Brown University requires all first- and second-year undergraduate students living on campus to participate in the Meal Plan Program during the Fall and Spring semesters.

Meal Plan participation is optional for other student populations (third- and fourth-year undergraduate students, undergraduate students living off campus, graduate, and medical students) and during summer and winter sessions.

Meal Plans are effective for the entire academic year and are billed by semester.

Initial Meal Plan assignments are made by Brown Dining Services (BDS) at least four (4) weeks before the start of Fall and Spring semesters. Undergraduate students participating in the Meal Plan Program are automatically enrolled in the meal plan they had the previous semester.

Meal Plan changes are permitted for the Fall and Spring semesters. When you change plans, any meal plan usage on your original plan will be deducted from your new plan. Unused meals are forfeited if you switch from a Flex plan to a Weekly plan. Unused Meal Credits and Flex Points are forfeited at the end of the applicable academic year. Please refer to the Changing Meal Plans page for additional information about how changes affect your Meal Plan.

Students eligible to cancel their Meal Plan may do so prior to the cancellation deadline for the academic year. Refunds for Meal Plans are issued as a credit to your student account.

Deadlines for Meal Plan cancellation and changes are published on the Important Dates page.

There may be instances where BDS is unable to fully accommodate certain allergies or dietary restrictions within its standard offerings. If BDS cannot accommodate a student's disability accommodations or religious needs, the student has the right to request a full or partial exemption from the Meal Plan Program. Details on how to submit a Meal Plan Exemption request can be found in the Dining Services Student Meal Plan Policy.

Meal Credits and Flex Points are non-transferable. It's a violation of both Brown and Dining Services policy to loan out your ID card. Sharing a Meal Plan isn't permitted, and all meals and flex points associated with each plan (with the exception of Guest Meals) are for the Meal Plan holder's use only.

Any financial transactions requiring your Brown ID must be processed with your physical Brown ID. Photos of your Brown ID won't be accepted.

Guest meals are included in each residential meal plan. You can use them to pay for a meal for yourself or for a companion. We recommend saving guest meals for others and using your regular meal credits for yourself, as meal credits and flex points can't be used for guests.