Frequent Asked Questions
Bear Bucks is a stored value account accessed with your R'Card. It is free with your purchase of a card and there are no account fees. Make prepayments to your account in any amount, and then use your R'Card to purchase numerous products and services on and off campus. You never lose your Bear Bucks - they carry over from one quarter to the next and from year to year. Bear Bucks are safe, fast, and convenient to use.
Your account is activated and ready for you to add value at any time as soon as your card is printed. You can then add funds to your account by logging into My Card Account and following these directions:
- You will be redirected to the UCR Central Authentication Services screen. You will need your UCR NetID and password to log on to your BearBucks account.
You are now set up with your own personal Bear Bucks account which will provide you with information on your purchases and activities regarding this account.
NOTE: The R'Card can be used as a debit card at many locations on and off campus. It is not a credit or charge card program, no cash withdrawals or cash advances are permitted. In order to use the R'Card as a debit card, you must deposit funds. It also does not accrue interest or other earnings. The University accepts and holds prepaid funds, and applies these funds to purchases of goods and services made with your Account. Other than Account closing and refund fees, the University will not charge any fees for the use of your Account.
What is the difference between Dining Dollars and Bear Bucks?
Dining Dollars are administered through Dining Services and are for food only. When you use Dining Dollars you do not have to pay sales tax (Students). Dining Dollars expire each academic year, so you should make sure you use all of your Dining dollars before they expire. For more information please visit Housing Services.
Bear Bucks can be used for food as well as many other things including books, snacks, and general merchandise. Bear Bucks never expire unless you graduate and do not request to close the account.
Can I have both Dining Dollars and Bear Bucks?
The short answer is "YES". Both accounts are accessed with your R'Card and many students choose to have both since they compliment each other well. At on campus Dining locations if you have Dining Dollars those will be charged first for your purchase and Bear Bucks charged second. If you have both it is your responsibility to tell the cashier which account you want to use.
Can I transfer funds from Dining Dollars to Bear Bucks?
NO, since Dining Dollars are administered by Dining Services and Bear Bucks are administered by the UCR Card Office, there is no way to transfer funds from one account to the other.
Can anyone other than the account holder obtain an account statement or other information about where Bear Bucks have been spent?
No, it is our policy to only release account information to the account holder (the student or employee who has a R'Card and Bear Bucks account). In addition, Federal statutes prohibit us from releasing any account information to parents (regardless of where the funds came from) unless the student is under 18 years of age or has signed a release form granting access to grades and other restricted information. This release form is available from the Registrar's Office.