Ok, so what are Slug Points anyway?
Slug Points, each equivalent to $1, function as dining credits that can be used at any UC Santa Cruz dining location, including cafes, dining halls, and on-campus markets. The cost of a meal at the dining hall is fixed at 8.28 Slug Points regardless of the time of day. However, when paying with credit or debit, breakfast costs $10, lunch $12, and dinner $13.50.
How many meals does each meal plan provide?
Only students living in residence halls are obligated to choose one of three meal plans. There are three meal plans available for students living in residence halls. However, these estimates are only accurate provided a student uses them exclusively in dining halls, rather than in cafes or markets.
What if I’m running low on Slug Points?
Students can add Slug Points Bonus to their accounts through the GET app or website in increments of 50, 100, or 500. Unlike the standard Slug Points offered in the meal plan, which expire at the end of each quarter, added points roll over from quarter to quarter and expire at the end of the school year.
Slug Points can be used at all UCSC dining locations:
- College Nine/John R. Lewis Dining Hall
- Cowell/Stevenson Dining Hall
- Crown/Merrill Dining Hall
- Porter/Kresge Dining Hall
- Porter Market
- Global Village Cafe
- Oakes Cafe
- Stevenson Coffee House
- All Perk Coffee Bars
What if I have leftover Slug Points at the end of the quarter?
Slug Points purchased through any of the meal plans expire at the end of each quarter with no possibility of reimbursement for unspent funds. To avoid this, use the GET app to budget your Slug Point spending and choose the meal plan closest to your needs next quarter. If you’re looking for how to use extra Slug Points before they expire, treat yourself to a few motivational lattes or buy non-perishables in bulk at Porter Market.
What’s the best way for students without meal plans to eat at the dining hall?
Unlike those on campus, students who live off campus and in on-campus apartments are not required to purchase a meal plan, but may find themselves visiting the dining halls anyway.
Instead of paying the increased price for each meal with credit or debit, a more budget-friendly option would be to buy small denominations of Slug Points Bonus in the GET app. $50 dollars in Slug Points purchases six meals, compared to four meals if the $50 were spent via credit or debit.
What’s the deal with Flexi Dollars?
Flexi Dollars work similarly to Slug Points, but are also accepted by some off-campus vendors, such as Bookshop Santa Cruz, Pizza My Heart, and Nick the Greek, and Grubhub. Flexis offer a 10 percent discount on purchases at campus cafes and markets, and a 20 percent discount at dining halls. However, meal prices change slightly depending on the time of day, with breakfast costing $8.00, lunch $9.60, and dinner $10.80. While Flexis do carry over between quarters, they expire at the end of each academic year.
