name on your official academic record. Your UTORid is only used by you, it cannot be used to identify you to university staff or instructors.
- Reach out to your registrar’s office
- Present one piece of Valid (not expired) Photo ID:
- Passport
- Canadian Driver’s License
- Provincial Photo Card
- Nexus card (belonging to a Canadian Citizen)
- Certificate of Indian Status
- Canadian Permanent Resident Card
- Canadian Armed Forces Identification Card
- Your registrar’s office will record your Legal Name
Gender
U of T collects gender information for record keeping, official reporting, and University planning purposes. Gender is not used to provide academic services and advising. If you would like to change the gender stored on your record, you can do so without providing supporting documentation. Log in to ACORN and navigate to the “Profile & Settings” tab to see what gender U of T has on record for you.
- Complete the Change of Name or Gender Request Form.
- Submit the form to your registrar’s office. You will be asked to present valid photo identification. Please note, the identification being requested is to confirm your identity and does NOT need to correspond to your gender being requested.
- For more information about the resources available to 2SLGBTQ+ people please contact the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office.
Additional Information
If you are a University of Toronto student who also works at the university, you may also need to update your name on your employment record as human resources records are managed in a separate system. To change your name on your employment record, speak with your department HR consultant.
If you would like to change how your name appears on your diploma and in the convocation brochure, you must make the request in advance; otherwise, the name currently displayed in ACORN will be used.
- For small adjustments to your name, such as accents or removing a period after an initial, refer to the Office of Convocation website.
- For any other name changes, see your registrar’s office to make the request.
University of Toronto alum who need to change their name on their diploma or transcript can do so by:
- Completing the Legal Name Change Form.
- Submitting the form and one of the following approved documents to your registrar’s office.
- Name change certificate from an approved government agency (e.g. Office of the Registrar General).
- Birth certificate
- Government issued marriage certificate, divorce decree or court issued separation document
- Citizenship card issued by an approved government agency
- Permanent resident card
- Passport
- Requesting a replacement diploma from the Office of Convocation
- Requesting an updated transcript from the University Registrar’s Office
The Sexual & Gender Diversity Office (SGDO) supports students who are undergoing a First and/or Middle Name or gender change. If you have questions about navigating the name change process at the university, contact the SGDO.
If you have questions about changing your name, contact your registrar’s office.