Technology Tips for Graduating Students
Congratulations on your success at Northwestern! Navigating the final preparations for life away from campus can feel overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you prepare and safeguard your personal data before you leave.
Your NetID will expire after graduation. You will no longer have access to many University resources, including CAESAR, Canvas, myHR, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 apps and add-ins, and other services.
Manage Your @u Email Account
After graduation, you can transfer ownership or export any data you wish to keep from your @u.northwestern.edu account to a non-Northwestern source before March 31, 2027. After that date, your Northwestern Google Workspace account, including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, and all information stored in Google apps, will be deleted and cannot be recovered.
If you own an @u.northwestern.edu organizational account for a student group, transfer ownership before leaving the University by emailing consultant@northwestern.edu. Learn more about managing your @u.northwestern.edu account.
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 OneDrive Documents and Folders to SharePoint and Change Ownership of Shared Google Documents
Access to Microsoft 365 apps and add-ins, including OneDrive, expires when your NetID expires, and the contents of your OneDrive account are deleted and cannot be recovered. If you have OneDrive files and folders that should continue to be shared with members of the University after you leave, 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.
Access to Google Workspace and all Google storage also ends on March 31, 2027, and any data owned by your account will be deleted. If you have files or folders that should continue to be shared with members of the University after you leave, please transfer ownership. Review this Google Workspace FAQ for new alumni.
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, create a new @alum.northwestern.edu account, set your email preferences, manage your alum club affiliations, and view your giving history. Find out more information about an Our Northwestern Account, and stay connected!
Request Transcripts and Tax Forms
Access to CAESAR and myHR 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
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).