Preferred Name Change
If you use a first name that differs from your legal name, you can update it for general communications and on your public safety Student ID card. Your Tufts Username will not change and your legal name will continue to be used in systems that require it, including financial records, government reporting, official University records, and medical records. Please note that students can have their names updated on class and grade rosters, but diploma records will reflect your legal name.
The Preferred Names Policy and Process provides additional information and guidelines for the use of preferred names at Tufts.
Students
Medford/SMFA Students
Follow these instructions: https://students.tufts.edu/registrar/make-request/update-your-name.
Boston/Grafton Students
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Update your preferred name in SIS. This will update your preferred name on class rosters and grade rosters, Directory and Canvas. To update: click the pencil icon next to your name in the About Me tab.
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Contact Public Safety if you would like to obtain a new Student ID with your preferred name. Incoming students requesting their first Student ID card do not need to contact Public Safety but will have their preferred name appear on their ID card automatically. Please note preferred names can be printed on Student ID cards if they contain alpha characters only.
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Submit a request to it@tufts.edu to update your Email alias/address.
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Update your name in other Tufts services using instructions in "Other Tufts services" section below
Note: Not all systems refresh name changes automatically. If you find you are still not seeing your preferred name, please reach out to the Service Desk for assistance at it@tufts.edu or 617-3376.
Faculty/Staff
- Update your name in eServe:
- Go to https://hrss.uit.tufts.edu/
- Log in with your Tufts username and password
- Click the Manage Preferred Name tile
- Enter a first AND last name (both are required), even it your preferred last name will be the same as your legal last name
- Click Save. Changes will take effect within a couple of hours (beginning on 1/23/24).
- Submit a request to it@tufts.edu to update your Email alias/address and any other Tufts Services you may use (e.g., Teams).
- Faculty only: Submit a request to elements-support@tufts.edu to update your preferred name in the Faculty Information System (FIS) and FIS-integrated websites. Changes can take 24-48 hours to propagate through the systems.
- Update your name in other Tufts services you may use (see below).
- Contact Public Safety if you would like to obtain a new ID with your preferred name at no cost. Please note only preferred names with alpha characters can be printed on ID cards.
Note: Not all systems refresh name changes automatically. If you find that you are still not seeing your preferred name, please reach out to the Service Desk for assistance – it@tufts.edu or call at 617-627-3376.
Other Tufts services
The following are additional Tufts services and systems where you can update your preferred name. For systems not listed here, please contact Tufts Technology Services for assistance.
- eList – Tufts email distribution lists
- Box – Tufts file storage and sharing tool
- Tufts Alert emergency notification system
- Zoom conferencing tool