U•Pass

U•Pass® Student Transit Program for Metro & Metrobus

GW participates in the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) U•Pass program, which provides students unlimited use of Metrorail and Metrobus. 

The U•Pass Program brings significant savings to students while taking cars off the road by incentivizing the use of public transit.

Program Participation

Eligibility

All students taking in-person courses, at least one credit hour, across GW’s campuses in the DC region are eligible to participate in the U•Pass Program by paying a fee.

Students studying abroad, taking online-only courses, in continuous enrollment status, or considered non-degree-seeking are not eligible. 

Enrollment

Full-time undergraduate students in CCAS, ESIA, GWSB, Milken, and SEAS taking in-person courses are automatically enrolled in the U•Pass Program and charged each semester. These students do not need to take action to enroll.

The following students must pre-pay to participate in the program:

• Undergraduate students in the College of Professional Studies (CPS), School of Nursing (SON), and School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) enrolled in any on-campus credits.
• Undergraduate students enrolled part-time (0-11 credits) in any on-campus credits.
• Graduate, medical, doctoral, and law students in the JD and LLM programs and exchange students enrolled in any on-campus credits. 

Follow the steps below to pre-pay the non-refundable fee to your student account:

1. Log in to Banner/GWeb
2. Select ‘Student Accounts’ and then ‘Student Account eBill’
3. Select ‘Make a Payment’
4. Press ‘+’ under ‘U•Pass fee’ to add the U•Pass fee
5. Select ‘Pay Now’ by credit/debit card
6. Make sure you save and submit. If successful, you will see a pop-up screen indicating payment has been made.

Program Fees

For the 2026-2027 academic year, the participation fee is $115 for undergraduate students and $130 for graduate, law, and medical students per semester.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can U•Pass® be used for regional public transit options or at commuter parking lots?

Metro seeks to expand service throughout the region; however, at this time, U•Pass cannot be used on regional partner services, including, but not limited to ART, CUE, DASH, D.C. Circulator, Fairfax Connector, Loudoun Commuter Bus, PRTC, Ride On, Ride on Express, The Bus, and/or MTA.

Additionally, U•Pass® cannot be used on MetroAccess paratransit services, to pay for parking at any of the commuter lots, or for stored value.

I have a disability and use MetroAccess. Will I have to pay to use U•Pass®?

U•Pass® is not available to MetroAccess paratransit-eligible students.

MetroAccess paratransit-eligible students with conditional eligibility may already be issued a MetroAccess SmarTrip® ID card, which enables free rides on Metrobus and Metrorail. Additional information is available at wmata.com/MetroAccess.

How do I connect my U•Pass® to my phone apps?

If you have an iPhone 8 (or newer) and/or an Apple Watch Series 5 (or newer) running on the latest version of iOS; in just a few easy steps, you can transfer your physical  U-Pass card to Apple Wallet. 

At this time, per WMATA, the U-Pass card cannot be added to your Google Wallet.

I have my own SmarTrip Card from Metro. Can I add my GW U•Pass® card to my personal SmarTrip Card?

The GW U•Pass® card cannot be added to your personal SmarTrip card. Students can only use the U•Pass® card during the fall and spring semesters. Students cannot use the U•Pass® card during winter break or during the summer months. We encourage you to keep your personal SmarTrip card for use outside of the fall and spring semesters.

I lost my GW U•Pass® card. How do I get a new one?

Please visit the GWorld Card Office during normal business hours to pick up a new card. Please note that students will pay a $20 replacement fee associated with lost/stolen cards and malfunctioning cards in their Apple Wallet.

My U•Pass card does not work. What should I do?

If you have a non-functioning U•Pass® card, please ask for assistance from the Metrorail station manager or Metrobus driver. If Metro is not able to determine why your card does not work, please email upassgwu [dot] edu.

If your U•Pass® card deactivates, please visit the GWorld Card Office during normal business hours to pick up a new card.

How much money will I save in transportation costs?

Your cost savings will depend on how often you ride Metro during the academic year. As an example, a Metro trip three times a week to and from your fall semester internship on Capitol Hill would cost approximately $205 for the semester, netting you a cost savings just from trips related to your internship.

To compare normal fares to U•Pass® to see how much money you could save, check out Metro’s Trip Planner and fare schedule.

Since this is a mandatory student fee, can I use my financial aid to pay?

Mandatory student fees are incorporated into a student’s total cost of attendance and will be factored in when calculating your financial aid package. When paying for tuition, room and board and fees, you will be able to use any financial aid you receive toward paying this student fee.