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Application for an external (sponsored) computer account

External users (those who are neither students nor staff-members of the University) can be issued with a computer account if it is needed for work they are doing in collaboration with a member of the University staff. One of the collaborators who is on the University staff will need to act as the sponsor for the external user's account. The sponsor undertakes that the external user is a suitable person to be given a computer account and has a legitimate need for it in connection with work being undertaken in collaboration with a member of the University staff.

N.B. Because of restrictions set by the University's Identity Management System (IDM), sponsored accounts can only be enabled for a maximum of one year. Twenty eight days prior to the end date requested below the account holder will be informed that their account is about to be de-activated. It is the account holder's responsibility to inform the sponsor who, in turn, must re-apply for the sponsored account to continue (again, for a maximum of one year).

Please also note that a sponsored account does not give the user access to Library e-resources.

This form should also be completed by the sponsor when the proposed external user is a former member of staff or student whose account would otherwise be closed. In this case the account will be kept open as an external account.

This form should be completed by the sponsor of the external user.

Please do not complete this form for visiting scholars who have been given a staff number. If a visiting scholar has a staff number he or she should come to the IT Service Staff with their staff ID card or other identification and collect a staff account. If it is necessary to apply for a computer account for a visiting scholar in advance of their arrival, please complete the staff account application form on their behalf.

External user's details

This is required to ensure that the user can be correctly linked to any past, present or future accounts.

Please give an external email address to which the account details can be sent. Sponsors should satisfy themselves that the prospective user is reading their email regularly at the address given. If you cannot give a reliable email address for the external user please use the Notes box below to suggest how the account details can be conveyed.

This is required to ensure that the user can be correctly linked to any past, present or future accounts.

Sponsor's details

Account details

Please include a note of the institution or company to which the prospective user is affiliated, and the nature of the collaboration with St Andrews.
External accounts should only be requested for the duration of specific collaborative projects. The period cannot exceed one year in the first instance. If the external account is required for a longer period it should re-appled for prior to the end date. The Helpdesk will not delete external accounts without first notifying the sponsor and account-holder.

Because of IDM restrictions this date cannot be more than one year from the account Start Date. Prior to the end date the account owner will be advised by email. Contact the Helpdesk to renew the account for another year.

If the user is a former student or member of staff whose account is due to be closed, but who will continue to collaborate with colleagues in St Andrews, please give their current University username. Their account will be kept open with their username unchanged, but the account will be converted to an external account. In this case there is no need for the external user to come to the Helpdesk to collect account details.

Use this box to give any further relevant information, including appropriate contact information if no reliable email address is available. One option is for the user to come in person to the Helpdesk (9am-5pm, Monday to Friday).