Parents & Guardians

The J-Card is an essential component of the college living and learning environment for your JHU student. All students receive a personalized J-Card which serves as their student identification card, and provides access to dining halls, libraries, campus facilities, and events. J-Cash can be used to cover all of your student’s expenses—everything from textbooks, photocopies, and laundry to dining out, groceries, and pharmacy needs without needing a credit card or cash.

Students can create authorized user accounts for parents or guardians in the Student Information System, giving access to add J-Cash to their card, see transaction history and other card details.

Benefits of Using J-Cash

Rest assured that your student is using funds in a safe and secure environment. J-Cash is only accepted at University approved locations and since the account is prepaid, spending is limited to the amount deposited. There is no ability to overdraft, no debt from using the card and there are no fees to add value or use the card. Your student’s balance carries over from year to year until graduation. If the J-Card is lost, students can freeze their account immediately to prevent fraudulent usage then replace the card at the J-Card Office.

Sample Semester Budget

These are the most common expenses our students encounter each semester. Adjust these numbers to suit your student’s needs, then visit J-Card Online. You’ll need your authorized user credentials to log in and make a deposit, or your student’s JHU email address to make a guest deposit.

ItemMinimum AmountSuggested Amount
Textbooks$400$500
School Supplies$75$125
Laundry$50$75
Photocopying$20$40
Vending$35$75
Groceries$50$200
Restaurants/delivery$60$210
University apparel$20$100
Personal Care$40$100
Entertainment$25$50
Miscellaneous$25$75
Total$800$1,550

If you have any questions, please contact the J-Card Office at 410-516-5121 or jcard@jhu.edu.