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Overview
Sponsored accounts are intended to provide access to those individuals who are not eligible for a Primary account but have legitimate business with the University that requires an account.
Detail
Software Resources
Sponsored Accounts will have limited access to resources, with some needing to be granted manually. Through software.pitt.edu Sponsored Accounts only have access to the VPN. This is due to campus licensing agreements; they won't have access to the same software that Primary accounts get. They also do not have access to the Pitt IT Labs or the Virtual Labs for this licensing reason.
By default, Sponsored Accounts have an A1 Microsoft 365 Education license, which gives them access to things like OneDrive and the online versions of 365 apps. If you have a Sponsored account and a need for an upgraded license, contact the Technology Help Desk to ask about one!
Library Access
Sponsored accounts will have access to Pitt-owned journals through library.pitt.edu, but not non-Pitt owned journals. To access Pitt-owned journals, you'll either need to be connected to Pittnet or connected to the VPN.
Sponsored Account Management
Sponsored accounts are not automatically created (only Primary and Applicant accounts are automatically created). If there is a need for sponsored account creation, you should reach out to the Responsibility Center (RC) Administrators for your department to have an account created.
Note: For the Pediatrics department Sponsored accounts, please use the form found at the
Pediatrics Sponsored Accounts page to request an account.
RC Administrators are responsible for nearly all aspects of Sponsored accounts. This includes the creation, password reset, and maintenance of Sponsored accounts. The sponsoring school or department technically owns the sponsored account.
Note: If your Sponsored account was ever a Primary account, it must follow our Primary account policies. This means that RC Administrators are not allowed to reset password or change account owners for the sponsored account that was once a primary account. If you have a need to reset your password or make changes to your account, reach out to the Technology Help Desk for assistance!
If you have a Primary account along side any Sponsored Accounts, any expiration emails are sent to your Primary account email.
If you have only a Sponsored account, but also own multiple sponsored accounts, the system will send the expiration email to your oldest sponsored account.