A lived name is the name that you may wish to be referred to during your time at SDSU. A legal name is your name as reflected on your personal identification documents (license, passport, state-issued identification, etc.). A lived name change is not permanent, but a legal name change is. At SDSU, a legal name change may also require additional documentation.

The following systems will be updated when you make updates to your legal and/or lived name on the form located in my.SDSU.

• Canvas
• SDSU Navigate
• Aztec Scholarships
• SDSU Library
• Degree Evaluation Tool

Students who have enrolled at San Diego State University under their legal name have the option to set a lived first and middle names.

You may request a new SDSUcard after receiving confirmation that your lived name was updated successfully. Verification of the updated name (e.g. the email confirmation) should be provided to the SDSUcard Office.

A student's lived first name will be reflected in the following areas:

• Canvas Learning Management System (LMS)
• SDSUcard
• Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities
• Student Life and Leadership
• Library
• Option for diplomas and commencement programs
• Master's theses (including the cover page, copyright page, SDSU library catalog detail and Proquest submission)

All other documents/records such as official transcripts, financial aid, diplomas (unless lived name is selected at time of graduation application to display on diploma), directory information, payroll documents, etc. will still require the student's legal name. If the student would like to change their lived first name to a legal name, the process cited below for changing legal name should be followed. For additional information, undergraduate students may review the Diploma web page and graduate students may review the Graduate Affairs Graduation Information web page.

If you are changing your name mid-semester, notify your instructors of this change to avoid grading discrepancies.

1. Login to my.SDSU.
2. Navigate to the Profile tile.
3. Select the Personal Information Update form link. You will be redirected to another page where you can enter in the information and proof of name change (for legal name changes only).
4. Once this information is submitted correctly, please wait one week for the changes to take effect across SDSU.

With my.SDSU, the process to change your legal name is now online. Keep in mind that you will need to request your name be changed across a few systems. For your convenience, we have created a checklist to aid you in this process.

• Legal names can be changed at SDSU with the proper documentation.
• For a U.S. citizen, you must show a government-issued identification card (e.g. driver's license) AND a Social Security card reflecting the new name.
• For non-U.S. citizens, you must show a valid passport and photo ID that uses the new legal name.
• Once the name change has been processed, notify your instructors of your name change to avoid grading discrepancies. You will only need to do this if you are changing your name mid-semester.
• Students receiving financial aid must also request that their financial aid record be updated through the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships. Please visit the Student Financial Center for assistance.

Students enrolled at SDSU under their assigned or legal sex at birth may update their gender marker in the student records system to reflect their gender identity. This change can coincide with the process of updating one's name on their university student record. Gender markers can be updated to male, female or nonbinary.

Note: Please be advised that updating your name and/or gender marker in the university's student records is not the same as legally updating your name and/or gender markers. You may be required to provide proof of your legal name and/or identity for employment or government purposes, such as obtaining a passport.

San Diego State University, Office of the Registrar strives to provide a safe, comfortable and non-discriminatory university experience for students whose gender identity and/or gender expression does not conform to their assigned legal sex at birth and wish to request changes to some university records to reflect their gender identity and/or gender expression.

For questions or concerns regarding the preferred name or gender processes, please contact the Pride Center at (619) 594-0734 or [email protected].