As your to-do list might be evolving leading up to your orientation, please check back on this portal often for any potential updates.
Deadline: July 8, 2025
PLEASE NOTE: If you do not wish to change your legal name to a preferred name and/or you do not have a diacritical mark in your name, your nameplate and name badge will be printed with your legal name as noted in Vergil.
Your legal name will be used in all Columbia Business School systems. If you would like to elect a preferred first name for all Business School systems, including your name plate and name badge, you may request this service via a SSOL.
Under Columbia University’s Preferred Name Policy, any student may choose to identify a Preferred First and/or Middle Name in addition to their Legal Name. The student’s Preferred Name may be used in University contexts, including SSOL and University ID Cards. For some other records, the University is legally required to use a student’s Legal Name. However, whenever reasonably possible, a student’s “Preferred Name” will be used.
Currently, the name displayed in your email messages is controlled by a separate process. If you wish to update this name, please wait until your preferred name is reflected in CBS’s systems, then email your request to ITG Student Support.
Your name plate and badge will reflect your first and last name as it appears on SSOL. If you would like to use a Preferred First Name, please follow the instructions above to update how you would like your name to appear.
If your name contains any diacritical marks, special character, and/or a suffix (examples include, but not limited to: É, Ö, Ã, or Î) and you would like it to show on your nameplate and badge, please fill out this form. This form does not replace updating your preferred name in SSOL, but indicates how your name should be spelt with any marks or characters.
Your first nameplate and name badge are provided to you free of charge. Any replacements will be at your own expense and can be ordered through the Student Services site.
If this item is not completed by the deadline, we will order your nameplate and name badge using your official name. If you want an additional set with a different name, you will have to place the order once Orientation begins at your own expense.
Nameplate & Name Badge - Names with Diacritical Marks, Special Characters, and/or a Suffix
Questions? Need more information?
Contact:
Office of Student Affairs
(212) 854-5563
[email protected]
Students who have received accommodations in prior academic institutions or who are seeking new accommodations are encouraged to register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS). Registering with the Office of Disability services ensures that you have access to the support services and resources you need to be successful in your courses.
Please click here to begin the registration process. The review process takes approximately three weeks, so please complete as early as possible to ensure your accommodations are in place by the time you arrive for Orientation.
Necessary Forms and Downloads
Register with Disability Services
Questions? Need more information?
Contact:
Office of Disability Services (ODS)
(212) 854-2388
[email protected]
Students looking to improve their English proficiency can take advantage of Columbia University’s American Language Program (ALP), managed by the School of Professional Studies (SPS). The ALP offers intensive courses designed to enhance academic and professional English skills, helping students build confidence in speaking, writing, and comprehension. This program is ideal for those preparing for graduate studies or looking to strengthen their communication abilities in an immersive learning environment.
To learn more about the ALP program, please visit: https://sps.columbia.edu/academics/american-language-program