Email for life - Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions


How do I import my emails and contacts from my student account?

Emails:

Once you have logged in to your Cantab.net webmail account, click 'Options'.  You may need to activate the 'Advanced' options page first in order to see the import option, which is 'IMPORT EXTERNAL EMAIL' near the bottom of the page.

Once the import page loads you should see POP information on the left, IMAP on the right. For your Cambridge email import you'll only need to worry about the IMAP details on the right hand side.

We have already filled the server information in for you and ticked the 'SSL' box (required) so all that you need to do is enter your Cambridge email account username and password into the two remaining fields.

When you submit the form it will retrieve a list of folders to import.  Select those you wish to migrate and click 'Begin IMAP Import'.

 

IMPORTANT

-This is not instant, your migration request is placed into a queue with all other members and processed in turn.  Usually your folders will be imported within 48 hours, but you should still allow a minimum of ONE WEEK for your import to complete, especially during busy times of the year (e.g, June/July, December).  During graduation seasons, migrations can take up to a month.

-The queue is processed on a first come, first served basis.

-Your emails are copied over to your domain inbox, the original emails on the University server are NOT deleted.

-You do not need to remain logged in during the import, the process is handled entirely by our servers.

-Please do not change your Cambridge password after starting this process, as this will cause the import to fail and you will need to re-queue your folders.

 

Address Book/Contacts

Migrating your address book from another email system is very easy. Simply log in to that email account and select the option to export your address book. Save it in a place you will remember (e.g. on your desktop) and give it a name such as addressbook.csv. Most decent clients will allow you to export to CSV.

An optional but recommended step would be to open the file first in Excel. Excel can read CSV files and this will allow you to quickly correct any mistakes in the export. Each address book entry should be on its own line. Make sure to save the file as a CSV (Comma or Tab Delimited File) before you upload it. Do NOT save as an Excel spreadsheet.

Log into your Cantab.net account and click on ADDRESSES. Near the bottom you will see "Import CSV file". Click on browse and select your saved exported address book. Click on "Import CSV File".

On the next window you will have to define which columns are to be used as nicknames, email addresses etc. It should be fairly obvious. Entries corresponding to GROUPS are not yet supported. You can place a tick next to rows you wish to exclude from the import.

Click FINISH at the top and you are done.


Which account option should I choose?

Alumni Account
Choose this account if you have studied at the University of Cambridge as an undergraduate, or at a higher level, and you are no longer a student.

Student Account
Choose this account if you are in your final 12 months of study on your first course (undergraduate level or higher) at the University of Cambridge.

Former Cambridge Postdoc Account
Choose this account type if you have been a postdoctoral researcher and you are not a current student, or an existing alumnus.


New Graduate FAQ

1. I have not received an invitation, can I still sign up?

If you have not received an automatic invitation, you can still register for a Cantab.net account. Please fill in the registration form with as much accurate information as possible.

Your application will then be sent to the Development and Alumni Relations Office for verification. They will get in touch with you via the alternative email address you provide once this has been completed.

 

2. Will my student email account remain open after I leave?

After you graduate, your student email account will close. You will be notified of the exact date by the institution's IT department. Once it is closed, you will no longer be able to receive, import or forward emails from the account.

 

3. I want to keep my student account/I am not graduating this year

You will have been offered a Cantab account because we have your email address marked on the year's leavers list given to us by the University Information Service (UIS). These lists do change as individual circumstances change, so please rest assured your Hermes/student email will not be scheduled for deletion unless you receive a separate email from UIS advising you so.

If you do receive an email from UIS and you believe it to be incorrect you need to contact them directly.

Alternatively, the UIS email itself has links to forms to fill out indicating that you are staying on.

 

4. What is verification?

Verification ensures that everyone who uses this service is a genuine member of the University of Cambridge.

Initially we attempt to automatically match your registration against the alumni database. If the details are not automatically matched they are submitted to the development and alumni relations office for manual checking. Depending on the outcome, your account will either be activated or you will be notified of a problem, along with the reason and any follow up questions.



5. My application has been rejected, what should I do?

If your application has been rejected, you will receive an automatic email notification that gives the reason for rejection along with any follow up questions. If more detail or clarification is required, you can use the link provided in the email to change or fill in the existing application and send it in again.



6. My application was accepted, but it says my account is in 'Alias Mode'?

This means that your alumni account is currently forwarding to your student email account.

On 1st May of the year you registered, your account will be automatically unlocked so that you can use it as a full account in its own right.  At that point you will also be able to migrate your student email data.

If your student account is scheduled to close before this date, please contact our helpdesk and we can activate your account beforehand in order for you to start migration.

 

7. I see my first year is sponsored by the University - what does this mean?

All leavers that sign up the same year receive a free 12 month subscription to our 'Professional' level account, sponsored by the University. You can accept the free sponsorship when you register.

All other graduates receive 3 months.



8. What is a Graduate Account?

For 2 years after your graduation, you will be eligible for a Professional account at a discounted rate, named the 'Graduate' account.



9. How do I choose the free account option after my sponsorship?

If you choose not to renew your account at an enhanced level after your free trial, you can downgrade to the free account option.

The free account comes with 100MB quota, and and full webmail access.

Please note, if you wish to connect your phone or email software you will need to choose an account with IMAP or POP access.

 

10. How do I migrate my student emails to Cantab.net?

Log in to your cantab.net webmail account and click 'Options'.

You may need to activate the 'Advanced' options page first in order to see the import option, which is 'IMPORT EXTERNAL EMAIL' near the bottom of the page.

Once the import page loads you should see POP information on the left, IMAP on the right. For your import you'll only need to worry about the IMAP details.

We have already filled the server information in for you and ticked the 'SSL' box (required) so all that you need to do is enter your username (just the letters and numbers without the @cam.ac.uk part) and your Hermes password (not Raven) into the two remaining fields.

When you submit the form it'll retrieve a list of folders to import, select those you wish to migrate and the process will start.



11. Why has my email migration stopped/failed?

If you notice that the import of your emails has stopped, cancelled or won't start, there will be an error message displayed beneath the IMAP import boxes indicating the import status.

A comment such as ‘Folder Gone’, ‘Suspended’ or ‘Unavailable’ indicates that your student email account may have been suspended or closed.

For more information on your student account, you will need to contact the institution’s IT department.

If you know that your student account is still open, you can log into it and the password hasn’t changed, then please contact our helpdesk with as much information about the problem as possible, and/or the exact and full error message.



12. How long does migration take?

Migration is not instant. Your migration request is placed into a queue with all other members and processed in turn. Usually your folders will be imported within 48 hours, but you should still allow a minimum of TWO WEEKS for your import to complete, especially during busy times of the year (e.g, June/July, December). During graduation seasons, migrations can take up to a month.

 

PLEASE NOTE:

-The queue is processed on a first come, first served basis.

-Your emails are copied over to your domain inbox, the original emails on the University server are NOT deleted.

-You do not need to remain logged in during the import, the process is handled entirely by our servers.

-Please do not change your student password after starting this process, as this will cause the import to fail and you will need to re-queue your folders.

 

13. I have a question that is not answered here!

Please take a look at our help pages.  If you still require assistance, you can contact our helpdesk.