Carnegie Mellon University

Plaid Cash is a prepaid, stored-value/debit account that is accessible via your ID Card. It is the convenient, cashless way to pay on and off campus. Use it to pay for school supplies, food and more!

Features:

  • Easy: No need to carry cash, checks, or ATM and credit cards.
  • Current: Up-to-date balances available at every terminal or on your receipt after you make a purchase.
  • Automatic: Balances roll over each semester/year.
  • Debt Free: Not a credit card, so when you buy... you own, not owe.
  • Local: Your parents can make deposits knowing it will be spent at places approved by the university, on and off campus.
  • Safe: ID Card lost or stolen? You can lock your card on SIO by selecting 'ID+ Card' under the Campus Services tab. 

Semester Student Spending

Not sure how much Plaid Cash to add? Here is an estimate of what students might spend per semester:

School Supplies $500
Restaurants and Delivery                 $100
University Apparel $50
Entertainment $50
Total $700

Note: Plaid Cash cannot be used to pay for items appearing on the Carnegie Mellon University Student Account Invoice (i.e., tuition) or textbooks as they are no longer carried by the bookstore and are purchased through a third-party vendor.