Enrolment Services Forms | Niagara College

Niagara College Enrolment Services Registration and Records Name Change Request

Name Change Request

There are 3 options for requesting a change to your name: Preferred Name Change, Lived Name Change, and Legal Name Change.

Before submitting any name change request, first review how your name currently appears on your Niagara College record. You can do this by following these instructions: How-to: Update your Contact Information.

Name Change Options

Preferred Name Change:

A Preferred Name is a name an individual wants to be called or identified by and is different from their Legal Name.
A Preferred Name change may be made to first and middle names only.
Once a student’s request is completed, this name will appear on the Class list used by Faculty, displayed in the student’s Brightspace, and Student ID card, if specified on the form.

Lived Name Change:

A Lived Name is a name an individual identifies with and uses in all aspects of their life and, therefore, is not merely a preference. Requesting a Lived Name change is an option for individuals whose name change reflects a gender transition where supporting documentation for a Legal Name change is forthcoming.
Once an individual’s Lived Name change request is completed, this change will reflect on all their Niagara College records.
If an individual’s name change request is completed at Niagara College, they are still required to make separate third-party name change requests. This includes but is not limited to making direct requests to OSAP, banks, Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) providers, passport offices, potential work placements and employers, educational institutions, licensing bodies, Canada Revenue Agency, health insurance providers and police.

Note: If a student is sharing their transcript or diploma records with employers, they may question why the name on their student record does not match the name on their Government Issued Identification. In such cases, students will need to provide their own justification/explanation of the differences across the two documents. Niagara College cannot release or elaborate on personal information such as this without a student’s direct consent.

Legal Name Change:

For Canadian citizens, the Legal Name is the name an individual is registered under in a province, typically the name assigned at birth. For non-Canadian citizens, the Legal Name is the name registered in Canada and taken from their immigration documents and passport.
A Legal Name change requires supporting documentation that displays an updated name on a piece of government-issued ID (driver’s license, marriage certificate, etc.) with submission.
Once an individual’s Legal Name change request is completed, this change will reflect on all their Niagara College records.
If a student also needs to update their Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) application, additional information may be required. This may include a government-issued document reflecting the individual’s new name and Social Insurance Number (SIN); copy of marriage certificate; police check; or a copy of Change of Name certificate issued by the province where the legal name change was processed.

Use this form to perform a Legal Name change, Lived Name change or Preferred Name change at Niagara College

Download Name Change Request Form

Important Notes

Update Ontario Colleges First

If you have a current application with the Ontario Colleges Application Service (www.ontariocolleges.ca) and have not yet updated your Legal or Lived name, please do so first.

If you neglect to make changes at www.ontariocolleges.ca first, any changes you make at Niagara College will be overwritten when information is shared regarding your application or upcoming program choices.

Credentials

All credentials will display your Formal Given Name at the college (this is your Legal or Lived Name). If your credential has not been printed and you have changed your Legal or Lived name, the change will appear on your credential when you graduate as your Formal Given Name. A Preferred Name change will not appear on a credential. If your credential has already been printed and you would like a reprint due to a change in your name, please contact Enrolment Services at [email protected]

Records Retention

In the case of any name change, the College will retain a record of all first, middle and last names as part of the individual’s record. The information will be stored in a secure location with limited access to protect the privacy of the student.

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