Campus-Wide Login FAQs

Access | Account Information | Authentication | CWL Password Policy Update
Affiliate Student Number in CWL myAccount | Terms of Use

Access


Account Information

Your Campus-Wide Login (CWL) is designed to give you access to UBC's systems - with the same username and password - throughout the lifespan of your experience on campus. A CWL account currently provides you with access to Workday, the Library, BlackBoard Vista, Connectivity Services, and more!

  • Prospective Students and Undergraduate Applicants are not required to create a CWL account.  Graduate Applicants using SITS/eVision admission system will need to create a Basic CWL account for application.
  • UBC Students will continue use the account to:
  • UBC Students who become Alumni will be able to:

Anyone who needs to access UBC resources can register a CWL. There are different CWL designation types for different eligible user groups. Each CWL designation type has a defined set of access permissions for UBC resources.

CWL designation types are defined below:

  • Students/Alumni: A person enrolled or eligible for enrolment in a course at UBC. UBC Student Alumnus can register for this account as well
  • Faculty: A member of a faculty on campus who has an employee number
  • Staff: A staff member of the university who works on campus in a non-teaching role; he or she must also have an employee number
  • Affiliated and Extended Learning Students
    • Theological College students
    • Eligible Extended Learning students
  • Guests: Someone who is affiliated with UBC, but doesn't fit into one of the categories above. If you need a guest account, locate a staff or faculty member to sponsor you. The following is a list of people who would need a guest account:
    • UBC Organizations
    • Exchange students
    • Contractors
  • Basic Users: Someone who is not affiliated with UBC needing access to UBC resources that are available to the public

Please refer to our How to Create an Account page for step-by-step guides for the following account types:

  1. Students/Alumni
  2. Guest
  3. Extended Learning (formerly Continuing Studies)
  4. Basic
  5. Affiliate

For Staff or Faculty CWL accounts, they are created automatically at the time the person is hired. Please refer to the details here.

If you're having trouble registering for a CWL (Campus-Wide Login), please read through the How to Create an Account tutorial or contact the IT Service Centre.


Authentication

Faculty, Staff, Student Staff
To change your CWL username, please contact the UBC IT Help Desk. For authorization purposes please make sure you have the following information ready when you call:

  • Existing Username
  • Desired Username (pick 2 or 3 just in case your first choice is taken)
  • Your Student Number/Employee number (if applicable)
  • Answers to your Password Recovery questions

We will also ask you for an e-mail address and phone number to reach you at to inform you when the changes have been made.

Students and Basic accounts
To change your CWL username, please visit https://www.myaccount.ubc.ca and click on 'Rename CWL' in the left side menu. Points to note before:

  • When you use UBC systems, your CWL Login Name may be visible to other students and faculty / staff at UBC who are also using UBC systems.
  • Should you prefer to remain anonymous among UBC students when using UBC systems, you must change your CWL Login Name to one that is not based on your personal name.
  • You will be required to acknowledge that you have read and understood the Privacy Notification associated with the step of changing your CWL username before proceeding

You can review the password requirements here.

  • Go to https://www.myaccount.ubc.ca/myAccount/t
  • Log in using your CWL username and password
  • Click on the Change Password link on the left side of the page
    • Type in your old password in the Old Password box
    • Type in the new password in the New Password and Confirm Password boxes.
  • Click Save. You have now changed your CWL password.

There could be a number of reasons why you can't reset the password to your CWL account:

  1. Your username may be incorrect
    • If you're receiving the following error: "The login (key=0) does not exist in the CWL system", you have either:
      • Entered your student number/employee number in error (please enter your username instead)
      • Entered a username which does not exist in our records
    • If you're not sure what your username is, visit the CWL Account Recovery page and follow the prompts to retrieve your CWL Login, or contact the IT Service Centre Help Desk for assistance. Please have the following ready when contacting the IT Service:
      • Student Number/Employee number (if applicable)
      • Email address used to register with
  2. The answers to your Password Recovery Questions do not match with our records:
    • If you know your username, you can reset your password using the Forgot your password link on the myAccount page.
    • Password Recovery responses are case sensitive. Please ensure:
      • Caps Lock is not selected
      • Spacing matches original response
      • Any punctuation used matches original response
    • If you're still having trouble logging in, contact the IT Service Centre Help Desk.

If you've forgotten the username you created for your Campus-Wide Login (CWL), visit the CWL Account Recoverypage and follow the promts to retrieve your CWL Login, or contact the IT Service Centre Help Desk for assistance. To expedite the process, please include your student number/employee number and your full name with your query.

If you are unable to log in with your CWL, it may be due to 1 of 2 reasons:

  1. Your username/password combination is incorrect
  2. The CWL-integrated application you are attempting to access is restricted to certain accounts only

If your username/password works everywhere else except for a single application, it is recommended you contact the application owner directly for assistance with their site.

If you are not sure whether your username/password is incorrect, try the following steps:

  • Enter your CWL username in lowercase letters only
  • Test your username/password by logging into CWL myAccount
  • If you are unable to authenticate, click on "Forgot CWL password?" and enter your username
  • Students: If you are having trouble answering your Password Recovery Questions, you will need to contact Student Information Services to reset your password
  • Employees/All other accounts: If you are having trouble answering your Password Recovery questions, you will need to contact the UBC IT Help Desk

A suspended CWL can be reactivated using the CWL 'Forgot Your Password' option from the CWL myAccount website. This workflow will re-enable your CWL account and permit logon to entitled services. Visit the CWL myAccount website.

All CWL account holders need to accept the CWL Accounts Terms of Use which include, without limitation, acceptable use and Security of UBC Electronic Information and Systems - Policy SC-14, and the Copyright Guidelines for Faculty, Staff and Students.

If you have questions regarding the CWL Terms of Use update, please contact cwl.terms@ubc.ca.

Terms of Use acceptance applies to each person. You only have to review and accept the latest account Terms of Use once.


CWL Password Policy Update

For security reasons, you will be prompted to change your CWL password on an annual basis.

For greater security, you may wish to change your password more frequently in CWL myAccount.

All CWL account holders need to update their passwords to either a passphrase or a short complex password.

Passphrase

  • Must be 16-50 characters in length
  • Can be an easy-to-remember sentence or phrase
  • Spaces are allowed but not before or after the passphrase
  • An example: “my new cwl passphrase is so secure”

Password

  • Must be 8-15 characters in length
  • Must contain at least one upper case letter
  • Must contain at least one lower case letter
  • Must contain at least one number
  • Must contain at least one symbol: ! '"#$%&()*+,./:;<=>?@[\]^_`{|}~-
  • An example: "CompL3x!"

If you are due to update your CWL password, you will be asked to make this change the next time you log into a CWL-enabled web application.

When you login to your CWL account, you will only be prompted to update your password if it is out of date. You will be asked if you wish to be redirected to the CWL myAccount webpage to update your password:

When you login to CWL, you will be presented with two options:

  1. Choose Yes. You will be directed to myAccount to complete the process.
  2. Choose No. You will be taken to your application.

You will have 3 chances to defer the update.

When you have used all of your reminders to update your CWL password, you will not be able to access your application. You will need to update your password before proceeding to your application.

If you have technical questions regarding your CWL password update, please contact the IT Service Centre Help Desk.

If you have multiple accounts, you will need to update your password for each account.

You need to empty the cache on all of your devices (e.g., mobile phone, personal computer, etc.) to update them with your new password.


Affiliate Student Number in CWL myAccount

The 'Add Affiliation' page allows CWL account holders to identify how they are affiliated with the University by adding a Student Number to their CWL account.

Your CWL account is used to log in to many University resources. Your CWL affiliations are verified to determine which resources you are allowed access to.

Once verified that you are affiliated as a student, you will be able to authenticate to student resources such as; the Student Information System, Library resources, etc.

Once verified that you are affiliated as an employee (i.e. faculty or staff member), you will be able to authenticate to employee resources, such as the HR Management Services Portal, etc.

If you are affiliated as both a student and an employee, then you will be able to access student and employee resources.

CWL account holders can identify how they are affiliated with the University at any time using CWL myAccount. Just select the 'Add Affiliation' option after you log on to myAccount. You can identify yourself as a student by adding your Student Number to your CWL account.

You must identify yourself as a student before you can access the Student Services Centre (SSC).

You must identify yourself as a student before you can access the Student Services Center (SSC). When you log on to the SSC and your Student Number is not associated with your CWL account, you will receive messaging to this effect, and will be prompted to enter your Student Number.

Most undergraduate students are already identified as students during the SIS enrolment process, and some students may have created a Student CWL account through the CWL Signup process (e.g. some Extended Learning Students or Graduate Students). Anyone falling outside of these processes will be notified when they log in to the Student Services Center.

Yes, an affiliation of student can be added to any type of CWL account. If affiliations are added to a CWL Basic Account, or a CWL Guest Account, the CWL Account is upgraded to a Standard Account. Please review the CWL Account Types to learn more about CWL accounts.