Digital wallets (think Apple Pay, Google Pay) have been making headlines with their ability to integrate new types of student IDs and payment cards. Higher ed institutions are adding mobile student IDs in digital wallets in addition to their physical campus cards to improve the campus experience. Some campuses are even starting to go mobile-only with their campus ID and no longer printing physical cards.

Getting there takes planning: having a campus app with mobile credentials, enabling NFC transactions for payments and access points, and provisioning your mobile app to the digital wallets previously mentioned. It takes time and resources to make it happen. And it’s worth it. Students and administrators both experience game-changing benefits with this technology.

7 Benefits to Campus IDs in Digital Wallets

1. Meeting Student Expectations
   This generation of students is no longer simply early adopters of new technology, they expect it. Their on-campus experience should mirror that which they are accustomed to outside of their higher ed institution. The ability to store payment cards, ID cards and loyalty programs within digital wallets is an expectation, not a luxury.  
2. Secure Payment Transactions
   Payments through digital wallets are more secure. Digital wallets use NFC technology for the tap-to-pay function which does not transmit or store payment card numbers. Transactions are completed with tokenization (a device-specific number with a unique transaction code) which eliminates the risk of swiping/inserting a card into a skimmer that steals the card number.  
3. Contactless Payments
   As mentioned above, transactions completed with digital wallets are inherently contactless with the tap-to-pay feature. Contactless payment and access methods reduce physical contact during interactions which can reduce transmission of illness, such as COVID-19.
4. Integration with Campus Card Functions
   With Campus ID cards being the key to so many functions on campuses, adding it to a digital wallet opens the door for so many contactless opportunities. Beyond using their phones for access to buildings and dorms, students could tap-to-pay for things like printing, parking, laundry and more, and use their meal plans and declining balances with the digital wallet.
5. Convenience & Privacy for Card Holders
   If it’s not already obvious, adding a mobile student id to a digital wallet provides a lot of convenience. Students can leave their physical wallet at home and only carry their phone. 
   
   Carrying their id in their digital wallet also improves privacy and security for students because digital wallets are locked behind biometric security features and can only be used by the person who owns it. Students don’t have to worry about leaving their ID card somewhere and having someone else pick it up/use it. If a student loses their phone, they can log into their digital wallet or student account from a desktop and turn their card(s) off. Additionally, many iPhone users can use their ‘Find My Phone’ feature to locate their phone.
6. Increased On-Campus Security
   Moving to a fully digital campus ID system, makes it easier for administrators to manage access across campus. It becomes easier to track usage, add/remove access for specific users, and lock down areas of campus in case of emergencies.  
   
7. Safe and Efficient ID Creation
   For campuses that still wish to use physical cards in addition to mobile IDs, the mobile student ID system allows students to upload ID photos directly from their phones. From there, administrators can print physical cards and either mail them to students or have them available for pick up. Either way, administrators can more efficiently print cards and the in-person interaction is greatly reduced.
   

Is your campus ready for digital wallets? From point-of-sale readers to building access to systems integration, TouchNet provides a complimentary mobile ID assessment to help universities and colleges determine if any gaps exist before fully enabling digital wallets across campus. For more information, read more about adding Campus IDs to digital wallets