Personal information

You can use up to two first names for different purposes. Your legal name is the name you provided during the application process. It is the name listed by default on campus, unless you add a chosen/preferred first name. Your chosen/preferred first name is the name you would like to be referred to across campus and it will be used instead of your legal name.

To view your legal and chosen/preferred name, go to Quest, then Personal Information.

To change your legal name:

Changing your legal name on campus will change how your name will appear in the following places:

• the primary name field in Quest on the Personal Information page
• official documents (transcripts, diplomas)
• tuition and fees account summary
• tax receipts (T4, T2202)
• official University letters

Changing your legal name on campus could create issues with government funding (e.g., OSAP), tax receipts, health insurance, travel visas and graduate school applications.

To change your legal name, submit the Update Legal Name form. If you do not have legal documentation, contact askthecentre@uwaterloo.ca to discuss your options.

To change your chosen/preferred first name: 

Changing your chosen/preferred first name means this is what you will be referred to by your professors, during co-op interviews, during meetings with advisors and other staff, etc. You can use your chosen/preferred name on all campus forms and on any communication to faculty or staff.

If you included a preferred first name on your OUAC application, this name will be used as your chosen/preferred first name unless you make a change. To change your chosen/preferred first name, go to WatIAM and make the change. Choosing a name with racist or misogynistic overtones is a violation of the University’s ethical behaviour policy and will be addressed under Policy 33 and Policy 71.

Changing your chosen/preferred name will change your first name in the following places and more:

• LEARN
• Quest
• WaterlooWorks
• email display name
• class lists
• exam lists
• Dean’s honours list and other graduation awards

To add or remove your middle name:

To add or remove your middle name so it does, or does not, appear on official documents (e.g., transcripts, diploma), tax forms, etc., fill out the Update Legal Name and visit The Centre (Needles Hall South, first floor).

To add or remove your middle name from your chosen/preferred name (which will appear in WatIAM, Quest, WaterlooWorks, LEARN etc.) log in to your WatIAM account to make the change. 

Timing of your name change:

Changes will be reflected across applicable systems within 24-48 hours. However, depending on when in the term this change is made, it may take up to one term to see its usage implemented (e.g., if you change your name in the middle of term, it may take until the start of the new term for an instructor to begin using your name, unless you speak to them about it directly).

Updating your name on WatCard:

If you change a chosen/preferred first name, your WatCard must match in order to prevent issues when providing identification during exams and other scenarios. Go to The Centre to receive a replacement card. When requesting a replacement WatCard your original WatCard must be returned.

To change your student email:

If you would like to change your student email address you will first need to update your chosen/preferred name in WatIAM. Once you have updated your chosen/preferred name click on email settings in WatIAM and select your new email. If you have any questions contact the IST Service Desk.

To add an accent to your name on your diploma:

Undergraduate students:

When completing the Application to Graduate Form, include all special characters in the name field. Instructions on how to do this can be found on the Application to Graduate Form. If you cannot find the desired accent, contact your faculty representative in the Office of the Registrar.

Graduate students:

To add an accent or special character to the name on your diploma, email Kelly Heald, Manager, Graduate Records. Include your full name, student ID number, and the date and time of your convocation ceremony.

You may choose not to publish your name, address, and other contact information in the public directory. Your birth date, student and employee identification numbers aren't published under any circumstance – that's private data held within WatIAM.

You should be mindful of "Official Student Email Address." It is important that you have an email address listed in WatIAM and that you regularly check mail received at that address. Please visit the IST web page official student email address for more information.

The username@uwaterloo.ca mail forwarding requires (currently) that even those who don't wish to be published in the campus directory are still available as a very brief entry with the minimal information required for the mail forwarding, e.g., email:username@some.do.ma.in (username:j39smith).

Username and names are often available in other locations – Unix password files, Nexus, and ADS active directory, course mailing lists, and so on.

Update your WatIAM data

Visit The Centre and drop off a letter that includes the following information:

• complete name
• University of Waterloo Student ID Number
• statement requesting that the Registrar's Office or Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs remove your name from WatIAM
• your signature
• date signed

The appropriate office will remove your name from WatIAM.

Other useful links

• Waterloo Identity and Access Management (WatIAM)
• IST Service Desk

Updating your contact information can be completed on Quest. Instructions on updating your home and mailing address, phone number, email address, and emergency contacts can be found at How do I view or update my personal information?

Undergraduate students: Use the Undergraduate Gender Update Form to update your gender on your University of Waterloo undergraduate student record.

Graduate students: Use the Graduate Gender Update Form to update your gender on your University of Waterloo graduate student record.

Gender is used for statistical purposes only and will not appear on official academic documents such as transcripts or diplomas.

A pronoun is a word used to describe you when being spoken of in the third person (i.e., when not being directly addressed), such as they, she, he, or xie. For more information, visit the pronouns FAQ resources page.  

Effective spring 2023, as a current student, you can choose to provide your pronouns in Quest and change or delete your selection at any time. 

Should you choose to include your pronouns in Quest, your pronouns will be accessible by instructors, advisors, and employees with access to Quest. If no pronoun is added, the field in Quest will remain blank.  The University is working to provide your pronouns to other systems across campus (e.g., LEARN, WaterlooWorks), to support the use of your pronoun across all platforms. 

For detailed instructions on how to make or update your pronoun selection in Quest, visit How do I view or update my personal information. Instructors and academic advisors/program co-ordinators are being advised to use the pronouns on their class rosters and to regularly check for updates. As there is no mechanism in Quest to automatically notify instructors of updates in pronoun information, instructors will have to re-download their class roster at regular intervals. This means that some instructors may not see changes in your pronoun information immediately – depending on when they refresh their class roster.