Student Access to HDS | Secure. Clear. Step by Step.

HDS STUDENT SIGN-IN GUIDE
How to sign in to HDS
from DIY Services
A quick guide for registered master’s and doctoral students under supervision.
Start on NWU DIY Services, follow the sign-in journey, and see what to do at each screen along the way.
Open DIY Services View login steps
 Who can use HDS?
Registered master’s and doctoral students under supervision.
Registration for the current year must be complete.
A supervisor or promoter must already be allocated.
 HDS in 3 steps
1. Sign in to DIY Services with your normal NWU username and password.
2. Sign in once with your NWU Microsoft account: studentnumber@mynwu.ac.za.
3. Enter HDS — there is no separate HDS password.
Before you begin
Know your NWU network username and password.
Know your NWU Microsoft account: studentnumber@mynwu.ac.za.
Use a browser that allows pop-up windows.
 Understanding single sign-on (SSO)

HDS does not have a password of its own. DIY Services signs you in to NWU, Microsoft confirms your identity, and HDS trusts that sign-in.

DIY Services → NWU sign-in → Microsoft → HDS

Your HDS sign-in journey at a glance

From DIY Services to your HDS home page in five stages.

1Start on DIY ServicesSelect Postgraduate Students and sign in to NWU.
2Open HDSSelect the HDS tile and allow the pop-up window.
3Microsoft confirms youUse studentnumber@mynwu.ac.za and complete MFA if asked.
4HDS checks your detailsSelect NWU Staff & Student Sign In.
5You’re inHDS opens your home page. No separate HDS password.
Step-by-step login journey Open to view all 8 HDS sign-in steps. 
1 Start on DIY Services and open HDS

Your route to HDS always starts on DIY Services.

  • Open diyservices.nwu.ac.za.
  • Select Postgraduate Students.
  • Sign in on the NWU sign-in page (CAS) using your normal NWU username/student number and password.
  • Once signed in, select the HDS application tile.
DIY Services
DIY SERVICES
Undergraduate Students Postgraduate Students
NWU sign-in (CAS)
NWU Central Authentication Service

LOGIN

Higher Degrees System tile
My Applications
eFundi
🎓 HDS
2 Allow the HDS pop-up window

HDS opens in a new browser window. If nothing happens, your browser is probably blocking the pop-up.

  • Open the browser's blocked pop-up message.
  • Choose Always allow pop-ups and redirects from diyservices2.nwu.ac.za.
  • Select Done, then click the HDS link again.
Pop-up blocked
Your browser blocked a new window
Always allow pop-ups and redirects from
diyservices2.nwu.ac.za

Done

Authentication Redirect
NWU HDS DASHBOARD
Redirecting, please wait…
Tip: You normally only need to allow pop-ups once per browser.
3 Sign in with your NWU Microsoft account

HDS asks Microsoft to confirm who you are. If you are not already signed in to Microsoft in that browser, sign in with:

Microsoft sign-in
Sign in

Next

Microsoft Authenticator
Open the Authenticator app and approve the request.
44
Only approve a request you triggered yourself.
MFA: Microsoft may ask you to approve a notification in Microsoft Authenticator or enter a verification code. Only approve a request that you triggered yourself.
4 Choose whether to stay signed in and enter HDS

After Microsoft accepts your account, it may ask Stay signed in?

  • Choose Yes on your own laptop or phone.
  • Choose No on a shared, library or public computer.

On the HDS welcome page, always select NWU Staff & Student Sign In.

Stay signed in?
Stay signed in?
Reduce the number of times you are asked to sign in.
NoYes
HDS welcome page
Higher Degrees System (HDS)
Could not find your account?
NWU Staff & Student Sign In
Always use this NWU sign-in option.
Important: Do not use the other sign-in option lower down on the HDS page.
5 Reach the HDS home page

HDS checks the information Microsoft sends through and then opens your HDS home page.

The options you see depend on where you are in your studies, but the menu may include Supervision, Title Registration and Amendment, Skills, Student Details and Help.

HDS home page
Home   Supervision   Examination   Skills   Student Details   Help
Welcome
Records pending completion Announcements
Your name   |   Sign Out
HDS welcome page
Higher Degrees System (HDS)
Could not find your account?
NWU Staff & Student Sign In
Always use this NWU sign-in option.
You never need a separate HDS password — Microsoft has already confirmed who you are.
6 Sign out safely

When your work is complete, select Sign Out in the top-right corner of HDS.

  • On your own device, normal sign-out is sufficient.
  • On a shared, lab or library computer, also sign out of Microsoft and close the browser completely.
Why this matters: closing the browser completely protects your HDS session and personal information on a shared device.
7 Sign in again during the same browser session

If you keep the same browser session open, Microsoft may still recognise you. Selecting the HDS tile on DIY Services can then take you directly back to the HDS welcome page.

On a new device, new browser, or library computer, you will be asked to sign in to Microsoft again with your student number plus @mynwu.ac.za.

8 New registrations and first-time access

The first time a new master’s or doctoral student signs in, HDS creates a student record using information received from the University.

If HDS cannot find your account, check that:

  • You used the correct Microsoft account: studentnumber@mynwu.ac.za.
  • You clicked NWU Staff & Student Sign In.
  • Your current-year registration is complete.
  • A supervisor or promoter has been allocated to you.
Have your student number ready when you contact support — it helps the service desk trace the issue faster.
HDS Student Access

Your route from DIY Services to HDS

Open only the step you need. The journey is grouped into eight clear steps so you can move from NWU sign-in to the HDS home page without hunting through a long guide.

Help, troubleshooting and safe use

Support information when something does not work as expected.

A Troubleshooting

HDS does not open: allow pop-ups for diyservices2.nwu.ac.za and try again.

Microsoft asks you to sign in again: this is normal on a new device, in a new browser or in a new session.

HDS shows “Anonymous User”: select NWU Staff & Student Sign In.

Password not accepted: your NWU/CAS and Microsoft password are the same NWU password. Reset it at password.nwu.ac.za and try again.

No HDS access: confirm your registration and supervision with your faculty.

B Getting help and logging a call

IT Service Desk

Use for sign-in problems, locked accounts, password issues, MFA problems, pop-ups and missing HDS permissions.

Faculty postgraduate administration

Use when registration, supervision or student-record information has not yet reached HDS.

Please include in every request:
Your student number.
The exact error message or a screenshot.
The browser you were using.
Whether the device is your own or a University computer.
Whether you were on campus or off campus.
The date and time the problem happened.
Never include your password, an MFA code or another person's personal information in a support call.
C Looking after personal information (POPIA)
  • Sign in as yourself only.
  • Never share your NWU password or approve MFA for someone else.
  • Use HDS only for your own studies.
  • Do not share screenshots containing personal information.
  • Sign out and close the browser completely on shared, library or public computers.
  • Report accidental disclosure or loss of information to the IT service desk immediately.
D In summary

You sign in once on the NWU sign-in page and once with your NWU Microsoft account. After that, HDS uses that sign-in to let you in.

  • No extra HDS username or password is needed.
  • Microsoft may remember you for the rest of the browser session.
  • On a new device or new browser session, simply sign in to Microsoft again.
HDS Student Access | Simple. Secure. Step by step. North-West University Information Technology