Add money online

Add money to an account online with a credit card or a bank card with a VISA, Mastercard, or AMEX symbol on it.

Online deposits are the fastest, easiest way to add money to your Cal 1 Card debit account. Deposits are made with a credit card, and will show up as an ordinary transaction on your statement. Your funds should be available in your Cal 1 Card debit account within 10 minutes.

Please review the debit account Terms and Conditions before proceeding.

Add money by mail

Add money to an account through mail with a check.

Download this payment form (.pdf) to add money to a Cal 1 Card debit account by mail. Please send the completed form to:

Residential Student Service Programs Cashiers Office 2610 Channing Way Berkeley, CA 94720-2272

A Student ID number or Employee ID number is required to process payment. Payments are posted to the Cal 1 Card debit account within 24 hours of receipt.

For questions, call 510.642.1524 or email busops@berkeley.edu.

Add money in person

Add money to an account in person by visiting the Housing Cashier's Office.

You can deposit funds into your Cal 1 Card debit account in person by visiting the Housing Cashier's Office, located on the second floor at 2610 Channing Way. Accepted forms of payment are cash or check. Hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For questions, call 510.642.1524 or email busops@berkeley.edu.

All current students, employees, and eligible affiliates are required to obtain a Cal 1 Card.

How do I obtain a Cal 1 Card?

Cal 1 Card issuance for all patrons requires the provision of a valid government-issued photo identification card (e.g. driver license, passport, etc.) as well as confirmation of the corresponding student, employee, or affiliate identification number.

Cal 1 Card photos can either be submitted online (learn how to submit your photo online) or taken in person at the Cal 1 Card office.

Incoming degree-seeking undergraduate students starting in the Fall and living in residential housing will receive their initial Cal 1 Card at the corresponding housing location on move-in day as long as a compliant photo was submitted online.

Incoming degree-seeking undergraduate students starting in the Fall and not living in residential housing will receive their initial Cal 1 Card at the designated Golden Bear Orientation distribution location as long as a compliant photo was submitted online.

Incoming degree-seeking undergraduate students starting early in Summer Sessions and living in residential housing will also receive their initial Cal 1 Card at the corresponding housing location on move-in day as long as a compliant photo was submitted online.

Incoming non-degree-seeking visiting Summer Sessions students living in residential housing will receive their initial Cal 1 Card at the corresponding housing location on move-in day as long as a compliant photo was submitted online.

Incoming degree-seeking graduate students in programs with pre-approved remote distribution authorizations will receive their Cal 1 Card from their program coordinators.  The coordinators in the corresponding units will communicate this process directly to the applicable student cohorts.

Students in all other cohorts as well as employees and eligible affiliates must visit the Cal 1 Card office in person to receive a Cal 1 Card.  The office is located at 212 Sproul Hall. The office is open Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m (excluding administrative holidays).

For cross-registered students

Issuance of Cal 1 Cards to cross-registered students is based on approval from the Office of the Registrar. All other requirements are the same.

For UC Extension concurrent enrollment students

Issuance of Cal 1 Cards to UC Extension concurrent enrollment students is based on approval from UC Extension. International concurrent enrollment students who have uploaded their photo will receive their IDs at orientation. All other concurrent enrollment students will need to go to the Cal1Card office.

For Employees and Affiliates (excluding Visiting Scholars and Visiting Student Researchers)

Issuance of Cal 1 Cards to employees and Affiliates (excluding Visiting Scholars and Visiting Student Researchers) is based on approval from Human Resources (HR).  HR approval is contingent on compliance with applicable HR requirements.  After compliance with these requirements, HR will create / update a record with an appointment start date.  Cal 1 Card eligibility will almost always begin on 2 - 3 days after HR creates / updates the corresponding record; the only exception will be when the applicable appointment start date happens to be in the future on that date.  All other requirements are the same.

For Visiting Scholars and Visiting Student Researchers

Issuance of Cal 1 Cards to visiting scholars and visiting student researchers is based on approval from Human Resources (HR) and the Visiting Scholar and Postdoc Affairs (VSPA) program.

HR approval is contingent on compliance with applicable HR requirements.  After compliance with these requirements, HR will create / update a record with an appointment start date.  Cal 1 Card eligibility will almost always begin on the day after HR creates / updates the corresponding record; the only exception will be when the applicable appointment start date happens to be in the future on that date.

VSPA approval is contingent on payment of the University Services Fee and acceptance of the Patent Acknowledgement prior to the release of the Cal 1 Card.  After compliance with these two requirements, VSPA will process the payment and Cal 1 Card eligibility begins on the day after VSPA processes the payment.  All other requirements are the same.  For more information, visit the VSPA Program.

University ID Card

Building Access

Debit Account

Meal Plan Access

Athletic Events

Recreational Sports Facility

University Health Services

Transportation Services

Please read CalNet overview and make sure to protect your CalNet ID and passphrase as carefully as you would other personal identification information (e.g. Social Security or credit card numbers).

If you are a new student, employee, or affiliate and have not yet claimed your CalNet account online, please read further instructions on how to proceed.

If you have already successfully claimed your CalNet account and created your CalNet ID but need to reset your passphrase, please read further instructions on how to proceed. 

The Cal 1 Card office provides Tier 1 CalNet support services which may be requested as follows:

• in person at 212 Sproul Hall
• by phone at 510.642.4126
• by e-mail at calnet@berkeley.edu

Where to Use Cal 1 Card, Promotions and Ongoing Student Discounts

Our office is now located at 212 Sproul Hall. To make an appointment: 

In person: On the first floor corridor of Sproul Hall (north end), you’ll find two telephone booth-type kiosks. Using either of the kiosks, you will place yourself in a virtual queue instead of having to wait in a physical line. You will then be notified via text when you can return for service. If you’ve visited Cal Student Central and used their kiosk service, you’ll be familiar with how the system works!

Online: An online appointment service has been implemented as a pilot deployment limited for use by employees and non-employee affiliates (e.g. visiting scholars, independent contractors, consultants, and volunteers). Please check the Student FAQs and Employee FAQs for further details.