Billing and Financial Information
PrinBill
Dining Meal Plans
The meal plan is a combination of goods and services that Dining Services provides for students.
BASIC OUTLINE OF MEAL PLAN
Annual board charge: $ 7,010.00 (Academic year Fall 2023/ Spring 2024) $3,505 per semester.
Amount placed on students' accounts each semester depends on the meal plan they choose.
There are five different meal plans available.
Points are split between two accounts:
Meal Plan Account:
Can be used in Student Dining & Piasa Pub
Receives 33% discount in Student Dining on non-packaged, eligible items
Purchases are not taxed
Plus Account:
Can be used in College Store and can supplement Meal Plan Account in Student Dining and Piasa Pub (used in Student Dining and Piasa Pub after Meal Plan Account exhausted)
Receives 33% discount in Student Dining on non-packaged, eligible items
All purchases are taxed
The default plan is the Panther meal plan for all boarding students.
1057 points (957 points on the Meal Plan Account and 100 points on the Plus Account) per semester, which is sufficient for some students' food expenses in Student Dining for one semester. Some students need more points than this allotment and there are multiple ways to increase the points on the meal plan before each semester and then during the semester. There are three larger accounts available at an additional cost and one smaller plan which costs less. The difference of costs for the various plans is the difference in the points provided from the Panther plan (default plan.)
If you are an enrolled student, you are required to sign up for a meal plan. All new students for their first semester are automatically enrolled in the Panther plan. There is an option during New Student Orientation (NSO) to increase the Meal Plan Account and Plus Account. New students are not eligible to buy into the lesser meal plan until after their first semester.
All unused points roll over from fall to spring semester. Remaining points at the end of spring semester do not roll over and are not refundable. The points on the meal plan are there to be used. There is no residual cash value to unused points.
Students may add to their meal plan account at any time through Principia Marketplace. College Student Activities (principia.edu)
Deer (757 pts) is the minimal required meal plan for all students living on campus. It provides fewer points, a lower price, and the same access to all Dining Services locations. The Deer plan will provide approximately 8 - 10 meals per week. There is a $300 discount from the standard board charge. Students are eligible to enroll in this plan after their first full semester.
Panther (1057 pts) is the standard meal plan. The Panther plan is sufficient for many students. The Panther plan provides approximately 12 - 14 meals per week.
Bobcat (1557 pts) meal plan is designed for students who eat more regularly on campus and snack occasionally. The Bobcat plan will provide approximately 17 – 19 meals per week. There is a $500 upcharge per semester.
Coyote (1857 pts) meal plan is intended for the dining needs of students who eat all their meals on campus and snack more frequently and/or purchase higher priced packaged items. The Coyote plan will provide approximately 19 – 21 meals a week. There is a $800 upcharge per semester.
Eagle (2057 pts) offers students the greatest meal point value and allows them to maximize their use of the student Dining experience. This plan is also an excellent choice for student-athletes interested in a high calorie diet. The Eagle plan provides approximately 19 - 21 hearty meals a week. There is a $1000 upcharge per semester.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MEAL PLAN
The annual boarding cost at Principia College is $7,010.00. A portion of this amount is used to cover the overhead of Student Dining operations and provides the services covered by the meal plan. The balance is placed on the meal card (referred to as a PrinCard). The PrinCard accesses two accounts, the Meal Plan Account and Plus Account. The meal plan has a declining balance with à la carte pricing.
The Meal Plan Account can be used in Student Dining or Piasa Pub. It begins fall semester with a balance of 757 points, 1,057 points, 1,557 points, 1,857 points or 2057 points, depending on the meal plan chosen. An additional 757 points, 1,057 points, 1,557 points, 1,857 points or 2057 points is added for spring semester as well. Unused points roll over from fall semester to spring semester. Remaining points at the end of spring semester do not roll over and are not refundable. In the meal plan, there is no residual cash value to unused points.
The meal plan Budgeting Guide provides a list of daily point balances for the Meal Plan Account for the entire semester if the same amount is spent each day to utilize the entire allotment. This is meant only as a guide to help students track their usage.
If a student runs out of points on his or her card, meals may be purchased via cash, credit card, debit card, or the Plus Account. The advantage of using the Plus Account is a 33% student discount on the cash price on all non-packaged items in Student Dining for all students on the meal plan. All forms of payment other than the Meal Plan Account are taxed. All purchases made with the Plus Account are subject to tax.
The Plus Account can be used in the College Store, Piasa Pub, or Student Dining. For all new students, 100 points are placed on the Plus Account at the beginning of fall semester. Points roll over from fall semester to spring semester. At the beginning of spring semester, 100 points are automatically put on the Plus Account, unless the student chose to increase the Plus Account level to 200 points, 300 points, or 400 points during the meal plan sign-up process. The Plus account is also available to be used during school breaks through June 30th, unlike the meal plan account which is available while school is in session.
Additional points can also be added to the Plus Account as needed during the semester with a service charge of 3%. Points remaining at the end of spring semester that were not part of the original Plus Account balance selected before each semester will first be credited to any outstanding PrinBill charges. Then any remaining balance will be refunded via direct deposit.
The opportunity to select the Meal Plan and Plus Account balance for each semester occurs as follows:
- Fall semester: meal plan sign-up process occurs at the end of spring semester, right before finals
- Spring semester: meal plan sign-ups occur in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving break.
The Quick Comparison of Account Features is available to compare the Meal Plan and Plus Accounts.
If you have further questions, please visit our FAQ page.