Dining provides students numerous opportunities for meals and snacks from dining rooms, food courts, snack bars, and convenience stores around Grounds. The residential dining rooms serve three meals on weekdays, as well as brunch and dinner on weekends, while the food court locations are open until late at night to offer a wide variety of dining options. Dining locations are accessible to students with disabilities.

The University student identification card is the student’s entry into the residential dining rooms. It allows students to use the meals and Plus Dollars in their dining plans, and tells them the current balances. If the card is lost or stolen, the card office must be notified immediately at 924-4508 to deactivate the card. A separate card is issued to students in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

Information about Dining is mailed to students in early summer, after having received notification of admission to the University. If additional information is needed, please contact Dining Plan Coordinator, Dining Services, P.O. Box 400312, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4312; (434) 982-5140, Fax: (434) 982-4995;

Dining Plan Options

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Please note that the following descriptions of the dining plans do not include all relevant terms and conditions of the contract. Please refer to the dining brochure and the Annual Dining Plan Contract for complete details regarding dining plans, as well as nutrition counseling, Hoos in a Hurry, and other options.

Believing that a well-balanced diet is essential for good health, the University requires that all first-year undergraduate students participate in either the Unlimited, the Plus 15, or the Plus 13 meal program during the first semester. Second-semester first-year students may also participate in the Plus 10 plan with $395 Plus Dollars.

Weekly Meal Allowance The meal allowance is designed especially for first year students and students living on Grounds during the year. The meal allowance lets students enjoy all-you-care-to-eat dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the residential dining rooms. Students receive a set number of meals per week based on the selected plan. Each time students eat in a residential dining room, one meal is subtracted from the semester’s meal allowance.

Semester Meal Allowance The semester meal allowance lets students enjoy all-you-care-to-eat dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the residential dining rooms. Students receive a varying number of guaranteed meals per semester. Each time students eat in a residential dining room, one meal is subtracted from the semester’s meal allowance.

Plus Dollars Each dining plan includes Plus Dollars, which can be used in all dining locations. They work like an ATM or debit card, and students can use Plus Dollars for beverages, snacks, or full meals. The total purchase price is subtracted from the Plus Dollar dining plan balance. Students may increase the flexibility of their meal plan by purchasing additional Plus Dollars at any time. All charges are billed by Student Financial Services, and funds are available within one business day of sign-up.

The Unlimited Plan provides complete access to the dining rooms for meals or snacks during regular hours of operation. There are no limits to the number of meals that may be eaten during the day or week. This program permits the student to fit his or her meals into the most demanding schedule.

The Plus 15, Plus 13, Plus 10, and Upperclass 10 meal programs allow the student any 15, 13, or 10 all-you-care-to-eat meals each week. Each of these plans is supplemented with Plus Dollars and five guest meals each semester.

Semester Plans are available to upperclass students, and they provide either 100, 80, or 50 meals per semester. These plans are especially convenient for students who live off Grounds . Each of these plans is supplemented with Plus Dollars and any of the meals may be used for a guest at the residential dining rooms.

⁽¹⁾ Available to first-year students during the second semester only.
⁽²⁾ Not available to first-year students.

Residential Colleges and Language Houses Students enrolled in either the Hereford, Brown, Shea, French, or Spanish houses must choose a residential dining plan from the list that follows. These programs include banquets and special events which are part of the residential college experience. First-year students must select either the Unlimited, Plus 15, or Plus 13 dining plan.

⁽¹⁾ Available to first-year students during the second semester only.
⁽²⁾ Not available to first-year students.
⁽³⁾ Semester 50 is available only to Hereford students

Required Meals

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Brown College requires that all residents eat Sunday brunch and dinner, and dinners Monday through Thursday in the designated residential dining facility. Friday lunch may also be used as a Brown College residential meal at Newcomb Hall.

Hereford College requires that all residents eat at Runk Dining for Sunday brunch or dinner and two additional dinners between Monday and Thursday evening.

Language Houses The French and Spanish language houses require that all residents participate in a Language House Meal Program. Students are required to eat dinner Monday through Thursday at their respective language house.

Plus Dollars Students enrolled in a University meal program may increase the flexibility of their meal plan by purchasing additional Plus Dollars. All charges will be billed by Student Financial Services, and funds are available within 1 business day of sign-up. Plus Dollars may be used for food purchases only, and are available exclusively to students on a meal plan.

Dining Plan Changes

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Dining plans are purchased for the entire academic year. All changes must be made by letter, email or by filling out an Intent to Change Form at the Dining Services Administrative Office at Observatory Hill.

Students may change up to a dining plan with more weekly or semester meals at any time during the academic year. Students may reduce or cancel their dining plan by August 31, 2005 for fall semester, or between December 16, 2005 and January 25, 2006 for spring semester. Spring semester dining plan changes are not reflected on the Student Financial Services bill until after final registration in January.

There is no fee for changing meal plans; however a $50 administrative fee is applied to all cancellations except for December graduation and Study Abroad students.

Meal plan contracts are annual contracts.