Submit a photo for your Student ID Card
For all students starting a new course, we ask that you submit a passport style photo for your Student ID Card so we can prepare your card for you. You should submit a photo for your Student ID Card as soon as possible. The sooner it is submitted - the quicker it will be printed.
New students starting in January 2026: If you are starting your course in January 2026, make sure you submit a photo for your Student ID Card by Monday 5 January 2026 so that your card is ready for the start of your course.
For all submissions, we will email you when your card is ready to be collected and we'll let you know where to collect it from.
Please check our guidance about submitting a photo to meet the technical and appearance requirements - see below.
Your student ID card is an essential part of being a student at Royal Holloway; it allows building and event access, access to library facilities and is your main form of identification on campus. Find out more about what you can use your Student ID Card for.
Requirements for your photo
It's important that you submit a suitable image for your Student ID Card. Before submitting your photo please check our Photo Selection Guide below for full details and examples and to ensure your photo to meets the technical and appearance requirements. Your photo will need to meet the requirements in our Photo Selection Guide to be accepted.
It is your responsibility to provide an acceptable photograph. Approval of the photo you submit is at the discretion of the Student Services Centre. If you do not provide a suitable photo it may result in a delay in issuing your Student ID Card to you.
How to upload a photo
If you’re a new student and you’ve been asked to upload a photo for your Student ID Card as part of joining the University, please ensure you follow these step-by-step instructions:
- Open a web browser in private browsing mode and go to Campus Connect. Please note this process cannot be done on a mobile phone and must be completed on a PC or laptop.
- Log in with your Royal Holloway Microsoft 365 ID which is your username with '@live.rhul.ac.uk' added at the end and your University password.
- From the 'Home' screen, scroll down and find the 'Photo Upload' card (or search for the 'Photo Upload' card).
- Follow the instructions on screen to upload your photo. Make sure you've read any guidance information.
- Ensure that you select a passport style photograph that meets the technical and appearance requirements outlined in our Photo Selection Guide below.
If you’re unable to submit your photo via Photo Upload on Campus Connect, then please email us at StudentID@royalholloway.ac.uk from your University email account or your registered personal email account, with the following:
- Your full name
- Your student ID number
- A photo that meets the photo requirements
- The file attachment must also be a .jpg file format. Please note, we cannot open OneDrive attachments; please ensure you attach file documents only, not web linked documents.
Technical and Apperance Requirements:
- The photo must be in colour and in portrait orientation
- The photo must be clear, sharp and in focus
- The photo height should be between 400 and 1280 pixels
- The photo width should be between 300 and 960 pixels
- The photo must in .jpg file format
- The photo file size has to be less than 2MB
Appearance Requirements
- A recent passport style photo of your head and shoulders which represents a true likeness of you.
- There should be no coverings obscuring your face, unless worn for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Glasses are permitted.
- The photo should be taken against a plain white or light-coloured background
- Please ensure that your photo is not too light or dark, your face must be fully visible and there should be no glare or shadows in your photo.
Bad photo examples
Common reasons for photos being rejected
- The photo submitted has a pet, object or other people present
- The photo submitted is a full body photo
- The photo submitted has filters applied
- The photo submitted is blurry or unclear
- The photo submitted is too light or dark
Good photo examples
Receiving your Student ID Card
We will email you when your card is ready for collection with collection details. Please wait for your collection email before visiting the collection point.
If you are based at our Central London Campus, you will be contacted by the Central London Campus team (clc-admin@rhul.ac.uk) to confirm your collection details.
If you've previously studied at Royal Holloway
If you have previously studied at Royal Holloway or changed your start date, you’ll still need to submit a new passport style photo for your new Student ID Card. We are unable to use your photograph from previous study. Please note, failure to submit a photo will result in a delay in you receiving your new Student ID Card.
Support with submitting your photo
If you have any questions relating to submitting your photo you can find helpful information on Ask Royal Holloway.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can contact us using the ‘Ask a Question’ button at the bottom of our help pages and your question will be directed to the right team.
Watch our video about using your Student ID Card