As a student registered at McGill, you are required to present an ID card to:

• write examinations;
• use libraries and student services, including certain laboratories;
• access residence buildings;
• access meal plans; and
• access the inter-campus shuttle bus.

The Student Identification card is the property of the University, for use by the cardholder only, and is not transferable. If you withdraw from all of your courses, you must return it to Enrolment Services (or the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Student Affairs Office, Macdonald Campus).

• New students must be registered for at least one course to obtain an ID card.
• You must allow for at least 24 hours after you have registered for your first course before requesting an ID card.
• If you do not register for consecutive terms, you should retain your ID card to avoid having to replace it when you re-register.
• If your card has expired, there is no charge for a replacement if you hand in the ID card.
• If you change programs or faculties, there is no charge to issue a new card if you hand in the ID card.
• If your card has been lost, stolen, or damaged, there is a replacement fee; please see the Student Records website for an exact fee amount.
• If you need security access to labs or other facilities, please contact the Area Access Manager (AAM) of the building in which the room is located. To find out who the AAM is, consult the Find the AAM list on the Security Services website.

At McGill University, a student is registered under their legal name as it appears on their legal documents,—such as a birth certificate or study permit—that have been provided to the University. This name will be used on documents such as an official transcript and diploma.

Your preferred first name is a name by which you are normally addressed and is different from your legal first name. The Preferred First Name Procedure enables students to use an alternate preferred first name for certain purposes while studying at McGill.

Students who wish to use a preferred first name should enter this information into Minerva as soon as possible in order to ensure that their preferred first name is used as widely as possible.

The preferred first name is displayed on all unofficial university documents and tools, such as:

• McGill ID cards
• Class lists
• Student advising transcripts
• For a complete list of examples, please refer to Student Records

The student's legal name must appear on official university documents, such as:

• Official university transcripts
• Reports to government
• Letters of attestation
• Diplomas and certificates
• Tuition fee e-bills
• For a complete list of examples, please refer to Student Records

It is important to note that making a request to use a preferred first name at McGill does not change a student's legal name in the McGill student record or records with government authorities.

You can provide a preferred first name on your application for admission or, once admitted, on Minerva, under the Personal Menu. From the Personal Menu, select Name and Pronoun Change and then add your preferred first name in the preferred first name field.

You can also request that your preferred first name be part of your McGill email address by submitting an Email Alias form in IT's Service Now. For further details, see Student Records, which includes the Preferred First Name FAQ.

You should verify the accuracy of your name on McGill's student records via Minerva (mcgill.ca/minerva). To do this, go to Personal Menu > Name and Pronoun Change, where you can make minor corrections such as changing case (upper/lower), adding accents, and spacing. You can also add a preferred first name that is different from your legal first name, and it will be used internally at McGill. For more information on the Preferred First Name Procedure, see mcgill.ca/student-records/personal-information/name-gender.

You cannot change your legal name via Minerva. To change your legal name, please refer to Student Records. A legal name change request must be submitted along with official documents (see Legal Name and Legal Sex Designation). To add a preferred first name, see Preferred First Name.

It is important to keep your McGill record up to date with your personal information, especially a mailing or billing address, as these are used by the University year-round. Upon initial registration, students are prompted to provide this information. Every six months thereafter, students are prompted to update this information as needed.

You must update your address(es) and/or telephone number(s) and emergency contact information on Minerva under the Personal Menu.

If you need to change important personal information that requires the University to verify official documents—such as a name change, gender, or a correction of your birth date—refer to the instructions at mcgill.ca/student-records/personal-information/name-gender. Macdonald Campus students can request changes in person at the Macdonald Campus Student Affairs Office, Laird Hall, Room 106.

Students registered in exclusively online (sometimes referred to as 'distance') programs are required to declare where they are geographically located while studying for every term they are registered in the online program. For students pursuing an online program, location while studying is considered — along with the fee residency status (i.e. Quebec Resident, Canadian or International) — when determining what fees are charged.

The following programs are designed to be offered exclusively online and, with some exceptions, are not offered on one of McGill's campuses:

Most regular university charges will apply to all students in all online programs, but certain fees may be reduced or eliminated for students located outside the province while studying. For example, the Athletics & Recreation Fee is not charged to students located outside Quebec, and International students located outside Quebec but within Canada may request to opt-in to the International Health Insurance through mcgill.ca/internationalstudents/health.

Online program students must self-declare their location while studying for every term they are registered in the online program via Minerva under Student Menu > Location of Study - Online (distance) program. Students are notified by email that the Minerva form for the upcoming term is open and can be accessed. The form opens to all registered students in the above programs on:

• Fall term: July 16
• Winter term: November 16
• Summer term: March 16

Students will be asked to support their application for a change in location with appropriate documentation which can include, for example, Quebec Medicare Card, Quebec Driver's License, rental agreement, mail addressed to them at a Quebec address, etc. If the change of location occurs by the last day of classes in the Fall/Winter terms, and August 15th for the Spring/Summer terms, then the change will affect that term. After these dates, a student must wait for the opening of the new term to make the new self-declaration for the new term. If the proof cannot be provided by the last day of classes for the term of the requested change, then Enrolment Services reserves the right to refuse the application.

Where it is determined that a student has falsely declared themselves to be in Quebec, then the University reserves the right to re-assess tuition at the deregulated rates for their program and — in addition — the student would be subject to the rules contained in the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures.