Set Up Your Uniqname and Account

Covers the process used by incoming students and employees to set up their own uniqname—the U-M user ID or user name used to access U-M digital resources, set up their UMICH password, and enroll in Duo two-factor authentication.

What Is a Uniqname?

Your uniqname is your U-M user name. It is used for logging in to U-M websites, online services, systems, and more. Uniqnames are made up of 3 to 8 alphabetic characters (for example, bjensen).

Your U-M email address will be youruniqname@umich.edu (where youruniqname is replaced with your actual uniqname).Your uniqname is public. It appears on your Mcard, in your MCommunity Directory profile, and in many other records at the university.

Who Can Set Up Their Own Uniqname

  • New students.
    • UM-Ann Arbor students receive an email invitation to set up their uniqname after they confirm their admission and their enrollment deposit is received or waived.
    • UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint students receive an email invitation to set up their uniqname after they are admitted.
  • New employees. New employees on all U-M campuses who are hired using the university's online applicant management application (eRecruit) receive an email invitation to set up a uniqname after they have accepted a position with the university.
  • Alumni who graduated before uniqnames were issued can set up a uniqname at Uniqname & Account Setup (Alumni).

If you already have a uniqname from a previous relationship with the university and return to become a student or employee, you will reactivate your existing uniqname during the setup process rather than creating a new one.

Faculty, as well as those at Michigan Medicine, have their uniqnames set up for them. See Getting a U-M Account and Computing Services for details.

Before You Begin

You Need a UMID Number

Your UMID (U-M ID Number) is included in your email invitation to set up your uniqname and account.

  • Students. Your university ID (UMID) number is also included in your letter of admission to the university and/or other admissions correspondence.
  • Employees. Your university ID (UMID) number is also sent to you via email as part of the hiring process before receiving an invitation to set up a uniqname.

Choose Your Duo Two-Factor Options

After setting up your uniqname and password, you'll be prompted to set up two-factor authentication with Duo. Take a few minutes ahead of time to look through the Duo options available to you and choose what you'll enroll in. It is best to enroll in a primary option plus a backup.

Setting Up Your Uniqname

  1. You will receive an automated email from the university inviting you to set up your uniqname and directing you to Uniqname & Account Setup to do so.
  2. On the Agree to Terms page, click Accept to indicate that you agree to abide by Responsible Use of Information Resources (SPG 601.07), in addition to all relevant state and federal laws.
  3. On the Verify Your Identity page, fill in your name, birthdate, UMID, and email address, then click Submit.
  4. You will see a Check Your Email page letting you know that an email message has been sent to you at the email address you provided.
  5. Check your email for a message with a subject line of Action Needed: U-M Uniqname & Account Setup. If you do not receive the email within about five minutes, check your Spam folder or Promotions folder (under Categories in GMail). If you do not receive an email, contact the ITS Service Center for help.
  6. Click the link in the email message. The link will expire one hour after the message is sent. If you click an expired link, it will take you back to the Agree to Terms page, where you can start over.
  7. Set your uniqname. You can have the app offer suggestions for you to choose from or check to see if a particular uniqname you'd like is available.
    Note: If you already have a uniqname from a previous relationship with the university, you will be prompted to reactivate it.
  8. Set your UMICH password. Choose a strong password, then click Set Password. (See Guidelines for a Secure Password for tips for choosing a strong password.)
  9. You will see a final screen confirming that your password has been changed.
  10. Click Continue to Account Recovery to set up account recovery information. You can provide a mobile phone number (capable of receiving texts) or a non-UMICH email address. The account recovery contact information you provide is where we will send you a password reset code if you forget your password.
  11. Set up Duo two-factor authentication for U-M Weblogin. You can enroll a device or phone number in Duo that you will use in conjunction with your uniqname and password when logging in—or choose among other options.
If you created your uniqname but did not complete the other setup steps before closing your browser, return to the beginning to resume.

After Your Uniqname Is Set

New Employees

  • Verify employment information next. Watch for an email from the university with a subject line of Verify Information for U-M Employment (ACTION REQUIRED). Follow the instructions in that email to log in to Wolverine Access and finalize your employment information.
  • You will get U-M computing services on your hire date. On your official hire date (usually your first day of work), the standard computing services will be set up for you. These include your U-M Goople Apps account and more.
    Note: If you do not create your uniqname until your hire date, your U-M Google account will not be set up until the next day.
  • Your U-M email is determined by your campus.
    • U-M Google Mail and Calendar. Used by faculty, staff, and students at UM-Ann Arbor, UM-Dearborn, and UM-Flint.
    • Michigan Medicine Outlook Mail and Calendar. Used by faculty, staff, and students at Michigan Medicine, as well as those in departments that must comply with various federal regulations that place restrictions on how sensitive regulated data is handled.

New Students

  • Your U-M computing services. U-M standard computing services are set up for you automatically as soon as your uniqname and account are set up. It may take a few minutes for the setup process to finish. If you can't log in to a U-M service right away, please wait a few minutes and try again.
  • Stop using your Friend account. The UMICH Friend account that you used to apply to U-M should not be used after your new U-M account is set up.
  • Check your U-M email regularly. Email is the university's preferred communication medium, and many offices want to begin sharing information with you.
  • Your U-M email is determined by your campus or department.
    • U-M Google Mail and Calendar. Used by students, faculty, and staff at UM-Ann Arbor, UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint.
    • Michigan Medicine Outlook Mail and Calendar. Used by students, faculty, and staff at Michigan Medicine, as well as those in departments and Health Science schools, (i.e. College of Pharmacy) that must comply with various federal regulations that place restrictions on how sensitive regulated data is handled.
Last Updated: 
Thursday, June 20, 2024