A guide to your email and email alias

At the University of Warwick, your account delivery email address is created using your user code. A primary email address is then assigned based on your first name (or preferred name, if applicable) and family name. This article explains how these components are linked.

When new students or staff members join the University of Warwick, they are assigned a unique user code (e.g.,u1234567) upon registering their account. This user code and a related password are essential for accessing various online services, such as logging into the university website, accessing email, and using the university computers.

What about their email address?

The system generates an account delivery email box in this format: usercode@live.warwick.ac.uk and assigns a primary email address (alias) to it based on the user's preferred names. A primary email address is the main email address associated with your account. It’s the default address used for sending and receiving emails.

What is a primary email address? 

Let’s look at an example:

Michael Josef Baxon (Michael: First name, Josef: Middle name, Baxon: Family name) joins the University and receives the user code u1234567. Michael prefers to be called Mike.

Mike’s delivery email address will be: u1234567@live.warwick.ac.uk

To make it easier for people to recognise emails from Mike, a primary email address, Mike.Baxon@warwick.ac.uk, also known as an alias, is created and linked to his account email address.

Note: An alias email address points to the delivery inbox on the email server, like a nickname.

Using numbers in email addresses

If another person joins the University with a similar name (e.g. another Mike Baxon), they will use a different user code, and their primary email address will include numbers to avoid confusion with existing email addresses, such as Mike.Baxon.2@warwick.ac.uk.

Can I request a different primary email address?

Based on your personal information recorded in Student Information Systems (SITS)Link opens in a new window for students or the HR self-service tool, SuccessFactorsLink opens in a new window for staff. The IDG email services system will offer you some choices that you can select.

For example, M.Baxon@warwick.ac.uk or Josef.Baxon@warwick.ac.uk

Please see the related article in the Further Information section below.

What if I change my name?

If you legally change your name or decide to use a different one.

First step: You need to notify the University to update your records. For students, this is done through the name change requestLink opens in a new window from Student Information Systems (SITS), and for staff, through the HR self-service tool SuccessFactorsLink opens in a new window.

Second step: Updating your information in these systems will not automatically change your primary email address. You will need to request this change separately.

For more details, please refer to the articles below.

Further Information

If you want to change your primary email address based on your name preferences, or if your email address is not correct or it's too long, please refer to this article: How to request a change in your email addressLink opens in a new window

If you are a student and wish to request a change to your name, please refer to this article: How to request a change to your personal information for studentsLink opens in a new window

If you are a member of staff and wish to change your name, please refer to this article: How to request a change to your personal information for staffLink opens in a new window