Residence Hall Meal Plans
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Flexible Plans. Delicious Food.
Our meal plans are designed to work with your lifestyle. Whether you’re meeting friends at a cafe, enjoying a cozy meal in a dining hall, or picking up snacks at a market with roommates, so much of campus life happens around the table.
If you live in a residence hall, a meal plan is part of your housing contract – you’ll need to select one when you apply for housing. This page includes detailed meal plan information, plus a comparison chart to help you choose a plan that fits your dining preferences and schedule. Slug appétit!
Unlimited Meal Plans
NEW for the 2025-26 Academic Year
Unlimited Meal Plans offer unlimited entry for dine-in service at our all-you-care-to-enjoy dining halls – so you can visit a dining hall for a snack or a cup of coffee (and skip the line at the cafe) without worrying about using up a meal swipe. Unlimited Plans also come with 75 Slug Points per quarter, which can be used to make purchases at campus cafes, markets, and coffee bars, to pay for Eco-Box meals to-go, or to pay for a guest at a dining hall. Slug Points reset at the beginning of each quarter.
| Plan | Details |
7-Day Unlimited Plan |
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5-Day Unlimited Plan |
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Five dining halls, endless choices—fresh salad bars, deli favorites, hot entrées, desserts, beverages, and something for everyone at every meal.
The dining hall is your extended living space—a cozy spot where you can gather with friends and feel at home.
Need a treat to power through finals? Grab a fresh-baked cookie, pastry or quick snack anytime—with your Unlimited meal plan there are no meal swipes or points to track.
Your meal plan gives you access to all five campus dining halls:
Cowell/Stevenson
Crown/Merrill
College Nine/John R Lewis
Porter/Kresge
Rachel Carson/Oakes
Slug Points Meal Plans
For the 2025-26 Academic Year (View 2024-25 Meal Plan information)
Slug Points Meal Plans are accepted at all UCSC Dining-operated locations, including dining halls, campus cafes, markets, and coffee bars. It works like a debit card with a declining balance – use your student ID or the GET mobile app to make a purchase, and the amount you see at the register is deducted from your meal plan. Slug Points reset at the beginning of each quarter.
| Plan | Details |
Blue Slug Points Plan* |
|
Gold Slug Points Plan |
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Banana Slug Points Plan |
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*The Blue Slug Points Plan is the minimum required meal plan for students living in residence halls
2025-26 Residence Hall Meal Plan Comparison Chart
| Plan: | Cost per quarter: | What you get: | Where you can use it: |
|
7-Day Unlimited |
$2,406 |
Unlimited entry to the all-you-care-to-enjoy dining halls 7 days/week |
Dining halls |
| 75 Slug Points per quarter |
Campus cafes, markets, and coffee bars, to pay for Eco-Box meals to-go, or to pay for a guest at a dining hall |
||
|
5-Day Unlimited |
$1,788 |
Unlimited entry to the all-you-care-to-enjoy dining halls Monday–Friday only |
Dining halls |
| 75 Slug Points per quarter |
Campus cafes, markets, and coffee bars, to pay for Eco-Box meals to-go, or to pay for a guest at a dining hall |
||
|
Blue Slug Points* |
$1,359 |
1359 Slug Points |
Dining halls, campus cafes, markets, and coffee bars |
|
Gold Slug Points |
$1,905 |
1905 Slug Points |
Dining halls, campus cafes, markets, and coffee bars |
|
Banana Slug Points |
$2,592 |
2592 Slug Points |
Dining halls, campus cafes, markets, and coffee bars |
More than just a place to eat—our dining halls help campus feel like home.
How to Use Your Meal Plan 
No matter which plan you choose, meal plans are easy to use:
- Swipe your student ID or use the GET mobile app to enter a dining hall or make a purchase in a cafe, market, or coffee bar.
- Get a 10% discount on orders from cafes, markets, and coffee bars when you pay with Slug Points.
- Meal plans reset at the beginning of each quarter, and you can add to your account anytime.
Come for the Waves, Stay for the Food
Fire-baked pizza. Generous salad bars. Hot bowls of phở. Vegetarian and vegan choices at every meal. Ready to eat?
Whether you’ve been studying or surfing, the UC Santa Cruz culinary team always has something delicious prepared for you. We pride ourselves on sourcing organic produce from the local Monterey Bay area, and delivering freshly baked pastries daily from our on-site bakery. Our culinary team is involved at every level and participates in quarterly workshops to enhance their skills and learn new cooking styles.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Am I required to get a meal plan?
Can I purchase a meal plan even if I’m not living in a residence hall?
Can I add more points to my meal plan if I run out?
Can my parents/family members add more points to my meal plan?
What’s the difference between Slug Points and Banana Bucks?
Do unused Slug Points carry over to the next quarter?
Can my parents/family see how many Slug Points I have left?
I have dietary restrictions. Am I able to have the requirement for a meal plan waived?
