FAQs for Students

Students have two names in SIS: their preferred name and their primary (or legal) name. The preferred name can be changed anytime and will appear on class rosters, UVA email, and the SIS student center. Unless a separate credential name is identified, the primary (legal) name appears on the official transcript and diploma and can be changed only with appropriate supporting documentation.

To change your preferred name, start here: ITS - Update Personal Information Webpage. Changing your preferred name will have no impact on your computing ID. See below for information regarding your computing ID.

To change your primary (legal) name, contact the Office of the University Registrar (Registrar) at [email protected] or (434) 924-4122. The Registrar will provide a form for you to complete and explain what supporting documentation you need to provide with the completed form (e.g., court order, marriage certificate, government-issued ID).

After you update your primary name in SIS, that name will appear on your official transcript and diploma, unless you have identified a separate "credential name". You can view your unofficial transcript in SIS to make sure your new primary name is shown properly.

As noted above, the name that appears on a student’s transcript and that is printed on a student’s diploma is the primary (legal) name from SIS unless a separate "credential name" has been identified. Students seeking to clarify the name on their transcript and diploma should contact the University Registrar’s Office at [email protected] or (434) 924-4122.

Changing a computing ID is a complex process. A computing ID, for instance, cannot be changed comprehensively in every UVA system and historical data store. As such, a request to change a computing ID is not advisable.

There are other options that partially mask the computing ID from appearing in some University systems, such as email. These options include establishing an email alias and setting the email “from” address to be something other than the [email protected].

When you applied to UVA you voluntarily self-identified information about your demographic characteristics that were carried over into your student record. While these are not accessible to you for updates from your Student Information System (SIS) dashboard, you can request that the gender marker be changed by the Office of the University Registrar (UREG). This field is separate from the legal sex field. For information about that process contact UREG at [email protected].

If you are a student athlete who seeks to change your legal sex, that change may have implications, including beyond UVA, to be aware of and consider. Student-athletes seeking assistance with understanding NCAA player eligibility rules should contact the Department of Sports Medicine at (434) 982-5450.

For questions about housing options, please contact Housing and Residence Life at [email protected]. Where possible given the context of the housing facility, the University strives to assign housing consistent with a student’s gender identity. The University offers a number of upper-class housing options designated as “open housing” for students who wish to request roommates regardless of their sex or gender identity. For more information regarding open housing options, see Open Housing Options at UVA.

UVA maintains an interactive map that identifies a variety of single-occupancy restrooms and wellness spaces (select each of these in the "Grounds Amenities" filter). There is also a community map resource for sites beyond UVA - Charlottesville. Many UVA facilities also offer ample access to secure private spaces within a broader space, such as a changing room area, to allow for everyone to enjoy the level of privacy they may seek for a variety of reasons.

Student Health and UVA Health provide confidential gender healthcare services and support for students. The teams offer outpatient medical and psychological consultations and treatment. The teams also provide assistance in accessing alternative resources, such as longer-term treatment in the community.

If you have your health insurance through the university’s Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan, then you do have coverage for many gender-related healthcare needs within the limitations and exclusions specified in the Plan Documents and Benefits Resources. 

If you have your health insurance through your parent’s/guardian’s/spouse's plan or another plan, please check the details carefully to determine what your health insurance plan will cover and what it will not. All plans are different and some fail to cover multiple types of gender-related healthcare needs. Contact your health plan provider in advance to understand your coverage.

• Student Affairs provides support to transgender and gender nonconforming students primarily, through staff in the LGBTQ Center, which is open to and welcomes all students.
• The Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (EOCR) provides education and response pursuant to the University’s Preventing and Addressing Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Policies and Policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence, all of which include sex, gender identity, and gender expression as protected characteristics and collectively protect against discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
• The Maxine Platzer Lynn Women's Center (open to people of all genders) provides support, counseling, and The Room to Breathe in its space across from the Corner which is open to all students and other members of the University community.
• Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) facilitates a weekly LGBTQ+ Support Group for students who might find a confidential group setting helpful to their understanding of themselves and their identities.
• The UVA LGBTQ Committee and student-led CIOs often share information on community resources.