In brief: Apple is expanding support for mobile student IDs on iPhone and Apple Watch to even more colleges and universities. Starting this fall, tens of thousands of students across the US and Canada will be able to enjoy the convenience of a mobile student ID.
A handful of universities have been participating in the program to varying degrees over the past few years, and will be joined by Auburn University, New Mexico State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Maine, among others, for the 2021-2022 academic year.
Mobile student IDs function just like their plastic counterparts, allowing students to access residence halls, recreational facilities, libraries and sporting events. Digital cards, which reside in the Apple Wallet app, can also be used to pay for meals and purchase items from vending machines.
Jeanine Brooks, the University of Alabama's Action Card director, noted that students don't lose their digital IDs, so card theft and replacement are no longer concerns or cost. If a student does misplace their iPhone or Apple Watch, they can use the Find My app to lock it and help track it down.
Apple said students' transaction history isn't shared with them or stored on their servers, so privacy shouldn't be too much of a concern.
According to The Verge, Android users can access mobile student IDs via Google Pay.