Get Your UTORid & TCard

New Students Instructions
Other Audience Instructions

Documentation requirements

Use the documentation tool to determine the identity and legal status documentation you’ll need to get your UTORid and/or TCard. The documentation required will depend on who you are, and whether this is your first UTORid and TCard.

Your documentation must be unexpired and original (digital or photocopies are not accepted).

If the name on your identity and legal status documentation already matches the name in the University’s record system (e.g. ACORN, HRIS), then you’re ready to begin the process of activating your UTORid and/or receiving your TCard.

If your name doesn’t match and requires correction, contact your registrar or business officer before completing the UTORid and TCard process. If you prefer to use a different name than one on your documentation in the University’s record system, please review the name resources section for more information on the University’s name change process for students and staff.

To obtain a UTORid & TCard, your identity must be verified to:

  • support safety, security and identity management at the University
  • ensure your record in our official systems is accurate

To begin studies at the University of Toronto, your legal status (e.g. Canadian, permanent resident, international) must be verified to:

  • meet the reporting requirements of the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and Immigration Canada
  • ensure you’re paying the correct tuition fees

For Newly Admitted Students Here Are Step-by-step instructions to get your UTORid & TCard

Before you start, you must enable your JOINid. Find your JOINid on your Offer of Acceptance letter along with your student number.

Newly admitted students for the Winter 2025 term can start submitting their photos and documents from December 1st, 2024 onwards.

Visit the Documentation Tool.

The University of Toronto has a way for students to have their first name changed on their academic records and ACORN. If you use a different name than the one indicated on your photo ID and legal status documentation, contact your registrar’s office and request the Change of Name or Gender Request Form.

If you’re a new student, you must complete this step before beginning the UTORid activation process.

For more information and detail on the name change process, please visit the Change of Name Guidelines – University Registrar’s Office.

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Photo & Documentation Requirements:

  • Photo and document files must be in JPEG, PNG or GIF.
  • Photo must show you from shoulder to above your head, with face looking at camera. It’s OK to smile!
  • Photo must be in colour with no other objects or people present.
  • Photo must represent your current appearance (no facial enhancements or pictures of pictures) and resemble image on identity/legal status documentation.
  • Identity/legal status documentation must be in colour and unexpired.
  • Hair coverings worn for medical or religious reasons are allowed but your full face must be visible in your TCard photo. Individuals must also present valid government-issued photo documentation with full face visible (religious hair covering is okay). Individuals who wear a face covering who prefer to have their full face photo taken and documentation validated privately by a staff person the student feels comfortable with, can email the TCard office on their campus to make this request. Photos submitted online cannot be guaranteed to be viewed by specific staff members. Please refer to the Notice of Collection in the TCard Terms & Conditions for information on how the TCard photo is used.  If you have any concerns, please contact the Assistant Director, TCard Services.  

Approval will be sent to the email listed in your record in ACORN.

Soon after receiving your photo approval email, you will receive an email with instructions on how to activate your UTORid, using your Secret Activation Key (SAK):

  • Newly admitted students receive their SAK via email after their photo & documentation has been approved.
  • The SAK email will be sent to the email address listed in ACORN, unless you provided an alternate email during the submission process.
  • The email will come from a U of T email address: infosec@utoronto.ca. The subject line will be “Activate Your U of T UTORid“.
  • If your JOINid has stopped working AND you haven’t received your SAK email, check your junk and spam folder.
  • The email contains a SAK and a link to activate your UTORid.

Note: Once you receive your SAK email, your JOINid and its associated password will no longer work.

Use your SAK to activate your UTORid:

  • Go to uoft.me/activate-utorid
  • Enter your JOINid + SAK.
  • Set up your UTmail+ account.
  • Set up your UTORid password and account management options.

Drop by the TCard Office to pick up your TCard. Check our office operating hours and confirm what documentation you require, prior to your visit.

If, for disability-related reasons, you’ll have difficulty waiting or standing in a line-up, let TCard staff know when you arrive.

Instructions to get your UTORid & TCard for other audiences

If you haven’t converted your JOINid to a UTORid, follow the process for newly admitted students.

If you need a replacement TCard, visit Replace your TCard.

If you’ve been absent from the University for two or more years, you’ll need to have a new photo taken and provide legal status documentation.

If, for disability-related reasons, you’ll have difficulty waiting or standing in a line-up, let TCard staff know when you arrive.

Name Resources

The University of Toronto has a way for students to have their first name changed on their academic records and ACORN. If you use a different name than the one indicated on your photo ID and legal status documentation, contact your registrar’s office and request the Change of Name or Gender Request Form.

For more information and detail on the name change process, please visit the Change of Name Guidelines – University Registrar’s Office.

To access Quercus, SCS students can use the “qqID” provided when you register for a SCS course.

To get a UTORid to access online library resources and campus WiFi:

  • Complete a TCard Permission Letter Request on or after the start date of your SCS course.
  • If approved, a letter including a UTORid will be emailed to you within two business days.

To get a TCard, visit our office during our operational hours and bring your:

  • TCard permission letter
  • Valid Government photo ID (original/unexpired/no photocopies)
    • Documents must match the information in U of T’s record system.

A TCard is not required for classes, if you wish to acquire one, there is a $20 issuance fee (debit or credit only).

If, for disability-related reasons, you’ll have difficulty waiting or standing in a line-up, let TCard staff know when you arrive.

Visit the SCS website for more information.

Name Resources

The University of Toronto has a simple single source application for School of Continuing Studies students to have their display name changed on certain university systems once they have acquired their UTORid. This can be done though https://my.auth.utoronto.ca/.

Students in eligible programs follow the process for newly admitted students. 

To determine if your program is eligible to pick up a TCard, visit the TST website. 

If you are not in one of the programs listed, contact your college registrar’s office. 

International Students must have their legal status verified by their college registrar PRIOR to picking up their TCard.

If, for disability-related reasons, you’ll have difficulty waiting or standing in a line-up, let TCard staff know when you arrive. 

Get your UTORid and SAK:

  • Your UTORid and Secret Activation Key (SAK) can be found on the online services letter provided to you by your business officer/the Division of People Strategy, Equity & Culture.
  • Contact your business officer if you have any difficulties/for more information.

Activate your UTORid:

To get your TCard:

If, for disability-related reasons, you’ll have difficulty waiting or standing in a line-up, let TCard staff know when you arrive.

Name Resources

The University of Toronto has simple ways for staff and faculty to have their name changed in HRIS (Human Resource Information System). For more information on this process, please visit the U of T Identification page on the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office website.

Get your UTORid and SAK:

  • Your UTORid and Secret Activation Key (SAK) can be found on the online services letter provided to you by the Division of People Strategy, Equity & Culture, or your department.
  • If you have a letter for an account to be created, visit the Reader Registration desk at Robarts Library to get your UTORid and TCard.

Contact your department if you have any difficulties/for more information.

To activate your UTORid:

Users can also visit our office to get a TCard during our operational hours and bring your:

  • UTORid
  • Valid Government photo ID (original/unexpired/no photocopies).
    • Documents must match the information in U of T’s record system.

If, for disability-related reasons, you’ll have difficulty waiting or standing in a line-up, let TCard staff know when you arrive.

Name Resources

The University of Toronto has simple ways for staff and faculty to have their name changed in HRIS (Human Resource Information System). For more information on this process, please visit the U of T Identification page on the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office website.

Get your UTORid and SAK by logging into the Postgraduate registration system (POWER).

If you experience difficulty accessing the POWER records system, contact your PGME Registration staff member.

To get a TCard, visit our office during our operational hours and bring your:

  • UTORid/Trainee ID number
  • Valid Government photo ID (original/unexpired/no photocopies).
    • Documents must match the information in U of T’s record system.

If, for disability-related reasons, you’ll have difficulty waiting or standing in a line-up, let TCard staff know when you arrive.

Name Resources

The University of Toronto has simple ways for clinical fellows to have their name changed. For more information on this process, please visit the U of T Identification page on the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office website.

Including contractors, temporary staff/faculty and visiting professors

Guest UTORid accounts provide University visitors, including contractors, temporary staff/faculty, and visiting professors, with access to campus WiFi.

Short-term guest accounts are appropriate for visitors who need a UTORid for 5 days or less; long-term guest accounts are required for visitors who need a UTORid for more than 5 days.
You may ask your supervisor or business officer to sponsor a short-term or long-term guest UTORid.

Visit the TCard websites at UTM and UTSC.

If you can’t use CLNx, visit our Help page.

Get a service animal indicator

To request a service animal indicator for your TCard:

For additional information, please visit the University of Toronto AODA Office website.

Get a Braille label for your TCard

Students, staff, faculty, and community members with blindness or low vision can receive a Braille sticker with their new or replacement TCard.

To request a Braille label for your TCard:

  • Visit your campus TCard office or Robarts Library’s Reader Registration, or
  • Email Library Accessibility Services at library.accessibility@utoronto.ca to request your Braille sticker today

For additional information, please visit the University of Toronto AODA Office website.