Dear UIC students, faculty and staff:

UIC students who opt into U-PASS have the option to add Metra Rail as part of the U-PASS+ program. This will allow unlimited rides across any line except the Southshore line, providing UIC students with unprecedented access to the Chicagoland area and beyond.

For U-PASS details and to add Metra Rail, visit go.uic.edu/upassplus.

All opt statuses reset to opt out at the start of each fall semester. For fall 2026, the CTA U-PASS and U-PASS+ are available for all students taking 6+ credit hours. Students who wish to participate must set their status to opt in.

• Fall U-PASS and U-PASS+ will be active from Aug. 19 – Dec. 16, 2026 (dates for the College of Medicine are Aug. 12 – Dec. 23, and for the College of Dentistry, Aug. 26 – Dec 23).
• The deadline to opt out for the fall 2026 U-PASS and U-PASS+ is Sept. 9 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
• After Sept. 27, the opt status cannot change for the remainder of the fall semester. No exceptions can be made for missing the opt deadline.
• Students who drop below 6 credit hours before the add/drop deadline will have their U-PASS deactivated.
• Students who opt in but are not registered with the required minimum of credit hours will not be eligible and will not be assessed the fee.
• Fees:
  • Fall 2026 U-PASS (CTA) is $163 for most students (College of Medicine is $175)
  • Fall 2026 U-PASS+ (CTA + Metra) is $380 for most students (College of Medicine is $399)

U-PASS distribution will occur Aug. 19, 20, 21, 24 and 25 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., in Student Center East below the bowling alley (750 S. Halsted St.).

We encourage all students to review their current opt status to confirm it is set correctly at go.uic.edu/fall_upass. For students with existing U-PASS cards, the standard policies on lost/replacement cards will be enforced.

Faculty or staff can also take advantage of UIC’s commuter benefit.

Sincerely,

Sharron M. Evans
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

For more information, please contact:
UIC ID Center
idcenter@uic.edu