Digital University identification will launch in the 2027-28 academic year. Students will receive their virtual IDs before a full campus rollout, including faculty and staff.
The IDs, which are currently physical cards, are distributed to UT students, faculty and staff by the University and allow them to enter campus buildings. The IDs also serve as passes to CapMetro buses and the dining halls for students who have meal plans.
The University officially announced the launch on Monday, which came after advocacy and support from the current Student Government executive alliance. SG proposed a bill advocating for digital IDs in April 2025, the executives’ first month in office. Since then, SG has advocated in conversations with the Office of the Dean of Students, Enterprise Technology and the President, leading to groundwork for this project.
“This represents a new focus on student experience in a digital realm, and I’m thrilled that it happened the right way, the right way means the students surfaced the need,” said Cole Camplese, an executive sponsor for the digital ID initiative. “That gave us the weight we needed to execute with the administration, and now we’re on a path to something fantastic.”
SG Vice President Thierry Chu said digital IDs were a priority for her and President Hudson Thomas’ campaign. Chu said the virtual IDs will help with convenience and decrease costs because students will not have to pay for lost physical IDs, in addition to security benefits. The University charges students $28 to replace lost physical IDs.
Heather Hanna, program director for the digital ID initiative, said the initiative is projected to take a couple of years due to the number of access channels each ID provides. Hanna said the project team must build systems that allow these different parts to communicate with each other and have a trial period to ensure the digital IDs work in all aspects, such as access to buildings, CapMetro free bus rides, Big Ticket access and more.
Hanna said the need for digital IDs has been known for many years, but it has never “gained a foothold” until now due to leadership changes, including the addition of Camplese and President Jim Davis, as well as SG advocacy.
“Their advocacy has been critical in this,” Hanna said. “Thierry and Hudson have been incredible to work with, and their commitment to serving the students of this University is outstanding. We could not be more appreciative of their engagement.”
Though Chu, a Plan II and English senior, will not be able to use the digital ID herself, she said it did not change her passion and drive to advocate for this initiative. She said it is rewarding to see the hard work pay off and hopes students know they have the power to create change.
“As a Student Government leader, it makes me extremely happy and proud of our incredible student body, to know at UT-Austin, you as a student are powerful,” Chu said. “You have the ability to change the experience and landscape of people’s time here in college.”