Undergraduate Meal Plans
Cornell Dining's meal plans feature a combination of dining room meals*, Big Red Bucks for tax-free food purchases, and bonus meals for guests.
Cornell has a 2-year residential requirement for our first-year and second-year students, including a required meal plan. Cornell implemented this requirement for all first-year students who began enrollment in the Summer of 2021 and beyond. The Unlimited plan is fully covered by financial aid for eligible students, and is a great value for everyone, including upper-level students living off campus. In addition to unlimited meal swipes to use at our residential dining rooms, the plan includes a supply of Big Red Bucks (BRBs) for use at the Cornell Dairy Bar and in our cafés, grills, and convenience stores.
2024-2025 Undergraduate Meal Plans
Unlimited - $3,566 per semester; $7,132 per year
- Access to all meals during designated service periods in the ten residential dining rooms
- $400 Big Red Bucks per semester
- 8 bonus meals for guests per semester
- Required for first-year undergraduates
Bear Traditional - $3,309 per semester; $6,618 per year
- Up to 14 meals per week during designated service periods in the ten residential dining rooms
- $400 Big Red Bucks per semester
- 4 bonus meals for guests per semester
Bear Choice - $2,864 per semester; $5,728 per year
- Up to 10 meals per week during designated service periods in the ten residential dining rooms
- $500 Big Red Bucks per semester
- 4 bonus meals for guests per semester
- Available to undergraduates living on-campus** who were enrolled at Cornell before Summer 2021
- Available to all students living off campus
Bear Basic - $2,448 per semester; $4,896 per year
- Up to 7 meals per week during designated service periods in the ten residential dining rooms
- $500 Big Red Bucks per semester
- 4 bonus meals for guests per semester
- Available to undergraduates living on-campus** who were enrolled at Cornell before Summer 2021
- Available to all students living off campus
House Meal Plan
The House Meal Plan is limited to, and required for, residents of the West Campus House System: Alice Cook House, Carl Becker House, Hans Bethe House, William Keeton House, and Flora Rose House. In the West Campus House System (WCHS), upper-level students are not only part of an actively engaged living and learning community under faculty leadership, but they also enjoy the comforts of having their own dining room right where they live.
House Meal Plan - $3,566 per semester; $7,132 per year
- Access to all meals during designated service periods in the ten residential dining rooms
- $400 Big Red Bucks per semester
- 8 bonus meals for guests per semester
- Required for students living in the WCHS
House Affiliate - $679 per semester; $1,358 per year
A meal plan for current off-campus residents who previously lived for at least one semester in the WCHS.
- 3 meals per week at any dining room on West Campus
- $100 Big Red Bucks per semester
- Available to students living off-campus, who previously lived in the WCHS for at least one semester
To apply for a House Affiliate meal plan, please email dining@cornell.edu with the subject “House Affiliate meal plan.” Please include your name, NetID, and Cornell ID card number in your email.
South Campus Meal Plan - $3,309 per semester; $6,618 per year
- Up to 10 meals per week during designated service periods in the ten residential dining rooms
- $500 Big Red Bucks per semester
- $420 City Bucks per semester
- 4 bonus meals for guests per semester
- Available to residents of 112 Edgemoor, Cascadilla Hall, Schuyler House, and Sheldon Court
To apply for the South Campus Meal Plan, please email dining@cornell.edu with the subject “South Campus Meal Plan.” Please include your name, NetID, and Cornell ID card number in your email.
A plan for members of Cornell-recognized Sorority & Fraternity Life (SFL) chapters:
SFL Supplemental (aka. Bear Supplemental) - $2,033 per semester; $4,066 per year
- 127 meals per semester during designated service periods in the ten residential dining rooms (Additional charges apply for Shabbat, holiday, and special meals at 104West!)
- $500 Big Red Bucks per semester
- Available to all SFL members living off-campus
- SFL members living on campus** are eligible for this plan only if their chapter requires a meal plan for out-of-house members. Please note that the chapter's required meal plan must include at least 7 meals per week to qualify.
Debit Meal Plans
Debit meal plans are limited to students who do not live in on-campus housing** and are not enrolled in another meal plan. (Exception: Students who reside in Cascadilla Hall, Sheldon Court, Schuyler House, 112 Edgemoor, and Equity & Engagement Living-Learning Community for the 2023-2024 academic year and were enrolled at Cornell in the Spring of 2021 or prior can enroll in the Off-Campus Value or Flex 10/500 plans) Note that you must enroll in a meal plan before you can add funds to your Big Red Bucks balance.
Off-Campus Value - $855 per semester; $1,710 per year
- 45 meals per semester during designated service periods in the ten residential dining rooms
- $150 Big Red Bucks per semester
- 4 bonus meals for guests per semester
Flex 10/500 - $681 per semester; $1,362 per year
- 10 meals per semester during designated service periods in the ten residential dining rooms
- $500 Big Red Bucks per semester
Just Bucks - $500 per semester
- $500 Big Red Bucks
* Please note that additional charges may apply for some Shabbat, holiday, and special meals at 104West! Make reservations for these special meals at kosher.scl.cornell.edu.
** On-campus housing includes: North and South Campus Residence Halls, the West Campus House System, Program Houses, McGraw Place Residences, and the Townhouse Community.
Student meal plans are valid for the entire academic year and become binding when you sign the Dining Application or are automatically enrolled. The meal plan will be billed in two increments on your bursar bill in July and January. A non-refundable $50 administrative fee will be charged once each academic year for any of these meal plans.
For all debit meal plan options, Big Red Bucks can be used in any Cornell Dining facility to purchase your own meals, but not to purchase meals for guests. Any debit balance carries over from the fall semester to the spring semester. Any unused meal swipes do not carry over. Your swipes and BRBs for the spring semester will be added automatically, based on the terms of your plan. Any Big Red Bucks balance must be used by May 25, 2025.
Revised April 2024.