Any JWU student, staff or faculty member can purchase a meal plan. For students, meal plan options vary depending on which residence hall you choose. Meal plans feature a fixed number of meal swipes per week or per semester, as well as a set amount of flex dollars.
A meal plan gives you two things: meal swipes and flex dollars. Swipes get you into a dining hall or cover a meal combo. Flex dollars work like cash for smaller purchases, such as a coffee between classes. Both are loaded onto your JWU ID card.
Any JWU student, staff or faculty member can buy a meal plan. For students, which plans you can choose depends on where you live.
Do you need a meal plan?
First-year students in traditional halls — Yes. You’ll be on the Gold Plan.
Sophomores, juniors, seniors and transfer students in traditional halls (rooms without a kitchen) — Yes. You can choose Gold, Silver or Blue Plan.
Students in apartment-style halls (full kitchen) — No, but you can choose Gold, Silver, Blue or Wildcat 115 if you want one.
Commuter students — All undergraduate commuters are automatically enrolled in the Commuter Meal Plan. If you don’t want it, submit the Commuter Meal Plan Opt-Out Request form.
Meal Plan Options
Plan
Meals Per Week
Flex Dollars
Wildcat Meals
2026-2027 Plan Price
Gold
Unlimited
$200 annually
8 per week
$7,360
Silver
14
$400 annually
$6,212
Blue
10
$400 annually
$4,880
Wildcat 115
Unlimited (115 meals per semester)
$150 per semester
$3,374
Commuter
$325 per semester
$600
How Meal Swipes Work
One swipe covers a meal combo at any dining location, or entry to Snowden Dining Hall or Harborside Café, where you can eat as much as you want.
Weekly swipes reset every Sunday morning. Unused swipes don’t roll over to the next week.
How Flex Dollars Work
One flex dollar equals $1. Use them at any JWU dining location for anything you don’t want to spend a full swipe on. Your balance drops as you spend, and you can add more anytime during the year.
Flex dollars don’t carry over from one term to the next.
How to Buy a Meal Plan
If you’re living on campus, choose your meal plan in the housing portal at the same time you pick your room. The cost is added to your student account.
If you live off campus, live in a building that doesn’t require a plan or want to buy extra meals and flex dollars, use the Meal Plan Payment link.
