On Aug. 5, the University of Arizona made mobile CatCards an official part of campus life, putting student IDs one tap away on Apple and Google Wallets. 

For decades, UA students have carried the same plastic CatCard to buy meals, get into their dorms and prove their identification. Now, that card can live on their phone. The rollout of mobile CatCards also comes with a new design for physical IDs that will likewise appear on Apple and Google Wallets. 

Elliott Cheu, interim Chief Information Officer at the UA, notified students and faculty of this major milestone in a campuswide email. “This CatCard initiative has been a truly collaborative effort, involving many teams and units from across the university and external partners,” Cheu said in the email. “I am very grateful for their contributions towards helping us achieve a more connected and secure digital campus.”

The official integration of CatCards onto mobile devices comes after a successful early access program during the 2024-2025 school year, which provided participating students and staff with the opportunity to add their ID to their Apple Wallets. This tested out mobile access at select locations across campus that were equipped to handle the upcoming technology.  

According to Alexa Rohr, IT project manager at University Information Technology Services, this project began 16 months ago and “required significant infrastructure so that the technology would work across campus to access buildings, make purchases and more,” Rohr said. 

To upload CatCards onto phones, students must download the newly updated University of Arizona app and complete the card’s activation to add onto mobile wallets. By adding the card onto a mobile device, a student’s physical card will be deactivated. 

CatCards are a primary tool for students across campus, whether they use it for printing assignments, access to their dorm or dining throughout Arizona Student Unions. 

Associate Director of Marketing at Arizona Student Unions Katie Schoeben expressed gratitude for what this change could mean for the efficiency of dining across campus. “The digital CatCard integration is a major step forward in improving the dining experience,” Schoeben said. 

Students can now use their smartphones or smartwatches to access meal plans and make payments — eliminating the need to carry a physical CatCard while reducing contact and speeding up transactions. For staff, this means quicker lines, fewer card reader issues and less time spent troubleshooting lost or damaged cards, especially during peak dining hours. 

“This shift brings us closer to our goal of a fully digital, seamless campus experience,” Schoeben said. “It also paves the way for further digital enhancements like data-driven insights into dining patterns.” 

All student union dining locations are set up to accept mobile CatCards. According to Schoeben, there may be a short transition period at a few vendor-run locations while they upgrade their payment systems, but Arizona Dining is working closely with them to ensure a smooth adoption as quickly as possible. 

Mobile CatCards also mean easier access into student housing across campus. Previously, if a student forgot their CatCard, they would not be able to access many buildings, including their dorm. This new keyless and cardless progress means students can get home safely with a quick tap of their phone. 

Associate Director of Marketing at UA Housing and Residential Life Ali Santander expressed hopes for a smoother year with this integration. This transition will start before the first day of school with freshman move-in periods. 

Since CatCards can now be set up on mobile devices before arriving on campus, building access will activate within moments of a student checking in at their dorm. 

“Over the year, we expect having a CatCard available in a student’s mobile wallet will reduce the number of lost cards, eliminating the need for our front desks to issue Temporary Access Cards,” Santander said. 

Digital CatCards will also offer a more sustainable campus experience. “This option eliminates the need to print and mail physical cards, creating a safer, more cost-effective and more environmentally-friendly process,” Rohr said. 

This shift to digital CatCards is more than just a convenience — it’s a step toward a more connected, technologically-integrated campus experience. As the UA continues embracing digital tools, students can expect their daily routines to be more efficient. 

While it may seem like a small change, the mobile CatCard reflects a bigger trend: the UA’s push toward a more digital, streamlined future. And for students, that future may be just a tap away. 

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