Name Changes

Please note that the technology portal used by all WA state community and technical colleges, ctcLink, uses the following terms in reference to chosen and legal names.

Preferred = Chosen    
Primary = Legal    
Degree = Diploma

We will use the terms preferred/chosen, primary/legal, and degree/diploma to reflect the relationship between the information students see in their student account and the more generally understood words.

Preferred/Chosen Name Change

Seattle Colleges believes in creating a welcoming and affirming community for all students and uses a student’s preferred/chosen name whenever possible. A preferred/chosen name is a name that a student uses that is different from their primary/legal name. It is the name they actually use and want to be known by in the college and greater community.

Students can change their preferred/chosen name in ctcLink (step-by-step instructions to change your preferred/chosen name in ctcLink).

Where will my preferred/chosen name appear automatically?

  • Class rosters
  • ctcLink Dashboard
  • Canvas
  • Handshake
  • Starfish
  • MyNorth, MyCentral, and MySouth

Where else can I choose to have my preferred/chosen name appear?

*Please note that student employees must update their preferred name in their employee portal and are bound to all HR processes regarding name changes. Student employees must update their name with HR first and then change their preferred name in their student account.

Primary/Legal Name Change

A primary/legal name is the name that appears on a government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, birth certificate, U.S. Social Security Card, or passport.

Students must work with the Registration and Enrollment Services office at their college to update their legal name. Students will be required to provide a valid government-issued photo ID to update their name. If a student legally changes their name, they might be required to submit court documents.

To change your primary/legal name:

Where will my primary/legal name appear?

  • Primary name in ctcLink
  • Financial Aid
  • Official and non-official transcripts
  • Diplomas (unless otherwise requested)
  • Enrollment Verifications
  • Financial Statements
  • Tax Documents for Financial Aid
  • International Student Documentation
  • Employment Records (if you are a student employee)
  • National Student Clearinghouse
  • Public Records Requests
  • Other Legal Documents

Degree/Diploma Name

A degree/diploma name is the name that is printed on the diploma you receive from the college. It is also the name that will be used at the commencement ceremony and printed in the printed commencement program.

If there is no degree/diploma name in your ctcLink account, your primary/legal name is printed on the diploma and used at commencement.

Students can change their degree/diploma name in ctcLink (step-by-step instructions to change your degree/diploma name in ctcLink).

Frequently Asked Questions

A preferred/chosen name is the name a student uses and wants to be known by in the
college and greater community that is different from their primary/legal name.

A primary/legal name is the name that appears on your passport, driver’s license, birth
certificate, or U.S. Social Security Card.

The reasons for choosing to use a preferred/chosen name are personal and different for
everyone.

  • Some folks use their middle name or a nickname and not their first name.
  • Some folks have a legal name that does not align with who they are.
  • Some folks wish to have a name that aligns with a specific language.

All Seattle Colleges students are bound to generally recognized ethical and professional  
practices outlined in Seattle Colleges’ Student Activities, Rights and Discipline chapter of   
Washington Administrative Code. When students set their preferred/chosen name, they  
agree that:

  • They are not using a preferred/chosen name to impersonate someone else, deceive,  
    or defraud.
  • They are not using a preferred/chosen name to promote hate speech or  
    inappropriate or offensive language.
  • Seattle Colleges has the right to remove a preferred/chosen name if it does not follow these standards.

Students who are also employees must update their preferred/chosen name in their employee account and are bound to all HR policies and processes regarding name changes. Student-employees must update their name with HR first and then change their preferred/chosen name in their student account to have their name reflected in all areas of our systems.

Student-employees who do not update their name in their employee account will not see their name reflected across our systems as their name with HR takes precedence outside of their ctcLink student account and Canvas.

Non-Discrimination Statement   
Seattle Colleges is committed to the concept and practice of equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for all its students, employees, and applicants in education, employment, services, and contracts. For our full non-discrimination statement and contact information, please review our Annual Public Notice of Non-Discrimination.