• The number of meals and snacks you usually eat in a week
• How often you will dine in our all-you-care to eat facilities
• Your class schedule
• Where you will spend weekends

What if I choose a meal plan and then change my mind?

You have up until the first day of class to make your initial choice of plans. Three weeks after the semester begins - the same two-day period allowed for housing room changes - you may change your choice of plans to either increase or decrease the number of meals available for the week.

How can I check to see which meal plan I have chosen?

You have up until plans are billed to view your plan choice through Nyumba; after billing you may view your choice by logging into your Student Banner account.

You may CHANGE your meal plan choice by sending an email to: 49ercard@uncc.edu
Be sure to provide the following:

• Your FULL NAME
• Student ID Number (800 number)
• Your Fall housing assignment
• Your NEW choice of meal plan

You will receive an email confirmation of the change

You may also change your meal plan in person, at the 49er Card Office (Auxiliary Service Building) or by mail-in form.

For Commuter Students ONLY: To ADD a meal plan for the Spring semester you may send an email to 49ercard@uncc.edu. Provide the following:

• Your FULL NAME
• Your Student ID Number (800 number)
• Your choice of Meal Plan
• Please state that you are a Commuter

You will receive an email confirmation of your request

When can I begin using my meal plan?

The beginning date for when a meal plan can be used is the Friday before classes begin, whether Spring or Fall semesters.

Can my financial aid or student loans pay for my meal plan?

Financial aid can pay for your meal plan if you have enough to cover tuition and housing charges first. After those charges, any remaining financial aid or student loan funds will be paid toward your meal plan. Financial Aid will not prepay for either ODA or 49er Account funds.

What is Required Housing?

Required housing means that purchasing a meal plan is a required part of the contract for housing. If you live in required housing you must purchase a meal plan each semester during your residency.

How does my meal plan work?

Your 49er ID card provides access to your meal plan. The 49er Card system automatically (and in “real time”) keeps track of the two parts of your meal plan — the meals and the declining balance (DB).

Meals are taken in the all-you-care-to-eat dining facilities: RDH (Residents Dining Hall), which is adjacent to the high-rise residence halls, or in Crown Commons located in the Student Union. The plan is accessed by swiping your 49er ID card when entering; one meal is used. You may either dine in or get a to-go box.

Meals in the 'traditional' meal plans (A, B, C, and H) are reset weekly, on Monday. Meals unused after dinner on Sunday are not carried over into the next week. Meals in the block plans (D and E) are available for the semester and are counted down as they are used.

The declining balance (DB) portion of a meal plan is like a debit account and may be used in all our other dining locations. Each time you use DB, you will receive a receipt showing the amount you have spent as well as your remaining balance.

Meal plans are good for the semester and allotted meals and DB both end at the conclusion of the semester.

Which meal plan would be best for me?

It's helpful to consider the following when selecting your meal plan:

You would choose one of the Traditional meal plans (plans A, B, C, or H) if you plan to eat frequently in RDH and/or Crown Commons. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served during the week — brunch and dinner on weekends — up to a total of 19 serving periods. These meals reset weekly; you begin each Monday with your plan choice of the number of meals. Only one meal may be used in a dining period. The register will display your remaining meal count.

Generally, students who select traditional meal plans have class schedules that allow for dining throughout the day. Very active students who eat larger or more frequent meals and students who enjoy meals with friends or roommates frequently choose these plans.

A 'non-traditional' style meal plan (Block meal plans D and E) is a good choice if you plan on eating fewer large meals during a given week. As with the traditional plans, meals are eaten in the all-you-care-to-eat dining halls, RDH and Crown Commons. Meal Plan D contains 150 meals (about 8-9/week), while Meal Plan E contains 125 meals (7-8/week), all of which may be eaten at any time and do not reset weekly (the register will display your remaining meal count each time it is used). You may use more than one meal in a dining period. (With these plans you may swipe your card and allow a friend or parent to dine with you.)

Students who choose these plans tend to eat less frequently during the week, eat smaller meals, have narrower windows of time available for eating due to their class schedules, are on campus only two or three days a week, live close to home and leave campus frequently, or are employed part or full-time. Student athletes also choose this plan as they may be away due to games or tournaments and therefore unable to fully utilize a traditional meal plan.

With both Traditional Plans and non-traditional Block Plans, the declining balance (DB) portion of the meal plan you choose may be used in all other dining locations.

What if I have DB left at the end of the semester?

All DB plans (F, G, K) roll over Fall to Spring and Spring to Summer but are reset at the start of every Fall semester. A month before the end of every semester, the 49er Card Office sends a reminder to every student to spend any remaining DB. It is also during that time that the on-campus convenience stores put several non-perishable items on sale. Many students use this as an opportunity to spend remaining DB on things like toiletries and laundry detergent.

What if I run out of DB funds? May I add more?

You can supplement the initial meal plan with Optional Dining account (ODA). ODA has a minimum deposit of $5; funds stay active and available as long as the student is enrolled.