Getting started

Welcome to Information Services 

A warm welcome to all new students from Information Services.

The information on this page will direct you to key areas on our website so that you can get yourself set up and organised ready to start your studies. You will also receive an introduction to Library and IT resources and services during Welcome Week. Find out when yours is scheduled from your enrolment and induction timetable.

If you can't find the answer you are looking for, please goto UniDesk

IT services

Heriot-Watt students qualify for a wide range of free and discounted software (e.g. Microsoft Office). See our Software page for more information.

Once you have completed the enrolment process you will be issued with a confirmation letter which provides your HWU username and password. Allow up to 24 hours after enrolling for your account to be activated. Change your password to something you will remember using Password Change.

Your HWU username and password provides access to:

• WiFi
• Canvas (the Virtual Learning Environment)
• Other IT Essentials such as Software, File storage, Printing, M365 and KeyServer
• Library resources.

You will need to set up Multi-Factor Authentication to access most services. 

Library Resources

You have access to a wealth of information whilst at University. As well as our print materials our subscriptions provide access to over 480,000 eBooks, 170,000 e-Journals and around 230 databases. You can access our materials and find user guides from Find Resources.

Our Academic Support and Liaison Librarians have also put together subject guides with detailed guidance on finding information and resources for your subject. 

• Guidance on accessing online books and journals in the library collection
• Help with eBooks.

Borrow from the library 

Your student ID card is also your library card and you can borrow from the library the day after you have enrolled. The barcode number is your library number. Use this to login to your library account, renew items and request (reserve) items out on loan.

For more information on what you can borrow and how, see the Borrowing from HWU Libraries page

Study spaces

There are lots of great spaces to study on our campuses.

See the Study spaces section for more information about what is available on your campus.

Support for your studies

We provide you with support to help you with the transition to University and develop the skills you will need to succeed at university and beyond.

The Skills Hub is a series of online guides and live classes on IT, information and study skills. 

More information on other skills development for staff and students is available from the Skills Development pages.