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Alumni Email Service – Frequently Asked Questions
For: Alumni who graduated or left the University between 1st January 2025 and 31st July 2025
Overview
We are pleased to offer alumni in this category one additional year of access to their University alumni email account until September 2026, with a further opportunity to opt in for another year at that point.
This is part of our two-year pilot which will allow us to review usage and assess cyber security risks. Our intention is to offer an annual opt-in process beyond this period, but this cannot be guaranteed until the pilot has been fully evaluated. Safeguarding your data and the University’s security remains our top priority.
1. How long will the pilot be?
The initial pilot will be for a period of 2 years, from September 2025.
2. Why are you only offering this as a pilot?
This initial one-year extension is being introduced as a pilot over 2 years to help us better understand the needs of our alumni community and assess the feasibility of offering continued email access beyond qualification.
It will allow us to:
- Evaluate demand and usage patterns
- Gather feedback from users to improve future offerings
- Monitor the impact on University systems and security
- Ensure the service is sustainable and beneficial for those who need it
3. What happens after the pilot?
At the end of the 2-year pilot, we will review how the extended email access has been used and evaluate the feedback from participants. This will help us determine whether a longer-term or permanent opt-in service is viable.
Our aim is to ensure that any future offering is both sustainable and aligned with the needs of our alumni, while continuing to uphold the University’s commitment to cyber security and data protection.
We will communicate the outcome of this review and any next steps in advance of the pilot’s conclusion.
At the end of the 2-year pilot, we will review how the extended email access has been used and evaluate the feedback from participants. This will help us determine whether a longer-term or permanent opt-in service is viable.
Our aim is to ensure that any future offering is both sustainable and aligned with the needs of our alumni, while continuing to uphold the University’s commitment to cyber security and data protection.
We will communicate the outcome of this review and any next steps in advance of the pilot’s conclusion.
4. How will I know when this has started.
You will receive a Welcome email from the Office of Development and Alumni Relations (ODAR). This will be the start of your 1-year ongoing email access. This will either in be in September or January depending on when you graduate/leave the University.
You will receive a Welcome email from the Office of Development and Alumni Relations (ODAR). This will be the start of your 1-year ongoing email access. This will either in be in September or January depending on when you graduate/leave the University.
5. What is the difference between a full access computing account and an alumni email?
You continue to get approx. 5 months of access to your full computing account - ending in xxx@soton.ac.uk after you qualify, before receiving a warning email giving you 28 days to remove (offboard) the contents of your student account (e.g., any files and data that you want to keep from your OneDrive account). As your email address turns into an alumni one, you will also lose access to the following university systems and services:
You continue to get approx. 5 months of access to your full computing account - ending in xxx@soton.ac.uk after you qualify, before receiving a warning email giving you 28 days to remove (offboard) the contents of your student account (e.g., any files and data that you want to keep from your OneDrive account). As your email address turns into an alumni one, you will also lose access to the following university systems and services:
- Personal Filestore
- OneDrive and any Office 365 services
- Banner
- SUSSED
- The University Virtual Private Network (VPN)
- Eduroam
- Public Workstations
- Blackboard
- eAssignments
- Efolio
- PGR Manager
- GitHub
- Most other services that require you to authenticate
This email will also explain that your student account will transition to an alumni email address.
As part of this transition, you will see your primary email alias change from @soton.ac.uk to @southamptonalumni.ac.uk, however emails will continue be received from BOTH addresses. Outbound emails will show as being sent from @southamptonalumni.ac.uk
Please note, that all accounts must have Multifactor Authentication (MFA) enabled. If you don’t have this enabled, you will be prompted to set up MFA when you next sign in.
As part of this transition, you will see your primary email alias change from @soton.ac.uk to @southamptonalumni.ac.uk, however emails will continue be received from BOTH addresses. Outbound emails will show as being sent from @southamptonalumni.ac.uk
Please note, that all accounts must have Multifactor Authentication (MFA) enabled. If you don’t have this enabled, you will be prompted to set up MFA when you next sign in.
6. Why is MFA required for continued access?
MFA helps protect your account and University systems from unauthorised access. It’s a key part of our commitment to cyber security and data protection.
- If you had MFA turned on as a student, your MFA settings stay the same.
- You may be prompted to set up MFA when you next sign in. From your first attempt to login, you will be given two weeks to set it up, if you don't, you will be locked out and you will have to call UoS ServiceLine to get your MFA reset. We will be verifying your identity. Please call 023 8059 5656 or email Service Line ServiceLine@soton.ac.uk
7. What is the difference between Alumni email users and active users?
- @soton.ac.uk is the default email address for current students and staff, referred to as ‘active’. This account provides full access to university systems (with relevant controls in place).
- @southamptonalumni.ac.uk is used by alumni users and provides access to email only, without access to the full Office 365 suite or other university systems.
- When you send an email it comes from username@southamptonalumni.ac.uk
- Senders can use either address to contact you and you will receive it in the same inbox.
8. Can I use my University email for job applications or further study?
Yes, during the extended access period, you can continue using your University email for professional and academic purposes. If you return for further study, your account will transition back to a student account.
9. What should I do if I've used my student/alumni email in a paper, CV or online?
Don’t worry, this is the right thing to do as this confirms your affiliation with the University of Southampton.
Yes, during the extended access period, you can continue using your University email for professional and academic purposes. If you return for further study, your account will transition back to a student account.
9. What should I do if I've used my student/alumni email in a paper, CV or online?
Don’t worry, this is the right thing to do as this confirms your affiliation with the University of Southampton.
- Your student email address ending in @soton.ac.uk will continue to work as an email address when you have an alumni email address - southamptonalumni.ac.uk
- Research students who are publishing are encouraged to register for an ORCiD account. They can then update their email address in ORCiD as needed should this change.
10. What is the best way to ensure that other researchers can get in touch with me long term?
Researchers are encouraged to register for an ORCID iD. An ORCID iD is a persistent digital identifier, used worldwide, that you own and control, and that distinguishes you from every other researcher, even if you move institution or change name. ORCID iDs look like a credit card number. You can update your email address in ORCiD as needed should this change.
11. What if I’m still working with the University (e.g., as a researcher)?
If you're still collaborating with the University, we’re working closely with alumni in your situation to find a solution that lets you continue your work and research. You can apply for a Visitor account. This will provide an enhanced level of access to University systems and services, beyond email. Visitor requests must be made by the sponsoring department manager/host using the relevant online Visitor Request. You can contact your department manager/host and ask them to sponsor you. They can contact HR for further information.
If you're still collaborating with the University, we’re working closely with alumni in your situation to find a solution that lets you continue your work and research. You can apply for a Visitor account. This will provide an enhanced level of access to University systems and services, beyond email. Visitor requests must be made by the sponsoring department manager/host using the relevant online Visitor Request. You can contact your department manager/host and ask them to sponsor you. They can contact HR for further information.
12. Do I need an alumni email account to access other alumni benefits?
No. None of our alumni benefits are reliant on having an alumni email address. You can find out more about alumni benefits here.
No. None of our alumni benefits are reliant on having an alumni email address. You can find out more about alumni benefits here.
13. How can the University contact me apart from via my alumni email address?
We would love to keep in touch. Please make sure we have your current personal email address and all your latest details by filling in this form here.
We would love to keep in touch. Please make sure we have your current personal email address and all your latest details by filling in this form here.
