Why you need a University account
Your University account (formerly called Raven) means you only need to remember one password to access multiple systems and websites. It relies on you using a strong and safe password.
How your University account works
Your University account makes your life easier because it:
- authenticates you to access lots of University websites, as well as external websites, documents and research
- is synchronised with other systems, such as the Cambridge Student Information System (CamSIS) and Microsoft 365
It means we can access most of the things we need while at the University without having to remember lots of passwords. It's also more secure because we won't be tempted to write our University passwords down or make them too simple.
Which systems you can access with your University account
You can use your University account to log in to many University services. If you're a member of staff or a visitor, what you can access is dependent on your role.
It includes:
- CamSIS – if you're a student
- Email (Microsoft Exchange Online)
- Employee Self-Service (ESS) – if you're a member of staff
- LinkedIn Learning
- Microsoft 365 (including OneDrive and Teams)
- Moodle
When you change your password, it is automatically synchronised across these systems. This means you only need to change your password once to access all of these systems. It may take 30 minutes or so after you change your password for all of them to update.
How to get a University account
When you arrive at Cambridge, you'll get a CRSid, which is a unique ID number. You'll also get a temporary password.
You can use this temporary password to set up your University account (formerly Raven).
Keep your password safe
The disadvantage is that if someone else gets your University password, they have access to all these systems.
It is crucial to:
- choose a strong password
- change your password immediately if you think someone else has seen or accessed it.
You may also consider using a password manager.