SMFA First-Year Students

SMFA first-year meal plans

SMFA first-year students are required to be on a meal plan and are auto-enrolled based on their housing location. Students living on the Medford/Somerville campus are enrolled in the SMFA Full Plan. Students living in Boston are enrolled in the SMFA A-Plan.

SMFA first-year meal plans

SMFA first-year students are required to be on a meal plan and are auto-enrolled based on their housing location. Students living on the Medford/Somerville campus are enrolled in the SMFA Full Plan. Students living in Boston are enrolled in the SMFA A-Plan.

2025-2026 Meal Plans for SMFA First-Years

Plan NameSwipes per SemesterGuest SwipesCost per SemesterExtra SwipesEligibility
SMFA Full Plan260 swipes + $599 SMFA Meal Money + $100 Rhino Bucks + $75 JumboCash8$4,453$142/10 swipesMedford/Somerville: Required for first-year SMFA combined degree and first-year SMFA BFA/MA students living on the Medford/Somerville campus. Students are auto-enrolled.
SMFA - A Plan10 swipes/ week at Carm and Dewick + 75 Emmanuel College Meals + $1,725 in SMFA Meal Money + $300 RhinoBucks per semester0$3,195n/aBoston: Required for SMFA first-year students living on the Boston Campus. Students are auto-enrolled. Swipes are weekly and expire at the end of the day every Friday.

Kosher PlansAdd or Change PlansBuy Extra Swipes JumboCash Rhinocard Info

Your meal plan will be connected to your Tufts ID. 

  • Meal plan holders use their Tufts ID to swipe into our dining centers or use meal swipe equivalency at one of our retail locations.
  • The Tufts ID is also used for JumboCash purchases on-campus and with our off-campus partners.

Where are meal swipes accepted?

SMFA Full Plan

  • Meal swipes are used to enter our all-you-care-to-eat dining centers – Fresh at Carmichael and Dewick-MacPhie.
  • A swipe also has a cash value –or equivalency (amount depends on the meal period)–that may be used in certain Tufts Dining retail locations.
  • Retail locations accepting meal swipes: Hodgdon, Kindlevan, Pax et Lox Glatt Kosher Deli, SMFA Café, and Commons Late Night
  • 1 swipe will be deducted from your plan each time you swipe into a dining center or use a meal equivalency.
  • SMFA Meal Money may be used in any Tufts Dining location

SMFA A Plan

  • Meal swipes are used to enter our all-you-care-to-eat dining centers – Fresh at Carmichael and Dewick-MacPhie.
  • Swipes on the SMFA A Plan are weekly and expire at the end of the day every Friday.
  • SMFA A Plan swipes may not be used as meal equivalency in our retail locations.
  • SMFA Meal Money may be used in any Tufts Dining location

SMFA Meal Plan FAQs

See our Meal Plan FAQs for most questions. 

  • SMFA Meal Money may be used anytime at all Tufts Dining locations (no meal period restrictions). It works like a declining balance debit card.

    Please note: unused Fall Term SMFA Meal Money included in your meal plan roll over to Spring term. Meal Money included in your meal plan remaining in your account at the end of the school year is non-refundable, so be sure to use everything up before the end of Spring term.

  • About Emmanuel College Meals:

    • SMFA students enrolled in SMFA - A Plan have 75 meals to be used at Emmanuel College dining venues (Use up to 5 meals per day in all-you-care-to-eat or retail/pick 4 locations)
    • SMFA students enrolled in SMFA - B Plan  have 50 meals to be used at Emmanuel College dining venues (Use up to 5 meals per day in all-you-care-to-eat or retail/pick 4 locations)

    Tufts SMFA Students may use their Emmanuel College Meals in the following locations:

    • Marian Dining Hall
    • Muddy River Café
    • Joe Di’s

    See Emmanuel College website for hours of operation.

    • SMFA students, you can use Rhino Bucks at the SMFA Café and over 60 Boston businesses that display the “Campus Cash Welcomed” sticker.
    • Rhino Bucks received with the SMFA Full Plan, SMFA -A Plan, and SMFA - B Plan will expire at the end of the spring semester and are not refundable.
    • Rhino Bucks are on a separate Rhino Card. They are not stored on the Tufts ID.
    • Please note: unused Fall Term SMFA Meal Money and Rhino Bucks included in your meal plan roll over to Spring term. Meal Money and Rhino Bucks included in your meal plan left in your account at the end of the school year is non-refundable, so be sure to use everything up before the end of Spring term.
    • Once deposited, Rhino Bucks cannot be withdrawn unless you graduate from, permanently withdraw from, or terminate employment with the university.
    • You may receive a refund of the remaining account balance in your non-meal plan Rhino Bucks account when you graduate, withdraw, or leave SMFA at Tufts. Proof of withdrawal or dismissal is required. Refund requests must be submitted in writing to the school’s card program service provider by emailing mycard@rhinocard.com.
    • Please see Section 20: Account Refunds in the Rhino Bucks Terms & Conditions for further details.

    Rhino Bucks: Register/Check Balance

Have a question?

Call the Tufts Dining office at 617-627-3566 or send us an email. We're here to help!

Have a question?

Call the Tufts Dining office at 617-627-3566 or send us an email. We're here to help!