Overview

Your UNI-Card is a smartcard with a number of functions, depending on user groups (students, staff, etc.).

Students

UNI-Card functions for students

Students' UNI-Cards have the following functions:

Staff

UNI-Card functions for staff

External partners

UNI Card functions for external staff

  • access authorization for the electronic lock system on campus (wfurther information in the UNI wiki (after login))
  • guest card
  • cashless payment in the cafeteria
  • cashless payment for private copies and prints at the multifunction copiers on campus
  • access authorization for the official prints and copies at the multifunction copiers on campus
  • document scanning at the multifunction copiers on campus
  • library locker usage (further info on the library website)
  • (optional) library card

UNI Card validity

Validity period:

  • staff cards: Valid for the duration of employment.
    • After employment extension, cards have to be presented at the service office to extend card validity. This is especially important for the continued usage of the cashless payment funtion.
  • student cards: one semester - expires automatically on exmatriculation
    • after payment of semester fees, the UNI card has to be validated again
  • external staff cards: one year, just as a  UNI account for external users.
    • after account extension, cards have to be presented at the service office to extend card validity.

Important legal notice: Never transfer your card to unauthorized persons!

Please note that the transfer of UNI cards to unauthorized persons is prohibited.

  • The usage of other peoples' UNI cards as public transport ticket or to obtain subsidized cafeteria prices is a criminal offense (fraudulent acquisition of services).
     
  • Anybody who provides entry to university buildings or rooms by lending a card to unauthorized persons may be liable for any damages.

IMPORTANT: card loss

After losing your UNI card, inform the IT service office as soon as possible!

Obtaining your UNI card

Depending on user group, UNI cards are obtained at enrollment / start of employment from different organizations:

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  • New students receive their cards by mail at the start of the semester. You can use the PWA site to check if your card is ready for shipment. A new UNI card is shipped fully validated and with current semester validity dates printed on them. Cards have to be validated by the students for each subsequent semester.
  • Employees need to send or bring a passport photo to the IT service office first. After the card has been produced, employees receive an email with a pickup date.
  • External staff can apply for and pick up their card at the IT service office.

If your card is not sent by mail, you can also pick it up, but you will need to bring your passport or other photo ID card. (There are exceptions).

Your first UNI card is free of charge. Replacement cards are not. These can be obtained from the IT service office.  (more info on replacement cards)

Notes on appropriate usage

To keep your card working correctly and keep it from being damaged, you should always keep it in the protective cover.
Please avoid:
 

  • writing / putting stickers on the card
  • scratching the surface
  • bending (danger of damaging the RFID antenna)
  • permanently curving / arching the card by keeping it in a back pocket
  • chemical damage
  • high temperatures

Curving / arching the card can make printing the semester validity date impossible, making the card useless as a transit ticket. High temperatures such as in a parked car in the summer heat can also damage the card's functionality. Also, please make sure to not put the card through a washing machine cycle or use it as an ice scraper.

If the card cover gets damaged or lost, you can always obtain a new one for free in the IT service office.

Note that replacement cards are not free. (more information)

Returning your UNI card

After exmatriculation / de-registration / end of employment, the card has to be returned:
 

  • Students return their cards at the registration office (Immatrikulationsamt).
  • Employees return their cards at the Bedienstete / Externe geben ihre UNI-Card im IT service office ab (according to the Dezernat 1 routing slip).

More

The UNI card has a number of functions that may necessitate extra steps:

Häufige Fragen zum Thema "UNI-Card"

Wie kann ich auf die UNI-Card Geldbeträge aufladen?

Please refer to the notes on charging money onto the card wallet

Wozu müssen Studierende die UNI-Card validieren? Wo finde ich die Validierungsstationen?

Please refer to the notes on validating your UNI card.

Wie kann ich eine Ersatzkarte beantragen?

Please refer to the notes on requesting a replacement card.

Nach dem Validieren ist der neue Aufdruck nur schlecht zu erkennen. Was kann ich tun?

Printing on card unreadable after validating

If the print in the lower third of the card is unreadable after using a validation machine, you can repeat the process at one of the other machines.
You can also bring your card to the IT service office.
(more info on validating your card)

Ich habe meine UNI-Card verloren gemeldet, nun aber wiedergefunden. Was kann ich tun?

Reactivating a card

If you found your card after reporting it missing and deactivating it, you can have it reactivated at the IT service office.

Ich habe meine UNI-Card verloren / eine Ersatzkarte bekommen. Was ist mit dem Guthaben auf meinem Druckkonto bzw. Mensakonto?

Printing credit balance after losing and replacing a card

The printing wallet is managed on a print system server, not on the card directly, so the credit balance will be the same on your replacement card.

Cafeteria credit balance after losing and replacing a card

When receiving your replacement card, you will also receive a blank form to fill out to transfer your cafeteria credit balance from your old card to the new one. Please fill it out and bring it to the cafeteria for processing.

Wie erhalte ich meine UNI-Card?

For students: The student ID will be sent by post to the address given when you enroll for the first time as well as when you re-enroll.

For employees: The ID card will be issued in the data center's service office when you move in for the first time.

For external users: The guest card is issued upon application in the data center's service office.

Support and contact

If you need help or have any questions, please[Translate to englisch:] Wenn Sie Fragen haben oder Hilfe benötigen, contact us:


Topic
Relevant department
Technical issues with cards or validation machines IT service office
card issues regarding the library or copy machines library
cashless cafeteria payments cafeteria
semester ticket / culture ticket student union
matters of study or examinations registration office or examination office