Emergency Meal Swipes (EMS)
What is EMS?
Emergency Meal Swipes (EMS) is an application-based service that helps students who are experiencing food insecurity and/or a student-related emergency, access several healthy and well-balanced meals offered at UCI’s Dining Commons.
Please note this resource is only available to students who are currently experiencing a financial emergency and have exhausted other options. Resource utilization such as pantry visits, CalFresh benefits/eligibility, and subsidized loans will be considered while making a determination. Emergency Meal Swipes are not to be used as a cost-savings strategy, and cannot replace Financial Aid resources.
✔ Be enrolled at UCI and is a registered student at UCI
✔ Indicate a lack of regular sources of sufficient nourishment
✔ Not have an alternative source of meal options
(i.e. all-access meal plan, 5-day meal plan, limited meal plan, or voluntary meal plan)
* Citizenship status does not affect eligibility
* If you are CalFresh eligible, you must apply for CalFresh with
one of our Advocates before applying to EMS
Steps to Get Swipes
Please note that incomplete applications (ex: vague answers, missing award letter) will not be reviewed.
- How to access Award Letter: (you may skip this step if you don’t receive financial aid)
- Login to: My Aid (OFAS)
- Make sure you select the 24-25 academic year
- Select: “My Award”
- Select: “Award Summary” hyperlink. A separate form should pop up with your Financial Aid Award Summary
- This form contains your
name and your dependent/ independent status
- This form contains your
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
How is the number of meals determined?
We use a rubric to score each application. We take into consideration the applicant’s financial situation and resources available to them.
Can I get more meals this quarter if I run out?
If a student runs out of meals and needs further support for the current quarter, they would need to meet with our campus social worker for basic needs. In addition, a student must first run out of meals before requesting support.
I received x number of meals. Does this mean I get this amount every quarter?
No, the meals are allocated one-time quarterly. If you need additional support in the future, you must submit a new application for the respective quarter. In addition, a student must first run out of meals before submitting an application.
How do I know how many meals I have left?
You can check your balance at ucistudentlink.atriumcampus.com or by creating an account here uci.campusdish.com/en. You may also check your balance at any Dining cashier on campus.
Usage Questions
Do I need a physical ID card to access the Dining Commons?
As of Fall 2023, UCI rolled out the digital ID card called ZotKey. As a result, the Dining Commons will no longer require physical ID cards to enter; you can present your physical ID or ZotKey.
When can I start using my meals?
You will receive an email confirmation alerting you that your meals are ready to use. Please do not visit the Dining Commons until you have confirmation that your meals have been uploaded.
What should I do if I show up to the Dining Commons and my meals do not work?
Please ask the cashier to enter the digits on your ID. If that doesn’t work, please show them your email confirmation about the meal swipes. If during business hours, please contact our team at emsp@uci.edu so we can look into the issue.
*Note: if you experience any challenges while utilizing your swipes at the Dining Commons, please report them to emsp@uci.edu
Can I use these meals at campus retail restaurants?
No, the meals are only valid at the campus dining commons: Anteatery and Brandywine. The resource was designed to not affect a student’s financial aid package, and this is the only way we can keep it that way.
Do my meals expire?
The meals are valid until the end of the academic year in which they were issued. The meals do roll over to the following quarter if you did not use them, but will ultimately expire once the spring quarter has ended.
Should I be saving my meals for future circumstances?
No, the meals are meant to support students experiencing a current emergency. If future needs arise, a student may reapply to receive additional meal support.
Can I swipe my friends or family members?
No, these meals are meant to support only the student who has received them, and Dining staff will not allow anyone else to be swiped in using an emergency meal plan.
Can I give my student ID to a friend to pick-up a meal for me?
No, there is a strict policy that only the student who has been awarded the meal can use the meals with their own ID. Failure to follow this might result in a conduct violation and potential conduct case.
Can I swipe my children or dependents?
Yes, parenting students are allocated a “family” plan which does allow them to swipe in their dependents. Please note that the applicant must have stated having children in their application to be allocated a family plan. Children ages 4 and younger can access the dining commons for free.
Can I use my meals more than once per day?
Yes, as long as you are only using one meal per meal period.
- The Atrium ID card system allows one entry per meal period for each of the 3 daily meal periods (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner), or 3 meals per day.
- The official meal periods at Anteatery and Brandywine are 7:15am-11:00am, 11:00am-4:30pm, and 4:30pm-8:00pm.
- Meal swipes cannot be used twice for the same meal period.
Can I ask for a to-go box for my meal swipe?
All meal plan holders are limited to one (1) to-go meal per meal period per person. Meal Plan holders have the option to purchase a reusable meal kit to take their meals to go from The Anteatery or Brandywine for a one-time fee of $15.00. There is a $5 replacement charge per unit for the reusable clamshell, or reusable cup should they become damaged or lost.