Frequently Asked Questions
General
I have changed my name/address – whom should I tell?
If you are registered with NetComm (our online alumni community) you can log in now and amend your details personally! If you haven’t yet registered, you can do so here (click on New User Registration). That way we will always know your preferred way of being contacted and where to send you the latest news from Queen’s. Alternatively, give us a call (+44 (0)28 9097 5186) and we’ll change your details, there and then, over the phone.
Do I have to pay to join NetComm?
No, membership is free for graduates of the University – all you have to do is register.
I've registered already but can't remember my Username or password?
If you have forgotten your User ID or password, go to the bottom of the login page and click the Forgotten Password/Username link and follow the instructions.
I’ve lost my Email for Life password – can you help?
The Email for Life service allows graduates (since Summer 2011) to keep their University email address. Full details on recovering/changing passwords is available here.
What does Queen’s Development and Alumni Relations Office do?
The Development and Alumni Relations Officekeeps graduates of the University in touch with each other and with Queen’s through a programme of regular engagement, and raises vital funds to support the ongoing activities of the University.
Where exactly is the Development and Alumni Relations Office?
The main Development and Alumni Relations Office is situated in the Lanyon Building on the main Queen’s University campus. It is directly above the Canada Room (1st floor) and Welcome Centre (ground floor) and can be accessed via the stairs or by the lift in the Welcome Centre.
Are my graduate contact details safe with Queen’s?
All graduate information is collected and stored in accordance with the latest UK data protection legislation and will be treated confidentially. You can read our current Data Protection promise to you here.
What does the word ‘alumni’ mean?
Alumni are former students or graduates of a school, college or university. Students automatically become alumni upon graduation. Alumni is the accepted plural form of the Latin alumnus (male) and alumna (female).
Who are considered to be alumni of the University?
Anyone who has studied at the University is a Queen’s University Belfast alumnus/a.
What does the expression ‘alma mater’ mean?
Translated from Latin, alma mater means nourishing or bounteous mother. It normally refers to the university, school, or college that one attended or from which one has graduated.
I’d like to buy a Queen’s branded gift – where can I do so?
Queen’s Welcome Centre is a Northern Ireland Tourist Board Local Information Office for South Belfast. It serves as an information point for visitors and tourists, as well as offering a varied selection of souvenirs and gifts, many engraved with the crest of the University. You’d be very welcome to drop in during opening hours (8am-5pm, Mon-Fri), to email your enquiry to queens.welcomecentre@qub.ac.uk, to give us a call (+44 (0)28 9097 5252) or to shop online.
Graduate benefits
What benefits are available to me as a Queen’s graduate?
The University offers its graduates life-long connections and benefits which include regular communications, discounts, access to campus facilities and networking opportunities. Find out what’s on offer here.
As a graduate…can I join the Library?
The Library at Queen's offers graduates a special discounted annual rate (currently £69) for Personal Associate membership (£120 for members of the general public). The rate is reduced further to £54 for the first year, if you apply for membership within 6 months from the date of your graduation.
For further details visit the Library’s membership web page.
As a graduate…can I join the PEC?
All Queen’s graduates may join Queen’s Sport. For full details of the various packages available visit the PEC membership web page.
As a graduate…can I still use the Careers service?
As a new graduate, you can continue to use the services and information available through the Careers, Employability and Skills team. Current vacancies, help with interviews and general guidance on producing a CV, can be found here.
How can I get a Queen’s Affinity Card?
Queen’s Affinity Card (a MasterCard credit card) was launched in 1992 to support postgraduate education at Queen’s University. Find out more here and apply for your card today!
Communications
I don’t receive an annual copy of The Graduate magazine – what should I do?
Either we don’t have a current postal address for you or we are mailing you to your parental home. Update your address here or call (+44 (0)28 9097 5186) and we’ll amend your details over the phone. In the meantime, you can always access an online copy of the publication here.
I don’t receive a monthly copy of the eGraduate – what should I do?
Monthly eGraduate ezines are issued to over 70,000 alumni on the first Tuesday of each month, if we hold your current email address. You can update your preferred email address here or call (+44 (0)28 9097 5186) and we’ll take your details over the phone.
How do I sign up for email (or unsubscribe)?
EU changes in 2018 to the rules which oversee how organisations like Queen’s keep in touch by email will affect how graduates hear from the University, further details of which can be found here. Even those who currently receive electronic correspondence from the University – and are happy to continue to do so – will need to confirm this formally by clicking and opting in here.
Those wishing not to hear from Queen's by email can unsubscribe here. Remember, if you are signed up to NetComm you can log in and change your preferences at any time.
Is the Development and Alumni Relations Office on social media?
To keep in touch with Queen’s – and to network with each other – graduates can now ‘sign up’ to a number of University-related social networks. We currently use Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to keep alumni up-to-date with job vacancies at the University, graduate events and the latest news from Queen’s.
How do I submit a story or a Class Note for inclusion in The Graduate?
We love to hear about our graduates and will always do our best to include your news in the Class Notes section of our annual alumni magazine. Details (and high resolution photographs if desired) should be emailed to editor@qub.ac.uk. Where space prohibits we will undertake to publish your story online. Stories for the website can be emailed directly from here.
A graduate acquaintance has died – can I submit an obituary for publication?
Obituaries and appreciations should be emailed to alumni@qub.ac.uk and will be published online here as soon as possible after notification. If space permits, an edited version of the obituary will be published in The Graduate magazine.
Graduate services
Can I get married at Queen’s?
Queen's campus is an ideal location for your wedding. As a graduate you can hold a civil ceremony and/or wedding reception in the historic Great Hall on the main campus or in the quiet leafy surrounds of Riddel Hall on the Stranmillis Road. Find out more here.
How can I trace an ancestor who I think went to Queen’s?
Email us details of your ancestor (full name including initials, degree, subject, year of graduation, date and place of birth, parents’ names) and we’ll check the University’s archives.
How do I obtain a copy of my degree certificate?
Replacement degree certificates can be obtained if the original parchment has been lost or destroyed, at a cost of £25 per parchment. For full information on requesting a copy of a degree certificate (often referred to as a parchment) please visit the Student Registry Services website.
I’d like to contact a former Queen’s classmate – can you help?
Email your query and if we hold a current address for your former classmate we will forward your mail to them on your behalf. Alternatively, and if you are happy for us to do so and include your telephone number, we can ask them to contact you directly.
How do I organise a class/year reunion?
Reunions are a great way to meet up with former classmates and are, inevitably a lot of fun! General advice on organising such graduate events can be found here. If, after reading these guidance notes there is something that you are unclear about please ring +44 (0)28 9097 5186.
Is there an alumni group/association in my area?
Details of all current Queen’s associations can be found here. If you’d like to know if there are plans for a group in your area please give us a call (+44 (0)28 9097 3135) and we’ll let you know. Often where we don’t have a formal association we will have an online LinkedIn group, where you can contact graduates in specific local areas/countries.
How do I set up an association?
If there isn’t an existing association in your area please give the Alumni Officer a call (+44 (0)28 9097 3135) and we will check how many graduates there are in your catchment area. If there are sufficient numbers we can give you advice on the prospects of getting one off the ground.
Supporting Queen’s
I’d like to volunteer my time to Queen’s – how do I do that?
Becoming a volunteer can be rewarding on many levels, and can be an excellent way to re-engage with Queen's, catch up with old friends and network with fellow graduates - professionally and socially! There are always a number of volunteer opportunities; and you can find put more here or call the Alumni Officer (+44 (0)28 9097 3135) if you want to talk to someone about volunteering.
I’d like to make a gift to the University – how do I go about it?
Please click here if you would like to make a gift to Queen’s today. For general information on supporting the University please visit the Queen’s Foundation web page.
Are there tax advantages to giving to the University?
Queen's University of Belfast Foundation has its own Registered Charity Number: NIC 102044. This means that gifts made by UK income tax payers can benefit from Gift Aid. More information about these advantages can be found on our website.
Can I leave a gift to Queen’s in my will?
Legacy gifts in wills from alumni, friends and supporters of Queen’s play a vital part in benefitting the University. Such gifts make a huge impact on the life of Queen’s, funding everything from the latest research to supporting students and staff right across the University. Find out more here or contact our Legacy Manager, Louise Carey.
What is the Queen’s Foundation?
The Queen's University of Belfast Foundation solicits, receives, invests and disburses gifts consistent with the University’s mission and in support of University students and staff. Find out more about current priorities on the Queen’s Foundation web page.
Can I make an anonymous donation?
Yes you can request that your donation remain anonymous by notifying us at the Development and Alumni Relations Office. We will ensure that you gift remains anonymous and that your name does not appear on the Donor Roll of Honour.
What will my money be spent on?
You can direct your gift to an area of the University Yes, absolutely. Donors can choose to support a variety of priority projects (from buildings to scholarships) which you would like to benefit or, if you have no preference, then your donation will be allocated to the area of most urgent need within the University.
What is Queen’s Annual Fund?
Since it was launched, Queen’s Annual Fund has raised over £2.2m from 5,000 graduates and friends. Flexible funds support a diverse range of projects all of which benefit students or the University campus and ultimately the local community. Such funds allow the University to prioritise and to support new areas to ensure that future generations benefit from the Queen’s experience. More information is available here.
Why are you fundraising for Queen’s and asking me to support the University?
Queen’s operates in a climate of increasing financial uncertainty. Despite continued lobbying all universities in the UK have suffered from cutbacks in core public funding over the last decade. The effort required to maintain the excellence of the University’s teaching environment and facilities becomes greater each year and we therefore need to attract new income to ensure that we continue to deliver a high quality teaching and learning and can continue to enhance the student experience.
Does the University have a Donor Charter and Gift Agreement Policy?
Yes we do! Queen's treats all of its donors with the highest level of care and respect. The Donor Charter has been created to assure all donors and prospective donors of the integrity and accountability of the Development programme at Queen’s. We also have a clear policy for the acceptance of gifts, endowments and legacies. Find out more here.
I have some other questions not covered in these FAQs – who can I talk to?
Please contact the Development and Alumni Relations Office by phone at (+44 (0)28 9097 3114) or email alumni@qub.ac.uk and you will be put through to someone who can answer your query.