What is a Customer Reference Number?
Your Customer Reference Number is an eleven-digit number that is used to uniquely identify your personal student finance account.
When applying for support for the first time, if you apply online you will receive your Customer Reference Number when you first register your details; or if you submit a paper application, you will be sent your Customer Reference Number in a letter. You will find your Customer Reference Number on all correspondence relating to your student finance application.
Keep your Customer Reference Number in a safe place. you will need it every time you login to your online account or contact us by phone. You can use your Customer Reference Number to have your Password and Secret Answer reset and sent to you by e-mail. Your Customer Reference Number can also be used in conjunction with your personalised pin number to obtain information on your account through our automated telephone system.
What happens if I misplace my Customer Reference Number?
Your Customer Reference Number is printed on all correspondence relating to your student finance application. If you know your Password and Secret Answer, but do not have your Customer Reference Number , you can view it Customer Reference Number online by clicking on ‘Forgotten your details?’ from the login page on the Student Finance ni website.
If you do not have any of your security details, you can receive them by contacting the Customer Support Office (phone 0845 600 0662, Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 8.00pm and Saturday & Sunday, 9.00am to 5.30pm).
Why do I need a Password and Secret Answer?
When you apply for financial support as a student you are issued with a Password and a Secret Answer to help identify you when you are accessing information about your account, either online or by phone.
If you register or apply for support online you will be asked to choose your own Password and Secret Answer. You will use these details each time you login to your account or contact us by phone.
If you submitted a paper application form, a Password and Secret Answer will be automatically generated and sent to you. When you login to the Student Finance ni website for the first time you will be prompted to change your Password and Secret Answer to something that is more memorable.
You can change your Password and Secret Answer anytime from your online account under ‘Update My Profile’. Make sure you keep your Customer Reference Number in a safe place, and your e-mail address up-to-date, in case you need to reset these details in the future.
Your Password must have a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 16 characters, and at least one of these must be a digit (0-9).
Can I change my Password and Secret Answer?
You can change your Password and Secret Answer anytime from your online account under ‘Update My Profile’. Make sure you keep your Customer Reference Number in a safe place, and your e-mail address up-to-date, in case you need to reset your Password and Secret answer in the future – if you have forgotten these details, but have your Customer Reference Number , you can have new details sent to your e-mail address from the ‘Forgotten your details?’ link on the login page
What happens if I forget my Password and Secret Answer?
If you have forgotten your Password or Secret Answer, but have your Customer Reference Number , you can have new security details sent to your e-mail address by clicking on ‘Forgotten your details?’ from the login page on the Student Finance ni website.
If you do not have your Customer Reference Number or security details, you can receive them by contacting the Customer Support Office (phone 0845 600 0662, Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 8.00pm and Saturday & Sunday, 9.00am to 5.30pm). You will be prompted to change your Password and Secret Answer to something more memorable the first time you access your online account using your new details.
I’m having trouble resetting my Password and Secret Answer online.
I am getting an error message after I enter my details
The details you have entered may be incorrect, or not recognised by our system:
- Make sure that you have entered the same name, including any middle names, which you registered or applied for support under. ·
- You can only use this function if you have given us a valid e-mail address. You may have provided this when you first applied for support. ·
- If you are resetting your Password and Secret Answer, make sure you are correctly entering your Customer Reference Number. This can be found on any correspondence you have received from us. ·
- If you are attempting to view your Customer Reference Number, make sure you are entering you Password and Secret Answer correctly.
I want to reset my Password and Secret Answer, but the e-mail address I was shown is incorrect
If the e-mail address is incorrect, you cannot reset your Password and Secret Answer online. You can contact the CSO and a new Password and Secret Answer will be sent to you by mail. Remember to update your e-mail address when you contact us or when you have received your new security details.
I reset my Password and Secret Answer online, but I didn’t receive an e-mail with my new details
Certain types of e-mail accounts, such as Hotmail or Yahoo, may detect some e-mails as spam and do not show these messages in the e-mail inbox. Check any junk mail or spam mail folder for an e-mail from ‘sfd_webmaster’.
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I want to provide my financial details in support of a student’s application online, how do I do this?
The student must have completed and submitted their application before you can also provide the financial details required online.
In their application for student support, the student is asked to indicate if their sponsor(s) will provide their financial details online or by paper form. If the student indicates that the sponsor will provide details online, the student will be given an Alias ID to pass onto their sponsors. Sponsors cannot support a student’s application online without this Alias ID.
Sponsors are required to register on the Student Finance ni website (if you do not have an existing student finance account), and then log in to your account using the unique Customer Reference Number provided. The sponsor should then select 'Support an Application', and use the Alias ID to link their information with that of the student they are supporting.
What is an Alias ID, and where can I find this?
When a student applies online for income assessed financial support, they will be asked to provide details of those people they depend on for financial support, such as their parents or partner – their ‘sponsors’. They will also be asked to indicate if their sponsors will provide details of their income online or by paper form.
If the student indicates that the sponsor will provide their information online, the student is given an Alias ID to pass onto their sponsor. This Alias ID can be found in the student’s online account, on the Sponsor Summary page.
The Alias ID is a unique identification that is used to link the student's online application with the information provided by their sponsors. Sponsors cannot support a student’s application on
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