Important Meal Plan Dates
- Meal Plans Start: Wednesday, August 13, 2025
- Fall Semester Ends: Sunday, December 14, 2025
- Spring Semester Begins: Friday, January 2, 2026
- Meal Plans End: Saturday, May 2, 2026
- Meal Money Expires: Friday, May 8, 2026
- Graduating Seniors: Meal plans remain active through Commencement, with limited service available from May 2, 2026
Meal Plan Options
Undergraduate meal plans include a set number of meals per semester, plus Meal Money for added flexibility. Simply tap your Commodore Card or mobile wallet at any dining location, and the appropriate meal or Meal Money will be deducted.
All Vanderbilt students living on campus, including residence halls and Greek housing, are required to participate in a meal plan. Students are automatically enrolled in a meal plan, based on their cohort year.
Cohort Year | Plan Name | Meals per Semester | Meal Money | Cost per Semester |
| First-Year Students | First-Year Plan | 335 | $225 | $4,144 |
| Upper-Division | Upper Division Plan | 305 | $275 | $4,102 |
- Guest Meals: All meal plans include 5 guest meals per semester.
What’s Included
- Meal Swipes: Each meal plan includes a block of meals to use throughout the semester at any dining location. Some locations are all-you-care-to-eat, while others offer a plated meal with an entree, sides, and a drink.
- Dining Locations: Meals can be redeemed at residential dining halls, retail markets and cafes, and Munchie Marts—grab-and-go markets featuring Vandy Provisions sandwiches, salads, and entrees. (Students can redeem a maximum of two meals per day in Munchie Marts.)
- Meal Reset: Meals reset each semester and do not roll over.
Meal Money vs. Commodore Cash
- Meal Money: Non-taxable when used on campus, including dining halls, Munchie Marts, food trucks, and Taste of Nashville restaurants. Unused Meal Money from fall rolls over to spring but expires at the end of the spring semester.
- Commodore Cash: Taxable and refundable. Usable at dining facilities, the Vanderbilt Bookstore, post office, vending and copy machines, and more.
Off-Campus Students
Students living off-campus can purchase any meal plan, but it's not required. Optional commuter plans include:
| Plan Name | Meals per Semester | Cost per Semester | Best For |
| Off-Campus Lite | 80 appx 5/week | $999 + tax | Students who eat on campus occasionally |
| Off-Campus Plus | 160 appx 10/week | $1,999 + tax | Students who eat on campus several times per week |
| Off-Campus Max | 240 appx 15/week | $2,899 + tax | Students who want maximum dining convenience |