diff --git a/common/djangoapps/student/tests/test_create_account.py b/common/djangoapps/student/tests/test_create_account.py
index 8ea636f976..3f9aa3f3c1 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/student/tests/test_create_account.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/student/tests/test_create_account.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from edxmako.tests import mako_middleware_process_request
 from external_auth.models import ExternalAuthMap
 import student
 from student.models import UserAttribute
+from student.views import REGISTRATION_AFFILIATE_ID
 
 TEST_CS_URL = 'https://comments.service.test:123/'
 
@@ -288,14 +289,14 @@ class TestCreateAccount(TestCase):
         affiliate_id = 'test-partner'
         self.client.cookies[settings.AFFILIATE_COOKIE_NAME] = affiliate_id
         user = self.create_account_and_fetch_profile().user
-        self.assertEqual(UserAttribute.get_user_attribute(user, settings.AFFILIATE_COOKIE_NAME), affiliate_id)
+        self.assertEqual(UserAttribute.get_user_attribute(user, REGISTRATION_AFFILIATE_ID), affiliate_id)
 
     @unittest.skipUnless(settings.ROOT_URLCONF == 'lms.urls', 'Test only valid in lms')
     def test_no_referral(self):
         """Verify that no referral is recorded when a cookie is not present."""
         self.assertIsNone(self.client.cookies.get(settings.AFFILIATE_COOKIE_NAME))  # pylint: disable=no-member
         user = self.create_account_and_fetch_profile().user
-        self.assertIsNone(UserAttribute.get_user_attribute(user, settings.AFFILIATE_COOKIE_NAME))
+        self.assertIsNone(UserAttribute.get_user_attribute(user, REGISTRATION_AFFILIATE_ID))
 
 
 @ddt.ddt
diff --git a/common/djangoapps/student/views.py b/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
index 3c8ae53ed3..13624e6376 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@ log = logging.getLogger("edx.student")
 AUDIT_LOG = logging.getLogger("audit")
 ReverifyInfo = namedtuple('ReverifyInfo', 'course_id course_name course_number date status display')  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
 SETTING_CHANGE_INITIATED = 'edx.user.settings.change_initiated'
+# Used as the name of the user attribute for tracking affiliate registrations
+REGISTRATION_AFFILIATE_ID = 'registration_affiliate_id'
 
 # Disable this warning because it doesn't make sense to completely refactor tests to appease Pylint
 # pylint: disable=logging-format-interpolation
@@ -1861,7 +1863,7 @@ def _record_registration_attribution(request, user):
     """
     affiliate_id = request.COOKIES.get(settings.AFFILIATE_COOKIE_NAME)
     if user is not None and affiliate_id is not None:
-        UserAttribute.set_user_attribute(user, settings.AFFILIATE_COOKIE_NAME, affiliate_id)
+        UserAttribute.set_user_attribute(user, REGISTRATION_AFFILIATE_ID, affiliate_id)
 
 
 @csrf_exempt