Meal Plan Requirements and Costs

Owned by Jane Goedeke
Last updated: Apr 25, 2022
2 min read

2022-2023 MEAL PLANS*

Residential Students:

Minimum Required Dining Funds

Dining Fee

Total Cost/Semester

First Year Students

$1,740

$432

$2,172

Other Students

$1,340

$348

$1,688

Students 21 or older as of the first day of fall semester classes 

$281

$64

$345

Commuter Students:




First Year Commuter Students

$306

$64

$370

Other Commuter Students

$281

$64

$345

*Meal Plan Information

Terms and Definitions

Dining Funds – these are the funds students use to purchase food in any of the dining locations on campus. Students receive a 20% discount at the cash register and are not subject to sales tax when paying with dining funds. Any student with a meal plan can add dining funds at any time during the semester for an additional cost.

Dining Fee – this fee covers utility costs, facility maintenance costs, equipment purchases and repairs, and administrative costs for our dining program.

Exceptions to Meal Plan Requirements

  • If a commuter student has class on campus fewer than 2 days/week, they may apply for an exemption.  An exemption must be requested within the first two weeks of the semester.  
  • Students with medical dietary restrictions should submit a Medical Dietary Accommodation Form to begin the process of determining the appropriate course for accommodation or exemption.


A Residential Student is any student living in University of Northwestern residence halls.

A Commuter Student is any student living off-campus seeking a Traditional Undergraduate degree and taking 12 or more credits, including both traditional undergraduate and undergraduate pathways credits.  Commuter Students seeking a traditional undergraduate degree who are taking fewer than 12 credits are not required to have a meal plan, but may choose to have a plan. PSEO students who are commuting are not required to have a meal plan, but may choose a PSEO meal plan.

First Year Students for Fall Semester will continue to be classified as First Year Students for Spring Semester.  Students who begin as first year students in the Spring Semester will be considered First Year Students for Spring Semester only.  Transfer students are not considered a First Year Student.