Student in dining hall

Purchase a meal plan

Free up your time and fuel your brain for a successful academic experience with a meal plan. You can buy a meal plan or upgrade from a 5- to a 7-day any time during the academic year. You can only downgrade during the trial periods. And not to worry, Dining Dollars are transferred to Flex Dollars, minus the administration fee.

Where to buy a uOttawa meal plan

There are three ways to purchase a meal plan: 

  1. Via the Housing Portal for those in residence
  2. Via the uOttawa Card Portal Online
  3. In-person at uOttawa Card Service

Housing Portal 

When applying to residence, select an unlimited 5-day or 7-day meal plan and cost is included in residence fees. Your meal plan will be added onto your uOttawa Card August 25, 2025.

If a meal plan is optional in your chosen residence, you can purchase one on the Housing Portal, online or in person.

To add or change a meal plan, email [email protected].

Online

Starting August 1, open a session and select the Meal Plan tab to make a purchase. 

Accepted forms of payment: Visa, Mastercard or Interac online (BMO, TD Canada Trust, RBC and Scotiabank).

In person

Visit the uOttawa Card Office, located at 90 University Private, Room 145.

Accepted forms of payment: Visa, Mastercard, Interac, certified cheque (made out to “uOttawa Card Service”) .

Meal plan dates and deadlines

Dining Hall dates of operation

August 27, 2025 to April 30, 2026, inclusively.

When can I start using my meal plan?

  • At the Dining Hall: on August 27, 2025
  • Elsewhere on campus: on September 1, 2025

End of trial period (optional meal plan)

Daily charges are applicable to a meal plan when it’s active on your uOttawa card, even during the trial period.

  • Academic and Fall 2025 term and Winter 2026 term: September 12, 2025
  • Winter 2026 term: January 16, 2026 – only applicable if you purchased a meal plan for winter only. If you had a meal plan in the fall, the trial period does not apply.

Visit the uOttawa Card Office to request a meal plan cancellation.

Block plans – All-you-care-to-eat dining hall

  • Fall term: August 27, 2025 to December 31, 2025
  • Winter term: January 1, 2026 to April 30, 2026

Dining Dollars expiry

  • Fall 2025 term: December 31, 2025
  • Winter 2026 term: April 30, 2026

Transfer funds or refund policies

Refund of a 5-day, 7-day or Pay as you go meal plan

  • They are non-refundable, non-transferable, and non-interchangeable to the exception of students leaving the university or moving out of residences; view sections 9 and 15 in the Cardholder Agreement for details.

Transfer of Dining dollars

  • When your meal plan expires, any funds remaining in the Dining dollars account will automatically be transferred to your Flex account, minus a 25 dollar administration fee.
  • Dining dollars cannot be transferred before your meal plan expires.

Refund of Flex dollars

  • Funds in your Flex account remain valid for six years after the last transaction date.
  • Consult section 9 of the Cardholder Agreement.
Illustration of an exclamation point

Important

Mandatory meal plans and meal plans cancelled after the trial period are non-refundable, non-transferable and non-interchangeable, except for people leaving the University or moving out of residence. There are daily charges applicable to a meal plan when it’s active on your uOttawa card, even during the trial period.
Cardholder Agreement