All student meal plans, whether mandatory or voluntary, are tax free and subject to New York State tax laws. Based on these tax codes, meal plans are non-transferable and non-refundable with few exceptions. Anyone suspected of misusing a meal plan will be reported to Community Standards. Repeat offenders will be handled through the student conduct process and may face disciplinary action.
If you misplace, lose or believe your ID Card has been stolen, you must deactivate it as soon as possible. You are responsible for keeping your ID Card secure and you are liable for all activity on your ID Card until it is deactivated. Refunds are not provided for money or meals fraudulently spent on an ID Card. Please log into your Mobile ID or ualbanyid.com to deactivate or reactivate your card at any time. Mobile ID will continue to work when a physical card is deactivated. You may also obtain a temporary ID Card at UPD or a Quad Office if needed.
Meal plans (including declining balance funds) may never be used to purchase food for anyone other than the plan owner; therefore, you are required to present your UAlbany ID card for all meal plan transactions (2nd form of photo ID will be required for transactions over $25). If your card is found in the possession of anyone else, it will be confiscated and destroyed and you will be charged for a replacement. If your Mobile ID is found in the possession of anyone else, it will be suspended indefinitely.
Nutrition resources and accommodations are available for students with food allergies, medical/psychological conditions or special dietary preferences. More information can be found on the Nutritional Services webpage.
Meal plans are activated each semester when residence halls officially open for occupancy and end when halls officially close. During times when the quad dining rooms are closed but the residence halls are open, all declining balance tenders can be used in retail locations, as available.
The dining rooms are not open when the University is not in session, which includes Thanksgiving, intersession, winter and spring breaks. However, all declining balance tenders may be used at campus retail locations, as available. Resident and retail dining hours of operation may change during University vacations, holidays, or in emergency situations. All meal plan declining balance funds (i.e., Discount Dollars and Munch Money) are forfeit at spring commencement each year and cannot be used over the summer. Should enrollment end prior to spring commencement these funds will be forfeit at that time; for additional details please consult the Housing License even if your meal plan is voluntary.
Please check the University Auxiliary Services at Albany (UAS) website for the most up-to-date information (www.albany.edu/uas)
A. UAlbany Traditional Residence Hall Students
Students living in traditional residence halls (i.e., Indigenous and State Quads) are required to have a meal plan. A designated meal plan is automatically assigned to students as follows:
FALL SEMESTER (or after an absence from housing, e.g., study abroad):
• Freshmen living in traditional residence hall housing are automatically assigned the myUnlimited Meal Plan #1, but can change to the myUnlimited Meal Plan #2 during the first 10 days of the semester.
• Non-freshmen living in traditional residence hall housing are automatically assigned the myFlex Meal Plan #2, but can change to the myUnlimited(#1 or #2), the myFlex Meal Plan (#1-#5) during the first 10 days of the semester.
SPRING SEMESTER
• Freshmen living in traditional residence hall housing are automatically assigned the same myUnlimited plan as the previous semester but can change to the other myUnlimited Meal Plan plan during the first 10 days of the semester.
• Non-freshmen living in traditional residence hall housing are automatically assigned the same plan as the previous semester but can change to the myFlex Meal Plan (#1-#5) during the first 10 days of the semester.
Traditional residence hall students may change their automatically assigned meal plan (as allowed per class year) through the 10th business day of the semester via their MyUAlbany account. Meal plans cannot be changed after the 10th day of each semester unless a student is released from traditional residence hall housing or withdraws from the University.
Traditional residence hall students are REQUIRED to be on a meal plan. Any student with a special diet or medical condition must seek accommodation from the campus dietitian. In the unlikely event that UAlbany Dining cannot meet those dietary needs, a student in traditional residence hall housing must seek a release from traditional housing.
If a student is officially released from traditional residence hall housing during the first 8 weeks of a semester, but has not withdrawn from the University, their meal plan will be automatically dropped unless they notify the ID Card Office that they want to maintain their plan. If any Discount Dollars have been voluntarily added, the remaining balance of the added on Discount Dollars will be automatically converted to Munch Money which is not discounted but is tax-free and non-refundable.
A student may also elect to change to their meal plan when they are released from traditional residence hall housing but not withdrawing from the University by contacting the ID Card Office. If any Discount Dollars have been voluntarily added, and the student changes to a plan that is ineligible for add on Discount Dollars, the remaining balance of the added on Discount Dollars will be automatically converted to Munch Money which is not discounted but is tax-free and non-refundable.
B. UAlbany University Apartment and Commuter Students
University apartment and commuter students are not required to purchase a meal plan, but can add a meal plan of their choice. Unlike traditional residence hall students, University apartment and commuter students must add a meal plan selection every semester; there is no automatic re-assignment for these students.
University apartment and commuter students may add or change their meal plan through the 10th business day of the semester via their MyUAlbany account. After the 10th day of each semester, meal plans may be purchased in the ID Card Office.
If any Discount Dollars have been voluntarily added, and the student changes to a plan that is ineligible for add-on Discount Dollars, the remaining balance of the added Discount Dollars will be automatically converted to Munch Money which is not discounted but is tax-free and non-refundable.
Meal plans cannot be canceled after the 10th day of each semester unless a student withdraws from the University. Any student with a special diet or medical condition must seek accommodation from the campus dietitian. In the unlikely event that UAlbany Dining cannot meet those dietary needs, a University apartment or commuter student must seek a special circumstances release from the meal plan.
After a student has occupied a room or accessed a meal plan, no adjustment is available for the balance of that semester, unless the student officially withdraws from the University due to CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THEIR CONTROL or unless a written request for release from the Residence License due to CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THEIR CONTROL is approved by the Department of Residence Life (DRL). Written third party documentation must be submitted to substantiate reasons beyond a student’s control. In approved cases, meal plan charge adjustments are prorated on a weekly basis.
If a student withdraws from housing after week 8, charges for meal plans for the remainder of the term will not be refunded.
A meal plan refund will not be granted if a student is released from the University due to disciplinary action or suspension regardless of the number of weeks into the semester.
Meal plans are subject to New York State tax laws, and therefore refunds may only be granted per the criteria detailed herein, and only through the first eight (8) weeks of the semester in which the plan was purchased.
The meal plan refund calculation is based on a weekly proration, regardless of plan usage, effective the first day meal plans officially begin for the semester. Meal plan refunds are processed automatically to a student’s account after their release from the Residence License has been confirmed by the DRL.
- Full Refund
You may receive a full refund of your meal plan charges only if you fail to occupy your room at the beginning of the semester as described in the Residence Hall License - Partial (Pro-Rated) or No Refund (Before/After 8 Weeks)
a. Traditional Residence Hall Students
Students residing in a traditional residence hall will receive a meal plan refund when they are officially released from their Residence Hall License AND officially checked out of their room, through the eighth week of the semester. The meal plan refund calculation is based on the week in which the Department of Residential Life approves a student’s housing release application AND the student is officially checked out of his/her room, or the last week a student used his/her meal plan; whichever week is later. Please note that if a student is officially leaving the University, he/she must first completed a withdrawal form from the Office of Withdrawal and Readmission before he/she fills out the housing release application.
If a student receives approval from the DRL to move from traditional housing to either a University Apartment or commuter arrangement during the first eight weeks of the semester, the student’s meal plan will be automatically terminated upon change in housing status and refunded on the prorated basis described above unless the student has notified the ID Card Office in person that he/she wishes to retain his/her meal plan.
A student released from a traditional residence hall after the eighth week of the semester does not qualify for a meal plan refund and his/her tax-free meal plan (including meal swipes and/or declining Discount Dollars balance) will be removed from his/her ID card automatically and forfeited. The only rare exception is if a student is officially released from housing due to special circumstances (see #3 below).
b. University Apartment Students
Students residing in a University Apartment are not eligible for a meal plan refund unless they are officially withdrawn from the University AND officially released from their residence license AND officially checked out of their apartment. The meal plan refund is based on the week in which the Department of Residential Life approves a student’s housing release application AND he/she is officially checked out of his/her apartment or the last week a student used his/her meal plan; whichever week is later. Please note that if a student is officially leaving the University, he/she must first completed a withdrawal form from the Office of Withdrawal and Readmission before he/she fills out the housing release application.
When a student officially withdraws from the University during the first eight weeks of the semester, his/her meal plan will be removed from his/her ID card automatically and refunded on a prorated basis.
A student released from a University Apartment after the eighth week of the semester does not qualify for a meal plan refund and his/her tax-free meal plan (including meal swipes and/or declining Discount Dollars balance) will be removed from his/her ID card automatically and forfeited. The only rare exception is if a student is officially released from housing due to special circumstances (see #3 below).
c. Commuter Students
Commuter students are not eligible for a meal plan refund unless they are officially withdrawn from the University. Please note that if a student is officially leaving the University, he/she must first completed a withdrawal form from the Office of Withdrawal and Readmission. The meal plan refund is based on the week in which the withdrawal was approved or the last week a student used his/her meal plan; whichever week is later.
When a student officially withdraws from the University during the first eight weeks of the semester, his/her meal plan will be removed from his/her ID card automatically and refunded on a prorated basis.
A student who officially withdraws from the University after the eighth week of the semester does not qualify for a meal plan refund and his/her tax-free meal plan (including meal swipes and/or declining Discount Dollars balance) will be removed from his/her ID card automatically and forfeited. The only rare exception is if a student is officially released from housing due to special circumstances (see #3 below). - Officially Released from Housing for Special Circumstances
A student that is officially released from housing under special circumstances could receive a meal plan refund after eight weeks. These circumstances must be approved by the University and communicated back to University Auxiliary Services (UAS) for consideration.