In 1998, Wells Fargo first linked their banking services to campus cards at Texas A&M and the University of Northern Colorado. By 2014, the bank had grown to support 37 institutions and their card programs.

But change was in the air.

A 2012 report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group raised concerns about some of practices of these programs and the fees charged to students. Scrutiny from Congress, the Department of Education, and the Consumer Financial Protection Board followed.

Bank partnerships from Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, SunTrust, TCF Bank, Commerce Bank and others provided a great service to students and a much-needed revenue stream to card programs.

Growth in the number of bank partnerships stalled, and many programs shifted to affinity debit cards rather than adding the functionality to the actual student ID.

Fast forward to Spring 2025 as the Wells Fargo Campus Card Program announced it was shutting down.

A note on the company’s website read, “Effective May 1, 2025, customers will no longer be able to open or link a new Wells Fargo Campus Card to checking and savings accounts. Customers with open Campus Cards will be sent information regarding their Campus Card closure and next steps.”

At the time of the program’s termination, Wells Fargo listed 17 remaining institutions:

• Auburn University
• California State University, Los Angeles
• California State University, Stanislaus
• Clemson University
• Florida A&M University
• Florida International University
• George Mason University
• Georgia State University
• Mercer University
• North Carolina A&T State University
• Texas A&M University - College Station
• Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
• University of Florida
• University of Nevada - Reno
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• University of Northern Colorado
• Virginia Commonwealth University

About the program

From its inception, the program offered optional banking services to students at participating institutions.

Company literature described it as a convenient means of accessing cash at ATMs and making purchases on- and off-campus by linking a Wells Fargo checking account to a student ID card or a dedicated affinity bank card.

The FIU experience

Florida International University provides a good example of what these campuses faced.

On Feb. 18, 2025, a letter was sent to FIU students, faculty, and staff from the institution’s Office of Business Services.

The subject line read: “Closure of Wells Fargo at FIU; Retail Banking Transition.” It detailed the program’s shutdown and how it would impact services.

Wells Fargo accounts linked to their FIU OneCards would “remain active” for an undefined period following the closure of the on-campus branch, but only for time.

The on-campus Wells Fargo branch and ATMs ceased operations on May 21, 2025.

Wells Fargo accounts linked to their FIU OneCards would “remain active” for an undefined period following the closure of the on-campus branch, but only for time.

“Wells Fargo will provide further communication to account holders beginning in March and running through this transition period,” the letter said.

It emphasized that OneCard functionality for access control and other campus services would not be impacted in any way.

FIU intends to replace Wells Fargo with another financial partner. “The Office of Business Services is actively working on a competitive solicitation to identify a financial institution to provide similar on-campus retail banking and ATM services with a goal of a summer 2025 opening,” they report.

End of an era

While the proverbial writing on the wall started a decade ago, the end of Wells Fargo’s trail blazing campus card program marks a somber occasion.

For 15 years, bank partnerships from Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, SunTrust, TCF Bank, Commerce Bank and others provided a great service to students and a much-needed revenue stream to card programs.

Bank partnerships are not dead, but Wells Fargo’s departure highlights the changes in the environment in recent years.