Let's talk about Flex, Baby!

We know you have had so much information thrown at you about Ole Miss and every detail of what’s to come during your child’s first academic year. We also know how confusing some of it can be. A topic that typically arouses many questions is the difference between Flex and Express money. Both Flex and Express are prepaid funds on your student’s ID card.

Here’s an easy trick to remember it: Flex is for food on campus. In addition to required meal plans, first-year freshmen will be assessed $250 Flex Dollars per semester. This allotted $250 equates to about $15 per week or about $2.14 per day. It is included in your child’s tuition fees, so they will always have Flex Dollars regardless of whether they have a meal plan. It’s pretty much like a debit card, except students cannot withdraw cash from their Flex account. Flex Dollars are restricted to food locations on campus such as prepared food locations, vending machines, Starbucks and convenience stores.

The great thing about Flex: any remaining balance on a Flex Dollars account is carried forward each semester. If your student has remaining Flex Dollars at the time of their graduation, they will receive a refund upon graduation that will be processed without charge!

So now that you know Flex is for food, remember that Express is used for everything else. Freshmen students primarily use Express funds to do their laundry in the dorms, print and copy in the library and computer labs and to pay for textbooks at the Ole Miss Bookstore. Several off-campus restaurants and convenient stores in Oxford accept Express, they’re listed here!

Unlike Flex Dollars, there’s no beginning balance for Express on your student’s ID. However, it's incredibly simple for you or your student to deposit money into their account throughout the semester. Additionally, Express balances roll over each term or year if you have any money remaining when finals roll around. Here is the link to deposit money directly into your student’s account.

Your student’s Ole Miss ID is all they need to make it through a day at the University of Mississippi. It's the way to pay for everything they need using Flex and Express, both on campus and off! If you wish to read further information, click here.