How to Activate your Account Step by Step

Important: After enrolling, it may take up to two business days before you can activate your SAIC account.

Your SAIC email account is the key to accessing Canvas and other student resources. Your instructor will communicate with you through Canvas and your SAIC.edu email address. Check it regularly during the course.

To activate your SAIC email account, you will need to:

• Locate your SAIC ID number in your Registration Confirmation email, sent from cs@saic.edu. If you have an SAIC student ID card, you will also find it there. Your seven-digit SAIC Student ID number is different from the five-digit order number included on the Order Confirmation receipt email sent to you at the time of checkout.

• Go to password.artic.edu

• Select Activate Account

• Enter your seven-digit SAIC ID number

• Enter your last name

• Enter your birthdate the following format: DD-MMM (e.g., 22-FEB or 03-JUN)

  • DD: Two-digit day (01 to 31)

  • MMM: Three-letter abbreviation for the month (e.g., JAN, FEB, MAR, etc.)

  • Note: Use numeric characters for the day and only letters for the month.

• Select Activate

Your username is automatically assigned, but you will need to create your own password. Passwords can be simple sentences (“There were 15 green trees.”), a series of words separated by spaces (“Correct Horse Battery Staple”) or a longer traditional password (“Thisisalongpassword!”). The longer the password, the more secure it is. Pick a password that is easy for you to remember.  

Your new password must meet the following requirements:

• Is case sensitive.

• Must be a minimum of 15 characters long.

• Must not repeat any character more than 3 times consecutively. 

• Cannot include any of the password examples above.

Uppercase, lowercase, special characters, and numbers are allowed but not required when setting your new password.

You will also be prompted to set up four security questions. Be sure to record your account information for future reference.

Visit gmail.artic.edu to log in to your SAIC email with the username and password from above.

Need Help? Contact the CRIT Help Desk at 312.345.3535 or email crithelpdesk@saic.edu. Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m