How to Obtain Your OneCard

1
All Photo Submissions Will Start With an Email
Students

Orientation students – You will receive an email from OneCard Office within 3 business days or sooner after registering for your orientation date.

New students not required to attend an orientation (e.g., graduate students) – You will receive an email from OneCard Office within five (5) business days after your enrollment date.

If you have not received an email by the expected time period, please email onecard@niu.edu.

All other students – If you are requesting a new OneCard, or you lost or damaged your OneCard ID, please proceed to step 4. If you want to request a new photo, please email onecard@niu.edu.
Faculty/Staff and Retirees - You will need to send an email to the OneCard Office at onecard@niu.edu using your NIU email account.

Please include the following:

A-ID

Proof of identification (driver's license, state ID, passport or military ID)

Special Access needs (key box, timeclock or register access)

Type of Card (new, damaged, or lost ID)

Retire Date (retirees only)

You will receive an email from the OneCard Office within 1-3 business days to submit your photo.
2

Guidelines for Uploading a Successful Photo

Provide a clear, recent color photo of only yourself (within 6 months)

Select a plain, light-colored background (no objects in view)

Make sure your full face is clearly visible (no hair covering the eyes or face, and no earbuds or sunglasses)

Face the camera straight-on and centered

Avoid photos of a photo (e.g., passport, license)

Capture from top of your head to your waist (include LOTS of space around head and body)

Submitted photo

Final Mobile OneCard

Below are examples of denied photos:

- Background
- Sunglasses

- Headwear
- Too Close

- Side/Profile

- Group
- Partial Head

- Hands/Gestures
- Face Expressions

- Grainy/Blurry

- Copyright
- Text
- Watermark

- Black & White
- Edited/Filters

NIU OneCard ID Services reserves the right to refuse any photos that do not meet our requirements. Failure to adhere to photo submission guidelines is subject to appropriate university action as deemed necessary. The photo on the Mobile OneCard ID is for identification, not social media.
3
Wait for Your Photo Approval or Denial Status
- You will be given status of your request via your NIU Z-ID student email or A-ID faculty/staff email within 2-3 business days on whether your photo was approved or denied.
- Approved photo – See step 4.
- Denied photo – Please review your denied email for the reason your photo was denied and resubmit a new photo according to the guidelines in step 2 listed above.
4
Receive Your Mobile OneCard ID
Your ID will be available for you on your phone.

To begin, you will need to follow the below steps (ensure you have accepted all wallet terms & conditions and have all current phone updates prior to starting this process).
1. Download the Transact eAccounts App
2. Follow the on-screen prompts until you select your school
3. Type "Northern Illinois University" in the search bar
4. Choose "SSO Login"
5. Follow the prompts to the login page
6. Enter your ZID@students.niu.edu (students) or AID@mail.niu.edu (faculty/staff)
7. Click "I Understand" to credentials are non-transferable and for personal use only
8. Click "Add" to your phone wallet
9. Click "Agree" to the Terms and Conditions
Congratulations, your NIU Mobile OneCard is now set up!
- Note: All new OneCard’s have following delays:
  - Library & Rec Center: 24 hours
  - Door Access: 15 minutes
  - Meal plan, printing, and all other functions: Immediate (no delay)