Getting Started with Top Hat for Students


Table of Contents

What is Top Hat?

Top Hat is an engagement platform that your instructor may use in class for polling, attendance, and quizzes. Top Hat is free to students and connects to Canvas. The first time you use Top Hat, you will need to set up an account connected to your UMass email address.

As a student, you can either use a web browser (Google Chrome or Firefox is recommended) on your computer or download the Top Hat app on your iOS or Android mobile device. 

Create a Top Hat Student Account

Top Hat Student accounts are free, however each student must activate their account before it can be used. You only need to do this once during your time at UMass.

Important: We recommend using a laptop or desktop while activating your account. Mobile browsers may experience issues with redirection during the setup.

To set up your Top Hat account at UMass Amherst:

  1. Navigate to the Canvas course that you’ll be using Top Hat in. 
  2. On the left-hand Course navigation menu, select Top Hat. If prompted, select Open in a new window. The SIGN-UP page will open. (Note: If you do not see a Top Hat link, please contact your instructor. They will need to enable the link in Canvas. )
  3. On the SIGN-UP page, select I’m a Student. 
  4. Select Sign-up. The Create your account page will open. 
  5. On the Create Account page, in the Email Address field, enter your umass.edu email address. 
  6. Select the Next Stop button. The SSO (Single Sign-On) window will open and take you to the University of Massachusetts Log-in page. 
  7. Sign in with your netID@umass.edu and password. 

Participate in a Top Hat Course

Record Attendance

To be marked present, you will need to enter the correct 4-digit attendance code and will also need to be present in the classroom. Follow these step-by-step instructions: 

  1. Log in to Top Hat on the Web Browser or open the Top Hat Mobile App.
  2. Select the course from the list of your courses.
  3. When attendance is launched in class, enter the 4-digit code shared by your instructor.
  4. Select the Submit button. Do not navigate away from the app or browser page until your submission is confirmed. 
  5. Based on your Attendance requirements, you may be prompted to allow Top Hat to Access your location. Select  "Allow" or "Allow Location Access", then select "Verify my location".

Answer Polls

Most polls in Top Hat are automatically submitted once you make a select or enter information. However, some may questions may require you to select SUBMIT or DONE. 

Regardless of question type, after successful submission of your response, in the bottom-left corner of the screen,  ‘Answered’ will appear.

Frequently Asked Questions

I can’t see the questions my instructor is presenting in class. 

On a Web Browser or in the Mobile App, make sure you are in the ‘Classroom’ tab. To respond to a question, select the question to bring it up on your device. If the question is open and receiving responses, the question icon will appear purple. The question icon will turn gray when the question is closed and no longer accepting new responses. 

I answered a question but my responses are not being saved. 

In some cases, you will need to select Submit on the question tile. You can change your answer even after you hit submit, as long as the question is still open, but you must select Submit again to update your response. 

Top Hat Support

The Top Hat Support team is available from 9am-9pm ET, Monday through Friday and can be contacted by: