Student Name and Name Change Information

What names can I go by at Brock? 

When you apply to Brock, you will be asked for your legal name as well as your chosen first and middle names. Your offer of admission is an official university document and will be issued in your legal name.

For general university administration and activities, students are welcome to use their chosen first and middle names paired with their legal last name. To make this selection, students can complete the Name Change Request Form. This name will appear on things like your student card, class lists, and Brightspace learning management system.  

For Brock University transcripts, your legal name will be used as the transcript is an official university document with formal record of your academic results.  

When you graduate, your legal name will also be submitted to Auradata, a repository used by employers and institutions to confirm the education or professional designations of individuals who have graduated from Canadian universities, colleges, or professional associations.  

How can I change my chosen name? 

If you wish to change your chosen name, you may submit a Name Change Request Form. This will be reviewed and your name will be updated in Brock systems within two (2) business days (such as the Brock directory, Brock Card office, Brightspace learning management system, etc.). No additional documentation is required to be submitted for this process.  

Your chosen name will be used on Brock University diplomas but will not appear on Brock University official academic records (i.e. your transcript) which will be issued in your legal name.  

Please note: Students who choose their chosen name on their diploma may not be able to rely on the diploma for purposes like employment, immigration, education, or licensing purposes if organizations require all documentation to be in your legal name. 

How can I change my legal name for the purposes of official Brock records, such as my transcript? 

If you wish to change your legal name in Brock’s systems, you will need to have official name change documentation (see here for information on how to change your legal name in Ontario). If you have this documentation, you may submit a Name Change Request Form to update the legal name in Brock’s systems.   

What happens after my name change is approved?  

The Office of the Registrar & Enrolment Services (ORES) will notify you once your name change has been approved and updated in Brock systems. The ORES will let you know if there are any issues with your form. 

Once approved, the name change will be updated in the following Brock systems: 

• Brock directory 
• my.brocku.ca  
• Brightspace (including class lists)  
• Brock Card office 
• Any email alias settings 
• Student Union 
• Parking Services 
• Campus Housing 

*Please note that not all Brock-affiliated services may be updated with your chosen name and you may need to follow up with remaining unit(s) directly.

It is important to clear your browser history, internet cache and restart your browser to ensure the change is reflected.    

Will my name change request impact other applications such as OSAP, WSIB, RESP requests, IRCC applications, etc.? 

Depending on whether these external organizations require documentation to be in your legal name, changing your name at Brock may impact other applications you are submitting. You may need to provide additional supporting documentation to the above-mentioned bodies and follow up with each directly. The name change request form will only change your name at Brock. 

Does Brock keep a record of previously used names? 

Yes. We keep a permanent record of any name used at Brock University during your time studying with us for legal requirements and record-keeping purposes.  

When the request to change a chosen name is approved, will a new student card be issued with the chosen name? 

No. When a request to change a chosen name is approved, the Office of the Registrar and Enrolment Services will convey this information to the Brock Card Office and the chosen name will show in the Brock Card Office system within 48 hours. However, the student must go to the Brock Card Office to request a replacement card with their chosen name. The Brock Card Office requires students to show a piece of photo identification with their legal name to confirm one’s identity. Once identity is confirmed, the Brock Card Office will issue a student card with the chosen name. 

Please Note: The cost to replace a student card will not be charged to students who are replacing a student card with a chosen name following approval of the name change request process. Students who have questions or concerns about replacing their student card to reflect their chosen name may contact Human Rights and Equity at humanrights@brocku.ca. 

Address changes

It is the student’s responsibility to update and ensure the Registrar’s Office has correct and current address information. In cases of emergency, it is imperative that we have the most up-to-date information for your local and mailing address, and telephone numbers on file. In order to revise your address in real time, please login to my.brocku.ca 

Emergency contact

What is an emergency contact? Why does the university need this information?

Your emergency contact is your closest family member or relative, for example:

• spouse/partner
• parent/guardian
• sibling
• adult child
• trusted personal representative

We ask you to provide details of your emergency contact in case of accidents or emergencies on campus or during university activities.
Provide details of your emergency contact in the “Student Profile and Addresses” page under the tab “Address and Contact” on BrockDb .

Brock students wishing to enroll at another university and transfer credits towards a Brock degree must apply for, and be granted, a Letter of Permission from the Office of the Registrar before registering at the other university. A University calendar description of the course(s) to be taken and the Letter of Permission fee (specified on the form) must be submitted, with the application, to the Office of the Registrar via the my.brocku.ca student portal. Departmental/Centre approval must be completed by the Brock department/centre offering the equivalent, or the subject most similar to the desired course(s) prior to submitting this form. Approved Letters of Permission will be sent to the host university where required and a copy sent to the student. Please ensure sufficient time for the processing, as they can take up to 10 business days to process. Please download the Letter of Permission application form. Please follow the directions on the form to upload the signed form and application fee via your my.brocku.ca student portal.

Please note the following conditions to be eligible for Letter of Permission:

• Application fee of $55 is required per session.
• A maximum of five credits may be completed by Letter of Permission.
• Students must indicate the specific course(s) they wish to take and provide the Office of the Registrar with the course description(s) from the calendar of the host university. Course(s) requested should be relevant to a student’s degree program and must be approved by the student’s academic Department. Approval is at the discretion of the Department/Centre, based on the applicant’s overall academic record, the appropriateness of the particular course to the applicant’s program and on any other factors deemed relevant.
• A Letter of Permission is normally restricted to students who have successfully completed five credits at Brock with a minimum 60 percent overall average. Brock credit will not be granted to students who Challenge for Credit, on Letter of Permission, at the host institution.
• A Letter of Permission is not issued for a student to complete more than two of the last five credits of a degree. Note that this regulation does not apply to courses taken as part of an exchange program (Keele, Swansea) nor to students in either the Bachelor of Education in Aboriginal Adult Education or the Bachelor of Education in Adult Education.

Students who do not complete registration at the host university, or who withdraw from course(s) for which a Letter of Permission has been issued, must submit verification from the host university to the Office of the Registrar.

Courses taken on a Letter of Permission or on Exchange Programs will be marked as Pass or Fail and will not be used in determining any student average. The course taken and grade assigned by the host university will, however, appear as a notation on a student’s transcript. Courses taken within a designated partnership program with Brock (Freiburg, Summer Studies in Italy) will be used in the determination of a student’s average.

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that Brock University receives an official transcript from the host university within eight weeks of the course end date as specified on the application for the Letter of Permission submitted to Brock University or a failing grade will be assigned.

Students completing their last credit(s) towards their degree on a Letter of Permission must have their official transcript from the host university sent to the Registrar by the following dates:

• Spring Convocation – May 15
• Fall Convocation – September 15

Students not adhering to these deadlines may have their graduation deferred until the next Convocation.

Please visit the privacy section for more information.

Click here to complete the necessary steps for withdrawing from Brock