Campus Funds & Gift Cards

Starting Fall 2024, all retail dining will be 40% off when using Discount Dollars.

Note: Discount Dollars can be used to purchase prepackaged goods at 518 Market and on-campus vending machines, but discounts are not applied for these items. We recommend adding Munch Money or Podium funds to your ID card for these purchases instead.  

Discounts are also offered for passes to residential dining halls for meal plans that don’t include unlimited access.

Discount Dollars cannot be used off campus.

Discount Dollars roll over semester to semester for one full academic year (summer to spring) if you remain enrolled at UAlbany.  

Discount Dollars remaining on your account at the end of the spring semester will be forfeited.  

If you lived on campus during the fall semester but move off campus for the spring and do not purchase another meal plan, your Discount Dollars will remain active until the end of that spring semester.

Meal plans, including Discount Dollars, are subject to New York State tax laws.

Therefore, full or partial refunds may only be granted under certain circumstances, and only during the first eight weeks of the semester for which the plan was purchased.  

If a student cancels their meal plan because they are withdrawing from the University, any optional add-on Discount Dollars will be forfeited.

If a meal plan is canceled but the student remains enrolled at the University, add-on Discount Dollars will be converted to Munch Money. 

Please refer to UAlbany Dining’s meal plan terms and conditions for additional information.

Munch Money funds can be used at all on-campus retail dining venues and any on-campus vending machine that accepts payment via UAlbany ID card.

Students on a meal plan may want to add Munch Money to purchase prepackaged goods at 518 Market and on-campus vending machines, since these items don’t activate discounts with the Discount Dollars.

Munch Money funds cannot be used off campus. 

Munch Money funds roll over semester to semester for one full academic year (summer to spring) if you remain enrolled at UAlbany.  

Munch Money funds remaining on your account at the end of the spring semester will be forfeited.  

Note: If you have rollover Munch Money from a previous semester, only the rollover balance will display at registers and vending machines until the rollover is exhausted.

Refunds are not available.

Podium funds can be used at the following on-campus locations:

• All retail dining venues
• Any vending machine that accepts payment via UAlbany ID card
• AcaDamien's Bookstore
• UAlbany Performing Arts Center (performance tickets)

Note: Students on a meal plan may want to add Podium funds to purchase prepackaged goods at 518 Market and on-campus vending machines, since these items don’t activate discounts with the Discount Dollars.  

Podium cannot be used to purchase gift cards.

Podium funds can also be used at the following off-campus locations, called Off Podium:

• Blaze Pizza: Stuyvesant Plaza, 1475 Western Avenue, Albany, 518-261-1125
• Subway (two locations)
  • Campus Mobile, 1181 Western Avenue, Albany, 518-454-0952
  • 1181 Western Avenue, Albany, 518-454-0952
• Jersey Mike’s: 1206-10 Western Avenue, Albany, 518-275-0080
• Shah's Halal Food: 4 Delaware Avenue, Albany, 518-650-6265
• Shun's Kitchen: 853 Madison Avenue, Albany, 518-482-2222
• Wingstop: 911 Central Avenue, Albany, 518-275-0742

Podium cannot be used to purchase gift cards.

Note: University Auxiliary Services at Albany, Inc. and the University at Albany do not necessarily endorse the services or products listed on or linked to this website. Questions or concerns should be conveyed directly to businesses.

Local businesses interested in becoming an Off Podium location should email [email protected].

Podium funds are taxable in New York State. Therefore, refunds may only be granted under certain conditions.

Your Podium balance carries over from semester to semester if you remain enrolled at UAlbany. New deposits can be made at any time and will be added to your existing balance. Deposit funds.

Balances cannot be transferred to other people or accounts. Balances never expire until you officially leave the University and submit the Podium Refund Request Form.

You can request a refund up to three years after graduating or withdrawing from the University. A refund check will be mailed to your home address. All refunds are subject to a $5 processing fee.

After three years of inactivity, your funds will be subject to New York State escheating regulations. If we are unable to reach you at that time, the remaining balance will be turned over to the New York State Comptroller. If that balance is over $20, you can request it through the Unclaimed Funds process.

Note: You may need to authorize the use of your financial aid for additional charges to receive Campus Gold.

Once you’re registered for fall or spring classes, you can request Campus Gold through the ID Card Portal during a six-week period (about four weeks before and two weeks after the start of the fall or spring semester).

Please visit the Academic Calendar for semester start dates. Campus Gold is not available for the winter and summer terms.

Campus Gold can be used at the following on-campus locations:

• All retail dining venues
• Any vending machine that accepts payment via UAlbany ID card
• AcaDamien's Bookstore

Note: Campus Gold cannot be used to pay your student account bill (tuition, fees, etc.).

During the first four weeks of the semester, Campus Gold can only be used on campus. Please visit the Academic Calendar for semester start dates.

If you have any remaining balance at the end of those four weeks, your Campus Gold funds will either be converted into Podium funds or returned to your student account, depending on which option you selected when you requested Campus Gold. If you made multiple requests, the option you selected on the latest request will be applied to your entire balance.

If you elected to have your remaining Campus Gold refunded into your student account, the funds will be removed from your ID card and be applied to any balances remaining on your student account. If you’ve already paid your E-Bill before this happens, a refund check will be mailed to your home address.

If you elected to have your remaining Campus Gold converted into Podium funds, all Podium rules will apply.