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Essentials Campus & local area Campus cards

Campus Cards - Frequently asked questions

1 to 10 - General information about the Campus Card.

11 to 20 - Purchasing goods and services.

21 to 24- Details of the Catering discount and Catered Package.

25 to 30 - Printing and Photocopying for students.

 

General information about the Campus Card

1. What is a Campus Card?

A Campus Card is your University of Reading student card. This card contains a microchip which runs a variety of applications.

 

2. How do I get one?

All students receive a student Campus Card when they go through the full enrolment procedure. Staff members and associates can get a Campus Card from Human Resources, who are based in room 110 of Whiteknights house. 

 

3. Do I need a new Campus Card every year?

No, the same Campus Card will work throughout your course or employment here at the University of Reading.

 

4. What does my PIN code let me do and how do I find it?

The PIN code is used for door access to the 24-hour PC labs and other doors around campus. The PIN code is also used to identify yourself when using your Printing and photocopying account.

If you want to find out your PIN code, you can use the Campus Card Portal. 

 

5. What do I do if I lose my Campus Card?

For students:

  1. You can check with the Security office at Whiteknights house to see if your Campus Card has been handed in. If you are unable to get to the Security office you can also check your University of Reading email address to see if you have been contacted by Security to inform you that your Campus Card has been found. Please remember that a lost Campus Card is only kept for two weeks once received, after which time the Campus Card will be destroyed.  
  2. If you have lost your Campus Card during the day and are on campus it is best to go straight to Student Services or the Library to get a replacement Campus Card, as the reissue process will automatically block the use of your lost or stolen Campus Card to access your catering account, the 24-hour PC labs and your library account.
  3. Student Services is open Monday to Friday 9.00 to 17.00. The Main Library on Whiteknights Campus issues Campus Cards Monday to Thursday 9.00 to 17.00 and Fridays 10.00 to 17.00. Please note that Student services are only able to accept payment for lost Campus Cards by Credit/Debit Card or via online here. 
  4. If you have lost your Campus Card and are unable to get to Student Services or the Library to get a replacement issued then you must use the Campus Card Portal to block the Campus Card from being used for purchases, giving access to the 24-hour PC labs and any other academic building you have access to. Please note that it may take up to one hour for the block to take effect after you have been notified that this has been done. You can then order a replacement Campus Card online by clicking here.
  5. If you use your Campus Card for accommodation access then you should contact your halls manager, so they can block the old Campus Card from being used.
  6. Upon receiving your replacement Campus Card from Student Services/Library, and you use it purchasing items in Catering or one of the other various outlets that accept the Campus Card then you will need to visit an MST machine to transfer across your old Campus Card balance to your new Campus Card. MST machines are currently located in the Agriculture 24-hour PC lab, the Library, Typography, Henley Business School and by the porter’s lodge at London Road.  

 

6. Do I have to pay to replace a lost/stolen/damaged Campus Card?

If the Campus Card is lost or damaged due to lack of care, then yes. The cost of a replacement Campus Card is £10.

If the Campus Card has been stolen it should also be reported to Security Services and a Crime Report Form completed to obtain a Crime Report Number. We will not charge for replacing stolen Campus Cards as long as the theft has been reported to the Police and a Crime Report Number can be supplied.

 

7. What do I do if I find a Campus Card?

If you find a Campus Card please take it to Security office at Whiteknights house. They will then try to contact the owner of the Campus Card.

If you are unable to hand in the Campus card in person, then you can post it to the Security Office, using the address on the front of the Campus Card.

 

8. Do I have to pay to replace a Campus Card if my name has changed?

No, as long as you return your original Campus Card when you get your new Campus Card printed. If you cannot return the original Campus Card, then it will be considered to have been lost and the relevant fee will need to be paid for a replacement Campus Card.

 Please note: That when you change your name, you will need to wait 24 hours, before your new name will be available to appear on your replacement Campus Card.

 

9. If I have blocked my Campus Card and then find it, can I re-use it?

No. Once you have blocked your Campus Card it will be deactivated for life and you will have to purchase a new Campus Card.

 

10. Can I let my friends or family use my Campus Card?

No, the Campus Card can only be used by the person whose details are on the Campus Card. The University has the right to confiscate or refuse to accept a University Campus Card for any of its designed applications, if it is presented by a person other than its owner. If the Campus Card is confiscated it will be considered to have been lost or stolen and relevant fees will need to be paid for a replacement Campus Card. 

 

 

Purchasing goods and services 

11. What can I buy with my Campus Card account?

The Campus Card account will allow you to buy anything from the following outlets on Whiteknights and London Road Campuses with your Campus Card: 

  • Art Shop
  • Blackwells Bookshop
  • Cafe Libro
  • Dol.cHe Vita
  • Eat and Drink London Road
  • Eat at Agriculture
  • Eat at Enterprise
  • Eat at Humss
  • Eat at Northcourt
  • Eat at SportsPark
  • Eat at the Square
  • Eat at Wantage
  • Greenlands Campus Bar 
  • Henley Business School Cafe
  • Ice house bar
  • ICMA Cafe 
  • Library helpdesk
  • Merl Museum
  • Park Bar
  • Park eat
  • Park house Bar
  • Pavilion restaurant at Greenlands Campus
  • Private mail counter in Whiteknights house
  • Sherfield Hall bar
  • Wantage Hall bar

Many of these outlets will also have exclusive discounts and offers, that are only available for purchases made with the Campus Card.   

In addition, the Campus Card account can also be used to pay for your printing & photocopying and your Library fines online.  

 

12. What discounts do i get for using the Campus Card?

When you use your Campus Card to pay for goods and services you will receive discounts from many of the places that accept the Campus Card as payment.

The following is list of regular discounts available, but many outlets will also offer exclusive special deals and promotions throughout the year when you pay with your Campus Card.

  • 15% off all hot Beverages and 5% off everything else (excluding alcohol) from Cafe Libro, Dol.cHe Vita, Eat and Drink London Road, Eat at Agriculture, Eat at Enterprise, Eat at Humss, Eat at Northcourt, Eat at SportsPark, Eat at the Square, Eat at Wantage, Greenlands Campus Bar, Henley Business School Cafe, Ice house bar, Park Bar, Park eat, Park house Bar, Pavilion restaurant at Greenlands Campus, Sherfield Hall bar & Wantage Hall bar.
  • 10% off all shop items at MERL gift shop for student Campus Card holders.
  • 10% off all food and drink (excluding alcohol) at the ICMA Cafe.
  • 10% off stationary at Blackwells bookshop
  • 5% off on Royalmail airmail plus international & UK courier services at the private mail counter in Whiteknights house.
  • 5% off everything at the Art shop based in TOB1. 

13. How do I put money on my Campus Card account to pay for University goods and services?

Using your University username and password log in to the Campus Card portal and you can then add money to your Campus Card account. Please note we do not accept Diners club.

You can also use the cash 'Top-up' kiosk located on the ground floor of the Library on Whiteknights Campus by Cafe Libro.

 

14. What is the minimum and maximum amount I can put on my Campus Card account?

The minimum amount you can put onto your Campus Card account using the Campus Card Portal is £10.

The minimum amount you can put onto your Campus Card account using the cash top-up kiosk based in the Library is £1.00.  

You are allowed to have a maximum of £500 on your account.

 

15. Can my friends or family (or someone else) get access to my account details?

Only if you let them have your username and password, otherwise no.

 

16. Once I've put money on my Campus Card can I get a refund at any time I want?

No. Any remaining money left on the account after you cease to be a current student, member of staff or associate member will be donated to a fund for the benefit of students.

 

17. What is the difference between my online and my card account balances?

When you add money to your Campus Card account it is initially put in your online account. The money on your online account can be used to pay for Library fines and printing and photocopying.

When you insert the Campus Card into a Campus Card reader at a till it will automatically transfer money, up to the value of £50, from your online account to your card account, when your card account has less than £15 in it. The card balance can be used to make purchases at the Museum of English Rural Life, the Library information desk, the private mail counter based in Whiteknights house and all of the cafe's, restaurants and bars operated by the University of Readings Catering department.

For example: If you have load £60 via the Campus Card Finance website in to your online account, when you first put your Campus Card into a reader by a till it will put £50 onto the card account. The remaining £10 will be automatically added to the card account, once the amount on this account falls below £15. So if the card account was £14.20 after your last transaction, when you next insert the Campus Card into the reader the balance on the card account would be topped up with the remaining £10 to become £24.20.     

 

18. Can I transfer money back from my card balance to my online balance?

Yes, if you need money in your online balance for printing or paying library fines, then you need to visit an MST machine, where you can transfer the money from your card account to your online account.

MST machines are located in the following areas: 

  • Agriculture 24-hour PC lab
  • The Library
  • Typography
  • Henley Business School 
  • The porters lodge at London Road
  • The Business Centre on Greenlands Campus. 

For detailed instructions on using the MST machine please click here.

  

19. Can I turn off the automatic transfer from my online balance to my card balance?

Yes, to do this you will have to visit a MST machine, which are located in the

MST machines are located in the following areas: 

  • Agriculture 24-hour PC lab
  • The Library
  • Typography
  • Henley Business School 
  • The porters lodge at London Road
  • The Business Centre on Greenlands Campus. 

If you do turn this off, then you will need to return back to the MST each time you want to transfer money to your card account. You can also switch back on the automatic transfer from your online account to your card account.

For detailed instructions on using the MST machine please click here.   

 

20. My online balance has not transferred to my card balance?

Have you switched the auto top-up off? If so please turn it back on, using a MST machine.

Only Money that has been added to your account after the 28th July will be able to be transferred to your Campus Card. Existing printing balances will only be able to be used for printing & Library fines and will be used up first when you do printing jobs.        

 For detailed instructions on using the MST machine please click here.     

 

Catering

21. How does the discount work at sites operated by the University Catering department?

From the card account you will receive a 15% discount on all hot beverages plus a 5% discount on all other items except alcoholic products. In addition to these offers there are meal deals and promotions that are exclusive to those who use their Campus Card to pay for goods.

Discounts will be calculated at the till when you insert your Campus Card into the reader.

 

 

 

 

22. What If I haven't got enough money left on my Campus Card to pay for catering in full?

If you don't have enough money on your Campus Card to pay the discounted price you will have to pay the full retail price. This can still be paid from your Campus Card with the remainder being paid by some other form of payment (e.g. cash/credit card).

For example: If an item costs £1 at full retail price and is entitled to a 5% discount from the card account, then when you insert your Campus Card, you have to pay only 95p using the value on your card account. However, if you have only 94p left on the card account you will have to pay the full retail price of £1, this can be done by taking 94p off your card account and paying the remaining 6p in cash.

 

23. How does the Catered Package work with my Campus Card?

If you have purchased a catering package along with your University of Reading halls accommodation then your Campus Card will have a second purse on it, called a Catered Purse. This Catered purse is automatically topped up to its maximum of £61.67 every Saturday morning of your catered weeks.

From the Catered Purse, you will receive a 10% discount on items marked with a blue triangle. The Catered Purse can only be used at Park Eat, Eat at the Square, Eat and Drink at London Road, Wantage Hall, Eat at Agriculture, Eat at SportsPark and St Patricks Hall.

You cannot add extra money to this purse. The Catering purse operates independently from the Campus Card account and you cannot move money between the two schemes.

 

24. Can I also add money to my Campus Card account, if I have the Catered Package?

Yes, the two schemes are independent from one another, so you can have access to both schemes.    

 

Printing and Photocopying for Students 

25. How do I put money for printing and photocopying on my Campus Card account?

You can add to your Printing and photocopying fund by using one of the following methods:

  1. Online through the Campus Card portal: Campus Card Portal. Use your University of Reading username and password to log-on.
  2. Via the 'Top-up' kiosk located on the ground floor of the Library on Whiteknights Campus by Cafe Libro.

More information can be found for photocopying here and for printing here.

 

26. How can I transfer across money from my card balance to my online balance?

If you need money in your online balance for printing or paying library fines, then you need to visit an MST machine, where you can transfer the money from your card balance to your online balance.  

MST machines are located in the following areas: 

  • Agriculture 24-hour PC lab
  • The Library
  • Typography
  • Henley Business School 
  • The porters lodge at London Road
  • The Business Centre on Greenlands Campus. 

Instructions to transfer balances this are above each MST machine.

For detailed instructions on using the MST machine please click here. 

 

27. Can I turn off the automatic transfer from my online balance to my card balance?

Yes, to do this you will have to visit a MST machine.

MST machines are located in the following areas: 

  • Agriculture 24-hour PC lab
  • The Library
  • Typography
  • Henley Business School 
  • The porters lodge at London Road
  • The Business Centre on Greenlands Campus. 

If you do turn this off, then you will need to return back to the MST each time you want to transfer money to your card balance. You can also switch back on the automatic transfer from your online balance to your card balance. 

For detailed instructions on using the MST machine please click here.  

 

28. Why can't I log into the Multi-function printer device when I present my student Campus Card to the reader?

To login to any of the multi-function devices across Campus, students who pay for their printing must have some money within their online balance. 

If you have money in your online account and you still cannot login to a multi-function printing device then please email campuscard@reading.ac.uk stating your student number and the number in the bottom right hand corner of your Campus Card.   

 

29. Can I monitor my printer usage?

Yes, to do this you will have to log on to the Campus Card Portal and look at your account history.

 

30. If I have a problem with my Printing and photocopying who do I contact?

For all problems relating to printing and photocopying please contact ITS Help by emailing its-help@reading.ac.uk or telephoning 0118 378 6262.

 

If after reading these questions and anwers you still require help, please email campuscard@reading.ac.uk who will assist you with your enquiry.