Every student’s name on record must match the official documentation; this means your name on your record should be the same as your passport, national ID card or BRP.
In the first instance, we always advise ensuring that we have your name correctly and in full when you first enrol to save any confusion later on. However, there may be a number of reasons that you need to change your name part-way through your course, and there are lots of students each year who find they need to do this.
How do names appear on record?
At King’s, we use the British naming convention to record our students’ names, and on your record, you should see space for:
- First name = the name you are most commonly called by your family, friends and peers. It is also sometimes referred to as your ‘given name’.
- Middle name = this is the name or names (often 1 or multiple) included in your full name on any official documentation. Depending on your personal preferences or cultural background, your family, friends or peers may or may not call you by this name. Likewise, some people have no middle name, so this field on your record could remain empty.
- Surname = this is your ‘family’ name, since in many cultures, it is the name shared by several family members. It is also sometimes referred to as your ‘last’ name or ‘second’ name.
- ‘Known as’ = in your record you will have the option to include how you would prefer to be called. For some people, this is simply their first name, or some may have a preference to use a middle name, or you may wish to have a version of your first name; common examples of this in British naming conventions are “Rosie” if your first name is “Rosanna”, or “Jim” if your first name is “James”.
In the UK, we tend to present names in this order – First name, Middle name, Surname; e.g. as ‘John Paul Smith’.
Some nations and cultures present names in a different order, for example, as – Surname, First name, Middle name(s). As an example, the name ‘John Paul Smith’ would appear as:
In some formal situations or documentation in the UK, you may see names displayed in this order, however if they do, the way we show this in the UK would be:
- Smith, John Paul – with a comma, indicating the surname is first.
At King’s we use the British name order as described above – First name, Middle name(s), Surname.
This means that on documentation you receive, such as a letter or your student ID card, this is the order your name will appear. Your middle name may not always appear – this will depend on the type of document you’re receiving.
Should my record include all my names?
Many people have middle names – this could be 1, 2 or more, and hyphenated or 2-part surnames. We recommend making sure your full name is held on your record. This is a good idea for the future, so that all your academic achievements at King’s are recorded against your full name that matches any official identity documentation you have.
Your name on record will be the name that will appear on your degree certificate, transcript, HEAR and any other documents we issue. When you apply for jobs in the future or study later in life beyond King’s, or when applying for a visa to live, work or study outside the UK and need your degree and any other academic achievements recognised, you will find it much easier to have your name shown accurately, in full and consistently, on any documentation.
Important to know: If there are changes you need to make, we advise doing this while you are still a student with us, because making name changes to your record retrospectively may not be possible. For more detail please refer to the box entitled 'I need to change my name on record but I’ve completed my studies'.
Requesting a change of name on your student record
If you need to make an adjustment to your name on your student record, please read the relevant guidance below:
I’m a current student and need to change my name
We know there can be lots of reasons why you might need to change your name – preference, marriage, or transitioning to a new gender identity. If you need to do this, you need to contact Student Records who manage your record.
Email Student Records and attach a scanned copy of official documentation showing your name as you wish it to appear – for example: passport, deed poll, national ID card, etc.
Transitioning to a new gender identity
The only exception to this requirement for evidence is if you are transitioning. In this circumstance, please email Student Records where a member of the management team will look at your specific case and advise you accordingly.
Record Centre contact details:
- If you studied within the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care, please submit an enquiry through by email. This enquiry will go through to your faculty records centre.
- If you studied in any other faculty, please contact Student Records.
I need to change my name on record and I’m on a Student visa
If you're still studying and you are sponsored by King’s on a Student visa, you can request a change of your name on record, but this has to be considered by Visa Compliance before any changes can be made.
Please email Student Records and include:
- State your current name on record and the name you wish to change it to
- Details of the reason for the name change
- Evidence of your new name (passport, deed poll, marriage certificate) must be submitted with the request
Once received, Student Records will liaise with Visa Compliance on your behalf, and assess for any visa implications.
If you are studying on a Student visa, we advise that you seek advice from the Visa & International Advice team on potential visa implications prior to officially changing your name.
Record Centre contact details:
- If you studied within the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care, please submit an enquiry through by email. This enquiry will go through to your faculty records centre.
- If you studied in any other faculty, please contact Student Records.
I need to change my name on record but I’ve completed my studies
If you have changed your name after you completed your studies at King’s and your results and award have been released, whether in the weeks or months afterwards, or years later, then we are unable to make the change on your record, and any documents we issue will match your name on record.
If there are extenuating circumstances that mean that this should be re-considered, this is considered by the records centre. If this is the case for you, please contact the team directly and provide more detail about your circumstances and why you need the change to be made.
Record Centre contact details:
- If you studied within the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care, please submit an enquiry through by email. This enquiry will go through to your faculty records centre.
- If you studied in any other faculty, please contact Student Records.
The Student Records team manage the majority of student records at the university, and enrolment for all students. Please allow plenty of time for support with such a request during September, October and January, which are periods of very high demand and the team may not be able to respond as quickly as in other times of the year.
Can I change my name on record if my results haven’t been released yet?
If you have finished studying, but changed your name and are requesting this change on record before the publication of results, the change can be made once Student Records have received the following information by email:
- You must submit details of the reason for the name change, state the current name on your record and the name you wish it to change to.
- Evidence of your new name (passport, deed poll, marriage certificate) must be submitted with the request.
If you have finished studying and changed your name prior to publication of your results, but you are requesting the change on your student record soon after the publication of results, the change can be made once Student Records have received the following by email:
- You must submit details of the reason for the name change, and state the current name on your record and the name you wish it to change to.
- Evidence of your new name (passport, deed poll, marriage certificate) must be submitted with the request.
Record Centre contact details:
- If you studied within the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care, please submit an enquiry through by email. This enquiry will go through to your faculty records centre.
- If you studied in any other faculty, please contact Student Records.
If your certificate has already been produced, you will have to return it and request a new one in your new name. Please contact the Boards & Awards office directly about this.
If your certificate has not yet been issued, the records centre will inform the Boards & Awards team of the name change and ask them to update their records to produce the certificate in the correct name.