Contactless Student IDs on iPhone and Apple Watch Now Available for Santa Clara University Students - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Contactless Student IDs on iPhone and Apple Watch Now Available for Santa Clara University Students

Students at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California are now able to add their ACCESS student IDs to the Wallet app on the iPhone and the Apple Watch, allowing their devices to be used to access buildings, attend athletic events, purchase meals, check out library books, and more.

contactlessstudentid
Once a student ID card has been added into the Wallet app, students can use an iPhone or Apple Watch in lieu of a physical card by holding their device near a reader. The contactless student ID can be used anywhere the physical ID card is required.

Santa Clara University is located close to Apple's Cupertino headquarters, and it was one of the universities that worked with Apple and partner company Transact during the pilot program for contactless student IDs.

SCU expects that most of its 5,500 undergraduate students will be using the mobile student ID system by the end of the year.

Apple first announced plans to bring contactless student IDs to iPhone and Apple Watch at the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference, and rolled out the first IDs in October 2018.

Since then, Apple has added additional universities to the program, and participants include Marshall University, Clemson University, Duke University, University of Oklahoma, University of Alabama, Georgetown University, University of Tennessee, University of Kentucky, University of San Francisco, University of Vermont, Arkansas State University, South Dakota State University, Norfolk State University, Louisburg College, University of North Alabama, and Chowan University.

Popular Stories

All Screen iPhone 2030 Feature Sans Text

iPhone 18 Pro: Nine Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 7, 2026 5:01 am PDT by
Apple is set to unveil new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models on Wednesday, September 9, and the devices are expected to feature a design that's largely similar to the iPhone 17 Pro models, with a peppering of enhancements inside. Major changes are not expected until next year, when Apple is expected to introduce a radically redesigned 20th-anniversary iPhone. If you're thinking of...
iPhone 18 Pro Dark Cherry Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Reportedly Starts With 256GB of Storage

Thursday September 3, 2026 9:22 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro has double the base storage compared to the iPhone 16 Pro, there will apparently be no further increase this year. Taiwanese research firm TrendForce today again reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models will start with 256GB of storage, like the iPhone 17 Pro models. Minimum storage capacities by model:iPhone 16 Pro: 128GB iPhone 17 Pro: 256GB iPhone 18 Pro...
Foldable iPhone Ultra Still Likely to Be Missing These Five Features 16x9 1

Foldable 'iPhone Ultra' Still Likely to Be Missing These Five Features

Friday September 4, 2026 3:00 pm PDT by
Apple's first foldable iPhone, dubbed the "iPhone Ultra," is expected to launch without at least four features that will be present on the iPhone 18 Pro models, despite a price tag of at least $2,000. The iPhone Air lacks Ultra Wide and Telephoto rear cameras, a SIM card slot, and stereo speakers. With a super thin design, a titanium frame, and a glass back, the iPhone Ultra is expected to ...

Top Rated Comments

85 months ago

So you did not access buildings there, attend athletic events, purchase meals, and more? Do not, others do it.
Locks on campus doors have become much more prevalent in recent years both due to "security incidents" and actually increased awareness of the sensitivity of research data and IP.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
85 months ago

how do you do this? I have a contactless card and cannot find any way to do this ...

Include me, I like to know how you do this.
On an iPhone of course...
No endorsements:
https://passninja.com/
https://passkit.com/
https://www.passsource.com/
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
85 months ago

Is there any way available to contact this feature for personal use? For instance, could I make an app for a private club, add that club's membership card to the wallet app, and use it to open magnetically locked doors, pay member dues, etc? Or is this feature set not available to devs?
Yes, via NFC enabled passes. You can do it yourself or there's third-party services to simplify it.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
85 months ago

What a time to be alive!
It’s also a great time to be undead, as it turns out.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonblatho Avatar
85 months ago
This feature is so great. I got to use it at OU for much of my last year there.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justperry Avatar
85 months ago

Yes, via NFC enabled passes. You can do it yourself or there's third-party services to simplify it.

how do you do this? I have a contactless card and cannot find any way to do this ...
Include me, I like to know how you do this.
On an iPhone of course...




I already use my watch for the vending machine at work. It would be nice to also be able to use it for building access.
That's ApplePay (I think), different animal.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)