CaRES Student BlazerID
What is a BlazerID?
A BlazerID is a computer login name that the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has deployed campus-wide. It is UAB’s equivalent of a username.
Why do I need a BlazerID?
You must have a BlazerID in order to access UAB computer systems and obtain a UAB email account. Please click on https://idm.uab.edu/bid/faq for details about the many uses of the BlazerID and answers to frequently asked questions.
How do I know if I already have a BlazerID?
If you are a UAB student – or if you have worked at UAB — you already have a BlazerID. If you are unsure whether you already have a BlazerID, visit https://idm.uab.edu/bid/doi.
What if I have a BlazerID, but no email account?
If you have a BlazerID but no email account, visit www.uab.edu/blazerID and select “Get a UAB email account” from the menu on the left of the page . . . be aware that it could take up to 24 hours to set up the email account.
How do I obtain a BlazerID and password?
Before trying to register a BlazerID, you need to stop for a moment and carefully consider your choices for both your BlazerID and password. The guidelines below should assist you in successfully selecting and registering them with a minimum of hassle. The system rejects all registration attempts not complying with any guideline below that includes the words “must” or “must not”.
Very important: Once you get a BlazerID it will never change, and there is no need to renew it . . . it will always be in the UAB system.
Steps for obtaining a BlazerID:
Once you submit all required paperwork to CaRES Internship Coordinator Ms. Judy Baker, she will activate your file and hire you into the UAB system. You will receive an “employee number.”
- Visit BlazerID Central https://idm.uab.edu/bid/reg to sign up for a BlazerID.
- From the options listed on the home page, select “I am a current employee, or a volunteer or contractor listed with Human Resources,” then click on Proceed.
- Type in your employee number and your date of birth, then click on Proceed. If the system cannot verify your name or your employee number, the paperwork Ms. Baker submitted may not have been processed yet — try again in a day or two. If the problem persists, please click on Need Help? to request assistance from UAB’s “Ask IT” office (where IT stands for, “Information Technology”).
- CAREFULLY select a BlazerID and a password, in accordance with the guidelines below. If you fail to follow these guidelines, the system will reject your choices and you will need to start over and try again.
The BlazerID . . .
- Must be a combination of at least three and not more than eight lowercase letters or numbers (no punctuation allowed) and must begin with a letter. Capital/uppercase letters must not be included.
- Must be unique in the UAB Campus Directory — no one else can already have it. If in doubt, go to www.uab.edu/directory and look up the username you want, by using the lower left search box. This is not foolproof (the owner may be unlisted) but it will help narrow down your choices.
- Should not contain obscene or unprofessional words or suggestive phrases. Once you have a BlazerID, it can NEVER BE CHANGED, even if you are just a student now and later decide to hire on at UAB as an employee. This is also a consideration if you ever plan to include your @uab.edu address on your CV, resume’, business card, letterhead, database, or website.
- Should be something you will always be comfortable using as a login name, no matter what UAB service may now or eventually require it. Again, once your BlazerID is registered, it can NEVER BE CHANGED.
- Unless you expdect to remain at your current marital status for the rest of your UAB expereince, you should be cautious about using your last name or any part of it for your BlazerID. Even if you get married or (hopefully not!) divorced your Blazer ID can NEVER BE CHANGED. Be cautious about choosing the name of a spouse or “significant other” as your BlazerID because you may no longer like this username if your relationship ends.
The Password . . .
- Must be a combination of at least 15 but not more than 32 letters and numbers, including at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and a numeral. Punctuation can be used, except for blanks, equal signs (=), and quotation marks (‘ or “).
- Unlike the BlazerID, the system allows capital/upper and lowercase letters, and capitalization is important; it must be entered exactly the same way each time you log in or the system will not recognize it.
- Must not be derived from a single dictionary word or from your BlazerID.
- Must not be derived from your phone number, social security number, or date of birth
- Should not be derived from family members’ names or pets’ names.
- Can be changed whenever you wish, and you will be prompted to change it from time to time.
Last updated April 21, 2021
by Elena Kidd, MPH
