Mobile IDs are fast becoming commonplace for college students, and it seems off-campus housing may not be far behind. The Collective at Norman – a student housing community serving the University of Oklahoma – launched a complete mobile wallet experience replacing traditional keys, fobs, and Bluetooth-only credentials.

The partnership between Allegion, software developer Quext, and student housing company Preiss with its innovation arm IRIS Technologies, sparked over a meeting in 2024, explains Tyler Webb, Mobile Ambassador at Allegion. With many colleges already launching mobile student IDs through native wallet credentials, the group thought they could bring the same experience students already enjoyed on campus to off-campus housing.

Because the mobile ID has offline functionality, the units have seen a 100% reduction in after-hours lockouts. System access stays operational even if student devices are offline or battery-restricted.

“Our vision was to bridge the gap for student experiences to provide the same ease of access where students are living and learning,” says Webb.

Where students in the past used multiple credentials or keys for home and campus access, the Campus-to-Community Student Living solution allows residents a simple and secure mobile ID through Apple Wallet and Google Wallet – no app required. According to Webb, this is the nation’s first off-campus student housing community to deliver a complete mobile wallet access experience.

Aggressive timelines and solid partnerships

Software provider Quext began integration work in late 2024. When it came for launch, Webb describes it as a Herculean effort that they were able to finish in only a few weeks, issuing credentials for each resident through their app.

Allegion provides and manages the credentials and hardware, including its Schlage XE360 mobile-enabled wireless locks, readers, and controllers on the units and suites. IRIS Technology worked as a security and technology consultant for the owner and developer, Preiss.

The Collective at Norman is the flagship deployment of the partner’s new Campus-to-Community Student Living solution, and feedback looks promising.

Benefits for students and housing staff

Because the mobile ID has offline functionality, the units have seen a 100% reduction in after-hours lockouts. System access stays operational even if student devices are offline or battery-restricted, meaning fewer credential-related services requests and a decrease in staff time devoted to troubleshooting.

“Quext uses smart thermostats that act as a hub for the locks, turning them online,” explains Webb. “We configure each lock to ‘look’ for the Allegion credential, essentially brokering a secure handshake at the time the credential is presented to the lock. This prevents the resident from having to open the wallet and select the correct credential.”

Student move-in days have become more streamlined without front-desk bottlenecks. Residents are provisioning their credentials prior to move in and then just presenting their phone on arrival.

While The Collective at Norman is considered university accommodations, it is owned and operated by the private student housing developer Preiss. Thus, it requires a credential separate from the university system.

But thanks to the native wallet experience, students no longer need separate apps or physical credentials for access to each area. The credential lives in their smartphone or smartwatch, making the user experience at the Priess-owned residential community the same as the students have come to enjoy across the rest of the University of Oklahoma campus. When students move from on campus housing, their access experience stays the same.

Webb also notes that student move-in days have become more streamlined without front-desk bottlenecks. “We’re seeing students and residents provisioning their credentials prior to move in, and then just presenting their phone on arrival,” he says. “It works like magic.”

The collaboration between Quext, Allegion, Preiss, and IRIS Technologies suggest more growth opportunities in the future. The industry has recognized the pioneering work, awarding two Innovator Awards at InterFace Student Housing 2026 for the Oklahoma deployment.

“None of this is done without partnerships,” concludes Webb. “Quext and IRIS have been phenomenal partners with our shared vision, and we’re very excited to bring this to the world.”