Meal Plan 2023-2024
Vanderbilt’s dining halls are a key part of campus life, and our meal plans are designed to enhance students’ residential college experience. All Vanderbilt students living on campus are required to participate in a meal plan based on their cohort year. Meal plans are available to all undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty and staff.
Undergraduate Students
Meal plans are loaded onto your Commodore Card or mobile wallet and consist of a set meal allowance + flexible meal money per semester. Meal plans are based on class year for undergraduate students.
Simply tap your card or phone at a dining location, and the meal or Meal Money will automatically deduct from your account. Most dining locations are all-you-care-to-eat, while others offer meals consisting of an entree, side(s) and a drink. These options include residential dining halls, retail markets and cafes, and Munchie Marts, which offer both grab and go options, snacks, and convenience items.
See below for meal plan components and rates for the 2023-24 academic year, starting on August 19, 2023 and ending on May 11, 2024. For a more comprehensive look at our program and recent updates, check out our Campus Dining Brochure.
| First-Years | Sophomores | Juniors | Seniors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 335 Meals per Semester | 305 Meals per Semester | 305 Meals per Semester | 225 Meals per Semester |
| $225 Meal Money per semester | $275 Meal Money per semester | $275 Meal Money per semester | $325 Meal Money per semester |
| $3,785 per semester | $3,747 per semester | $3,747 per semester | $3,336 per semester |
All meal plans include 5 guest meals, for use at any time during the semester.
New for 2023-2024! Your meal plan will include an allotment, or ‘block’ of meals, to be used throughout the semester. These meals allow you to ‘swipe’ into a dining location and pay for a full meal. Some locations are all-you-care-to-eat, while others include a combination of entree, sides(s) and a drink. New for this year, meals can be used at any point throughout the semester, so you can decide how and when you dine. Meals reset each semester, and do not roll over.
Want to know if you are on track with your meals for the semester? Check out our guide!
Your meal plan can be used in a variety of on-campus locations, including residential dining halls, retail locations, cafes or our popular Munchie Marts. Choose from five markets that feature a variety of quick and tasty meal options, including our own Vandy Provisions sandwiches, salads, and entrees, handcrafted right here on campus. (Students can redeem a maximum of two meals per day in Munchie Marts.)
In addition to meal plans, students can use debit spending accounts for food purchases:
- Meal Money — Money in this account is non-taxable (at the dining halls) for students living on campus and can be used at on-campus dining facilities, Munchie Marts, food trucks and Taste of Nashville restaurants. Unused Meal Money from the fall semester can be rolled over to the spring, but must be depleted by the end of the spring semester or the money is forfeited.
- Commodore Cash — Money in this account is taxable and fully refundable. It can be used in dining facilities, Munchie Marts, Sarratt ticket desk, post office, athletic concessions, Printing Services, Vanderbilt Bookstore, Taste of Nashville locations, food trucks and at vending and copy machines.
Off Campus:
Students living off campus will have the ability to purchase any meal plan, but will not be required to do so. In addition, nonresidential students, faculty, and staff have the option to purchase flex meals which are prepaid blocks of meals, redeemable at any Campus Dining location.
Purchase Undergraduate Student Flex Meals
Additionally, two off-campus meal plans set up as well are available to students:
230 Off-Campus (Equivalent to 14/wk + 5 guest meals) $3,024 per semester + tax
80 Off Campus (Equivalent to 5/wk + 5 guest meals) $1,250 per semester + tax
2023-2024 Meal Plan Start & Stop Dates
Meal Plans begin Saturday, August 19
Note: Certain pre-arrival students (e.g. Orientation Leaders and Resident Advisors), may be eligible to receive additional meals upon arrival to campus.
Meal plans end at the end of day on Saturday, May 4. Meal money expires at 11:59 PM on Friday, May 10
Graduating Seniors’ meal plans will remain active until the day of Commencement. Limited service available from May 4 through May 11. For details, visit vu.edu/menus.
Graduate Students
Graduate and professional students are not required to purchase a meal plan, but are offered at a bundled discounted rate and are redeemable at open Vanderbilt Campus Dining locations. Any selection will be billed to your student account and may be purchased here.
Faculty-Staff Meal Plan
Faculty and staff who wish to purchase a meal plan, may do so with a credit card here.
Purchase Faculty-Staff Flex Meals
Log in with your VUNetID credentials and follow the instructions. Please note meals are non-refundable, and are not transferable.
Meal Plan FAQ:
To purchase a meal plan, visit: vanderbi.lt/mymealplan All Vanderbilt students living on campus are required to have meal plan. Students are automatically enrolled into a meal plan based on your year at Vanderbilt. Example: Sophomores receive the Sophomore Plan, with 305 meals per semester. If you are a Vanderbilt Student who lives off campus, you do not need to purchase a meal plan but can purchase any of residential meal plan. They are the same plans that are offered on campus, yet are taxed. For off-campus students who wish to purchase a meal plan or those who want to upgrade your meal plan, you may do that here. All Vanderbilt students living on campus are required to participate in a meal plan. On-campus students will be automatically be enrolled in a meal plan based on a student's cohort year at Vanderbilt. Example: Sophomores receive the Sophomore Plan, with 305 meals per semester. If you are a Vanderbilt student living off campus, you do not need to purchase a meal plan but can opt-in to any residential meal plan. They are the same plans that are offered on campus, yet are subject to TN state sales tax. Meal plans are a required component of the residential undergraduate cost of attendance and exceptions are not granted. (Students residing at OHARE at the Village at Vanderbilt are considered on-campus for the purposes of meal plan requirements) For the 2023-2024 academic year, there is no daily limit on the number of times you can redeem a meal in most locations. There is a 45 minute cooldown period between swipes in residential dining locations (Commons, EBI, Rothschild, and Zeppos). Students can redeem a maximum of two meals per day in Munchie Marts. Vanderbilt takes great pride being named "Best Overall Food Allergy Program, 2021 and 2023" by MenuTrinfo. Most all of our food in dining halls have allergens clearly marked, and can be viewed on our NetNutrition menu builder at vu.edu/menus. In addition, all residential dining halls are certified peanut and treenut free, with the exception of Rothschild. For further questions, please reach out to our Registered Dietitan, for assistance on navigating your way through Vanderbilt's dining facilities. Emily Svennevik, MPH, RD, LDN at dietitian@vanderbilt.edu. Vanderbilt Campus Dining takes its role seriously in providing healthy and nutritious options for all students - including those with unique dietary preferences or allergies. To help find menu options that fit everyone's unique needs, we encourage students to visit our NetNutrition menu planning tool at vu.edu/menus. For more comprehensive information regarding special dietary requirements and how to navigate any accommodatoins, our Registered Dietitian, Emily Svennevik, is available to meet privately and confidentially with students. Emily can be reached via email at dietitian@vanderbilt.edu. For quick nutrition questions, you can now text Emily directly - simply text "AskEmily" + your question - to 55744 from your mobile device. Faculty staff can buy meals in bundles of 10 using a credit card here. These are two different accounts with separate funds.