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University of Wisconsin–Madison

Accessing ARROW and the NetID Process

How do I log in to ARROW?

All UW-Madison faculty, staff and students have a NetID that allows them to log in to ARROW. If you encounter issues logging in, please try the following steps:

  1. To find out if you have an active NetID, try logging into the MyUW Portal or other UW-Madison online resources.
  2. If you cannot log in, you may first need to activate your NetID by visiting the NetID account activation page. You will need to know your date of birth and your campus ID number. You will also be asked to choose a password.
  3. If you have already activated your NetID but do not know or have forgotten your NetID or password, please contact the DoIT Help Desk at 608-264-HELP (608-264-4357).

How can someone not affiliated with UW-Madison access ARROW?

People without an affiliation with UW-Madison may request a special NetID to access ARROW in certain situations. Individuals who may need to request a NetID to access ARROW include:

NOTE: The IRBs no longer require study teams to obtain NetIDs for external personnel for whom UW-Madison is serving as IRB of record. For information on training options for external personnel, see this guidance.

How do I request a NetID?

To request a NetID, please use the online request form. A NetID request can be submitted by the person needing a NetID or by another member of the study team. UW-Madison requires the following information be provided about people requesting a NetID:

  • Employer/Institutional affiliation
  • Full legal name including a middle initial
  • Gender
  • Date of birth
  • Email address
  • Reason for requesting a NetID
  • Name and contact information on the requester if it is different than the ARROW user

After the NetID request is submitted, the Office of Research Compliance (ORC) reviews the information and may request additional clarification from the study team before forwarding the request to our campus partners to obtain a campus ID from UW-Madison. To check on the status of a NetID request, please contact compliance@research.wisc.edu.

What happens after my NetID request is processed?

The NetID will need be activated before it can be used:

  1. The first step in activating a NetID is obtaining a campus ID. The ORC  typically receives a campus ID for each person requesting a NetID within one to two weeks of the request. The ORC will send the campus ID to the person requesting a NetID (and requester, if applicable) with instructions about how to activate the NetID.
  2. After a campus ID has been received, users can activate their NetID through the activation website. Follow the brief instructions on the activation website and choose a password. After the password has been set, the assigned NetID can then be used to access ARROW and to list someone as a study team member in the IRB application.