Updated and accurate for Spring 2023
Congratulations, graduates! Finals are here, which means commencement is just around the corner. But navigating all your final to-do’s for the culmination of this chapter of your life can be daunting, so we’re here to help. Although you don’t lose access to most university-affiliated accounts until one year after graduating, here’s what you need to know to proactively make sure all of your important files, accounts, and hard work stay with you after you leave the university.
What you need to know
To protect our network, we remove NetID access to university accounts for undergraduates, graduate students, and professional students approximately one year after your last semester registered for classes. When this happens, all of your crucial services–email, software, Library access, computer lab access–which are tied to your NetID and your status as a student will no longer be accessible. You can continue to use all of your services until this happens.
Your NetID will lose access to university accounts approximately one year after your last semester registered for classes. Here’s how to prepare before that happens.
Set your password recovery options
You will need to keep your password updated to access services. Update your password and set your recovery options at the NetID center.
Set up email forwarding
Once your student status is removed after one year, you will no longer be able to log into your university email account. However, you can still be reached at your NetID@illinois.edu address if you set up forwarding to an outside address. Learn how to set up email forwarding here.
Save WebStore license keys
You will not be able to log into WebStore to access your order history, and you will not be able to use discounted software or your software subscriptions. (Some software will expire prior to your NetID deactivation.) Take some time now to visit the WebStore and save or store any access keys/codes for your software with perpetual licenses. This software will not be affected when your status changes.
Applications you accessed by signing in using your NetID will no longer be accessible after your NetID expires. Some of these apps include Adobe, ArcGIS, and Microsoft 365. See below for migration information.
If you’re unsure whether software from the WebStore will expire, check the information on the Webstore-provided purchase receipt or in your Webstore order history for rules about that specific software. If there is nothing stated about post-graduation, the automatic rule is that your license registration will be removed when the software subscription date on the offer expires.
Save or migrate stored online data
If you’ve been using U of I Box or university accounts for OneDrive, Google Apps or Adobe at Illinois, you may want to save or migrate access to any files.
- U of I Box
- Google Apps @ Illinois
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- ESRI ArcGIS
Once you graduate and are no longer a registered student at the university, you won’t be able to use these services:
- University Exchange (Outlook) Mailbox
- Microsoft 365 (which includes Office 365)
- Online courses (Canvas Moodle/learn.illinois.edu, etc.)*
- Some computer labs
- LinkedIn Learning
- VPN
- U of I Box
- Illini-Alert (after your student status changes, you will be removed from the database and no longer receive emergency notifications)
- Handshake (to create an alumni account, fill out this form)
- Library e-resource access (alumni can apply for a courtesy borrowing card)
*If you would like to download your Canvas content before graduating, follow these instructions.
If you are continuing work with a department after graduation, they may continue to provide you services via your NetID. Check with your department if you will need to access any of their services after graduation.