Benefits and Services

As a BIS student, you are entitled to most of the same benefits and services available to U.Va. students in fulll-time programs.  We encourage you to take advantage of these benefits and services to ensure success during your time at U.Va.

Benefits:  BIS students pay a student fee each term they register for class. The fee amount is the same no matter how many courses a student is registered to take during that term. The fee pays for and provides students with a variety of benefits.  However, BIS students are not granted all of the benefits available to U.Va. students in full-time residential programs who pay a larger fee each term.

Here are the benefits you receive as a BIS student:

Email Account: BIS students receive U.Va. email accounts as well as U.Va. Information Technology and Communication (ITC) support for these accounts. Students are provided access to all virus and program downloads through ITC. Students are also allowed to create their own personal website through U.Va. For more information regarding ITC support,  visit http://www.itc.virginia.edu.

Gym Use: Your student fee provides access to the use of the fitness facilities. You must present an active U.Va. student ID each time you use a gym.  If you are a U.Va. employee and receive tuition waiver for the BIS program, your student fee is also waived. In this case, you are offered a discounted rate to purchase membership to the gyms.  Learn more.

Athletic Events: BIS students do not receive free tickets to the men's basketball or football games, nor are they entitled to purchase student discount tickets to these events. However, you can pay a fee per semester to the Ticket Office to have your U.Va. ID activated to attend all home football games. This purchase also makes you eligible to purchase student discount guest tickets for the games. All BIS students are eligible for free or discounted tickets for other team sports at the University with an ID. Check for more information regarding ticket costs, discounts, and events.  Learn more.

Arts Events:  A $75 value in ARTS$  is given to each BIS student enrolled in the fall or spring term.  ARTS$ may be used for payment at any U.Va. function accepting ARTS$ (e.g., plays, concerts, art exhibits). $60 can be applied to multiple U.Va. events, with the remaining $15 applied towards the fall Charlottesville Film Festival.  An active U.Va. student ID must be presented at the time of ticket purchase or pick up.

Bookstore:  The Bookstore activates a $500 account for all BIS students each term of enrollment. You may use this account for purchases at the bookstore by showing an active U.Va. student ID. You will be billed by the bookstore for any purchases made on these accounts.

Cavalier Advantage:  Cavalier Advantage is an account on your student ID card.  The account is activated once funds have been deposited with the University.  It eliminates the need to carry coins and offers discounts on copy machines and more.  Learn more.

Safe Ride:  All students are provided with University Transit and Police services as well as access to Safe Ride. The U.Va. Police Department and Student Council operate a van service that provides safe rides for students. Students can get rides by calling 242-1122 between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. There is a second van that picks up students at Clemons Library every 30 minutes between the above hours.  Safe Ride does not operate during inclement weather.

LNEC:  Even though BIS students are not eligible to purchase Student Health Insurance, they are eligible to take advantage of some of the services offered by the Learning Needs and Evaluation Center (LNEC). For more information regarding specific benefits and procedures, contact the BIS Office or your faculty advisor.  Visit the LNEC website.

Leave:  If a BIS student takes a leave of absence for a term, like all University students, they are placed on official leave for which they are charged a fee. Aside from being a place holder for the student's spot in the program, this fee operates much like the student fee and provides the student with an active email and U.Va. ID account. Students on leave will not be able to use the gyms during the fall and spring terms.  However, students on leave may use the gyms during the summer term. On leave students will always have use of Cavalier Advantage as well as an active account at the U.Va. Bookstore.

Services