FAQs

Please see our eligibility page for an updated list of requirements.

Due to our limited on-campus student experience this year, the CTA has granted Loyola University Chicago the ability to offer an opt-out option for students who wish to waive their U-Pass fee. This option will be evaluated each term by the CTA and updated below as soon as information becomes available. Any student may opt-out of the U-Pass fee during the time frame listed below for their respective program's semester/quarter. For any questions on the opt-out process, please visit our page. 

Spring 2025

The Spring 2025 waiver site is now open. Please click here for the form. The last day to waive is Monday, January 27th. For Graduate Business students, the last day is Wednesday, February 19th.

Military or Paratransit Pass

If you have a military service or paratransit pass through the CTA, you may be eligible to have your U-Pass fee waived. If you have either pass, email upass@luc.edu to find out about a waiver. 

Spring 2025:

The Spring 2025 opt-in site is now open. Please click here for further instructions.

You must be part of an eligible group or school to receive the U-Pass. Students under 6 credit hours as an undergraduate or graduate student do not qualify for the U-Pass and will not be charged.

If a student drops below the required graded credit hours within or after the 10 day add/drop date (10 days from the start of the semester), their U-Pass will be turned off and the student will be credited the U-Pass fee.

If a student adds credit hours making them eligible within the add/drop date (10 days), they will be charged for the U-Pass and one will be made for them after the U-Pass team runs a report on that 10th day. Your eligibility for U-Pass is based on your graded credit hours; If you enroll by the drop / add date for a “W”, then you get the pass. If you add or drop courses after this date, then no U-pass will be issued.

The U-Pass fees are as follows: 

 Spring Term 2025: 

• $160 for Undergraduate/Graduate students
• $118 for Quinlan Graduate Business students
• $174 for Law students
• $127 for Arrupe College students

This fee is included in student tuition fees valid from the beginning of the semester until the last day of final exams each semester.  This fee is non-refundable.

The fee covers the charge by CTA for the pass and a small administrative fee.

Arrupe College students will not see a separate U-Pass fee. The cost of their U-Pass is included as part of their Student Development/ Student Activities fee. 

No, CTA requires us to assess all students in programs that accept the program and are eligible. The eligibility is decided by the school or program. We encourage students to pick up the U-Pass.

The CTA requires the university to assess all eligible students in order for us to participate in this program. For a waiver due to disability, the disability must be documented and the CTA must be unable to accommodate the disability for a waiver to be granted. Please contact the U-Pass office directly at upass@luc.edu.

U-Pass allows for unlimited use on all CTA trains and bus lines. A student cannot reuse their pass for 10-15 minutes on the same bus or train.

The U-Pass portion is only eligible on CTA buses and trains. Students may add their own funds to use the card as a normal transit card on PACE. The Ventra U-Pass does not work on Metra.

Please visit our lost/stolen card help page for instructions on how to replace your U-Pass.

• Check at a Ventra machine, on the Ventra website or app, or at https://www.ventrachicago.com/balance/ for a negative balance. If there is a negative balance, add money to bring the card to a $0.00 balance and the card should work.
• If the card will not read at all at the Ventra machine there are two options:

a ) For a no cost replacement (damaged card): Go to Ventra Customer Service at 165 N. Jefferson Ave, Mon -Fri 8:00am-4:30pm. If Ventra determines the card is not reading, they will issue a 7-day transit pass and a Ventra Defective Card Replacement Form. Bring the form to the Damen Student Center Information Desk so they can order a replacement U-Pass free of charge.

b) To pay for a replacement: Check here for detailed information on ordering a replacement U-Pass: https://www.luc.edu/upass/u-passtroubleshooting/loststolencard 

As per Loyola University Chicago U-Pass policy, a U-Pass must be used by the person named and pictured on the pass; it cannot be transferred or sold at any time.

Violations of CTA policies (especially this one) are considered a form of fraud.  CTA and its representatives reserve the right to verify any assumed fraudulent activity. CTA will confiscate any improperly used cards and suspend that student from the U-Pass program for up to one year. Additionally, CTA does have the ability to press criminal charges.

CTA will contact students directly on any confiscations and their procedures. For more information regarding confiscations when/if they occur, please follow the instructions listed in the official confiscation letter issued by CTA. 

Please email upass@luc.edu with any questions or concerns about U-Pass.

You may also contact CTA at 1-888-Your CTA (1-888-968-7282) or email them at cta-upass@transitchicago.com. 

Keep your U-Pass for the entirety of your college career! The U-Pass portion of the card will be automatically reactivated at the beginning of any semester you are eligible and deactivated at the end of the semester: you can check dates here - ACTIVATION DATES

The card can always be used as a regular full-fare Ventra card during any semester you are not eligible for a U-Pass.

When your card is close to expiration per the date on the back, Ventra will automatically send the U-Pass department a replacement and we'll email you when it's ready to be picked up.

Don't worry! The U-Pass card will expire at the END of the month specified: so if the expiration date is 2/2020, it will expire 2/29/2020, for example. Closer to when the pass expires, Ventra will automatically send our department a replacement for you at no cost to you. You will receive an email when it arrives and is ready to be picked up.

Please note: If you have opted out, a replacement card will not be ordered for you until the next term you are eligible and active. In the meantime, you can purchase a temporary card at any CTA kiosk.

Because the U-Pass is a pass loaded on to your account and not actual funds added, you won't see a positive balance on your U-Pass unless you add your own funds. You will instead see a pass added.