USU now provides an official A#@usu.edu email account to all students for use during their academic career. The university uses this address to send important communications to your student during their time with us. They will need to check this account periodically, or set a mobile device or other email client to notify them when an email arrives.
When does my student get their a#@usu.edu email account?
Email accounts are automatically created after your student registers for their first class. They will receive a notification at the personal email address that they provided to the university.
If your student wishes to verify the email address used for university communications, see https://myid.usu.edu. In the email addresses section, the bolded address will be used for official USU communications. This is set automatically based on registration status and is not editable.
How does my student access their University email account?
If your student has a mobile device, we recommend that they add this email account so that they are notified when an email arrives:
In addition, your student can access the system via any web browser by visiting https://outlook.usu.edu.
Your student may also download and install Office 365 desktop applications, including Microsoft Outlook (an email client) on your desktop or laptop computers:
- Office 365 Suite (includes Outlook, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other apps)
- Outlook for Windows
- Outlook for Mac OS
- Mac Mail for Mac OS
Why is USU giving my student a new email address?
Your student's USU-assigned a#@usu.edu email account provides the following benefits:
- Ensures that USU has a stable, verifiable place to deliver official communications by email over your student's entire academic career, including during a leave of absence.
- Eliminates problems with outdated or incorrectly entered personal email account addresses.
- There is no need to change email address if your student enters or leaves university employment to remain in compliance with Institutional Email Policy 557 requirements.
- Does not require an email address change if your student has a name change event (such as marriage).
- Provides access to a number of university-licensed software suites that require a verified @usu.edu email account, including Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft Office 365, Box, Qualtrics, and more).
- Places faculty and other students on the same system for collaboration. Microsoft Office 365 or Google Workspace, for example, work flawlessly together without requiring multiple accounts on multiple systems.
- Prepares your student for employment where they will
often have a separate work email account from their personal email
account. Your student will learn to effectively manage and utilize multiple email
accounts.
- Note that your student is able to customize Canvas for course notifications. See How does my student add contact methods to receive Canvas notifications.
If my student is hired as an employee at USU, should they use this email as both a student and employee?
Yes! Institutional Email Policy 557 requires USU employees use an @usu.edu email address. The address they were given as a student qualifies and should be used if they become an employee of the university.
My student already has an @usu.edu email account, what will happen?
Nothing will change. Your student's a#@usu.edu email address will deliver to the same account.
How long does my student keep this email address?
Your student's USU email address will be active and accessible from the first time they register for a class until approximately 3 years after their last completed class. They will receive an email notification prior to account expiration.
My student is not very good at checking email, how can they be notified if they receive a message there?
If your student has a mobile device, we recommend that they add this email account so that they are notified when an email arrives:
Can my student forward this email to a personal email account?
No. As your student will find with many employers, their personal and institutional email accounts must remain separate. For more information see the question "Why is USU giving my student a new email account?" They can configure mobile phones or other email clients to automatically check multiple email accounts:
If your student has a mobile device, we recommend that they add this email account so that they are notified when an email arrives:
Note that your student is able to customize Canvas for course notifications. See How does my student add contact methods to receive Canvas notifications.
