Santa Clara University Offers Contactless Student IDs on iPhone and Apple Watch
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 24, 2020—Santa Clara University students, faculty and staff can now add their ACCESS student ID card to Apple Wallet, and use their iPhone and Apple Watch to access buildings, attend athletic events, purchase meals, check out books from the library and more.
Once they’ve set up their ACCESS student ID in Apple Wallet, students can complete any transaction—on or off campus— that would have previously required a physical student ID card by simply holding their iPhone or Apple Watch near a reader.
Situated in the heart of Silicon Valley, just down the road from Apple’s headquarters, Santa Clara University was excited to partner with Transact and Apple during the initial pilot program. Transact Mobile Credential is the credential solution provider that offers NFC-enabled contactless mobile IDs for iPhone and Apple Watch.
“We are pleased that we could work closely with Apple and Transact to bring the ease and convenience of using just iPhone or Watch to get around on and off campus to all of our students,“ said Robin Reynolds, associate vice president for Auxiliary Services.
SCU expects to have the majority of its 5,500 undergraduate students utilizing the mobile ACCESS credential by the end of the academic year. Santa Clara students are using their mobile credentials and enjoying faster, secure transactions.
“It makes grabbing my papers from the printer or picking a snack up from The Cellar on my way to lab that much faster and more manageable when I’m running late. I’m really glad we finally got this,” said SCU student Nick Potter.
For a technologically savvy generation of students, setting up ACCESS student ID on iPhone and Apple Watch is easy. Students download Transact’s eAccounts app, authenticate with their university credentials and then add their SCU mobile ACCESS card to their Apple Wallet.
Santa Clara’s ACCESS student ID in Apple Wallet is not only convenient, it also provides an extra level of security. In the past, students would regularly return to SCU’s ACCESS office to replace lost or stolen ID cards. Now, students no longer have to worry about misplacing their physical card. School credentials are also protected by two-factor authentication.
“SCU’s mobile credential has elevated the user experience to a more secure, seamless and convenient user experience,” said Nirmal Palliyaguru, director of ACCESS services at SCU.
About Santa Clara University
Founded in 1851, Santa Clara University sits in the heart of Silicon Valley—the world’s most innovative and entrepreneurial region. The University’s stunningly landscaped 106-acre campus is home to the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asís. Ranked among the top 15 percent of national universities by U.S. News & World Report, SCU has among the best four-year graduation rates in the nation and is rated by PayScale in the top 1 percent of universities with the highest-paid graduates. SCU has produced elite levels of Fulbright Scholars as well as four Rhodes Scholars. With undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, and graduate programs in six disciplines, the curriculum blends high-tech innovation with social consciousness grounded in the tradition of Jesuit, Catholic education. For more information see www.scu.edu.
Media Contact
Deepa Arora | SCU Media Communications | darora@scu.edu | 408-554-5125