Meal plan terms and conditions

Academic year 2023–24

Updated as of May 2023

  1. You agree to pay the meal plan rate determined by the Board of Regents. Your rate is determined by the meal plan you select.
  2. The Board of Regents reserves the right to change the approved contract rates during the term of the contract by giving a 30-day advance notice.

  1. Students, faculty, and staff living off campus may purchase a meal plan online.
  2. All students living in the residence halls are required to select either a Gold or Black meal plan, unless they are assigned to a room with a university-supplied kitchen.
  3. Students living in a room with university-supplied kitchen also have the option of a Hawkeye meal plan.
  4. Returning students assigned to a room with a university-supplied kitchen may opt out of a meal plan.
  5. If you do not select a meal plan online, you will be assigned the Gold meal plan.

  1. Meal plans begin at the start of the contract date and continue while classes are in session.
    1. Fall semester meal plans begin Aug. 12, 2023 and end on Dec.16, 2023. Market places will close for Thanksgiving Recess (Nov. 18 - 26).
    2. Spring semester meal plans begin January 13, 2024 and end on May 11, 2024.
  2. Meals are served seven days a week at various locations across campus. Hours may be found online: dining.uiowa.edu.

  1. You must present your Iowa OneCard (University of Iowa ID) to the cashier to use your meal plan.
  2. To help ensure meal plans are used fairly, a 25-minute reuse delay is placed on your Iowa OneCard. Additional swipes used before the 25-minute reuse delay expires will be deducted from the cardholder’s Flex meal balance.
  3. Flex meals are limited to five meals per day.
  4. Students with Black and Gold meal plans have eight guest meals to allow a guest to eat with them.
  5. Gold, Black, and Hawkeye meal plans do not carry over from one semester to the next.
  6. Herky Booster Pack meal balances carry over from summer to fall to spring and do not expire until the end of the spring semester.
  7. Unused meals are forfeited and non-refundable.

  1. As in any community dining establishment, dining on campus brings many individuals such as students, staff, faculty and community members in contact with one another. University Housing and Dining will implement reasonable public health and safety measures regarding infectious disease as recommended by the applicable public health authorities. University Housing and Dining strongly encourages all individuals to follow the recommended public health guidelines, but it cannot control the behavior of any particular individual. As a result, the University of Iowa is not and will not be liable for any public health threat to which a student or visitor may be exposed, including but not limited to the transmission of any infectious disease such as COVID-19.
  2. Students and dining guests are strongly encouraged to practice responsible hygiene habits and other health-related practices as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and other applicable public health authorities.
  3. University Housing and Dining does not assume any liability for adverse reactions to food/drink consumed, the presence of a foreign body in food/drink, or items with which one may come into contact while eating/drinking or purchasing items at any UI dining location, convenience store, or retail location.

  1. Menus in the market places satisfy nutritional needs for the majority of medical dietary requirements and religious/lifestyle practices. Students with food allergies or special diets should work with a University Housing and Dining nutrition specialist or a location manager regarding their specific needs. A Dietary Needs Request must be submitted with documentation.
  2. University Housing and Dining cannot guarantee the accuracy of food safety and nutrition information. Food items are labeled with the top nine common allergens based on ingredient information provided by manufacturers. Nutrition and ingredient information may vary due to product substitutions and formulation by the manufacturer prior to being purchased by the university.
  3. University Housing and Dining will implement reasonable health and safety measures, but is not and will not be liable for any cross-contact or cross-contamination that may occur.

  1. Meal plans may not be sold or transferred to anyone.
  2. You may change your meal plan online during the first few weeks of each semester.
    1. Fall semester meal plan changes must be made online by Friday, September 1, 2023.
    2. Spring semester meal plan changes must be made online by Friday, January 26, 2024.
  3. If you move to a room with a university-supplied kitchen, you have five (5) business days from the effective date of the transfer to change your meal plan if you so choose.
  4. If you move from a room with a university-supplied kitchen, to a room without a kitchen, you must choose either the black or gold meal plan within five business days. If a meal plan is not chosen, the gold plan will be assigned.
  5. Meal plans purchased after the deadlines outlined in 12.g.ii. above may be changed within five business days from the date of purchase.

  1. Only returning residents and transfer students living in a room with a university-supplied kitchen may cancel their meal plan based on the dates provided in the meal plan change section 12.g.ii. above.
  2. If you cancel your residence hall contract, your meal plan will be cancelled.
  3. Students and/or staff who live off campus may cancel their meal plan after the dates provided in the meal plan change section 12.g.ii. above within five business days from the date of purchase.
  4. All cancellations will be subject to the meal plan refund schedule regardless of purchase date or actual usage: dining.uiowa.edu/meal-plan-refunds.

  1. Meals missed because of late move-in, specific diets, religious beliefs and activities, employment, or classes scheduled during the meal hours are not refundable.
  2. Refunds for cancelled meal plans will be made based on the weekly refund rate schedule, regardless of the number of meals eaten. This schedule may be found on the dining website: dining.uiowa.edu/meal-plan-refunds.
  3. Refund requests based on prolonged illness or unavoidable absences in excess of seven consecutive days may be considered and must be provided in writing with documentation to Contracts and Assignments.

  1. In the event all or a portion of the university housing and dining system and/or supply chain becomes unavailable, as determined by the university, due to an unforeseeable circumstance including, but not limited to, natural disaster; fire; flood; tornado; war; embargo; health epidemic or pandemic; quarantine; riots; civil disobedience/unrest; strikes, lockouts, or other labor disturbances; acts of God; or declaration of emergency, the university may terminate this contract without prior notice.
  2. The university is not responsible for providing alternate dining to the student once a contract is terminated.
  3. Credits or refunds for unused meals may be issued at the university’s discretion.
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