Enjoy the convenience of Bear Bucks, WashU’s flexible, tax-free spending account. Manage your budget with ease and enjoy seamless purchases across campus.
Bear Bucks can be used for on-campus dining, nationwide Grubhub orders, printing when your PaperCut balance runs out and shopping at the University Bookstore or Bear Necessities.
If you exceed your Dining Services Meal Plan, Bear Bucks will automatically cover purchases at campus dining locations.
Add Bear Bucks Funds
Opening a Bear Bucks account is free of charge and there is no minimum balance needed to keep your account open. Students, faculty and staff may add Bear Bucks to their account by signing in to Atrium Connect. Parents and guests can access Bear Bucks accounts through Atrium Connect after their student has authorized their access.
Bear Bucks Resources
WashU ID payment account information
Your WashU ID stores payment accounts, including your meal plan, Bear Bucks, and printing credits. Meal plans are loaded onto your WashU ID at the beginning of each semester and operate on a declining balance.
Printing credits are provided each semester by your academic division through PaperCut. Printing credits can be used only for on-campus printing and are non-refundable and non-transferable. When your meal plan and printing credits are expended, Bear Bucks are automatically used as a payment source.
Adding funds to your Bear Bucks account
Opening a Bear Bucks account is free of charge, and there is no minimum balance needed to keep your account open. Students may bill their Student Account or Tuition Statement to add Bear Bucks to their account through Atrium Connect. A maximum amount of $1,000 can be billed per semester. Students can also add Bear Bucks to their account through domestic credit card or debit card through Atrium Connect or with a cash deposit, check, or international credit/debit card in-person at the University Services Center. If you wish to grant a parent, guardian, or other person access to your account, instructions can be found on the Atrium Guest Access Guide.
WashU ID payment account information
Your WashU ID stores payment accounts, including Bear Bucks and printing credits. Printing credits are provided each semester by your academic division through PaperCut. Printing credits can be used only for on-campus printing and are non-refundable and non-transferable. When printing credits are expended, Bear Bucks are automatically used as a payment source.
Adding funds to your Bear Bucks account
Opening a Bear Bucks account is free of charge, and there is no minimum balance needed to keep your account open. Faculty & Staff can add Bear Bucks to their account through payroll deduct or with a domestic credit card or debit card through Atrium Connect. Faculty & Staff can add Bear Bucks to their account with a cash deposit, check, or international credit/debit card in-person at the University Services Center.
Bear Bucks can be used as a purchasing option exclusively at on-campus establishments and campus stores. Additionally, Bear Bucks can pay for orders from any Grubhub merchant nationwide, via pick-up and delivery through the Grubhub app.
All WashU Dining Services
Aside from meal points, you can use Bear Bucks to purchase food from dining services on campus. Spots include Bear’s Den, DUC, Ibby’s, Parkside, Hillman Hall, and more.
Select Vending Machines (The Farmer’s Fridge, Costa Coffee and Just Baked)
Vending machines marked with the Bear Bucks logo are available for use with your Bear Bucks ID.
Locations: DUC and Zetcher House
Bauer Cafe
Popular with the business students, Bauer provides a wide selection of pub meals such as burgers, wraps, pasta, and more.
Location: Bauer Hall, 3rd Floor
Bauer Brew
Located in Bauer Hall, students can purchase coffee and pastries from Bauer Brew before or after classes.
Location: Bauer Hall, 3rd Floor
Bear Necessities
Located conveniently on the South 40, Bear Necessities is a quick-stop shop for snacks, cleaning tools, school supplies, and WashU merchandise.
Location: South 40, Shepley Dr.
Bear-y Sweet Shoppe
As the first food business to open on campus, the Bear-y Sweet Shoppe has given its owners the opportunity to push boundaries and try things that have never been done by students at WashU before. Come try some sweets or even send a box to someone special!
Location: North Campus
University Services Center
Where Bear Bucks and student IDs are handled.
Location: Mallinckrodt Center, Suit 201 A
Campus Creamery
Campus Creamery serves delicious ice cream with mixed-in flavors! Just a short walk away from your dorm to satisfy your nightly cravings.
Location: South 40, Storefront
Campus Bookstore – Danforth Campus
Offering school supplies, textbooks, snacks, tech, and art supplies, the Danforth campus bookstore has all the items you need for your classes.
Location: Mallinckrodt Center
Campus Bookstore – WashU Medicine
The Med campus bookstore offers school supplies, textbooks, snacks, tech, and art supplies for those in the Med Campus area.
Location: Mid Campus Center
Edison Theater
Washington University’s performing-arts teaching facility includes a venue for music, dance, and theater. Check out the website for upcoming shows—many are free for WashU students!
Location: Mallinkrodt Center
560 Theater
WashU’s music center is used by all types of musicians, such as orchestras, choirs, and bands. Music classes are also provided at this location.
Location: 560 Trinity Ave, St. Louis, MO 63130
McKelvey Poster Printing
Poster printing services are available to all WashU students, faculty and staff. To print a poster, create a PDF file and fill out the McKelvey Poster Printing Request form. All posters should be available for pickup within 48 hours (2 business days) from the EIT Help Center.
Location: Lopata Hall, Room 408
Gary M. Sumers Recreation Center
A gym for WashU students, including machines, swimming pools, and rooms that can be reserved for classes.
Location: Sumers Recreation Center
Habif Health and Wellness Center
WashU’s medical and mental health center is dedicated to helping all students with whatever they need. Use your student portal to request vaccinations or appointments or just message a nurse in the facility.
Location: South 40, Shepley Dr., Nathan Dardick House
Hitzeman Student Mail
The main mail room for students living on campus. Easily deliver or receive mail at Hitzeman, with packages and envelopes available for purchase.
Location: South 40, Hitzeman House
Kaldi’s Cafe at Farrell (WashU Med)
Offers coffee and vegetarian options for med students.
Location: WashU Medical School
Kaldi’s Cafe at Mid Campus Center (WashU Med)
The second Kaldi’s cafe to be located at the Washington University Medical Campus, this popular coffee shop is on the second floor of the beautiful Mid Campus Center nearby the Farrell location.
Location: Mid Campus Center, 2nd Floor
PaperCut
PaperCut is the printing service for WashU students. Print from any printer on campus by downloading the driver and logging into your account.
Location: STS Services, South 40, Storefront
Spartan Light Metal Products Makerspace
For your 3D printing and laser cutting needs. There’s also free training involved for new interested creatives.
Location: Jubel Hall
Subway
Eat fresh at Subway, whether 6-inch or footlong. In addition to sandwiches, Subway offers pizzas, salads, pretzels, and beverages.
Location: Mallinckrodt Center
WashU Wash
Wash U Wash is all about making your college experience as convenient and rewarding as possible. It’s as easy as leaving your laundry outside your room once a week, washed and dry cleaned, whatever plan works best for you!
Location: South 40, Storefront
West Campus Cafe
West Campus Cafe is a women-owned business that offers a variety of fresh breakfast and lunch items and a full-service coffee menu.
Location: West Campus
Bear Bucks FAQs
Bear Bucks will roll over from year-to-year while a student is in active status. Any unused balance in the Bear Bucks account will be surrendered one year after the student’s graduation date or separation from the university without graduating. Students on a leave of absence will retain their balance for one year after their last active semester. In the event that the student returns from leave before one year has passed, they will return to active student status.
Bear Bucks roll over from year-to-year as long as the individual is employed at WashU.
Guests enrolled in Summer Conferences & Programs can use their Bear Bucks cards at on-campus dining locations. The Summer Conferences & Programs Bear Bucks card cannot be used for Grubhub purchases.
Bear Bucks are accepted at various locations on campus. They are not accepted at off-campus locations. See the Bear Bucks Resources table above and review the locations under the Where to Use Bear Bucks tab.
You can access your Bear Bucks account at our Atrium portal here.
Only purchases on food/drink with Bear Bucks are tax exempt. All other purchases are subject to sales tax.
Bear Bucks are non-refundable.
WashU community members with a WashU Key can upload their photo at our online portal here. They will need to follow the instructions and take a photo of themselves (under the guidelines) and submit a photo of their government issued ID.
“As a first-year student, I like to use my Bear Bucks to purchase snacks at Paws & Go and basic toiletries at Bear Necessities!”
Delia Zachs, WashU Student