Get Your U Card

Your U Card is your official campus ID. Whether you are a new student, a staff member or need a replacement, here is everything you need to know about getting your card.

Getting your first U Card

You must visit your campus U Card location to receive your U Card.

  • U Cards cannot be shipped*.
  • Your first U Card is free. Replacements within five years may require a $30 fee.

There are two options to get your U Card depending on how you would like your photo to appear.

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Upload your photo

Already have the perfect picture? You can upload it online. Once you receive an approval email, you can visit your campus office to receive your card.

Rochester does not print U Cards on location. New cards are shipped to Rochester two times per month from the Twin Cities campus. Request your card in advance online.

Take a photo in office

If you do not have a photo you want to upload, you can visit our office and have your photo taken and card printed in the same trip.

In person photos are not available at Rochester as U Cards are not printed on location. New cards are shipped to Rochester two times per month from the Twin Cities campus. Request your card in advance online.

Crookston online students

To have your U Card shipped as a Crookston online student, you must request a U Card by email to [email protected] from your University email after you have uploaded a photo. Requests must include a copy of your government-issued photo ID.

* Crookston online students may request to have their U Card shipped.

Getting a replacement U Card

If you already have a card but need a new one, you can visit your campus office. Note the following:

  • A $30 replacement fee applies if your card was printed within the last five years.
    • If your card was stolen, you can present a valid police report at the time of replacement and the replacement fee will be waived.
    • Payment for replacement cards must be made at the time of printing.
    • Departments can pay for employee replacements by contacting us prior to the employee arriving at our office.
  • It can take up to one hour to fully deactivate a card online. To save time, we can deactivate your old card in person during your visit.

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Replacement fee waivers

We will waive the $30 replacement fee if:

  • Your card was stolen and you have a police report.
  • Your card is over five years old.
  • Your smart chip fails but the card is otherwise undamaged.
  • You have a legal name change or role change (e.g., student to staff).

Replacement service return times

ServiceActivation time
Door access4 hours (rolling)
Library account access1 hour
Meal Plans, Dining Dollars and campus spending accounts30 minutes
Parking contract access (Twin Cities campus)Next day at 7 a.m.
Recreation and wellness access (Twin Cities campus)1 hour
Transit Pass (Twin Cities campus)2 full business days

Rochester replacement cards

Rochester does not print U Cards on location. Replacement cards are shipped to Rochester two times per month from the Twin Cities campus. Request your card in advance online.

Refund policy

The U Card Office does not provide refunds for replacement cards unless it was determined that the customer should not have paid the replacement fee.

Replacement fees for stolen U Cards

In order for the replacement fee to be waived in the case of a stolen U Card, the police report number must be presented at the time of the replacement. Refunds will not be given for replacement stolen cards after the replacement has been made.