Between navigating housing, finding the right roommates and managing classes, the last thing any student wants to stress about is what to eat every day. As a fellow UT Austin student, I totally understand. The meal plan options at UT Austin can be overwhelming, and figuring out where to begin often feels like a challenge in itself.
In this guide, we’ll break down the various UT meal plan options, compare their benefits and limitations and help you choose the best one that fits your needs.
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Meal Plans at UT Austin: Which one is right for me?
At UT Austin, student meal plans are divided into three categories:
Each option is tailored to meet the unique needs of different student lifestyles.
Before we get into each of the plans, let’s break down the different kinds of meal plan payment options at UT.
UT Austin Meal Plan Payment Options
Dine In Dollars
Dine In Dollars can be used for on-campus restaurants, coffee shops and convenience stores. You can find the full list of locations here. To use your Dine In Dollars, simply present your UT ID to the cashier. The cost of your purchase will be automatically deducted from your Dine In Dollars balance. Leftover funds from the Fall term roll over and expire at the end of the Spring term.
Bevo Pay
Bevo Pay can be used at University Housing and Dining locations on campus, as well as at participating off-campus merchants, making it easy to purchase what you need both on and off campus. Unlike Dine In Dollars, unused Bevo Pay balances roll over each academic year and are fully refundable when you graduate.
Photo courtesy of the University of Texas at Austin
Now that we’ve covered the payment methods, let’s look at the different meal plans offered at UT Austin.
Residence Hall Meal Plans
These meal plans are for students living on-campus in university residence halls.
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Unlimited Meal Plan 2024-25
Students living on campus are automatically enrolled in this meal plan and the cost is included with their room and board fees. Residents can use their unlimited meal plan as many times a day as they choose at the following dining halls: J2, Jester City Limits and Kins Dining. Also included are $200 Bevo Pay funds ($100 per semester) and $600 Dine In Dollars ($300 per semester).
Photo courtesy of the University of Texas at Austin
Flex Meal Plan
The Flex Meal Plan is optional and offers greater flexibility in how you spend your dining dollars. By forfeiting the Unlimited Meal Plan and paying an additional $500 per semester, you’ll receive $1,750 in Dine In Dollars and $100 in Bevo Pay funds each semester. While unspent Dine In Dollars expire at the end of the Spring 2025 term, Bevo Pay funds roll over each academic year and can be refunded upon graduation. For more information about how to sign up for the Flex Meal Plan, email UT Austin’s housing team.
Dobie Twenty21 Meal Plans
Dobie Twenty21 is a meal plan option available to students residing in the Dobie Center at UT Austin.
Below are the meal plan options available to Dobie Center residents:
Longhorn 25
The Longhorn 25 Plan includes 25 meals at Jester City Limits, J2 and Kins Dining, along with $25 in Dine In Dollars to use at UHD-operated dining locations. Priced at $325 per semester, the plan rolls over as long as your UT ID remains active and can be reloaded at any time.
Longhorn 60
The Longhorn 60 Plan offers 60 meals at Jester City Limits, J2 and Kins Dining, along with $60 in Dine In Dollars to use at UHD-operated dining locations. At a cost of $600 per semester, the plan rolls over as long as your UT ID is active and can be reloaded at any time.
Dobie Unlimited
The Dobie Unlimited Plan provides unlimited meals at Jester City Limits, J2 and Kins Dining for the term, along with $300 in Dine In Dollars to use at UHD-operated dining locations. Priced at $2,250 per term, it is available for the Fall and Spring terms and can be purchased prior to the 12th class day of each term.
Starting Fall 2025, Dobie Twenty21 residents for the 2025-26 academic year and beyond will have the on-campus residence hall Unlimited Plan option included with room and board fees.
For more information, visit UT Austin’s DobieTwenty21 Meal Plans page.
Photo courtesy of the University of Texas at Austin
Commuter Meal Plans
Commuter Meal Plans are available for students who live off campus. Students who live in the on-campus residence halls are not eligible to purchase any Commuter Meal Plans.
Read Next: 5 Reasons to Live Off Campus as a First Year at UT Austin
Below are the meal plans for off-campus student residents:
Longhorn 25
This plan includes 25 meals at Jester City Limits, J2 and Kins Dining, along with $25 in Dine In Dollars to use at UHD-operated dining locations. Priced at $325 per semester, the plan rolls over as long as your UT ID remains active.
Longhorn 60
This plan offers 60 meals at Jester City Limits, J2 and Kins Dining, along with $60 in Dine In Dollars to spend at UHD-operated dining locations. Priced at $600 per semester, the plan rolls over as long as your UT ID remains active.
Longhorn Unlimited
This plan provides unlimited meals at Jester City Limits, J2 and Kins Dining for the term, along with $100 in Dine In Dollars to use at UHD-operated dining locations. Priced at $1,650 per semester, it offers flexibility for your dining needs throughout the term.
Photo courtesy of the University of Texas at Austin
Comparison
To help you visualize the different options and pick the plan that best fits your needs, we created this chart to organize the information in this guide:
| Meal Plan Option | Resident Location | Dining Hall Meal Limits | Dine In Dollars Per Term | Bevo Pay Per Term | Cost Per Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited | On campus residence halls only | Unlimited | $300 | $100 | Varies on resident hall room & fees |
| Flex | On campus residence halls only | 0 meals | $1,750 | $100 | Varies on resident hall room & fees |
| Longhorn 25 | Dobie Twenty21 or off campus | 25 meals | $25 | None | $325 |
| Longhorn 60 | Dobie Twenty21 or off campus | 60 meals | $60 | None | $600 |
| Dobie Unlimited | Dobie Twenty21 only | Unlimited | $300 | None | $2,250 |
| Longhorn Unlimited | Off campus only | Unlimited | $100 | None | $1,650 |
We hope this guide has given you a better understanding of the different meal plan options available to UT Austin students. For more specific information and frequently asked questions, see UT Austin’s Meal Plan page.
If you’re an incoming freshman at UT Austin and have any questions or need assistance in navigating through the housing options that best suit your needs, schedule a Rambler Freshman Housing Consultation with our experts for personalized guidance.
Still have other questions or concerns about living off campus without a meal plan and what it looks like to have your own kitchen to cook in at Rambler? Visit our website or reach out to our leasing team!
