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Pre-enrolment is a quick and easy online task in which you confirm various details about you and your programme. Completing pre-enrolment is the first step towards starting out at UCL.
On this page you’ll find information on the following:
- What is pre-enrolment?
- When do I complete pre-enrolment?
- The pre-enrolment process
- What happens after I've completed pre-enrolment?
- Pre-enrolment FAQs
- ID card and BRP collection FAQs
This page was last updated on 8 February 2021.
What is pre-enrolment?
Pre-enrolment allows you to confirm that the information we hold about you and your programme is correct. This includes your personal details and information about your programme itself and your fees.
If everything is correct, you’ll also have a chance to pay your fees online (or confirm sponsorship if applicable).
You can easily complete pre-enrolment online on your phone or laptop – it only takes a few minutes to complete.
As part of pre-enrolment, you’ll also be asked to accept a number of academic and financial regulations, data protection statements, and to confirm your membership with Students’ Union UCL.
For reference, view more information on our regulations, data protection and policies.
When do I complete pre-enrolment?
When pre-enrolment is available for your programme, you’ll receive an invitation email with a link for you to start the process.
This email can only be sent once you've accepted your offer, met any conditions and completed any statutory checks if applicable.
The pre-enrolment process
Below are the three different stages of pre-enrolment:
Stage 1 - Setting up your user ID and password
Once you’ve received your invitation email, you’ll need to set up a password for your UCL user ID. You’ll be provided with a link to do this.
Please ensure you have your student number (the 8-digit number you can find in your invitation email or other correspondence from UCL Admissions) and have your mobile number to hand – you’ll need both of these to set up your password.
Your UCL user ID (or username) consists of 7 letters. The first few letters are a random combination and the last few letters are your initials.
You’ll need this to log in to all UCL online services (Moodle, Explore, Portico, askUCL and others) so it’s important that you remember this along with your password. Your user ID will remain the same throughout your time at UCL.
If you ever forget or need to change your password, it can be recovered and updated using MyAccount.
Once you’ve generated your user ID and password, you’ll then need to log in to your UCL email account on Microsoft Outlook through this link. You’ll need to enter your email in the format userID@ucl.ac.uk (e.g. uclxabc@ucl.ac.uk) and your newly created password to access your UCL email account – you should check this regularly throughout your programme.
If you have any problems with your password, please visit the MyAccount FAQs or contact ISD (the UCL Information Services Division, our IT team) by emailing servicedesk@ucl.ac.uk.
Stage 2 - Completing pre-enrolment
Log in to Portico using your user ID and password from Stage 1 and follow the instructions to complete pre-enrolment.
You will be asked to upload copies of identity documentation. All documents should be no larger than 5MB in size and will need to be in either JPG or JPEG file format.
Photo upload
You'll also need to upload a photo of yourself, which will be used on your student ID card. Please follow the instructions given - you'll be notified if the photo you upload doesn't meet the requirements, and will be able to try again.
Location
We will ask you to confirm your location of study as part of pre-enrolment. You have the option of selecting 'don't know' if your plans are not confirmed at this stage.
Contact us for any issues completing pre-enrolment.
Stage 3 - Confirmation of pre-enrolment
Once you’ve completed pre-enrolment, you’ll receive a confirmation email.
This confirmation email will advise you of your next steps.
Contact us for any issues with your confirmation of pre-enrolment.
What happens after I've completed pre-enrolment?
Enrolment
Once you have pre-enrolled, we will check the documents you have uploaded and complete your enrolment. You will be sent an email to confirm once this has been done. We will wait until two weeks before your programme start date to enrol you.
You must be enrolled before you can then book an appointment for ID card collection.
Confirming your study plans
We will also ask you to confirm whether you will be studying on campus or remotely.
If you plan on studying on campus, we'll ask you when you're due to arrive - this will help us to safely manage student numbers on campus. If you plan on studying remotely, we'll ask you to confirm which country and time zone you'll be in.
If your plans are not yet confirmed or change later on, you can easily update this information on Portico.
ID card collection
You will be able to collect your ID card when you arrive on campus.
You can book a timeslot to collect your ID card using the link in the box below.
You must be fully enrolled first and have received your email headed ‘Confirmation of your enrolment at UCL’ before you book your slot and you must show this confirmation email when you come onto campus to collect your ID card.
It is very important that you only attend at the time specified, not before or after, to help us manage the number of people on campus safely.
Pre-enrolment FAQs
- When do I pre-enrol?
You will receive an invite to pre-enrol once you have met all of the conditions of your offer, completed any statutory checks and accepted your place at UCL. If you are an international student, you will only receive the pre-enrolment invite once you have received your Confirmation of Acceptance (CAS) from UCL.
- What is the deadline for pre-enrolment?
The latest date to pre-enrol is two weeks after the start date of your programme.
- I don’t have any of the ID documentation listed. Can I still complete the pre-enrolment task?
In the pre-enrolment task, when asked to upload ID documentation please select “I do not have any of the above”. By selecting this option, you pre-enrolment will be put on hold and the Student and Registry Services team will get in touch with you to discuss this with you. Further information on what you should provide as part of pre-enrolment if you are studying on a visa can be found on our website.
- I don’t have my visa (BRP) yet. Can I still complete the pre-enrolment task?
Yes, you will be able to complete pre-enrolment before you obtain your visa. If you have applied for a Student visa and your BRP has been delivered to UCL, you will be asked to upload a copy of the travel vignette in your passport (see final FAQ below). Further information on what you should provide as part of pre-enrolment if you are studying on a visa can be found on our website.
- I’ve uploaded a photo and I’d like to change it. Can I do this?
If you are still within the pre-enrolment task, and you would like to change the photo that you have uploaded, you will be able to do so by selecting ‘Upload new photo’.
Once you have completed the pre-enrolment task, you are unable to change the photo that has been uploaded.
- What are the photo guidelines?
If you upload a photo to the pre-enrolment task that does not meet the criteria, the Student and Registry Services team will get in touch to discuss this further. In most cases, you will be requested to upload a new photo to the pre-enrolment task in Portico.
Your photo must:
- Be taken against a plain, light-coloured background, preferably white
- Contain no other objects or people
- Have no shadows on your face or behind you
- Be a true likeness of yourself
- Be in focus with no red-eye
- Be in colour with no effects or filters
- Be no more than 5MB
- Be one of the following file formats: JPEG or JPG
In your photo you must:
- Be facing forwards looking straight at the camera
- Have a neutral expression or be smiling, with your mouth closed
- Have your eyes open and clearly visible (with no sunglasses or tinted glasses)
- Have no reflection or glare on your glasses, and the frames should not cover your eyes (you may find it easier to remove your glasses)
- Include your full head, without any head covering (unless it is worn for religious beliefs or medical reasons), and have nothing covering your face (please make sure nothing covers the outline of your eyes, nose or mouth)
- When uploading I am told the image is too big/too small. What should I do?
The image should be in either JPEG or JPG file format and should be no more than 5MB in size. Please upload another photo that meets these criteria.
If you upload a photo to the pre-enrolment task that does not meet the criteria, the Student and Registry Services team will get in touch to request you upload a new photo.
- I’m receiving server error messages when I try to upload my photo, what should I do?
Please write to our email address for new students and a member of the team will get in touch to discuss this further with you.
- I have now completed pre-enrolment. Can I have a student status letter?
You will not be able to receive a student status letter until you are enrolled on your programme of study at UCL. Once you receive confirmation of enrolment, you will be able to print your own letters from Portico (see next FAQ for instructions).
- I am now enrolled. How can I download a student status letter from Portico?
Log in to Portico with your UCL user ID and password on the main page ('My Portico'). Under 'Enrolment and Study Details', you will see a tab called 'Statement of Student Status'.
After clicking on this tab, you will be asked to select the type of statement you require. After doing this, click 'Next'.
If you selected 'Confirmation of your student status', you will see your addresses, which we ask that you keep updated. If they are no longer current, please select 'Edit' and make the relevant changes.
If you selected 'For a bank account', you will see a drop-down box with names of different banks. Select the bank you would like to open an account with and click 'Next'. This is to make sure that the confirmation letter is addressed to the bank directly, which is what UK banks require. You will then see your addresses, which we ask that you keep updated. If they are no longer current, please select 'Edit' and make the relevant changes.
Select 'Download Statement of Student Status' or 'Download Bank Letter' depending on your previous selection.
Banks and councils can be very particular about addresses. When updating your address, make sure to include your full address, including your room number. For example:
Room or flat number
Room 123A or Flat 12
Name of residence or building (if applicable)
Ramsay Hall
House number and name of street
23 City Road
City
London
Postcode
WC1A 4AH
- I have completed the pre-enrolment task, but my personal details have changed. What should I do?
You can log in to Portico and update your personal details. Personal details that you can currently update are (a) your contact details, and (b) your next of kin address.
- Can I change my name on my student record?
If you provide us with official ID documentation, we can change your name on your student record. Please note that your student ID card must show your official name so that we can easily verify your identity.
- How can I change my email address to my preferred name?
Contact the ISD service desk and request a new mail alias. Please bear in mind that not all combinations of first/last name and/or initials will be available, as they may be in use already or associated with an historical account.
Contact the ISD service desk if you have any issues with this.
ID card and BRP collection FAQs
- How can I access the appointment booking system to collect my ID card?
You can book an appointment for ID card collection using this link.
Please note you will need to be signed into Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office 365 using your UCL login credentials to access the appointment booking system.
When collecting your ID card, please ensure you bring your own form of ID e.g. passport, driving license or EU identity card.
Please note that you will only be able to access the booking system once you are enrolled onto your programme of study and have received your email headed ‘Confirmation of your enrolment at UCL’.
- Where do I collect my ID card?
The main location for ID card collection is the Andrew Huxley Building, on UCL's Bloomsbury campus.
When collecting your ID card (and BRP if applicable), please ensure you bring your own form of ID e.g. passport, driving license or EU identity card.
- I am a returning student and need a replacement ID card. Where can I get this from?
If you have lost your old ID card, you will need to book an appointment to collect a replacement one. You must be an enrolled student to collect a replacement ID card. Please check your status on Portico before you make a booking. If you are not enrolled when you come to your appointment, we will not be able to issue your card.
Please note you will need to be signed into Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office 365 using your UCL login credentials to access the appointment booking system.
When collecting your ID card, please ensure you bring your own form of ID e.g. passport, driving license or EU identity card.
- I am a current student and my end date has been extended. Can I get a new ID card?
Your existing ID card should still work as usual, even if it doesn’t show your updated end date. We recommend you try out your current ID card when you return to campus. If for any reason your card doesn’t work, then yes, you are able to book an appointment to collect a replacement ID card.
Please note you will need to be signed into Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office 365 using your UCL login credentials to access the appointment booking system.
You must be an enrolled student to collect a replacement ID card. Please check your status on Portico before you make a booking. If you are not enrolled when you come to your appointment, we will not be able to issue your card.
When collecting your ID card, please ensure you bring your own form of ID e.g. passport, driving license or EU identity card.
- When and where can I collect my Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)?
To receive their BRP, students must first:
- Login into their Portico account
- Upload their stamped entry clearance vignette
- Confirm their current UK address, including the postcode, and their email and mobile number
Students who have chosen to have their BRP sent to UCL will have it forwarded to them by Royal Mail Special Delivery.
If UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are holding the BRP, once they have received confirmation from UCL, they will post it to the student's UK address.
BRPs can only be posted once students have confirmed their arrival in the UK, uploaded their vignette onto Portico and confirmed their address
Please note that UCL will not contact students who have arranged to collect their BRP from the Post Office.