image of the campus store

Using your card

The only card you need to prove your student status, access your amenities, and purchase almost anything on campus using your Flex or Dining Dollars.

The uOttawa card combines many cards into one. The card is your: 

  • Official University of Ottawa student ID
  • Library card for borrowing materials and printing documents
  • Access card for residence buildings, labs and classrooms, fitness centres and gyms
  • Payment card for meal plan food at the Dining Hall and campus printing services
  • Debit card to purchase items on campus and from our off-campus partners using your Flex dollars.

Dining Dollars

Students who have the Pay-as-you-go plan can use their Dining $ account balance to pay the door rate at the Dining Hall, thereby saving the 13% tax.

Students who purchased a 5-day or 7-day meal plan also have a Dining Dollar account, allowing them to save the 13% tax on food prepared on campus at over 20 campus locations. Unused Dining $ are converted to Flex $ at the end of the school year.

tri card

Flex Dollars

Add funds to your card and use it wherever the uOttawa card is accepted with a simple tap.
Add funds to your uOttawa card

Why use Flex $?

There are many benefits to loading and spending Flex $ on your uOttawa Card, including:

  • No banking or transaction fees: spend exactly the amount of money you add to your card.
  • Budget with ease: set a spending limit by controlling how many Flex $ you add to your card.
  • Safe and secure: the uOttawa card is only accepted at approved locations and can be deactivated online if lost or stolen.
  • Skip the lines: Use the express checkout lane at the Campus Store and the Dining Hall.
  • Win more Flex $: spend your Flex dollars on campus for a chance to win more of them through our recurring contests.
  • Funds that carry over: Unused flex dollars carry over from year to year with no fees. (Note that after six years of account inactivity, funds remaining on your uOttawa card will become property of the University).
  • Multi-purpose spending: Flex $ can be spent on meals, vending machine items, textbooks, official documents, late fees, photocopy & printing services , and just about anything else that can purchased on campus.
Front entrance of the campus store

Campus Store 

Make all your Campus Store purchases a breeze. 

Use your Flex Dollars to pay and avoid the lineup during peak periods in January and September. 

student filling out a scantron exam

Exams and the Health Clinic 

Use your uOttawa Card as ID to prove your identity and your student status. 

Fitness equipment at the Minto sports complex

Sports facilities

Scan your card to enter sports facilities. 

Close up image of a printer with memory drives

Printers, photocopiers and the DocUcentre 

Pay at the printing and photocopying kiosks on campus, and make purchases at the DocUcentre. 

Avoid the lineup by using your Flex Dollars at the University Centre counter during peak periods in January and September. 

If you need a refund for any printing or copying on campus, please visit TLSS at MRT 06.

Snacks in a vending machine

Vending machines 

Tap your uOttawa Card on the reader and choose your item. 

student sitting in a library hallway

Library 

Use your uOttawa card to borrow books and to get into the library outside of regular hours.  

Did you know that you can use your uOttawa card to borrow materials from affiliated libraries (Saint Paul University and Carleton University)? 

Late to return something? Use Flex Dollars to pay your late fees at Morisset, Fauteux, and Roger Guindon libraries. 

Pivik storefront at UCU

Pivik

 Use your uOttawa card to purchase a wide range of everyday products at Pivik. 

3 Brothers Shawarma and Poutine on Osgoode Street

Off-campus merchants

 Use your uOttawa card as a debit card for purchases from our off-campus merchants: 

  • 3 Brothers Shawarma and Poutine (Osgoode Street)
  • Gabriel Pizza (Rideau Street) 

Discounts

Your uOttawa card could get you additional discounts. Several businesses and restaurants offer discounts to students.  Some businesses may require additional proof of enrolment in addition to your student card.  The University cannot manage how external businesses manage student promotions.