Student Card Accounts

Student OneCards have a number of accounts linked to them. Here's a rundown:

OneCard Account

This is the account that students and parents can make deposits into. Funds deposited into your OneCard account never expire and remain on your card until you spend them or until you graduate, at which point any remaining balance is credited back alongside your final student account statement.

Polar Points

Polar Points are a cash equivalent that come as part of your meal plan. There is also an all-points plan called 'Declining Balance' that functions identically to Polar Points. Each plan may come with a different number of points for the semester. Polar Points can be used to purchase meals and food items at all Bowdoin Dining-run locations on campus. Unused Polar Points at the end of a semester expire and do not roll over to the next semester.

Printing Allocation

Every semester, students receive a printing allocation of $60 for use at campus printers and copiers. Unused fall prints roll over to spring and unused funds at the end of the academic year expire and are cleared from accounts. Printing beyond the allocation amount charges to the OneCard Account. More information about printing can be found here.

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Students can see their card's account balances from the OneCard website by logging in with their Bowdoin credentials. Balances cannot be shared with authorized payers or over the phone.

Which account can I use at...?

Dining Halls: Thorne, Moulton, Moulton Express, and Fast Track

Meal locations will look for the following accounts in this order: meals from a Meal Plan, then Polar Points or Declining Balance, then a OneCard account. Thorne and Moulton Dining Halls also accept cash and credit cards.

Dining: Bowdoin Express*, The Café, and Jack Magee's Grill

Dining's other operations will look for the following accounts in this order: Polar Points or Declining Balance, then a OneCard account. Cash is also accepted at all three operations.

*Please note that at the Bowdoin Express Convenience store, only food items can be purchased with Polar Points/Declining Balance points. Non-food items will charge directly to OneCard accounts.

Laundry

Laundry machines are now free, beginning Summer 2023!

Off-Campus Merchants

Off-campus merchants only take the OneCard account. See the off-campus program page for more info.

Printers and Copiers

Printers and copiers will first use print allocation, then OneCard account.

See the printing and copying page for more printing-specific information.

Vending Machines

Vending machines only take the OneCard account. Vending machines also accept cash and credit cards.