Using the university ID card for off-campus food purchases isn't a new concept, but when it makes landfall at a university for the first time, it's still a big deal for students. Now students at Peterborough, Ontario's Trent University are using their campus cards to pay for meals off campus through a partnership between the university and local cafes.

As reported by The Peterborough Examiner, off-campus meals are the latest feature to be added to Trent's UCard, as students already use their cards for physical access to residence halls and exam room sign in. As with other universities, Trent students can go online to load money on their cards and make purchases at campus bookstores, restaurants and other on-campus locations.

This latest initiative will join a host of other campus card services, and marks the first time student IDs will be accepted at off-campus restaurants. The three initial locations are frequented by Trent students and according to the report, the students themselves were asked in a survey to choose three businesses at which to use their cards.

As is the case at other institutions, university officials explain that by using Trent's UCard to pay means that students can avoid paying bank fees. Another benefit for Trent students is that the campus card can be de-activated and replaced all in the same day if it's lost, unlike a bank card. Students or their parents can reload the UCard online and add money to the card at any time.