When you finish studying at the University of Otago, access to your student email account and Microsoft 365 will be removed. Former students are not eligible for the free Microsoft 365 licensing used by the University. Additionally, unused student email accounts are a security risk as compromised accounts are a frequent source of malicious email attacks.
This does not affect you if you:
- Are enrolled in the current or future academic year
- Are eligible to attend your graduation ceremony
- Have your "Access to Resources" flag set to Yes in eVision
The access removal process is run twice a year:
- In March after the last date to delete full-year papers with refund of fees
- In September after the last date day to withdraw from semester 2 and full-year papers
For the current year's relevant dates see the Academic dates
Once your access is removed, you will not be able to log into your student email account or access files stored on your OneDrive. Any email rules you have set up in your student email (e.g., any redirections set up to another email address) will also be deleted. If you have not set up an Out of Office/Automatic Reply message, the University’s default one will be put up.
If you require ongoing access to your student email or Microsoft 365 for academic reasons, contact AskOtago.
Removal of student email/Microsoft 365 access and re-enrolment
If you are planning to re-enrol and access your student email/Microsoft 365 account is scheduled to be disabled, you will need to do so in eVision before the account disable date (see above). Otherwise, your student email and Microsoft 365 access will be removed.
Requiring access to your student email account after completion of study
If you think you need ongoing access to your student email account for academic purposes, email your request to AskOtago.
If you have a valid reason, you may be allowed continued access to student resources such as your student email.
If you are undertaking research or work for the University and use your student email address as your main point of contact, discuss this with your supervisor. If this is paid work, you will also have a staff username with a staff email account. If this is unpaid, a staff account might still be used, or an external account may be requested, depending on the arrangement you have with the University.
Using student email to log in to your computer
If you log in to your computer using your student email account, you will need to change this before your access to student email is removed. AskOtago can assist with creating a new local account and copying the profile information from the student email account.
If you later sign up for personal/home Microsoft 365, you can choose to use that new Microsoft account as your computer login:
Getting a personal copy of Microsoft 365
Further information