Meal Plans
Meal plans ensure that you get a regular meal during the week.
Studying at TSTC takes a lot of focus and energy to get you prepared for your career. So we want to make sure you get a good meal during the week to keep you refueled.
Campuses that include both student housing and cafeterias offer meal plans for our students. In some instances, you will need to purchase a meal plan while living in student housing.
Read more below on details for each campus.
How does TSTC in Harlingen Meal Plan Work?
TSTC in Harlingen offers students a declining balance meal plan program. This program allows students to select and purchase á la carte meals and any other food items they want at the TSTC Food Court. Unlike traditional meal plans, with the declining balance program, no item is off-limits because all items are priced individually. This means the student has the freedom to decide what they want to eat and how much they want. Students are not tied to a certain number of servings or food types. If you are extra-hungry, you can go back and purchase additional food items, or if you decide to skip a meal, you don’t lose anything, as there is no missed meal factor.
Depending on the plan selected, students begin each semester with a set amount of funds that are electronically added to their TechOne card account. A student simply takes their TSTC Food Court selections to the cashier and has their TechOne card scanned. The purchase is then deducted from their TechOne account. The declining balance meal plan puts the student in control of their own “food credit” budget and eliminates the need to carry cash for food purchases. Meal plan dollars expire the last class day of each semester. Meal Plans have no cash value at semester’s end and are not transferable to others or to future semesters.
Who is required to participate in the meal plan?
New students under 21 years old who reside in Oak Tree Apartments, Las Palmas, and Palo Blanco dorms are required to purchase, at minimum, the MP1 Meal Plan (currently $710) for their first two semesters at TSTC.
When do I sign up for a meal plan?
Students may sign up for meal plans during registration in the Student Accounting Office. New students who are required to participate in the meal plan (as explained above) will automatically be signed up for the $710 Meal Plan or may visit Student Accounting to upgrade to another meal plan. Meal Plan 2 is currently $1,310 and Meal Plan 3 is currently $1,800.
If I want to change my meal plan, when can I change it?
Meal plan changes are accepted during the first two weeks of a semester. All requests must be made in writing at the Student Accounting Office. Forms will be available in the Student Accounting Office during the meal plan change period. No meal plan changes are accepted after the first two weeks of a semester. Mandatory meal plans cannot be removed, only upgraded to a higher meal plan.
Is declining balance considered actual money?
Declining balance is not real money. It is a method of assigning values for the different meal plan options.
How many meals can I get each week?
With the declining balance meal plan, students are not limited to a certain number of meals per week. Students may choose to dine once a week, 10 times a week or even 15 times. The choice is yours.
May I make purchases for guests using my meal plan?
No, only the designated student can present his/her meal plan card. The student cannot lend his/her meal plan card to others, nor make purchases on the card for others.
What happens to my declining balance at the end of a term?
There is no refund or credit given for any meal plan balance at the end of a semester. The cost of each meal plan covers not only the cost of food and its preparation for the entire semester, but also all overhead expenses, including operations, supplies and applicable taxes for all of the plan’s allocated meals, whether or not they are consumed.
What do I do if I lose my meal plan card?
It is very important that you report a lost or stolen card immediately to the Student ID Card Office, located in the Student Services Center. Your missing card will be deactivated immediately and a new card issued to you. Neither the college nor the food service provider is responsible for any losses when a card is missing until the card is deactivated.
What do I do if I run out of declining balances before the end of the semester?
Students on meal plans who run out of declining balances before the end of the semester have two options:
- Students can purchase Tech Bucks. Sign up for Tech Bucks in the Student Accounting Office. Student must have a credit balance in their TSTC account or pay at the Cashier to receive Tech Bucks.
- Students can choose to pay cash or credit card at the TSTC Food Court at time of purchase.
How does TSTC in Sweetwater’s Meal Plan Work?
TSTC in Sweetwater offers students a declining balance meal plan program. This program allows students to select and purchase á la carte meals and any other food items they want at the TSTC Food Court. Unlike traditional meal plans, with the declining balance program, no item is off-limits because all items are priced individually. This means the student has the freedom to decide what they want to eat and how much they want. Students are not tied to a certain number of servings or food types. If you are extra-hungry, you can go back and purchase additional food items, or if you decide to skip a meal, you don’t lose anything, as there is no missed meal factor.
Depending on the plan selected, students begin each semester with a set amount of funds that are electronically added to their TechOne card account. A student simply takes their Campus Food Court selections to the cashier and has their TechOne card scanned. The purchase is then deducted from their TechOne account. The declining balance meal plan puts the student in control of their own “food credit” budget and eliminates the need to carry cash for food purchases. Meal plan dollars expire the last class day of each semester. Meal Plans have no cash value at semester’s end and are not transferable to others or to future semesters.
Who is required to participate in the meal plan?
Any student who resides in WASP, Rolling Plans, Avenger Apartments, Cedar, Mesquite, Oak or Pecan Lodges are required to purchase, at minimum, the MP3 Meal Plan (currently $1,800).
When do I sign up for a meal plan?
Students may sign up for meal plans during registration in the Student Accounting Office. New students who are required to participate in the meal plan (as explained above) will automatically be signed up for the $1,800 Meal Plan.
Is declining balance considered actual money?
Declining balance is not real money. It is a method of assigning values for the different meal plan options.
How many meals can I get each week?
With the declining balance meal plan, students are not limited to a certain number of meals per week. Students may choose to dine once a week, 10 times a week or even 15 times. The choice is yours.
May I make purchases for guests using my meal plan?
No, only the designated student can present his/her meal plan card. The student cannot lend his/her meal plan card to others, nor make purchases on the card for others.
What happens to my declining balance at the end of a term?
There is no refund or credit given for any meal plan balance at the end of a semester. The cost of each meal plan covers not only the cost of food and its preparation for the entire semester, but also all overhead expenses, including operations, supplies and applicable taxes for all of the plan’s allocated meals, whether or not they are consumed.
What do I do if I lose my meal plan card?
It is very important that you report a lost or stolen card immediately to the Student ID Card Office, located in the Student Services Center. Your missing card will be deactivated immediately and a new card issued to you. Neither the college nor the food service provider are responsible for any losses when a card is missing until the card is deactivated.
What do I do if I run out of declining balances before the end of the semester?
Students on meal plans who run out of declining balances before the end of the semester have two options:
- Students can purchase Tech Bucks. Sign up for Tech Bucks in the Student Accounting Office. Student must have a credit balance in their TSTC account or pay at the Cashier to receive Tech Bucks.
- Students can choose to pay cash or credit card at the TSTC Food Court at time of purchase.
How does TSTC in Waco Meal Plan Work?
TSTC in Waco offers students a declining balance meal plan program. This program allows students to select and purchase á la carte meals and any other food items they want at the TSTC Food Court. Unlike traditional meal plans, with the declining balance program, no item is off-limits because all items are priced individually. This means the student has the freedom to decide what they want to eat and how much they want. Students are not tied to a certain number of servings or food types. If you are extra-hungry, you can go back and purchase additional food items, or if you decide to skip a meal, you don’t lose anything, as there is no missed meal factor.
Depending on the plan selected, students begin each semester with a set amount of funds that are electronically added to their TechOne card account. A student simply takes their TSTC Food Court selections to the cashier and has their TechOne card scanned. The purchase is then deducted from their TechOne account. The declining balance meal plan puts the student in control of their own “food credit” budget and eliminates the need to carry cash for food purchases. Meal plan dollars expire the last class day of each semester. Meal Plans have no cash value at semester’s end and are not transferable to others or to future semesters.
Who is required to participate in the meal plan?
New students under 21 years old who reside in Waco Village Oaks, Red River and Griffith Hall are required to purchase, at minimum, the MP1 Meal Plan (currently $710) for their first two semesters at TSTC.
When do I sign up for a meal plan?
Students may sign up for meal plans during registration in the Student Accounting Office. New students who are required to participate in the meal plan (as explained above) will automatically be signed up for the $710 Meal Plan or may visit Student Accounting to upgrade to another meal plan. Meal Plan 2 is currently $1,310 and Meal Plan 3 is currently $1,800.
If I want to change my meal plan, when can I change it?
Meal plan changes are accepted during the first two weeks of a semester. All requests must be made in writing at the Student Accounting Office. Forms will be available in the Student Accounting Office during the meal plan change period. No meal plan changes are accepted after the first two weeks of a semester. Mandatory meal plans cannot be removed, only upgraded to a higher meal plan.
Is declining balance considered actual money?
Declining balance is not real money. It is a method of assigning values for the different meal plan options.
How many meals can I get each week?
With the declining balance meal plan, students are not limited to a certain number of meals per week. Students may choose to dine once a week, 10 times a week or even 15 times. The choice is yours.
May I make purchases for guests using my meal plan?
No, only the designated student can present his/her meal plan card. The student cannot lend his/her meal plan card to others, nor make purchases on the card for others.
If I want to change my meal plan, when can I change it?
Meal plan changes are accepted during the first two weeks of a semester. All requests must be made in writing at the Student Accounting Office. Forms will be available in the Student Accounting Office during the meal plan change period. No meal plan changes are accepted after the first two weeks of a semester.
There are no refunds of the remaining balance on meal plans for early departure or withdrawal from the college.
Mandatory meal plans cannot be removed, only upgraded to a higher meal plan.
What happens to my declining balance at the end of a term?
There is no refund or credit given for any meal plan balance at the end of a semester. The cost of each meal plan covers not only the cost of food and its preparation for the entire semester, but also all overhead expenses, including operations, supplies and applicable taxes for all of the plan’s allocated meals, whether or not they are consumed.
There are no refunds of the remaining balance on meal plans for early departure or withdrawal from the college.
What do I do if I lose my meal plan card?
It is very important that you report a lost or stolen card immediately to the Student ID Card Office, located in the Student Services Center. Your missing card will be deactivated immediately and a new card issued to you. Neither the college nor the food service provider is responsible for any losses when a card is missing until the card is deactivated.
What do I do if I run out of declining balances before the end of the semester?
Students on meal plans who run out of declining balances before the end of the semester have two options:
- Students can purchase Tech Bucks. Sign up for Tech Bucks in the Student Accounting Office. Student must have a credit balance in their TSTC account or pay at the Cashier to receive Tech Bucks.
- Students can choose to pay cash or credit card at the TSTC Food Court at time of purchase.
