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Residential Life & Housing > Residence Hall Handbook > Housing Policies

Meal Plan Requirements

Students eating in Hewitt cafeteriaBarnard Dining Services (Chartwells) is committed to providing a well-balanced, delicious, and nutritious dining service program on campus. There are a wide variety of food items from which to create a meal that satisfies your tastes, dietary needs, and preferences. Food options include a traditional cafeteria line, pizza & pasta station, and Halal, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Kosher dining plans are also available.

For a list of available meal plans and prices, please visit the Bursar's webpage. For information about meal options on campus, please visit Barnard Dining Services.

Selecting Your Meal Plan

Meal plan enrollment is coordinated by the Barnard Bursar Office. Questions may be directed to bursar@barnard.edu.

Students may choose to enroll in a more comprehensive meal plan (or switch to a Kosher plan), but may not downgrade from the requirements outlined below.

The Meal Plan Change Form typically opens after the tuition bill is emailed to students each semester. The deadlines to switch meal plans are:

  • Fall 2025 -- Monday, August 25, 2025
  • Spring 2026 -- Monday, January 11, 2026

Meal Plan Requirements

  • All enrolled students are required to be on a Barnard Meal Plan.
  • First Year students living in campus housing are required to enroll in the Platinum Plan (regardless of which residence hall they are assigned to).
  • Upperclass students living in Hewitt (or elsewhere on floors 2-8 of the Quad) will be enrolled by default in the Platinum Meal Plan but must enroll at minimum in the Flex 150 Meal Plan.
  • Students in the Visiting International Student Program (VISP) are enrolled by default in the Platinum Plan. Based on the specifics of the exchange program with their university, they may be able to switch to a less comprehensive meal plan.
  • All other students (whether they live in campus housing or not) are enrolled by default in the Flex 125 Plan but may switch to a different meal plan if they wish.

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