This checklist provides a comprehensive guide for pre- and post-graduation tasks and timelines.
Contents
Once your degree is conferred, you will transition from student-based services to alumni-based ones. The most important step is to migrate off NetID-based services before your NetID expires (5 months after you graduate), especially email. Make sure you are not using your Kellogg student email for bank accounts, taxes, Netflix, or any other accounts you will need to access after graduation.
Some steps apply to all graduating students, while others are specific to your program. Expand the relevant section below for details that apply to you.
You will be able to access these services for a limited time after graduation:
MBAEMBA · This section does not apply to PhD students. CMC / Career Resources 3 months after degree conferral, CMC login changes from NetID login to Alumni Login via Our Northwestern. Once your degree is conferred, you will receive information about Kellogg Alumni Career & Professional Development, including over 80 videos and webinars, the alumni job board, and CMC library, and career coaching appointments that are available throughout your career.
Note: Full-time graduates still seeking a role 3 months after degree conferral will be granted a 6-month extension of their NetID.
Access to CMC Library resources that require a NetID will be available until your NetID expires.
Kellogg email, OneNote, OneDrive, and Office 365 desktop or laptop-installed apps will expire shortly after graduation, while online access will expire when your NetID expires. You will have the opportunity to move to a Google alumni account.
KPrint access continues until your NetID expires, which can happen days after graduation. Click here for information about KPrint.
Canvas access will also continue until your NetID expires, though course materials may be removed as instructors see fit. Remember to download any materials you may need before the end of the quarter.
Complete these steps before your graduation date, regardless of your program. See the program-specific sections below for any additional steps that apply to you.
Change your password if you have not changed it in the last 6 months. You can do so here.
Return KIS Loaner equipment by the last day of finals. Due to limited building and campus access, email kis@kellogg.northwestern.edu to arrange the return. Unreturned items will incur a non-refundable $10 processing fee plus replacement cost.
Save email messages you want to keep. All email, contacts, calendar appointments, and tasks are deleted from the Northwestern email servers when your NetID expires. Once deleted, the data is non-recoverable. Follow the steps below to back up your mailbox and optionally migrate your Kellogg email content into a Gmail account.
Step 1 — Back up your mailbox
Use the Outlook desktop app to export your mailbox to a .pst file. This creates a permanent, portable copy of your mailbox — including emails, contacts, and calendar — saved locally on your computer. You can open and access this file anytime using Outlook, even after you leave Kellogg. See how to open a .pst file in Outlook.
Step 2 — Bring your emails into Gmail (optional)
Gmail does not have a direct PST import option. To bring your Kellogg emails into Gmail, you will need to use the Outlook desktop app as a bridge. Follow the steps below to link your Gmail account to Outlook and import your mailbox content, which will then sync to Gmail's servers and be viewable on the web.
Save course materials and Canvas files. Instructors may remove access to course materials at the end of the quarter. Download anything you wish to keep from Canvas before the end of the quarter.
Save important Kellogg files. If you use any data storage service that requires you to log in with your NetID, access will expire after graduation. You will need to manually download any files you wish to keep before your NetID expires. Make sure to save your files from Canvas, OneDrive, and OneNote — see our guide on how to manually download your OneDrive files for step-by-step instructions.
Back up your computer. It is always a good idea to make sure that you have your personal data backed up in the event something goes wrong with your computer's hard drive. You can use one or more of the methods described in Personal Computer Data Backup Solutions.
Slack access will remain active until the middle of summer, at which point you will only be able to access CMC channels for approximately 3 months. You will be invited to your Alumni Slack Workspace shortly before Convocation in June.
You will have access to Our Northwestern, the university alumni system, where you:
Create your Kellogg alumni email account. In Our Northwestern, you can request a Kellogg-branded Northwestern alumni email account (e.g., firstnamelastname@kelloggalumni.northwestern.edu). This account will continue to operate after your NetID expires, while your Kellogg student email account will expire when your NetID expires.
Add/Update your profile in Our Northwestern with your current post-graduation contact information.
You can find more information about the resources available to you as an alum on the Northwestern Alumni Benefits page.
For questions about the Kellogg Alumni Network, please contact the Kellogg Alumni Relations team at kellogg-alumni@kellogg.northwestern.edu or 847-467-ALUM (2586).
Optional: purchase your own Office 365 subscription & migrate OneDrive data. Your subscription to Office 365 through Kellogg and Northwestern will expire with your NetID expiration. If you wish to continue using Office after your NetID expires, you will need to purchase a personal subscription using a non-Kellogg email address and migrate whatever data you wish to keep from OneDrive before your NetID expires.
CMC login changes from NetID login to Alumni Login via Our Northwestern.
You will receive your first notification of pending NetID deactivation. If you have not yet archived your emails, you have approximately one month remaining to do so before your email account becomes inaccessible.
NetID deactivation is complete. You are no longer able to access email or any other university resources. Your NetID is removed from all Northwestern systems.
If you have already archived your email and set up your alumni account, no further action is needed.
Q: Will I be able to access my current Kellogg email account after I graduate?
A: After your NetID is deactivated, you will no longer have access to your current Kellogg email account. While this does not happen for approximately 5 months after graduation, we recommend you back up your emails and set up your current contact information on Our Northwestern immediately after you graduate.
Q: What happens to my Kellogg software after I graduate?
A: Your access to the Kellogg Software Distribution Site and to subscription-based software (e.g., Office 365) expires at graduation. Any software licenses tied to your NetID or Northwestern subscription will also expire when your NetID is deactivated. Any software that you've already downloaded is yours to keep, but you must retain the installation files and activation keys, as these are no longer available once you graduate.
Q: Will I be able to access campus IT resources after I graduate?
A: After your NetID expires, you will no longer have access to Northwestern and Kellogg resources. Refer to the information above for more specific information and timing for different services.
Q: Will I be able to print using KPrint after I graduate?
A: Your access to the KPrint service expires once you are no longer an active student, which can happen within days of graduation.
Q: If I had access to Kellogg Groups, can I still access it after I graduate?
A: MBA After graduation, you will no longer have access to Kellogg Groups. However, you may join Kellogg alumni clubs after activating your alumni account.