Meal Plan Terms & Conditions

Meal plans are designed with maximum value and flexibility in mind to fit your Lobo lifestyle. Students agree that the meal plan selection portal, RLSH housing contract/ACC lease agreement, and these Terms and Conditions, shall constitute the Meal Plan Agreement.

First-Year Resident - Required Meal Plans

Student acknowledges and agrees that a Full Access Meal Plan purchase is a required condition for First Time First Year Freshmen living on central campus.

Student may still be considered a First Year First Time Freshman regardless of the number of credit hours that may academically classify them as a sophomore or higher. Visit the Freshman Residency Requirement page to learn more

    • First-Year First-Time Freshman living on central campus during their first academic year (fall & spring semesters) in Residence Life and Student Housing (RLSH) or Casas del Rio are required to purchase a Full Access Meal Plan.

      • If student begins occupancy in the residence halls during the fall semester, this agreement to hold a Full Access Meal Plan shall be for a term of one academic year. If student begins occupancy during the spring semester, this agreement shall be for the Spring semester only.


  • The Lobo 15 is the default meal plan assigned to first-year required residents in the fall or spring semester who do not select a meal plan by August 10 th for fall or January 10 th for spring.

  • The same Fall semester Full Access Meal Plan selection will be automatically assigned in the spring semester if the required resident student continues to live on central campus. Balances will be reset and unused dining dollars from the Fall semester will be added to the Spring semester balances.

    • Students are only eligible for their Dining Dollar rollover if they continue into the spring semester with one of the Full Access Meal Plans.

    • Signup must be completed within the first 3 weeks of the Spring semester
    • Rollovers will be purged for Full Access Meal Plan cancellations in the Spring

  • First-year residents are entitled to a prorated meal plan charge if they sign up or are assigned a Full Access Meal Plan after the first 3 weeks of the semester.

  • Failure to use the meal plan does not relieve the student from financial responsibility if considered a required resident freshman.

  • Meal plan charges and refunds are made to the student’s Bursar account and are posted overnight from the date of purchase/refund.

  • Full Access Meal Plans are active only during the fall and spring semesters, not including intersessions, university breaks, or the summer semester.
  • Supplemental Dining Dollar and/or Community Plans will be available for purchase and use during summer, fall, spring, and intersession terms.
  • Unused balances will be purged from all plans at the end of the academic year (end of spring semester). Refunds for a summer, fall, or spring semester meal plan will not be offered after the end of the academic year of purchase.
  • Student agrees that the meal plan selection portal, Residence Life and Student Housing (RLSH) housing contract/American Campus Communities (ACC) lease agreement, and these Terms and Conditions, shall constitute the Meal Plan Agreement.
  • All meal plan holders must have their Lobocard present when using their plan.
    • Attempted meal plan usage by an unauthorized user will result in the LoboCard being confiscated at the point of purchase and turned in to the LoboCard Office.
Meal Plan Termination
  • Student may only terminate their meal plan if there is a Housing Contract Release Finalization or lease termination which will be verified through RLSH or ACC.
  • Student may apply to be released from the meal plan requirement based on medical disability due to dietary restrictions, severe allergies, or illness. These requests will require a documented medical diagnosis and are reviewed by the Accessibility Resource Center for approval. Please allow up to 2 weeks for evaluation. Contact mealplans@unm.edu for more information on the process.
  • First-Year Residents must email mealplans@unm.edu to terminate their meal plan. A meal plan termination may be considered upon receipt of request to terminate and proof of housing release/lease termination. If the termination is authorized, student will be charged a prorated weekly rate plus actual used dining dollars. Weekly prorations are based on how long the First Year Resident is considered required based on housing assignment information and documentation.

    (A $100 cancellation fee will apply when cancellations are made after the first three weeks of the semester.

Upperclassmen, Affiliates, and Students Living Off-Campus - Voluntary Meal Plans

  • Upperclassmen living on and off campus, UNM Affiliate, and non-resident freshman may choose any available meal plan option.
    • Students are considered voluntary meal plan holders if they are a non-resident First Year First Time Freshman.
  • Community and Dining Dollar plan balances will remain available for the entirety of the academic year of purchase. These balances can also be used during intersession terms, unlike Full Access Meal Plans. Unused balances will expire after spring commencement.
  • Full Access Meal Plan balances are only active during the semester of purchase.
    • Unused Dining Dollars may be rolled over from fall Full Access Meal Plans when a Full Access Meal Plan is purchased for the spring semester.
    • Unused balances from the fall rollover and spring plan will expire after spring commencement.
    • If a spring plan is not purchased, unused Dining Dollars from the fall Full Access Meal Plan shall be forfeited.
    • Signup must be completed within the first weeks of the Spring semester.
    • Rollovers will be purged for Full Access Meal Plan cancellations in the Spring
  • Voluntary Community Meal Plan Holders can change and cancel their meal plans at any time during the semester of purchase through the meal plan portal.
    • Proration charges will apply when canceling a meal plan based on actual usage.
    • Meal plan refunds will not be offered after the end of the academic year of purchase. (Academic year is Summer - Spring of the following year.)
    • Email mealplans@unm.edu for assistance with cancellations.
  • Meal plan charges and refunds are made to the Bursar account and are posted overnight from date of purchase/refund.
  • All meal plan holders must have their Lobocard present when using their plan.
    • Attempted meal plan usage by an unauthorized user will result in the LoboCard being confiscated at the point of purchase and turned in to the LoboCard Office.

Faculty and Staff Meal Plans

  • Faculty and Staff on central campus may choose from the Faculty & Staff Community and Dining Dollar Meal Plans.
  • Faculty and Staff Community and Dining Dollar meal plans remain active until available balances are used or the employee separates from the University. Unused Dining Dollars and Meal Swipes are rolled over from one academic year to the next.
  • Additional Meal Plans can be purchased through the meal plan portal at any point in time.
  • Faculty and Staff may purchase a Full Access Meal Plan. Full Access Meal Plans function differently than Community and Dining Dollar Meal Plans. The following factors are specific to Full Access Meal Plans:
    • Full Access Meal Plans are only active during the semester of purchase.
    • Unused Dining Dollars will expire at the end of the semester of purchase unless a Full Access Meal Plan is purchased the following semester in the same academic year.
      • Signup must be completed within the first 3 weeks of the Spring semester
      • Rollovers will be purged for Full Access Meal Plan cancellations in the Spring
      • All unused balances will expire at the end of the spring semester of the academic year of purchase.
Please email mealplans@unm.edu to sign up for a Faculty & Staff Full Access Meal Plan.

  • Meal plan charges and refunds are made to the Faculty or Staff member’s Bursar account and are posted overnight from date of purchase/refund.
  • To cancel a meal plan that was purchased during a previous semester within the academic year, please email mealplans@unm.edu for review. Refunds are unavailable after the conclusion of the Spring semester of the academic year of purchase. Faculty and Staff meal plans are eligible for prorated refunds for unused tenders during the academic year of purchase.
  • All meal plan holders must have their Lobocard present when using their plan.
    • Attempted meal plan usage by an unauthorized user will result in the LoboCard being confiscated at the point of purchase and turned in to the LoboCard Office.

Community Member/Affiliate Meal Plans

  • Community Members may choose from the Community and Dining Dollar Meal Plans and must purchase in the LoboCard Office
  • Community and Dining Dollar meal plans remain active until available balances are used. Unused Dining Dollars and Meal Swipes are rolled over from one academic year to the next.
  • Additional Meal Plans can be purchased through the LoboCard Office at any point in time.
  • Community Members may purchase a Full Access Meal Plan. Full Access Meal Plans function differently than Community and Dining Dollar Meal Plans. The following factors are specific to Full Access Meal Plans:
    • Full Access Meal Plans are only active during the semester of purchase.
    • Unused Dining Dollars will expire at the end of the semester of purchase unless a Full Access Meal Plan is purchased the following semester in the same academic year.
      • Signup must be completed within first 3 weeks of Spring semester
      • Rollovers will be purged for full access meal plan cancellations in the Spring
      • All unused balance will expire at the end of the spring semester of the academic year of purchase.

Please visit the LoboCard Office to sign up for a Full Access Meal Plan.

  • Meal plan charges and refunds are handled at the LoboCard Office front desk via cash, credit card, or check.
  • To cancel a meal plan that was purchased during a previous semester within the academic year, please email mealplans@unm.edu and visit the LoboCard Office for review. Refunds are unavailable after the conclusion of the Spring semester of the academic year of purchase. Meal plans are eligible for prorated refunds for unused tenders during the academic year of purchase.
  • The meal plan will be loaded onto an anonymous conference card. Meal Plans or the LoboCard Office will not be responsible for lost or stolen meal cards and refunds will not be offered without the conference card present.

By completing the purchase of a meal plan, you (the customer) agree that if internal collection efforts have failed, your account may be sent to a collection agency and may be reported to one or more credit bureau reporting service(s). You agree to reimburse UNM the fees of any collection agency, which may be based on a percentage at a maximum of 40% of the debt, and all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees UNM may incur in such collection efforts.”

UNM Food reserves the right to restrict access or prevent meal plan sign-up to any individual under any circumstances deemed appropriate by the Food Service Office. Reasons may include but are not limited to the presence of Bursar holds, outstanding Bursar balances, facility disturbances, meal plan portal abuse, meal plan misconduct, etc.