The Campus Meal Plan is a required purchase for all students living in University Housing, with the exception of students who reside in University-owned apartments. The Campus Meal Plan is an optional purchase for students who live in off-campus housing. 

For students living on campus, the HFS Contract is inclusive of the Campus Meal Plan and is not required to be purchased separately. For students living off campus, the student can create and accept a Campus Meal Plan HFS Contract. Students are responsible for paying the total cost of the Campus Meal Plan, based on the level selected, for every semester of the HFS Contract. 

The HFS Contract is a legally binding contract between the student and the University, and it is effective once the student accepts the Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract. The student is required to abide by these Terms, Conditions, and Regulations (TCRs), which includes assuming financial responsibility of all dining fees for the entire HFS Contract period. The University reserves the right to modify the TCRs without advance notice to the student.

If a student is under the age of 18, the student must acknowledge that their parent/guardian has read and also agrees to these Terms, Conditions, and Regulations, and that wrongful acknowledgement of their parent/guardian’s agreement could result in a penalty of perjury.

The Campus Meal Plan cannot be transferred or assigned to another student. The Campus Meal Plan is accessible through the student's mobile id+ card and may only be used by the student.

The Campus Meal Plan is comprised of two cost components:

• base cost (similar to a "membership fee") covers operational expenses. The base cost is paid up-front at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters and used by the University to cover mortgages, labor, supplies, etc. This covers the cost of business to be open and ready to serve students on demand.

• dining dollars is the amount of spendable funds available on the student's Penn State mobile id+ card to make purchases with. There are three (3) levels of spendable dining dollars. Campus Meal Plan holders will receive a discount on qualifying purchases at select operations.

Semester specific costs and discount structure information is available on the Campus Meal Plan information page. 

On-Campus Students

The HFS Contract is inclusive of the Campus Meal Plan and is not required to be purchased separately.

Students assigned to Nittany and White Course Apartments can select a Campus Meal Plan through eLiving > My Info > My Meal Plan.

Off-Campus Students

Students who live in off-campus housing are eligible to purchase the Campus Meal Plan. The Campus Meal Plan is available to purchase through eLiving during these timeframes:

• Fall Semester: March 1 - September 30

• Spring Semester: October 1 - March 1

• Summer: option not available

The cost of the Campus Meal Plan purchased will be charged either to the student's LionPATH account or to a credit card. Any changes to the level selected will be charged/credited to the student’s LionPATH account. If a student used a credit card to purchase the Campus Meal Plan and then needs to change the level, the student will need to contact the Penn State id+ Office for assistance.  

Dining dollars will be downloaded to the student's account one week prior to the first day of classes, provided that the student is enrolled in at least one (1) class at University Park. The Campus Meal Plan cannot be accessed until the student is enrolled. 

The Campus Meal Plan offers three (3) levels for the academic year, with varying dining dollars available to purchase meals. The Campus Meal Plan will default to level two (2) when the student accepts the HFS Contract. For students who accept a HFS Contract for Summer Session, only one (1) level of the Campus Meal Plan is available. Depending upon the level selected, the available dining dollars used to make actual purchases may not be enough to cover all meals during a semester/session.

Campus Meal Plan account information is available through the University's eAccounts. The Campus Meal Plan level can be adjusted higher or lower as permitted during the semester until the last day of finals in eLiving > My Info > My Meal Plan. Some students may not be eligible to lower the meal plan level, as it depends upon the amount of dining dollars that have been used at the time the student tries to lower the level. If a student runs out of dining dollars, the Food Services register system will transfer available funds from the student's LionCash account to cover transaction amounts at the same discounted rate.

Dining dollars balances will be handled as follows:

• balance at the end of summer session will carry over to fall semester^, and

• fall semester to spring semester^.

• At end of spring semester, any remaining dining dollars expire - no refund will be offered.

         ^balance will only carry forward provided the student has an active Campus Meal Plan for each semester.

Even though dining dollars may be carried over to the spring semester, the student is still required to purchase the Campus Meal Plan and pay the total semester food plan rate for the level selected for spring semester. If a student has a large amount of dining dollars at the end of fall semester, the student may be eligible to lower the Campus Meal Plan level.

Students have the option to request eat-in or take-out at the all-you-care-to-eat dining commons. For those who eat-in, the only takeout option at the end of the meal is one piece of hand fruit (apple, orange, or banana) and one ice cream cone. In retail dining centers, all items must be paid for before consuming or leaving the serving area. Removing additional food or beverages, dishes, or silverware from the dining room, entering the dining commons without paying for the meal, or consuming or removing food without payment from a retail dining center will be considered theft.

Theft in the dining center is a serious issue that will result in disciplinary action by the Office of Residence Life, Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response (OSACR), and/or University Police. 

Commuter Meal Plan Terms, Conditions, and Regulations