Learn the requirements every NCU password must meet, with examples of passwords that pass and fail.
Password requirements
Your NCU password must meet every requirement below. These apply whenever you create, change, or reset your password.
- Length: At least 14 characters
- Uppercase letter: At least 1 (A–Z)
- Lowercase letter: At least 1 (a–z)
- Number: At least 1 (0–9)
- Symbol: At least 1, such as
! @ # $ % - _ ?
- Your name: Can't include your name or username
- Previous passwords: Can't be reused
These are minimums, not targets. Going past 14 characters is the single biggest thing you can do to strengthen your password. A passphrase of 20 or more characters is stronger and often easier to remember. See
How to: Creating Strong Passwords.
Examples
Fails — too short
Summer2026!
Only 11 characters. It also follows a pattern (season and year) that attackers try first.
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Passes
Coffee-Before-9AM-Always
24 characters with uppercase, lowercase, a number, and symbols. Long and easy to remember.
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Fails — missing a symbol
BlueTruckGarage44
17 characters, but no symbol. All four character types are required.
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Passes
Three-Green-Lamps-on-7th
24 characters with all four character types, and it doesn't include a name or username.
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Don't use these examples as your password. They're published here, so treat them as already known.