Skip to main content
IT Service Status
IT Service Status

Technology Tips for Graduating Students

Congratulations on your success at Northwestern! Navigating all the final preparations for your life away from campus may seem overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you prepare and retain personal data before you leave.

It is important to know that when your NetID expires, you will no longer have access to many University resources, including CAESAR, Canvas, myHR, and Microsoft 365 apps and add-ins.

Manage Your @u Email Account

 After graduation, you can continue using your existing G Suite account or delete your existing account and create an @alum.northwestern.edu or @kelloggalumni.northwestern.edu account. If you own an @u.northwestern.edu organizational account for a student group, transfer account ownership before leaving the University by emailing consultant@northwestern.edu. Learn more about managing @u email.

Download Content from Canvas

Canvas access will continue until your NetID expires, though access to individual courses may be removed at the instructor’s discretion. Remember to download any course materials you may need before the end of the quarter. You can also download all submitted assignments for every course you enrolled in. Download content from Canvas.

Move Shared Documents from OneDrive to SharePoint

Access to Microsoft 365 apps and add-ins, including OneDrive, also expires with your NetID, and contents within your OneDrive account are deleted. If you have OneDrive documents and folders that should continue to be shared with members of the University after you leave, be sure to move them to SharePoint and notify those with access to the data that you relocated the information. Learn how to relocate OneDrive content to SharePoint.

Create an Our Northwestern Account

Our Northwestern is an information hub for Northwestern alumni. With an account, you can view and update your personal University profile, search the directory, set your email preferences, manage your alum club affiliations, and, for our volunteer fundraisers, access your exclusive administrative tools. Get an Our Northwestern Account and stay connected!

Request Transcripts and Tax Forms

Access to CAESAR and myHR also ends when your NetID expires. You can request transcripts from CAESAR and, if needed, gather tax forms from myHR before you leave the University.

Lastly, if you continue to work with a department after graduation, they may continue providing services via your NetID. Check with your department if you need to access any of their services after graduation.

Additional Resources

Please remember Northwestern IT offers additional technology resources for graduating students. If you have questions about how to complete any of the tasks above, please contact the Northwestern IT Service Desk at consultant@northwestern.edu or 847-491-4357 (1-HELP).