How it Works
All residential students are required to participate on a meal plan. Students are defaulted to the Semel Plan and have the opportunity to change their meal plan once per semester. Each of the on-campus meal plans consist of:
- Meals: can be used at the Dining Center, Lion’s Den, and The Max. Unused meal balances do not carry over from Fall to Spring.
- Board Bucks: can be used at any campus café or with our Alliance Plan Partners and are deducted based on the dollar amount spent. Unused Board Buck balances carry over from Fall to Spring.
Resident Meal Plans
| PLAN | MEALS PER WEEK | INCLUDED BOARD BUCKS |
| The Mane Plan** | 12 Meals | $800 Board Bucks |
| The Pack Plan | 21 Meals | $0 Board Bucks |
| The Cub Plan | 8 Meals | $550 Board Bucks |
*Meal Plan swipes can only be used for your own meals.
Commuter Meal Plans
| PLAN | MEALS PER WEEK | INCLUDED BOARD BUCKS | COST |
| The Washington | 20 Meals | $100 Board Bucks | $365 |
| The Tremont | 50 Meals | $150 Board Bucks | $570 |
How to Purchase
- On Campus: All students default to the “Mane” Plan. We recommend that all students wait until they have determined where their classes are, where they are living and where they will be eating before making a change to the meal plan. Meal plans can be changed ONCE per semester via StarRez.
- Off-Campus: Off-campus students can purchase a Commuter Meal Plan beginning January 25th. If you are looking to purchase a commuter meal plan using financial aid, you must contact Student Accounts so they may process this request.
Changing a Meal Plan
Residential students may change their meal plan once per semester. Changes can be initiated online via the housing portal with dates that are posted each semester. Changes made will be effective no later than the Monday following the submission of the student’s change request form.
Additional changes will be granted under extreme circumstances by appealing to the Meal Plan Request Committee. Please contact Dining Services for information regarding the petition process.
Adjustments
Adjustments to meal plans can be made via the StarRez Portal between January 25th – February 6th. Students are responsible for Boards Bucks spent in excess of the plan that they select.
ECCash can be used as a debit card for both on- and off-campus purchases at specific locations. A student’s ECCash balance rolls over, does not expire, and can be refunded upon request.
Additional Support
If you have a documented need and require accommodations related to on-campus dining, please contact Student Accessibility Services at SAS@emerson.edu or (617) 824-8592.