Obtaining or Replacing a University ID Card

Hours of Operation

Fall through Spring

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm

Summer

Mon - Thurs, 9am - 5pm
Fri, 9am - 1pm

Obtaining a University ID Card

Obtaining a University ID Card:

Prior to obtaining a University ID Card all students, staff, faculty, and housing affiliates must submit a photo online.
Picking up a University ID Card for the first time requires the recipient to show a valid U.S. ID or passport.
Initial University ID Cards are issued at no charge. Students must be enrolled in the current semester to pick up their University ID Card.
University ID Cards may be obtained by visiting the TC Office of Card Services located in:

Whittier Hall Suite 1B
1230 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027

When entering the building, inform the Public Safety Officer on duty that you are here to pick up your University ID Card.
University ID Cards will be available for pickup 72 business hours after photo approval according to the following schedule:

Semester	Student University ID Cards Available Beginning On
Spring	December 1
Summer	April 1
Fall	July 1

Submit a Photo

Upload Your Photo

Incoming students, staff, faculty, and housing affiliates who have activated their UNI must upload their photo to the Columbia University ID processing site by clicking on the submit photo icon below. All photo submissions are reviewed before being activated, so please note approval time may be necessary. IDs will be available for pickup 72 business hours after photo approval.

The photo must be passport-style and meet the below specifications:

The photo should be a color .jpg file, either square or in portrait orientation (tall rectangle)
The background should be uniform and light-colored
You must be facing forward, with only your head and shoulders clearly visible
No pets, props, or other people allowed in the photo
No photos with sunglasses or hats will be accepted
The file cannot exceed 100k in size

Please note: The online submission system cannot accept files larger than 100 kilobytes, but files that are too small will become pixelated and are unusable. In order to ensure a usable photo, please resize so that both height and width dimensions are between 500 and 1,000 pixels. Please refer to the below images for examples of settings that will result in a usable photo.

If you need to resize your photo before submitting, you may do so by using any of the following applications:

Desktop: Picasa, Photoshop, Photos (PC only, shown above left), and Preview (Mac only)
Online: Image Resizer (shown above right)

Please note that this feature is available only to new cardholders, and cannot be used to change your ID photo. Children of on-campus housing residents must be at least 10 years of age in order to receive an ID card.

If you are a new student or employee and have activated your UNI, click on the below camera to upload your photo. When prompted for your UNI, the program is case sensitive, so please enter your UNI in lower case.

Click on the camera to upload your photo

Request to Mail ID

Students, alumni, and employees may request their Teachers College ID card via mail if they cannot pick up their ID in person.

If you would like your ID card mailed to you please click on the link below to login to our portal, where you will see the necessary form and instructions.

Residential & Card Services Portal

Replacing an ID Card

There are a variety of reasons for which ID cards need to be replaced:

Lost Cards: Please call the Office of Card Services at 212-678-3098 as soon as you realize you lost your card so that we can deactivate the card. A replacement card can be issued for a $20 fee.

Stolen Cards: Please call the Office of Card Services at 212-678-3098 as soon as you realize your card was stolen so that we can deactivate the card. If you submit a copy of a police report indicating a theft, we will replace your Teachers College card at no charge. Otherwise, there is a $20 replacement fee.

Damaged Cards: Any card that has been bent, broken, hole-punched, sat on, or that shows any noticeable signs of neglect of damage will be replaced for a $20 fee. Cards that appear to otherwise be in good condition but are unable to be read by our readers will be replaced for free.

Card Expiration Date Past: Bring your existing ID Card to the Office of Card Services before the expiring date on the front of the card for a replacement, as you must return the old card in order to receive a replacement at no charge. Otherwise, there is a $20 replacement fee.

Roles on Back of Card Have Changed: If there has been a change, addition, or deletion in the list on the back of your ID Card, please bring your existing ID Card to the Office of Card Services so that we can verify the change(s) and issue a new card. You must return the old card in order to receive a replacement at no charge. Otherwise, there is a $20 replacement fee.

Name Change: If you have changed your name or have preferred first name:

Students should contact the Office of the Registrar, 212-678-4050
Employees should contact the Office of Human Resources, 212-678-3175
Alumni should contact the Office of Alumni Relations, 212-678-3215
** New ID Cards can only be issued if the new legal name appears in BANNER and matches the government issued photo ID.

All others should bring their old ID showing their previous name and a copy of your marriage certificate, social security card, or other government identification which verifies their new name.