# How do I add a student?

**In short**: To add a student, open “Students”, click “Add student”, then fill in the school reference, the email address and the class. No password is created: the student activates their account with “First connection”, their email address and their school reference.

**Who this is for**: School administrators.

**What you need first**:
- A class already created in the school.
- For each student, a school reference and an email address that no other account uses.

## The steps

1. In the sidebar, click “Students”.
2. Click “Add student”.
3. Leave the “Username” field empty: the student will choose their username themselves.
4. In “School reference”, enter the student’s reference, the one you will give to their family.
5. In “Email”, enter the account’s address.
6. In “Class”, choose the student’s class.
7. If you wish, fill in the “Date of birth (optional)”.
8. Tick “Non-reader” if the student does not read. Otherwise leave the box empty.
9. Click “Validate”.

The school reference, the email and the class are required. A message confirms the creation, and the student appears in the list with the note “Pending first connection”. The form has no password field.

![Add student window filled in: school reference, email address, class CE1 Bleuets](https://www.testfle.com/medias/aide/en/administrateurs/ajouter-un-eleve-fiche-672.webp?v=42db4d2bca)

## What to pass on to the family

The account has no password, and TestFLE sends no email. So pass on to the family, by whatever means you choose:

- your school’s web address;
- the email address you recorded for the student;
- the student’s school reference.

With these, the student clicks “First connection”, then chooses their username and their password. You have nothing else to communicate. [How do I sign in for the first time?](https://www.testfle.com/en/help/families-students/first-connection) describes what the student sees.

> **Good to know**: If you get the reference or the address wrong, the student cannot activate their account. Open their sheet by clicking their row in “Students”, correct the field, then click “Validate”.

![List of students after an account is created, with the note Pending first connection](https://www.testfle.com/medias/aide/en/administrateurs/ajouter-un-eleve-confirmation-1440.webp?v=de4581ffe4)

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## Understanding the fields and the refusals

### The school reference

The reference is the key that proves, at the first connection, that the account really is the student’s. It is unique in the school and has 100 characters at most. TestFLE compares it without regard to capital letters, accents or extra spaces: “ab-0042” is the same as “AB-0042”. A typing mistake at creation, on the other hand, prevents activation.

In that case, the student always sees the same message, with no indication of which field is wrong (“This information does not match an account awaiting activation. Check each field and try again.”). The family can then ask you to check what you recorded.

### The email address

The address identifies the account at the first connection. TestFLE sends no email: the platform never writes to this address. A fictitious address such as firstname@school.com is therefore fine, as long as no other account in the school uses it. The student must copy it exactly, since it is what identifies their account.

### The username

This field holds the student’s username. It is empty at creation, because the student chooses it themselves at the first connection. If you enter a username there, the student still has to choose one, and theirs replaces yours.

### The class

The list only offers classes that exist and are not archived. If the class you want is missing, [create it first](https://www.testfle.com/en/help/administrators/create-a-class-and-its-team). The student can change class later: see [How do I attach a student to a class?](https://www.testfle.com/en/help/administrators/attach-a-student-to-a-class).

### The “Non-reader” box

When it is ticked, the student takes the no-reading form of the test, which only asks them questions that can be answered without reading. You can change it later, from the student’s sheet, and the class’s teacher can do so too. See [How do I mark a student as a non-reader?](https://www.testfle.com/en/help/administrators/mark-a-student-as-a-non-reader) and the [glossary](https://www.testfle.com/en/help/families-students/glossary#non-reader).

### Several students at once

For a whole school intake, importing a file is quicker: see [Creating accounts by import](https://www.testfle.com/en/help/administrators/import-accounts-from-a-csv-file).

### If the addition is refused

- The reference already exists. The message begins with “Student ref”, quotes the reference you entered in quotation marks, then ends with “already exists in this institution.”. Look for it in the list: the student may already have an account, possibly archived.
- The reference is too long (“The school reference exceeds 100 characters.”).
- The email address is already used (“Another user already uses this email in this institution.”).
- The class is no longer available (“The selected class no longer exists or is archived.”). Reload the page, then choose another class.

## Related articles

- [How do I create several accounts at once from a CSV file?](https://www.testfle.com/en/help/administrators/import-accounts-from-a-csv-file): The “Imports” menu creates the accounts of students, or of teachers and administrators, in one go from a CSV file: template, preview, corrections, confirmation. No password is created: everyone activates their account with “First connection”.
- [How do I put a student in a class or change their class?](https://www.testfle.com/en/help/administrators/attach-a-student-to-a-class): A student is put in a class, or moved to another, from their sheet in “Students”, or by importing again a file whose “Class” column has changed. The “Classes” screen can only count its students.
- [How do I mark a student as a non-reader?](https://www.testfle.com/en/help/administrators/mark-a-student-as-a-non-reader): For a student who cannot read, tick “Non-reader” on their sheet in the “Students” screen, then click “Validate”: they will take the no-reading form of the test. The setting applies from the next test and is undone by unticking the box.
- [How do I sign in for the first time?](https://www.testfle.com/en/help/families-students/first-connection): A student activates their account themselves, with “First connection” on their school’s sign-in screen. They enter the email address and the school reference given by the school, then choose their username and a password of at least 8 characters.

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Written by the TestFLE team. Updated 12 November 2026.
https://www.testfle.com/en/help/administrators/add-a-student