Apple and Google Wallet: the rise of digital ID cards for students

Published on 14th February 2025

Let's be real: students are the ultimate innovation playground. They're tech-savvy, always connected, and frankly, too smart to be lugging around clunky plastic ID cards that scream "outdated technology." 3 in 4 young people aged 18-24 now regularly make contactless payments from their phone, meaning that the majority don’t even have take out a wallet or carry cash when they leave the house.

The plastic problem

Picture this: a typical university which has 50,000 students will have approximately 250kg of plastic ID cards floating around campus. And let's be honest, how many of those end up lost, damaged, or forgotten at the bottom of a backpack?

The traditional campus ID is basically a Swiss Army knife of student functionality:

Building access
Accommodation entry
Lecture attendance tracking
Library and printing services
Meal tabs
Student status verification

But here's the kicker: physical cards are a security nightmare waiting to happen.

The security circus

Lost your card? Congratulations, you've just opened a potential security breach. Anyone who finds that card could potentially:

Access restricted areas
Use your meal credits
Impersonate you across campus

And the administrative nightmare? Don't even get us started. Lose your card, and you're looking at:

Trudging to the reception desk
Filling out replacement forms
Waiting for a new card to be printed
Potentially paying a replacement fee

We've already got self-driving cars and AI that can write poetry, but students are still dealing with medieval ID systems?

Student ID and Campus ID from Apple and Google

Digital wallet cards aren't just an upgrade—they're a completely new way to do ID. Apple (Student ID) and Google (Campus ID) are leading the charge with their student ID solutions that transform your smartphone into the ultimate campus pass.

The digital advantage

Students now don’t have to worry about forgetting their ID. When your phone is always with you, your campus ID pass is always within reach. But it's more than just convenience:

Push Notifications: Instant campus-wide alerts directly to your device
NFC Magic: Tap and go with super-secure phone scanning
Flexible Access: Choose between phone or smartwatch
Intelligent Display: Your campus pass automatically shows on your lock screen when you're near campus
Enhanced Identity Verification: Direct digital issuance means better student identity confirmation

Huge environment and cost savings

Let's do some quick maths:

By going digital, universities can save a whopping 250kg of plastic per 50,000 students.
Administrative overheads are reduced as it’s simply a case of issuing a pass to each student’s phone from anywhere.
Since there’s no card to replace or re-programme, the replacement costs are significantly lower.

The innovative way to ID and control student access

Universities are no longer just educational institutions, they're technology innovation hubs. Digital wallet IDs are just the beginning. Imagine campus access, payments, and identity verification becoming as seamless as ordering a ride-share or paying for coffee.

Students aren't just adapting to technology, they're driving it. And digital campus IDs? They're just another proof point.

Pro Tip: To universities still clinging to plastic cards—the future is calling, and it wants its innovation back.

How to get started

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