Students participating in the College Edge program are encouraged to review the Information for new students guide for general U-PASS and parking information.
Because the Universal Student U-PASS on your Husky Card doesn’t activate until a week before the start of autumn quarter, please review the transit pass options below for getting around via public transit during your time with College Edge.
If you plan on parking during College Edge and into autumn quarter, please review your parking permit options below.
Transit pass options
To determine the best option for your needs, consider the frequency you plan to use transit.
- 1-2 round-trip rides/week = purchase a regular ORCA card (not a UW product)
- 3+ round-trip rides/week = purchase a temporary or opt-in U-PASS from Transportation Services
- Any number of rides/week = purchase an ORCA LIFT pass (if you qualify based on household income)
ORCA card
ORCA (One Regional Card for All) is the regional transit pass program for use on seven regional transit agencies. To learn more about ORCA and where to buy it, visit the ORCA website. The card gives you the option to purchase a monthly pass or load money onto an e-purse that can be used each time you travel. If you are under 19 years old, you can sign up for a Youth ORCA card allowing you to ride for free until your 19th birthday.
Temporary pass
Students who are not eligible for the Universal Student U-PASS or who wish to purchase coverage for a time when that pass doesn’t apply may be eligible to purchase a temporary or opt-in U-PASS. Please contact the Transportation Services office at ucommute@uw.edu or 206-221-3701. The fee is pro-rated based on the period covered.
ORCA LIFT
Your household income may qualify you for reduced transit fares through the ORCA LIFT program. You can learn more and apply online by visiting the King County Public Health website.
Parking permit
Students participating in the College Edge program or who are in an academic program that starts more than 12 days before autumn quarter starts may purchase a parking permit beginning August 5. The cost of the parking permit is based on when you purchase it and the length of the permit.
To purchase a parking permit, follow these steps:
- Starting August 5, log into the Transportation Services online customer portal with your UW NetID.
- Click “Get Permits”.
- Select the academic quarter-based parking permit you would like to purchase (SOV / Fall Quarter (for Residents) or E18 Value / Fall Quarter (for Commuters)). Products are listed alphabetically. If you do not see the academic quarter-based permit you would like to purchase, this may mean you are not in the student database. You will need to have that resolved in order to purchase a student parking permit.
- Continue through the purchasing process to finalize the purchase of your parking permit.
For further questions regarding parking permits, please contact the Transportation Services sales office at ucommute@uw.edu or 206-221-3701 from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday.