Campus Experience Overview

Experience it all.

UNM operates much like its own kind of city—open 24 hours a day, with its own community, housing and restaurants, transportation system and parking services, bookstores and ID cards, golf courses and theaters.

As the lead division for housing, retail and hospitality at The University of New Mexico, UNM Institutional Support Services is pleased to provide information about the services we provide for students.

During summer orientation, we encourage students and parents to attend the webinars about our services to help guide you through your UNM Campus Experience. Here’s a short guide to making timely and important decisions about the services you will depend on throughout your entire UNM campus experience.

We look forward to having you on campus!

UNM Requirements

Housing + Meal Plan + Parking Permit

• Freshmen Residency Requirement -Statistics both nationally and at the University level have consistently shown that students who live on campus have greater academic success and complete their degrees at a quicker rate than students who live off campus. For this reason, UNM requires all first time first year freshmen (not qualified for an exception) to live on UNM main campus for their first academic year.
  
  
• Freshmen Meal Plan Requirement- All students, as defined in the Freshman Residency Requirement, must purchase a meal plan. Visit food.unm.edu to review all available meal plan options and make your selection, or see the Campus Dining section below for more information. 
  
  
• Parking Permit Required – All students who plan to park a vehicle on main campus must purchase a parking permit or pay for hourly parking. Visit pats.unm.edu or see the Parking & Transportation section below for more information.

Student Housing

UNM Residence Life & Student Housing + American Campus Communities

• UNM Residence Life & Student Housing offers students a variety of types of buildings to live in, and each building has something different to offer. Take a virtual tour to find the right one for you! Connect with other residents by joining one of our 10 designated Living Learning Communities.   
  
  
• American Campus Communities (ACC) operates Casas del Rio and Lobo Village as housing options for UNM and community college students. Students sign a lease directly with American Campus Communities when they select Casas del Rio or Lobo Village. The terms and conditions of the leases with ACC for Casas del Rio and Lobo Village are different from the terms students agree to when they sign up with UNM for UNM Housing. Students and families should work directly with ACC to address concerns about the lease, residence, or property at Casas del Rio and Lobo Village. The University of New Mexico cannot intervene with ACC on issues related to a student's ACC lease, Casas del Rio or Lobo Village residence or the condition of ACC property. For more information, including floor plans, rates, applications, and amenities, please contact Casas del Rio or Lobo Village.
  
  

• Visit housing.unm.edu to view campus housing options that satisfy the Freshman Residency Requirement (UNM Housing or alternative Private Partner Housing, Casas del Rio), or to learn more about residency exemptions or applying for an exception.

Campus Dining

Unlimited Plans, Weekly Plans, + Dining Dollars

• Consider your eating habits, housing assignment and class schedule (the locations you will be near during the day) to determine the best plan for you.
  
  
• UNM requires that all first-year freshmen residing on campus (ACC’s Casas del Rio or UNM Housing on main campus) to purchase one of the Unlimited or Weekly style Cherry or Lobo Meal Plan options. 
  
  
  • Please note: transferring out of either facility to Lobo Village during either the Fall or Spring semester after the change deadline does not negate the meal plan requirement.
    
    
  • Freshman main campus residents who do not make a meal plan selection by Aug. 15 will be assigned and billed for the Lobo Weekly 15 meal to satisfy the freshmen resident meal plan requirement.
    
    
• Visit food.unm.edu to review all available meal plan options and make your selection. Meal Plan charges will be posted to your bursar account one week and your selection will be active the first day housing is open.

Parking + Transportation

Parking Permits + Campus Shuttles

• All students who plan to park a vehicle on main campus must purchase a parking permit or pay for hourly parking.
  
  
• Due to limited availability, permits are sold on a first come, first served basis. Please see our student parking page for more information and pricing.
  
  
• Most permits sell out quickly and you should plan to purchase your permit ASAP the day permit sales open for the zone you want. 

• 2023-2024 Student Parking Permit Sale Dates 
  • Student Resident | R*, S* and INV* | Thursday, July 27 | 7:30 a.m.
  • Proximity | G*, J, L*, M*,P, RIO, T, and Yale | Tuesday, August 1 | 7:30 a.m.
  • Commuter | Q*, K, and South | Thursday, August 3 | 7:30 a.m.
    
    
• Parking permits are available for purchase online at pats.unm.edu. Get started by creating your parking account in the Parking Portal.

LoboCard

The official ID card for UNM

• Upload your ID Card Photo directly to the LoboCard website and acquaint yourself with the various card uses.
  
  
• Learn how to care for your card and report it lost or stolen.
  
  
• Consider adding funds to the LoboCash account, which is accessed through the ID Card. This account is especially important if you plan to make frequent purchases at our 48 venues accepting LoboCash, including the UNM Bookstore.

UNM Bookstores

Course Materials, Computers, Tablets, UNM Apparel + More

• Find your course material list and course materials including textbooks, eBooks, and art supplies at the UNM Bookstore. Compare our prices with other online retailers directly from our Dare to Compare tool. Can’t find what you’re looking for? We can special order out of stock materials.
  
  
• Purchase your course materials tax-free when you present your valid Lobo ID at check out.
  
  
• Students enrolled in at least 6 credit hours have access to a $750 Bursar’s Account charge limit for use at the UNM Bookstore every spring and fall semester ($300 summer term). Use this account to purchase your course materials now – including technology hardware – and pay later!
  
  
• Find a computer that meets your needs. Check out the TechDen in the main campus Bookstore for a wide selection of Dell, Microsoft, and HP computers and tablets. We are also an authorized Apple reseller and stock the latest Apple products. UNM Students get special educational pricing with a valid Lobo ID.
  
  
• We have the Lobogear you need to show off your school spirit at every occasion. Connect with us to know about upcoming sales and promotions. 
  
  
• Order online anytime at bookstore.unm.edu. We conveniently offer home delivery (with applicable shipping fees), FREE in-store pickup, FREE curbside pickup at our main bookstore location, and FREE delivery to all on-campus housing.

UNM Golf Courses

UNM Championship Course + UNM North Golf Course

• Avid golfer or just starting out? No matter what level you are, UNM students can take advantage the lowest pricing we offer on greens fees.
  
  
• Make plans to visit the Lobo Grill at the UNM Championship clubhouse to enjoy the view of downtown Albuquerque. It’s a great place to relax or bring the parents for lunch when they visit.

Popejoy Presents

Live Performances

• Popejoy Hall is New Mexico’s premier performing arts center, located on UNM's main campus.
  
• Popejoy hosts touring Broadway shows, symphony concerts, musical soloists and artists of international caliber, world-renowned ballet and modern dance companies, and noted speakers from a broad spectrum of disciplines.
  
• UNM Students are eligible for ticket discounts when available. Visit popejoypresents.com/lobo for a list of shows currently available at a student rate.

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