Creating Your Student Account
TCard (Physical Identification for U of T On-Campus Services)
Your TCard is your identification for academic purposes. It includes your photo, UTORid, student number (or personnel number, for staff and faculty) and a barcode. It provides access to services and facilities such as libraries, athletic facilities, exams, meal plans, online learning portals, printing services, and more.
UTORid (Your Login to U of T Online Services)
Getting Your UTORid
Your UTORid and password give you access to online services like email (UTmail+), ACORN, portal, library services, campus wireless network and others.
For new students, you require a Secret Activation Key to activate your UTORid. This Secret Activation Key is provided during your virtual appointment with a TCard staff member. Once you activate your UTORid, set up your email and add it to ACORN, all future emails will go to your UTmail+ email address.
Frequently Asked Questions (TCard / UTORid)
The University of Toronto issues a JOINid to applicants so they can access key online services before their appointment with the TCard office. You should have received an email with your JOINid and instructions for enabling it. If you have lost the email or didn’t receive it, please contact admissions.sgs@utoronto.ca.
If you are an incoming Fall student, you will be able to get your UTORid as of May 1. Before you start, you must enable your JOINid. Then, follow the step-by-step instructions on the TCard website to convert your JOINid to your UTORid and activate your UTORid.
Once you have completed the online setup of your UTORid, you can book an in-person appointment through the CLNx to pick up your TCard when you arrive on campus. You must bring your required documentation (original/unexpired/no photocopies) to the TCard appointment.
UTmail+ (Email)
New students to U of T are automatically given a UTmail+ account. This email account is set up during UTORid activation. Once you receive your U of T email, update your SGS application so that you receive important information about your offer of admission.
It is also important that you update your ACORN account with your new UTmail+ address. U of T policy requires all official university correspondence to be sent only to a University-issued e-mail account. You may have your UTmail+ forwarded to another address, but you are responsible for ensuring that all messages sent to UTmail+ are received and read.
ACORN (Student Web Service)
ACORN (Accessible Campus Online Resources Network), also known as the Student Web Service (SWS) is the University of Toronto's web-based student information system that stores all your records – academic, personal and financial. It's the critical link between students and the university for most transactions.
You'll use ACORN to add and drop courses, view your personal timetable, update your address and contact information, check grades and other academic information, view and manage your financial account information, pay tuition and fees, request graduation, order transcripts, print tax forms, and more.
To access ACORN, you'll need a UTORid. Until you obtain your UTORid, you can use your JOINid to access ACORN for some limited services.
To enhance security, starting August 9, 2023, students who have already signed up for UTORMFA will be prompted to use multi-factor authentication when logging in to ACORN along with their UTORid.
New students who have not enrolled in UTORMFA within the 14-day period after setting up their UTORid, will be blocked from all U of T applications, including ACORN, until they complete their UTORMFA enrolment.
Alumni and new students who have not yet converted their JOINid to a UTORid may continue accessing ACORN using their JOINid without UTORMFA authentication.
Need help using ACORN? Check out this step by step guide to help you accomplish what you need to get done.
Every applicant to the University of Toronto is assigned a JOINid. It will be provided to you through an e-mail from the School of Graduate Studies (admissions.sgs@utoronto.ca).
When you begin your studies at U of T, your JOINid will become your UTORid, which will allow you to access a number of services such as e-mail, library resources, and Quercus. Instructions on how to activate your UTORid are provided to you when you pick up your TCard.
If you are unable to obtain your UTORid before September, you can enable your JOINid to gain access to ACORN to update contact information, enrol in courses, and register and pay fees.
You must enable your JOINid and create a password if you wish to access ACORN before arriving on campus. This can be done online – you don't have to be in person. Your JOINid will not work until you enable and create a password for it.
If you have trouble locating the email sent to you with your JOINid, please contact admissions.sgs@utoronto.ca.
If you lose your JOINid password, you can use the enabling site to change your password. Please note that updates to passwords can take 24 hours to roll over in the system.
If you are unable to reset your password using the enabling site, please call 416-978-HELP, or email help.desk@utoronto.ca to reset your password. Please specify that you have already enabled your JOINid.
