PGR students, University computer accounts and FAQs

Please note that the information on this page relates primarily to services provided to you by Library and Computing Services.
It is supplementary to information provided to you by The Doctoral College. 
You can access Doctoral College information on StudyNet (requires login)  

As a Postgraduate Research (PGR) student at UH you will have:

• full online collaboration opportunities within the University research community
• access to online systems that help you in your work
  • an @herts.ac.uk email account, usually in the format initial.surname@herts.ac.uk 

General FAQs 

• Your user account, password, and email
• Your PGR student ID card
• Managing your personal details
• Communications
• Books, resources, study skills and LRCs
• Computing and software
• Access to research systems
• Saving your work and storing data
• Careers and training courses
• Car parking
• Accommodation
• Alumni

Get help and support
Find out more

General FAQs for PGR students

Your user account, password, and email

I studied at UH previously; will I get a new account?

• If it is less than 4 years since your studies ended at Herts, we generally reinstate your previous student user account as the 'privileged' student account.
• Following registration for your PGR, you will be sent an email with your account details.

I’m also a member of staff; will I get a privileged student account in addition to my staff account?

• Yes, you will need this as well.

How and when will I receive my University account details?

• Once you have been accepted onto your programme of study, we will contact you at the email address you gave to us when you applied to set up your account.
• The Helpdesk will send an email to you asking you to set up your University login account (student). When you have done this, the Helpdesk will send a set-up confirmation email. (We will send emails to the personal email address you have entered in your Student Record)
• Once you are registered you can update your personal email address on the student record system, and this is the one we will use to contact you going forward.

Will I be able to use my account straight away?

• You can access Student Record straight away, although some systems might take slightly longer (up to 48 hours for some) to refresh with your details and be available for you to log in.

How do I change the password on my account?

• Go to: https://ask.herts.ac.uk/your-university-login-account

Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

• PGR student accounts are added to the staff Duo multi-factor authentication system in addition to any previous Microsoft MFA setup if you were previously a student here. 
• You can find out more about Duo MFA on HertsHub.
• If you are a new PGR student we will contact you when you start. 

Will I have an official Herts email address I can use?

• Yes, you will have a professional email address in the format name@herts.ac.uk

Do I need any other logins or passwords to access other systems?

• We operate a ‘single sign-on' system and your password will generally be the same across all university systems and software.
• There may be exceptions if your School uses standalone software which they will give you more information about.
• Contact: Research-degrees@herts.ac.uk if you have any queries

Your PGR student ID card

 How do I get an ID card?  

• ID cards are available from one of the Ask Hubs at either campus.  Find out more:   https://ask.herts.ac.uk/student-id-cards
• The PGR Student ID card is orange

Which ID card do I need if I have more than one role at the University?

If you are a UH staff member and also a PGR student, you may only need one ID card, which is your staff ID card.  However, we recommend you also obtain an orange PGR ID card for the following reasons:

1. To separate your library loans and printing requirements from your staff account
2. If your PGR studies require you to access specific staff areas or labs that your staff role does not

If you are a PGR student only, you need an orange PGR ID card.

If you are a PGR student who is also undertaking an undergraduate or postgraduate taught course, you will typically only need your PGR ID card, unless you need to separate your library loans, print credit, or access to restricted areas. 
Please note that if your PGR studies complete before your undergraduate course you will need to return your PGR ID card and obtain a student ID card.

If you are changing from PGR student to UH staff member you will need to get a Staff ID card.

If you are you are changing from UH staff member to PGR student you will need to hand back your Staff ID card and get an orange PGR card.

If you are changing from undergraduate or postgraduate taught student status to PGR student you should visit an AskHub to change your card to an orange PGR card, especially if your research requires you to access staff areas or labs out of hours. This will help Security identify your right to be there.

How do I access buildings, rooms, and labs?

• Your 'privileged' student ID card will give you access to the areas you need. Your School / Supervisor will be able to advise and inform Access Control accordingly. 
• Please make sure you always have your ID card on your person while on campus as Security and other staff may ask you to show it.

Managing your personal details

Where can I update my personal details?

• View your Student Record and update your personal details
• https://ask.herts.ac.uk/your-student-record

Communications

How will the University Communicate with me?

• We will contact you by email, please remember to check your email account(s)
• You can also keep up to date by checking HertsHub news and StudyNet news and by following the university on Twitter
• https://ask.herts.ac.uk/how-the-university-communicates-with-you
• You may also receive local communications from your School, the Doctoral College, or Research Team

What is HertsHub and how do I access it?

• HertsHub is the internal website for University Staff.  https://herts365.sharepoint.com/sites/HertsHub
• Go here for information about news and events for staff; the different services and how to access them; all aspects of working for the University; ‘About us’ including strategy and policy; community networks and news; and much more
• Find information here for early career researchers
• https://herts365.sharepoint.com/sites/UHResearch/SitePages/Scholarly-Communications.aspx

Books, resources, research skills support, and Learning Resources Centres (LRCs)

If you are new to research, have been out of higher education for a while, or just need a refresher then consider joining the Library SkillUp module, which covers searching, reading, evaluating, and referencing.

• Online chat is available from 10 am to 4 pm on weekdays to help with questions you might have
• Find out more: https://ask.herts.ac.uk/library-skillup
• The section on 'Software to manage your references' may be of particular interest 

AskHerts has lots of information to help you find and use resources, including:

• Library catalogue
• Book borrowing
• How to find books and e-books in Library Search
• How to find and read the full text of a journal article in Library Search
• Accessing UH Library Resources from off-campus and Athens accounts
• Interlibrary loans (ILLs)
• Request a scan 
• Using O’Reilly Safari Learning Platform
• Additional online information resources for your subject
• How to find theses
• Referencing
• Your Information Manager

How many books can I borrow?

• 25 items at any one time.
• Books will auto-renew every 7 days for up to 52 weeks unless requested by another borrower
• You have access to unlimited interlibrary loans

When are LRCs open and what services are available there?

• Find out about the opening times and available services on our LRC page 
• https://ask.herts.ac.uk/learning-resources-centres

Are there any dedicated PGR student spaces or resources in the LRCs?

• The Doctoral College has exclusive use of room L280 on the second floor of the de Havilland LRC. It is a great space where you can get together with other PGR students to compare notes, have a meeting with your supervisors, or even have one of your assessments there. The room will also be used for Seminars and Researcher Development events as well as other Doctoral College meetings.   All you have to do is pick a time and book a space via the room booking spreadsheet on your PGR Community MS Teams site.

How do I access Turnitin?

• Find out more on AskHerts
• https://ask.herts.ac.uk/turnitin
• Access Turnitin information for PGR students on the Doctoral College information site (via your module website on Canvas)

Find out about accessing resources at other libraries and the SCONUL Access Scheme 

Computing and software

How do I connect to the internet on campus?

• eduroam is the best choice for staff and students
• eduroam saves you time by logging in automatically whenever you are on campus
• Find out more about the different ways of getting connected: https://ask.herts.ac.uk/set-up-eduroam-wireless.

Will the University provide me with a computer?

• This depends on your school of study and your research programme
• We have a range of PCs available in the two Learning Resources Centres and 24-hour laptop loans are available
• https://ask.herts.ac.uk/computer-loans-for-herts-students#borrow_chromebook_24hour

How do I access the Virtual Private Network (VPN) to remotely access resources?

• Follow the guidance on AskHerts
• https://ask.herts.ac.uk/vpn-virtual-private-network-and-pulse-secure
• Your PGR Student account will connect you to the staff network 

What software will I have access to?

• In addition to any specific software provided by your School or Research Group, you can also access the software available on University PCs and available in the LRCs (physically or via remote desktop access)
• https://ask.herts.ac.uk/software-availability-at-uh

Microsoft Office (O365) software and Teams user accounts

• All staff and students have access to Microsoft Office 365 (O365) and Microsoft Teams
• All PGR students will be able to download Office applications to their own devices using the O365 account provided with their student account
• PGR students also have audio and video calls enabled within Microsoft Teams and have a Teams profile matching that of UH Staff.
• https://ask.herts.ac.uk/software-availability-at-uh#Office365_for_everyone

I need access to specialist software for my research; how do I get this?

• Please speak to your School / Supervisor in the first instance
• You may find that specialist software is already available on one of the Lab PCs in your area or is available on a hi-spec LRC PC. The helpdesk will be able to advise you.
• https://ask.herts.ac.uk/helpdesk
• You may also access the software available on certain LRC and Lab Windows PCs remotely using our remote desktop computer service 
• Where nonstandard software incurs additional license costs to the University this should be factored into the research budget in advance.  This may be the case for example if you wish to download software to a personal device.  Library and Computing Services will require a budget code from the School or Research Group before progressing any license purchases.

I need access to specialist data storage – how do I get this?

• Please speak to your School / Supervisor in the first instance

Where can I access printing services?

• Self-service printers for printing, copying and scanning are available around campus and in both LRCs.
• If you need to print, copy or bind any documents, especially anything complex, or if you need a professional finish to your work, it is recommended that you contact  Document Services.  You can also purchase supplies for self-service printing and binding.
• Information on printing on campus 

Research systems

How do I access the Research Degrees Supervision Management System (RSMS)?

• You can find it on rsms.herts.ac.uk
• Sign in with your UH username and password
• A range of quick start guides, how-to guides, and FAQs are available
• Please find out more on the Research Degrees Supervision Management System page on StudyNet

What about access to research systems like UHRA and RIS?

• Due to license constraints, Post Graduate Researchers do not have access to the Research Information System.
• When PGRs publish with their supervisors or other academic colleagues, who have access to RIS, they should ask their colleagues to put their outputs on RIS.
• If there is no colleague to facilitate a deposit on RIS, please contact rsc@herts.ac.uk for advice
• Find the UH Research Archive at https://uhra.herts.ac.uk/

Saving your work and storing data

Where should I store my files and research data?

• All students and staff have access to O365 which includes 1TB of storage on your OneDrive.
• Some Research Groups may also use the R-Drive
• If you need to access the X-drive (shared departmental storage) your local X-drive 'owner' will need to submit an X-drive group access rights form (available on HertsHub) 
• Your School / Supervisor will advise your further
• Find out more: https://herts365.sharepoint.com/sites/UHResearch/SitePages/Working-data.aspx

If you are a PGR Student and a UH Staff member we strongly advise you to keep your two accounts and storage separate. (i.e. don't store PGR-related documents in your Staff OneDrive  or use your PGR email for staff-related matters and vice versa) 

What happens to my account and my saved information and data when I leave UH?

• Your University login account will be closed 6 months after the leaving date detailed in your Student Record.
• Once your account is closed, we are unable to recover your saved work and emails
• https://ask.herts.ac.uk/after-successfully-completing-your-course

Careers and training courses

How do I book internal training courses?

• Please email rdp@herts.ac.uk with your training requests

Can I access support from the University's Careers and Employment service?

• Yes, find out more on AskHerts: https://ask.herts.ac.uk/collections/complete-guide-to-finding-work

Car-parking

Can I apply for a parking permit as a PGR student?

• Please refer to parking information on AskHerts https://ask.herts.ac.uk/on-campus-student-parking-permits

Accommodation

Can I apply for on-campus accommodation?

• Once you have received your Student ID number and have a Conditional or Unconditional offer of study you can apply for accommodation
• You can make your application at https://www.residences.herts.ac.uk/
• Once you have created an account please apply as a Postgraduate applicant so that we can try and house you with other mature students.
• https://ask.herts.ac.uk/apply-for-accommodation

Alumni

Will I get alumnus status when I leave UH?

• Yes, as long as you obtain a final award from the University, you are considered an alumnus and get the benefits of this.
• https://www.herts.ac.uk/alumni

 Get help and support

• For advice about the Research Supervision Management System (RSMS) or anything else PGR-related contact Research-degrees@herts.ac.uk
• For advice about publishing contact rsc@herts.ac.uk
• For technical and user account queries please contact the Helpdesk https://ask.herts.ac.uk/helpdesk
• For advice about your research programme contact your supervisor
• For advice about information resources and academic skills contact the Helpdesk https://ask.herts.ac.uk/helpdesk, who will be able to put you in touch with an Information Manager 

Find out more

• Doctoral College Handbook
• Postgraduate Doctoral Loans
• UH Scholarly Communications (HertsHub)
• Doctoral College information pages on StudyNet
• Refer to AskHerts and HertsHub for online information on a wide range of topics

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