ID cards

If you’re an external student and you can’t attend a campus to collect your ID, you will need to complete the Student ID Card request online form.

Once your request is processed and approved, your digital card PDF will be emailed to your student email address.

From January 2022, UQ does not issue physical cards for external students.

UQ Staff & Visitor

Ensure your records are up to date on Workday at least 48 hours before you apply for your card. Access to buildings is provided by your Department’s Card Custodian; Student Central does not provide access on cards. If you are unsure who your Card Custodian is, contact PF Assist.

If you are a visitor or UQ affiliate, apply for an affiliate account before requesting your ID card.

Request your staff or visitor ID card through the Staff & Visitor ID Card request online form.

UQ Contractors

You must provide contractual documents or correspondence that explicitly confirms your employment with UQ and your need to access a UQ campus or facility.

Request your contractor ID card through the Contractor ID Card request online form.

Generic Cards

This form is restricted to Department Card Custodians for use in Organisation Units.

Request your contractor ID card through the Generic ID Card request online form.

If you need to request additional access permissions for your card, please contact your Department Card Custodian. If you do not know who this is, please contact Property and Facilities.

We recommend that you keep your ID card in a plastic sleeve on a clip or lanyard. If you keep your card in a wallet with other cards (such as EFTPOS cards, or cards with data chips or magnetic strips) it may interfere with the capability for the card to be read.

When you replace your old ID card, your details will be transferred across automatically. Some features, such as using the printers, may take 24 hours to transfer across.

Accessing locked buildings and rooms

Once you've received access to buildings and rooms, your ID card acts as your key. Hold your ID card against the black control reader and wait for the light to turn green and the door to unlock.

Printing, scanning and copying

For equipment that use card readers for their operation (such as printers, scanners and photocopiers), hold your ID card against the reader. This connects the machine with your print account or user ID. You can find out more about printing, scanning and copying at the Library.

Borrowing library items

Use your ID card and follow the instructions on the autoloan machines at the UQ library.

If you've gotten a replacement ID card, your card details will be uploaded to the library system the next business day.

If you're a staff member or a student who needs to borrow from the library before then, you can give your card to Library staff to manually add the information to your library record.

Using UQ Sport facilities

If you're a UQ Sport member, hold your ID card against the turnstile reader. If successful, the light will turn green, and the turnstile will turn on and unlock.

ID cards can also be used at UQ Sport self-check-in kiosks.

If you've gotten a replacement ID card, your card details will be uploaded to the Library system the next business day.

If you need to use UQ Sport before then, give your card to UQ Sport staff to manually add the information to your record.

Bicycle store access

ID cards can be used for end of trip facilities such as bike boxes. Find out how to apply for access to bike boxes and lockers.

We understand that you may need your ID card as soon as possible. Here are some tips from our team to ensure your application is processed smoothly:

Nominated ID card photo

Our goal is to provide you with an ID card so the university can identify you easily. We accept professional photos and photos taken with a phone as long as they meet the following requirements:

• Your photo must:
  • clearly show your face and upper shoulders
  • have a plain white or light-coloured background
  • have you facing straight at the camera (no side angles)
  • be in JPG, PNG, or PDF format.
• The following is not accepted:
  • Headwear/accessories/hair-blocking facial features (religious headwear is fine)
  • Busy/distracting background
  • Blurry
  • Edited (use of filters or re-touching software)
  • Taken from an inappropriate angle (e.g., side-on)

Please refer to the image guide below for more information.

Looking after your card

• We recommend you keep your ID card in a plastic sleeve on a clip or lanyard.
• If you store your card in your wallet, other cards with magnetic strips may interfere with the readability of the card.
• Card accessories (plastic card holders, lanyards, retractable clips) can be purchased via UQeMarket, or at The School Locker at 4 Staff Rd, St Lucia.

Accessing buildings and rooms

• Once your Department’s Card Custodian has provisioned access on your account, you can scan your ID card at building entry points to enter.
• If you are a UQ Sport member, you can ask for facility access to be placed on your nominated ID card at the Sport Fitness Centre.
• Access to end of trip facilities such as Bike Boxes and lockers may also be added to your card. Find out how to apply for access to Bike Boxes and Lockers.

Printing, scanning, and copying

• Printers are available across campus in libraries and study spaces.
• Holding your ID card against the reader on the printer will connect the machine to your online printing account. This will allow you to print, scan, and copy.

Find out more about printers

Borrowing library items

• UQ Libraries have automatic loan machines at their entrances to simplify borrowing.
• Follow the instructions on these machines and scan your ID card.
• If your card has recently been replaced, you must wait 24 hours for the borrowing privileges to be restored to your account. However, this can be added manually by library staff if your request is urgent.

Card not working?

Visit Student Central and our team will investigate.

The University collects personal information from individuals and third parties to discharge its functions, including teaching and research, and for student and staff administration.

Information collected at the time of receiving an ID card, including photographic images, is stored in UQ systems.

Read the UQ Privacy Management Policy [1.60.02] to find out more about why we collect information, and how it is used and disclosed.

My card doesn’t have the access it needs, what do I do?

Student Central only prints ID cards, we don't manage access. If you are still experiencing access issues with your card, we recommend:

1. Wait 24 hours (Sometimes permissions take a short amount of time to take effect).
2. If it's still not working, reach out to your faculty or Property and Facilities to enquire about gaining specific access.
3. If it is still not working, reply to the last email you received from us in relation to your ID card, detailing the steps you have taken. From this, we can investigate further (faulty card, voided card, etc.). Alternatively, feel free to visit us at Student Central.

I need access to my lab/building, what do I do?

Submit a request as soon as you can. While waiting for your new card, seek an alternative way to access your lab or building such as with a friend or supervisor.

I need an ID card to apply for a Blue Card (or similar), what do I do?

You can use a government document (passport, licence, or photo identification card) to apply for a Blue Card or something similar.

I am moving overseas/interstate, what do I do?

You won’t require a physical student ID card unless you are on campus. Please apply for an external ID card; we will happily provide you with a PDF version of your ID card.

I need my ID card to apply for concession on my Go card, what do I do?

You don’t need an ID card to apply for concession, you simply need to know your student ID number, have a full-time study load, and follow the process below:

1. Create an account with TransLink online.
2. Apply for concession using your student ID number and Go card number.

If you have any further questions about Go cards, please contact TransLink.

I’m not comfortable uploading a photo of myself, what do I do?

We need a photo for your ID card. 

Your photo will be temporarily stored on UQ’s secure systems. Read the UQ Privacy Management Policy [1.60.02] to find out more about why we collect information, and how it is used and disclosed.

I’m not comfortable uploading a photo of my government document, what do I do?

No problem - do the following:

1. Submit a request regardless, just submit the photo you want to use on your card. You'll receive an automated email.
2. Respond to this automated email telling us you don't feel comfortable uploading a government document and that you will sight it in person.
3. Visit us at Student Central so we can sight it in person.
4. We'll review this and, provided the details on your government document match the details on our system, we'll make a note on our system that it has been approved.

Note: You'll still need to wait the regular processing time. After we've sighted and approved your document, we'll send you an email when it is ready to collect.

I get an “Unknown Error” when applying for my card, what do I do?

Students:

This error appears for students when their access is not fully provisioned in UQ systems.

Please follow the process below:

• Complete all outstanding tasks and pay all outstanding fees on mySI-net; and
• Enrol in at least one course for the semester

After completing the above, please wait 24-48 hours before applying again. If the issue persists, please contact ITS or Student Central.

Staff & Visitors:

This error appears for staff when their access is not fully provisioned in UQ systems.

Please ensure you have completed all onboarding tasks in Workday.

After completing the above, please wait 24-48 hours before applying again. If the issue persists, please contact ITS and HR before visiting us in Student Central.

Can my card be mailed to me?

No, you need to collect it in person.

Can someone else pick up my card for me?

Another person can collect your card, provided you follow this process:

1. Send an email to the person who will be collecting your card. This email must contain:
   1. your approval for them to collect your card and
   2. a copy of the government-issued ID that you used to request your ID card.
2. The person collecting your ID card will then need to show this email and the government-issued document when they arrive to collect your card.

What kinds of government documentation are accepted?

We strictly only accept the following:

• passport
• Australian driver's license
• Australian photo identification card.

I submitted a request a while ago and haven’t heard anything since, what do I do?

Check your UQ emails, including the spam folder, as we may have asked you for some extra information (new photo, government document, graduation date update, etc.). If not, respond to the email containing your enquiry number,  or simply the last email you received from us. If you cannot find any emails from us, submit a new request.

I was told I had to submit another photo, update my graduation date, etc. What do I do now?

You must respond to the email asking you to complete the steps we have asked you to take. You will then receive a confirmation email once it is ready to pick up.

If you do not respond back to the email, we will assume you no longer need an ID card and will not process your request.

I have graduated but I never got an ID card, can I still get one?

We cannot print expired cards or provide an external ID card PDF for security reasons. Apologies for any inconvenience.