How to Log In to UBC Webmail for Students, Faculty and Staff

To access UBC Webmail, navigate directly to https://outlook.office.com (for Microsoft 365 Exchange Online accounts) or https://mail.ubc.ca (for legacy FASmail accounts) and sign in using your UBC Email Address, Campus-Wide Login (CWL) Password, and Duo Mobile Multi-Factor Authentication.

The University of British Columbia has transitioned active student mailboxes (formerly hosted at https://webmail.student.ubc.ca) and most Faculty & Staff Email (FASmail) accounts to Microsoft Exchange Online. This enterprise cloud migration expands student storage quotas from 1.5 GB to 20 GB, removes the need for a VPN connection when checking mail internationally, and standardizes security under UBC's central identity provider. Because login usernames changed during the transition, entering the wrong email suffix is the number one reason users encounter authentication loops. Below is the exact sign-in workflow for students, employees, and emeriti, alongside desktop client configurations and verified UBC IT recovery channels.

Required Login Credentials & Email Formats

• Correct Login ID Format: Students on Exchange Online must enter [yourCWL]@student.ubc.ca. Faculty, staff, and emeriti migrated to Exchange Online must enter their primary alias in the format [email protected] (legacy on-premise FASmail users at https://mail.ubc.ca use their CWL username).
• Active CWL Password: The same Campus-Wide Login password used to authenticate into Workday and Canvas. Passwords can be managed or reset through the self-service portal at https://myaccount.ubc.ca.
• Duo Mobile 2FA Device: An enrolled smartphone or tablet running the Duo Mobile app for push notifications, a registered hardware token, or an enrolled landline for automated callback verification.
• Modern Browser or Exchange Client: An updated web browser (Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox) with cookies enabled for Microsoft Entra ID redirects, or an Exchange ActiveSync-compatible client such as Microsoft Outlook, Apple Mail, or Mozilla Thunderbird (via IMAPS).

How to Sign In to UBC Webmail Online

1. Open your web browser and navigate to https://outlook.office.com. (If your department's FASmail mailbox has not yet migrated to Microsoft 365, go to https://mail.ubc.ca instead; legacy student accounts tried at https://webmail.student.ubc.ca will automatically redirect).
2. In the Microsoft sign-in prompt, type your full UBC login identifier—[email protected] for students or [email protected] for migrated faculty and staff—and click Next.
3. First-time users and newly onboarded staff must first activate their CWL profile and provision their mailbox via https://myaccount.ubc.ca or confirm their assigned address inside Workday under View Profile > Overview > Contact Information – Public before signing in. Returning users will be redirected directly to the UBC CWL authentication screen.
4. Enter your CWL Password and select Sign in. If you have never configured Multi-Factor Authentication, click Get started on the prompt, select Duo Mobile, verify your phone number, and scan the onscreen QR code using the Duo app. Returning users simply approve the Duo Push sent to their mobile device.
5. Once verified, decide whether to select Yes or No on the Stay signed in? prompt (always select No on shared campus lab computers) to load your Outlook Web Application (OWA) inbox.

Mailbox Quotas, Calendar Sharing & Client Setup

• Expanded Exchange Online Storage & Global Access: Migrated student mailboxes provide a 20 GB storage quota (up from 1.5 GB on the legacy server) and full global accessibility without requiring a UBC myVPN connection when traveling outside Canada.
• Shared Mailboxes & Delegated Calendars: Faculty, administrative staff, and student employees using FASmail can mount departmental generic mailboxes directly inside OWA or desktop Outlook, schedule meetings with free/busy directory lookups, and integrate Exchange Online calendars directly with Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
• Server-Side Inbox Rules & Automated Forwarding: Through the OWA Settings (Gear Icon) > Mail > Rules menu, users can configure server-side spam filtering, bulk mail sorting, and automatic message redirection (subject to UBC data governance rules for employee accounts).
• Cross-Platform ActiveSync & IMAPS Support: Connect your mailbox to Microsoft Outlook for iOS/Android, native macOS Mail, or Thunderbird using modern OAuth2 authentication and Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync protocols.

Fixing Common Login Errors & Account Lockouts

Account Security & Phishing Prevention

• 🔒 Verify Official UBC & Microsoft Domains: Only enter your credentials on https://outlook.office.com, https://mail.ubc.ca, or authentic UBC Single Sign-On pages ending in .ubc.ca. Never enter your CWL password on third-party webforms linked inside unexpected 'Mailbox Quota Full' emails.
• 🔒 Reject Unsolicited Duo Push Prompts: If your phone receives a Duo Mobile authentication request when you are not actively signing in to UBC Webmail, Canvas, or Workday, tap Deny immediately to block unauthorized access and reset your CWL password at https://myaccount.ubc.ca.
• 🔒 Protect Sensitive University Data on Shared Machines: When checking webmail from a library workstation or lab computer, always use an Incognito/Private browser window and explicitly click your profile icon > Sign out before leaving the terminal.
• 🔒 Avoid Unapproved Third-Party App Passwords: Configure mobile and desktop clients using native Microsoft Exchange modern authentication rather than legacy POP3/IMAP clear-text passwords, ensuring every session remains protected by UBC's central MFA policies.

Frequently Asked Questions