Changes to alumni email accounts after graduation
We’d like to let you know about an update to University email accounts for graduates.
From 1 February 2026, the University will no longer provide alumni email accounts after graduation. This won’t affect your status as a University of Birmingham alumnus, and it won’t change the extensive range of benefits, services and opportunities available to you after you graduate.
What’s changing?
You’ll still have full access to your University email while you’re a student. The difference is that your University email won’t continue as an alumni account after graduation.
Your student email will now stay active for 120 days after your course ends (instead of the previous 30 days). This gives you plenty of time to:
- Receive important updates, including graduation information
- Update any external accounts that use your University email
- Save anything you wish to keep
Instead of you having a separate alumni email address, we’ll keep in touch in the future via a personal email address you provide instead.
Why is this happening?
Cyber threats have evolved significantly in recent years and protecting our community, systems and data is our top priority.
After a detailed security review of our digital services, we’ve decided to focus resources on the security of active accounts. Large numbers of inactive alumni email accounts create long-term risks, so phasing them out helps to strengthen our overall security.
Many universities are taking similar approaches, and most graduates now prefer to use a personal email for long-term communication anyway.
Will I still be an alumnus of the University?
Absolutely.
Your alumni status doesn’t depend on you having a University email address. After graduation, you’ll still be a valued alumni and will have access to:
- Alumni events and reunions
- Careers support and networking
- Alumni newsletters and updates
- Online communities and volunteering
- Selected University resources and services available to alumni
You’ll always be part of the UoB community.
What should I do before I graduate?
Before you complete your studies, we recommend that you:
- Update any services that use your University email address
- Use a personal email address for job applications, networking platforms, and subscriptions
- Ensure that the University has your current personal email address, so we can stay in touch with you after graduation
How will the University stay in touch with me after I graduate?
We’ll continue to communicate with you using the personal email address you provide. To make sure you don’t miss out on alumni news, events, and opportunities, please keep your contact details up to date with our Development and Alumni Relations team.