FAQ

Answers to frequently asked questions about your ULCN account.

• How can I get an ULCN account?
• When does my ULCN account expire?
• What does my ULCN account consist of?
• What can I do with my ULCN account?
• How are my ULCN user name and uMail address created?
• How can I change my password?
• What should I do if I have forgotten my password?
• What should I do if I have not received a letter with my account?
• What should I do if my password has expired?
• What should I do if I can no longer login?
• What should I do if someone asks for my account details by email?
• What information about me is recorded?
• What informatiaon about me is published?
• What happens with my ULCN account if I am a student at the same time as being a member of staff?
• How can I find out how I am registered?

How can I get an ULCN account?

ULCN accounts are issued automatically. You have to be registered in one of the source systems in order to have a ULCN account.   

Students
You have to be registered in the ISIS student administration system as  a regular or non-regular student. In the period from July up to and including September, a receptionist at the desk in the Plexus Student Centre can register you as a student. It is not necessary for your application to be complete, provided your name and information are known to the system. You will receive an application form at your home address with which you can arrange your official registration. If you have not received this form by 1 October, your ULCN account will be closed. Sixty days before the start of your study you will receive your account details by post at your registered address. Have you not received your account letter?  

Staff
You have to be registered in SAP/HR, the personnel records system. Contact the personnel administrationof the faculty or department where your work. Fourteen days before your contract starts, you will receive your account details at your registered address. Have you not received your account letter?

Guests
You have to be registered in the Guest Management System (GMS). On the page with facilities for guestsyou will find information on which parts of the organisation create guest accounts (with their contact details) for which target group. Once you have been registered, you will in most cases be given the account letter directly. Have you not received your account letter?

When does my ULCN account expire?

Students
For students, the ULCN account remains valid  until the end of your study. If you are following more than one study programme, you will retain your ULCN account until the last study has been completed. Sixty days before your ULCN account and uMailbox expire, you will receive a notification in your uMailbox. You can forward the email from your uMailbox to another mailbox and inform other users of the expiry of your uMail address. Please contact the student administration department if you want to continue to use your ULCN account for longer. 

Staff
For staff, the ULCN account remains valid until the end of your appointment. If you hold more than one position, you will retain your ULCN account until the end of the last appointment. Sixty days before your ULCN account and uMailbox expire, you will receive a notification in your  uMailbox. You can forward this message to other people to inform them that your uMail address is being cancelled. Please contact the personnel administration department of your faculty or department if you would like to continue to make use of your ULCN account.

Guests
Guests retain their ULCN account until their role comes to an end. A role is a type of registration for a guest. If you have been assigned several roles, you will retain your ULCN account until the last role has come to an end. Thirty days before your ULCN account expires, a notification will be sent to your mail address. If you have also been given a uMailbox, you will have the opportunity to forward the e-mail from your uMailbox to another mailbox so you can inform other people about the expiry of your uMail address. Please contact your contact person for questions regarding extending your role.

What does my ULCN account consist of?

Your ULCN account consists of a user name and a password. Your user name is generated automatically. The password comprises a combination of a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 13 characters, lower case letters and upper case letters.

Students and staff are given a web mailbox (uMail). Some guests are also assigned a uMailbox if this is needed for their role. Generation of your uMail address takes place automatically.

What can I do with my ULCN account?

You will find here additional information for students, staff and guests on what you can do with the ULCN account.

How are my ULCN user name and uMail address created?

User names and u Mail addresses are generated completely automatically. It is therefore not possible to invent your own user name or uMail address. The conventions applied are as follows:

Students
User name: S + number of student card
For example: S1234567

uMail asdress: [user name] + @umail.leidenuniv.nl 
For example: S1234567@umail.leidenuniv.nl

uMail alias: [initials].[infix, e.e. van, de].[family name] + @umail.leidenuniv.nl
There can be no more than 20 characters before the @
For example: j.j.de.groot@umail.leidenuniv.nl

Staff and guests
User name: [family name] + [initials] + [infix]
The maximum number of characters is 20
For example: GrootJJde

uMail address: [initials].[infix].[family name] + @umail.leidenuniv.nl
There can be no more than 20 characters before the @
For example: j.j.de.groot@umail.leidenuniv.nl

The account name, uMail address or uMail alias will contain a sequential number if there are several users with the same surname, initials and infix.

How can I change my password?

You can change your password via the application uPrefs. Once you have logged in, select the menu option "Set/change" under the heading "Password". The criteria for the password are:

 

• A minimum of 8 characters.
• A maximum of 13 characters.
• At least 1 number.
• At least 1 lower case letter.
• At least 1 upper case letter.
• No diacritics (such as à and é).
• No spaces.
• No unicode characters (such as , . ; ' ").
• No first name or family name in the password. No 3 sequential characters from the user name, first name or family name.

What should I do if I have forgotten my password?

Students
Students should go to the local helpdesk of their department, Plexus Student Centre or the UB (contact details). After showing proof of identity, you will be given a password letter containing your account details or you receive a password by sms if you have registered a mobile number in uPrefs.

Staff
Staff should go to the Helpdesk ISSC. A password letter containing your account details will be sent to your registered address. Go to the local helpdesk, Plexus Student Centre or the UB (contact details) if you want to have your account details straight away. After showing proof of identify you will be given a password letter containing your account details or you receive a password by sms if you have registered a mobile number in uPrefs. 

Guests
Guests should go to the Helpdesk ISSC. A password letter containing your account details will be sent to your registered address. Go to the local helpdesk, Plexus Student Centre or the UB (contact details) if you want to have your account details straight away. After showing proof of identify, you will be given a password letter containing your account details or you receive a password by sms if you have registered a mobile number in uPrefs.

What should I do if I have not received a letter with my account?

Students
Students should go to the local helpdesk of their department, Plexus Student Centre or the UB (contact details). After showing proof of identity, you will be given a password letter containing your account details

Staff
Staff should go to the Helpdesk ISSC. A password letter containing your account details will be sent to your registered address. Go to the local helpdesk, Plexus Student Centre or the UB (contact details) if you want to have your account details straight away. After showing proof of identify, you will be given a password letter containing your account details.

Guests
Guests should go to the Helpdesk ISSC. A password letter containing your account details will be sent to your registered address. Go to the local helpdesk, Plexus Student Centre or the UB (contact details) if you want to have your account details straight away. After showing proof of identify, you will be given a password letter containing your account details.

What should I do if my password has expired?

Your ULCN password expires after 182 days. You will receive an email in good time informing you that your password will expire in 3 weeks, 2 weeks, 1 week, 4 days and then 1 day before the password actually expires. Follow the procedure indicated for changing your password. If your password has expired, you can no longer log in. Follow the procedures indicated for if you have lost your password.

If you are in any doubt about the validity of the message you have received, you can view examples of messages sent by ULCN.

What should I do if I can no longer login?

First, read the following tips: Check whether CAPS LOCK is switched on. Your password is case-sensitive. Check whether there is/are currently any ULCN maintenance or faults. Check the maintenance of faults page of the relevant application. Follow the procedure for if you have lost your password. Follow the procedure for if your password has expired.
  
If the above tips do not help, go to the local helpdesk, Plexus Student Centre of the UB (contact details).

What should I do if someone asks for my account details by email?

ULCN never asks for your log-in details! Never give these details to anyone. Messages are regularly sent by unknown parties asking for your log-in details. Such messages may seem to come from ULCN or from Leiden University, but this not the case.

What information about me is recorded?

ULCN stores information in a secure manner. The information stored is the following:
 

• name, address, place of residence
• date of birth, gender
• user name and password
• education
• apointment(s)
• job/position(s)

What informatiaon about me is published?

Publication of your name, mail address and study or work place information can be found in the University address book (Search by name).

Students
If you object to publication of information relating to yourself, you can submit an objection by mail to the student administration department.

Staff
Information about the place of work of staff is always publicly available.

Guests
Information about guests is in principle never made public. You can discuss with your contact person whether or not your personal information is to be published.

What happens with my ULCN account if I am a student at the same time as being a member of staff?

A student who is also a member of staff has two ULCN accounts, because staff and students have access to different applications. You have a separate uMailbox for each account. If you prefer to use one joint uMailbox, you can forward the mail.

How can I find out how I am registered?

You can use the  application uPrefs to find out how you are registered. Once you have logged in, the fourth menu option is dependent on your registration.