OVERVIEW
Target audience: Applicants, guests, former students (non-alumni).
Your McGill ID is the 9-digit number shown on your McGill ID card. Your Minerva PIN is a combination of 6-to-18 numbers and letters of your choosing. They are used together to access some online services and IT systems at McGill, including:
- Minerva (for those without a valid McGill Username and Password. This includes some applicants, guests, former students who are not alumni, and those whose McGill Username and Password has not yet been provided)
- Restricted sites within the old McGill Web Publishing system
In this article:
What is your McGill ID and initial Minerva PIN?
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you have a valid McGill username and password (e.g., current students, staff, faculty, affiliates, alumni, and retirees), your McGill ID and PIN will eventually be phased out. It is recommended that you use your McGill credentials to log in.
Applicants
After you confirm your offer of admission letter or upon receiving your offer of admission letter if you are an undergraduate applicant eligible for an entrance bursary, you will receive your McGill ID and PIN to access Minerva. Your McGill ID can be found in the Applicant Portal and in your offer of admission letter. Your initial PIN is your date of birth in the format YYMMDD (year, month, and day), for example, 020624. If you have trouble logging in, call Service Point at 514-398-7878.
Note: your McGill ID and PIN is the only method to access Minerva as an Applicant.
Former McGill students (non-alumni)
If your ID was a 7-digit number and your PIN a 4-digit number when you last studied at McGill, you may be able to access Minerva by adding 11 to the beginning of your old ID (e.g. 11xxxxxxx) and PIN (e.g. 11xxxx). For further assistance, call Service Point at 514-398-7878 for assistance.
Guests
Students may give access privileges (ability to view and pay bills) to a guest within Minerva. To designate someone as your guest, log into Minerva, go to the Student Accounts menu and select Guest Access. Your guest will be contacted by email and will be provided with their own McGill ID and Minerva PIN. For more information see Guest Access to Minerva on the Student Accounts web site.
Logging into Minerva
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you have a valid McGill username and password (e.g., current students, staff, faculty, affiliates, alumni, and retirees), your McGill ID and PIN will eventually be phased out. It is recommended that you use your McGill credentials to log in.
- If logging in for the first time with your assigned McGill ID number and initial PIN, you will be prompted to:
- Accept the terms of the Responsible Use of McGill IT Resources.
- Change your initial PIN to one of your choosing.
- Choose a security question and set the answer. This will allow you to reset your PIN if you forget it.
- If necessary, click on the HELP link at the top of the Login screen for detailed instructions to help you set up/change all credentials.
You can change your Minerva PIN at any time by going to Personal Menu > Minerva PIN.
Changing your Minerva PIN:
If you already know your Minerva PIN and want to change it:
- Log in to Minerva using your McGill ID and current PIN, or your McGill Username and McGill Password.
- Go to the Personal Menu.
- Click on Minerva PIN, and follow the onscreen instructions to change your PIN.
Resetting a forgotten Minerva PIN:
To reset your Minerva PIN:
- On the Minerva login screen, enter only your McGill ID and click Forgot PIN?.
- Follow the onscreen instructions to answer your security question and choose a new PIN.
- Forgot both your security answer and PIN? Click Forgot Answer? You will be prompted to enter an email address where the system can send you a link to reset your PIN. This option will only work if the email address you enter is already associated with you, e.g. it is your McGill email address.
- If you cannot reset your PIN using one of the methods above, you must have it manually reset:
- Applicants, former students (non-alumni) and guests call Service Point at 514-398-7878.
Use the new temporary PIN to log in again, then go to the Personal Menu, click on Minerva PIN, and choose a new PIN.
Changing your Minerva Security Question and answer (after logging in):
To change your Minerva Security Question:
- Log in to Minerva using your McGill ID and current PIN, or your McGill Username and McGill Password.
- Go to the Personal Menu.
- Click on Minerva Security Question, and select a question/answer combination that you will easily remember. This will allow you to easily access Minerva if you ever forget your Minerva PIN or McGill Password.
Need help?
For online help or to contact the Service Point help desk, please visit the Service Point website, click Email/Webform options, and select the title which applies to you. You may also contact Service Point at 514-398-7878.
