Student Resources

You can access Canvas from a web browser or through the Canvas Student App (Android / iOS) for smartphones and tablets.

For best performance, Canvas should be used on the current or first previous major release of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari. Because it’s built using web standards, Canvas runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, or any other device with a modern web browser.

Canvas only requires an operating system that can run the latest compatible web browsers. Your computer operating system should be kept up to date with the latest recommended security updates and upgrades.

For more information, check out Canvas’ guide on browser and computer requirements.

Canvas relies on course listing and enrollment data from the university registrar. Courses and enrollments must first be added through the registrar’s system (MyAccess) before they automatically appear in Canvas. Make sure your enrollment is listed in MyAccess.

If you see your enrollment listed in MyAccess then it should also appear in Canvas. However, only courses that have been published by the instructor will appear on your Canvas Dashboard. You can try searching your All Courses list in Canvas, which will show both published and unpublished courses.

Note: Changes and updates in MyAccess are not immediately reflected in Canvas and will be present in Canvas within 6 hours (but no later than the next business day).

If you cannot login to MyAccess, or your course enrollment is missing in MyAccess, please contact:

• Main Campus and School of Continuing Studies:  univregistrar@georgetown.edu or 202-687-4020
• School of Medicine: medregistrar@georgetown.edu or 202-687-1856
• Georgetown Law: lawreg@law.georgetown.edu

Courses in Canvas must first be published by your instructor before you can access them. If a course is listed in your All Courses list, but not accessible to you it’s likely not published. Once your instructor has published the course you will be able to access it.

However, some courses may never be published by the instructor. If your course remains unpublished in Canvas after the start of the semester, please contact your instructor directly and ask if Canvas will be used. You can look for your instructor’s contact information in the Georgetown University online directory.

Note: In some cases, once the semester has ended, the instructor may prevent you from accessing past courses and its content.

The Rich Content Editor (RCE) in Canvas provides standard word processing tools to create, edit and format text, HTML, multimedia content, mathematical notations and other rich media.

The RCE is available anytime when creating new content in Announcements, Assignments, Discussions, Pages, Quizzes, or Syllabus.

See Canvas’s student guide for a complete list of Rich Content Editor (RCE) FAQs.

When you are making decisions about adding or updating your pronouns and/or name in Canvas, you might want to consider the following factors:

• Adding/updating your pronouns or editing your name in Canvas will not affect other university systems. You will have to go to other platforms, such as Zoom or MyAccess, and set your pronouns in those systems too.
• Adding/updating your pronouns or editing your name will be reflected in all of your Canvas courses, past and present. Canvas does not currently offer the ability to make account changes isolated to specific courses.
• Most integrated tools in Canvas (also called LTI, external, or third-party tools and apps) do not currently support displaying Canvas pronouns properly or at all.
• To display your pronouns in Canvas you will need to edit your Canvas account settings. There you can select your pronouns from a drop-down menu. Pronouns selected from the drop-down menu will automatically display after your name in Canvas and display in multiple areas including: account profile page, Canvas inbox, course discussions, course people and group page(s), and course activity comment fields.
• If your pronouns are not represented in the drop-down menu, you can opt to edit your “Display Name” in Canvas and add your pronouns after your name. Warning: Adding your pronouns in the “Full Name” field in your Canvas account can disrupt Canvas’s connection with other university systems.

For information or feedback about the available pronoun options in Canvas, please contact: oads-team@georgetown.edu

Add or update your pronouns from the drop-down menu:

1. Login to Canvas
2. Click Account (above the dashboard button)
3. Click Settings
4. Click Edit Settings (right side of the page)
5. Select the pronoun from the drop-down menu
6. Click Update Settings (bottom of page)

If your pronouns are not represented in the drop-down menu we recommend you add your pronouns only to your “Display Name” in Canvas. Pronouns added to your “Display Name” will appear on your Canvas account profile page, Canvas inbox, course discussions, course people and group page(s), and course activity comment fields.

Warning: Adding your pronouns to your “Full Name” in Canvas will disrupt the alphabetical order of the Canvas Gradebook, Canvas Speedgrader and alter your account data in third-party tools like Panopto. Therefore, we recommend only adding pronouns to your “Display Name” in Canvas.

Edit your “Display Name” and add your pronouns after your name:

1. Login to Canvas
2. Click Account (above the dashboard button)
3. Click Settings
4. Click Edit Settings (right side of the page)
5. In the “Display Name” field add your pronouns after your name
6. Click Update Settings (bottom of page)

You may get third-party cookie error messages when trying to access some tools and pages in Canvas. Cookies allow your user authorization and account details (e.g. name, NetID and course role) to pass from Canvas to the third-party tool. If you receive error messages when accessing third-party tools in Canvas you will need to make a change to your web browser’s settings.

Note: In most cases, switching to a different web browser will solve the problem.

Follow the guides below if you would like to change your web browser’s settings to allow cookies in Canvas. We do NOT recommend setting your browser to accept all third-party cookies. However, adding cookie exceptions in your browser will allow the specific third-party tool to work in Canvas.

• Third-Party tools at Georgetown that require cookies
• How to add third-party cookie exceptions
• Alternatives to enabling cookies or adding cookie exceptions

Yes, consortium students at Georgetown will have access to Canvas in order to fully participate in coursework. To establish your access to Canvas, you will need to do the following:

Obtain your NetID: As soon as your registration is processed at Georgetown, you will receive an email from Georgetown’s consortium coordinator, which will include your NetID and temporary NetID Password. If you are missing this information please email: consortium@georgetown.edu

Change your NetID password: Once you have your NetID, you must reset your temporary NetID password (which will be provided to you by the consortium coordinator). 

Set your NetID email routing (optional): After resetting your NetID password, you may consider accessing your your Georgetown email and configuring your Georgetown email to route to your home school’s email account.

Most Georgetown alumni will maintain their access to Canvas for twenty-one (21) years after graduation. As alumni you will still use your NetID and NetID Password to access Canvas.

Access to specific courses and content in Canvas might be modified, blocked, or completely removed by the instructor. As a result, prior to the end of each semester we recommend students consider downloading any course materials that they may need in the future.

Note: SCS students in non-credit certificate programs should consult the Non-Credit Student Handbook for details on how long they will be able to access Canvas after completing their program.