The University maintains three mailing addresses for use by University systems, Directory Release, and other official purposes. Students are expected to maintain address information current.
Address Types
- Local Address
- Local Address is a postal-recognized location of a student and is used when the student is actively attending classes at the UW.
- Permanent Address
- The permanent address is a postal-recognized location (NOT a PO Box) that an applicant, student, or former student identifies as their permanent address on their application.
- Parent Address
- Parent Address is a postal-recognized location of a student’s guardians and is used when the student is actively attending classes at the UW.
Where Addresses are Used
Students can indicate whether to use their Local or Permanent Address for tuition-related information, registration confirmations, financial aid mailing, and their diploma within Student Personal Services (SPS).
How to Submit an Address Change
Domestic Students
- Student Personal Services: Local, permanent, and parent address changes must be completed using SPS.
- Updates: Address changes in SPS impact the addresses provided to the Student Directory and used by the Office of the University Registrar, Office of Student Financial Aid, Student Fiscal Services, and other University departments and offices.
International Students
- SPS: Local address changes must be completed using SPS.
- ISS: Local and permanent address changes must be reported to International Student Services.
Student Employees at UW
- Workday: Student employees must complete local and permanent address changes using Workday Employee Help.
- Updates: Address changes in Workday impact paycheck and W-2 delivery and are used by the UW Payroll and Human Resources system.
Detailed information regarding the types of name records maintained by the University, including Preferred Name, can be found on the Names page.
Students may choose whatever
Preferred Names they would like for their first, middle, and last name separately. However, students need to make sure that what they choose represents the name they want to appear to their instructors, on their Husky Card, etc. For example, many students have changed their Preferred Names to a
pronoun not realizing that their full Preferred Name will now read as
She/Her or
He/Him or
They/Them. Please review this information about how the
use of Pronouns is being implemented at UW.
Students who change their Preferred Name after the first day of the quarter must notify professors and teaching assistants of the change to their Preferred Name. The University will not notify when students have provided or changed a Preferred Name, although they will be able to view Preferred Names and student identification numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
The term “Preferred Name” refers to a name that an individual wishes to use that differs from their Student Record Name on official UW documents and/or differs from the name that is listed on a student or employee’s original UW record that has not been changed per UW name change procedures.
You may provide the University with your Preferred Name by logging into Identity.UW and following the directions. Please allow 1-2 business days for your Preferred Name to be updated in the Husky Card system before visiting an ID Center location to request a new Husky Card.
No. Using your Preferred Name for your Husky Card is an option for students and employees but is in no way a requirement.
Bring your current card with you to an ID Center location to request a replacement Husky Card. Please note, all name change replacements are assessed the standard $25 replacement fee. U-PASS holders should allow 24-48 hours for their new card to begin working on transit.
Your Preferred Name is for use within the University community. If you choose to have your Preferred Name on your Husky Card it cannot be used as proof of legal identity and may impact its use as a form of ID. It is advisable to carry a government-issued form of ID such as a driver’s license or passport with you.
The University of Washington values and honors diverse experiences and perspectives and strives to create a welcoming and respectful learning environment, to promote access, opportunity, and justice for all. Referring to students by the name they wish to be called in classrooms and when interacting with University personnel supports a respectful learning environment.
The term “Preferred Name” refers to a name that an individual wishes to use that differs from their Student Record Name on UW documents and/or differs from the name that is listed on a student’s original UW student record that has not been changed per the UW name change procedures.
Log into Identity.UW and follow the directions to set your Preferred Name with the University. You may choose a different first, middle, and/or last name as your Preferred Name.
- UW Directory
- Husky Cards
- Class lists
- Photo class rosters
- Student Data Base SRF305 screen used by University administrators
- GradePage (the tool for faculty to submit grades).
- Canvas
- MyUW
- MyPlan
- MyGradProgram
- EARS Advising tools
- Panopto
Student record names, not Preferred Names, will appear on transcripts, diplomas*, official student accounts and financial aid records, certification documents, student employment records, and immigration/SEVIS documents.
Preferred Names do not appear on diplomas but graduates are able to request a Diploma Name of their choosing for their diploma.
Your Student Record Name will be used in business processes and other activities that require, per the UW Preferred Name policy use of your student record name. These include:
- International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) Documentation
- Student Financial Services Documentation
- Financial Aid
- Student Employment Records
- Federal Requests for Information
- National Student Clearinghouse
- Transcripts
- Academic Certifications
- Diplomas
Technically, legal guidance affirms that there is no actual legal term referred to as a “legal name.” It is common for many organizations to refer to legal name as the name that appears on your passport, driver’s license, birth certificate, or U.S. Social Security Card. At the UW we use the term Student Record Name and in order to change this for official UW documents, a student must complete the name change process.
No. Using your Preferred Name for your Husky Card is an option for students and employees but is in no way a requirement.
You may provide the University with a Preferred Name or update your Preferred Name anytime at Identity.UW. It will take 24 business hours for the update to appear in the applications provisioned for Preferred Names. You may change your Preferred Name at any time and more than once.
The reasons for choosing a Preferred Name that may be different from a changed name through the UW name change process are personal and different for each individual.
Students may have many reasons for asking to have their Preferred Name, over their Student Record Name, displayed on non-UW official documents:
- Preferring to use a nickname or middle instead of their student record first name
- Choosing a name that aligns with their gender identity
- Desiring to use a “Western” or “Americanized” name rather than a name in another language
- Wanting a preemptive name change while in the process of legal divorce proceedings
When you set your Preferred Name, you agree that:
- You have not set a Preferred Name with an intent to impersonate someone else, to deceive, or to defraud;
- Hate speech, inappropriate language, or repeated frequent use of this feature may bar you from using this feature, at the University’s discretion;
- Your Preferred Name may be used in any UW system.
Preferred Names may not be used for purposes of fraud or misrepresentation. The University reserves the right to remove a Preferred Name if it contains inappropriate or offensive language.
Gender Identity designates a person’s concept of self as male, female, or a blend of both or neither (gender X or non-binary) and reflects how individuals perceive and call themselves. A person’s gender identity can be the same or different from their sex designation.
The Office of the University Registrar supports students’ identity and respects that gender is fluid and subject to change by allowing them to manage their gender identity in University systems. The Student Information System can only track M (Male), F (Female), or U (Unknown or not provided) at this time.
Where Gender Identity is Used
Gender identifiers, as supplied by students to the University, are consumed by a wide variety of systems and applications. Examples include the Student Database, the Electronic Advising Record Systems, and Enterprise Data Warehouse/BI Portal reports available to University school officials.
How to Update Gender Identity
Requests to change the gender listed on the student record can be made either in person or by email. No documentation is required.
| In person |
Email |
Office of the University Registrar
Second Floor Schmitz Hall |
To: regoff@uw.edu
From: @uw.edu email
Include: Student ID Number |
