Microsoft 365 email for students
This modern and secure email account features:
- 50GB of storage with the ability to archive an additional 100GB
- Spam and malware blocking
- better integration with your other Microsoft 365 apps like Teams
- schedule sending email so your messages arrive when you need them
- simplify group project organization by using scheduling polls
- manage your personal tasks through Microsoft To-Do
Your mailbox is automatically created when you become a UVic student. If you’re having trouble accessing your @uvic.ca email account, contact the Computer Help Desk.
When you leave UVic
You lose access to your UVic email account when you're no longer a current student. Your @uvic.ca email account is disabled 30 days after your last semester then archived for up to 1 year in the event you return to UVic. All archived account data is deleted after 1 year.
This account lifecycle is determined by University Policy IM7200 - Acceptable Use of Electronic Information Resources.
We recommend moving your important email to a different email account before the end of your last semester. You will keep your NetLink IDs indefinitely so you can access personal records in Online Tools.
Can I forward my UVic email?
Students can contact the Computer Help Desk to setup or change email forwarding.
Important: if you also work or have worked at UVic, you can’t forward your email. All employees (including former ones) aren't allowed to forward their UVic email address to non-UVic email addresses.
This restriction is determined by University Policy IM 7200 - Acceptable Use of Electronic Information Resources.
Email storage
All @uvic.ca email accounts can archive up to 100GB to free up space in their inbox.
You can manage your email storage with online archive mailboxes using the Outlook desktop app or Outlook Web App.
Mobile device security settings
You'll need to set a lock screen passcode if you add your @uvic.ca email account to a mobile device. This security setting is required for your device to connect to UVic's Microsoft 365 email service.
If you're using a mobile device running a supported version of Android or iOS, you probably already have a passcode set!
- Important: there are extra security settings if you're also a student employee.
Helpful Outlook features
Here are some of the handy things you can do with your Microsoft 365 email account:
- You can use Microsoft Translator on emails directly through Outlook
- Got a long to-do list? Try tracking your tasks using Microsoft To-Do through Outlook!
- Need to organize group meetings? You can add Scheduling Poll to Outlook to handle the details.
- You can add a Microsoft Form Poll directly into an email with this Outlook add-in.
Add your course schedule from Online Tools
You can download your course schedule from Online Tools and add it to your Outlook calendar.
Note: you'll need to download a new .ics calendar file anytime your course schedule changes.
- Login to Online Tools and select Student services.
- Scroll down to the Registration section and click Current and past schedules. This will open the student registration dashboard.
- You can find your schedule for the current term under the Class Schedule section.
- Select your term schedule from the drop-down menu and click on the Email icon in the right-hand corner. This will send you an .ics calendar file. You'll have to repeat this process if you add or remove courses from your schedule.
- Login to http://outlook.office.com and open the message with the attached .ics file. Click the drop-down arrow on the attachment and select "Add to calendar".
- Select the Calendar tab from the left hand navigation bar. You can now see your added course schedule in your calendar.
Add your Brightspace course schedule to your calendar
No need to copy over all the due dates for your classes because you can just sync your Brightspace calendar with your Microsoft 365 email calendar.
You can find instructions in the UVic Teach Anywhere article: How do I sync my Brightspace calendar with external calendar applications?
Schedule meetings for group work
Got a group project to schedule? No need to keep track of different text threads anymore, because you can book meetings with other students now! You can also:
- make it a Microsoft Teams virtual meeting
- see everyone's availablity using the Scheduling Assistant. Note: this feature only works with other Microsoft 365 email users.
- Book reoccuring meetings for your study groups, tutorial sessions, or whatever meetings you need to stay on-track during your semester.
UVic Students Contacts
All Microsoft 365 email student accounts include a handy list of important UVic contacts for all kinds of student services. You'll have the email addresses for the Computer Help Desk, Academic Advising, the Registrar's Office, and more right at your fingertips.
Using your email account
Your @uvic.ca email can be accessed through a web browser, desktop application on Windows or macOS, or mobile app.
It works best with Outlook 365 for Windows or Mac. Older versions of Outlook or alternative mail clients don't fully support all features and can cause issues with your calendar. This includes software like Mac Mail, Windows Live Mail, and Thunderbird.
If you use email on mobile devices, we recommend using Outlook for iOS or Android. Some newer Exchange Online features don't work as well using other email apps.
All UVic students can use Outlook through UVic's Microsoft 365 subscription. This includes:
Outlook on the web
If you don't have Outlook installed on a computer or mobile device, you can still access your @uvic.ca email through a web browser. Just login to outlook.office.com with your NetLink ID and passphrase!
UVic MFA is required to access this service.
Through Outlook on the web, you can:
- edit Office 365 attachments
- set your profile picture
- set up automatic replies
- recover deleted emails
- set up mailbox rules*
*Important: any inbox rules set-up through Outlook on the web will apply to your entire email account. This could conflict with local rules configured in a desktop mail client.
You can also configure calendars in Outlook on the web.
Access your calendar in Outlook on the Web
- Using a web browser, navigate to outlook.office.com and access your Exchange account using your NetLink ID and passphrase.
- Once logged in, select the square shaped icon in the top left corner to expand the menu. Choose the Calendar icon.
Configure calendar settings in Outlook on the web
You can configure calendar settings to your preference using options in Outlook on the web. Options include: setting your work week and work hours, enabling or disabling reminders, changing calendar colours, and automatic processing for meeting invitations.
- To configure your calendar work week and other calendar options, click on the cogwheel located in the top right corner and select Options from the drop-down menu.
- The Options menu will open on the left-hand side. Under the Calendar section you can find all of the customization settings for your role-based calendar.
Windows 10 and 11
Before starting make sure you:
- know your NetLink ID
- have a computer running Windows 10 or Windows 11
- have Office 365 installed
Microsoft Support has a full walkthrough for adding your UVic email account to Outlook for Windows.
macOS
Before starting make sure you:
- know your NetLink ID.
- have a computer running macOS 12 or newer.
- have Office 365 installed.
Microsoft Support has a full walkthrough for adding your UVic email account to Outlook for macOS.
Outlook mobile for iPhone and Android
Before starting make sure you:
- know your NetLink ID and passphrase.
- have Outlook for iOS or Outlook for Android installed
- have an iPhone running iOS 16 or newer OR Android 9 or higher.
Microsoft Support has a full walkthrough for adding your UVic email account to Outlook for iPhone and Outlook for Android.
Support for Exchange email
If you need assistance with your @uvic email account, contact the Computer Help Desk.