Western ONECard and Photo Standards

The ONECard ordering system will be available for students beginning at these dates:

Undergraduate Students:

• May 1: for Summer starts
• June 1: for Fall starts

Master's and PhD Students:

• December 1: for Winter starts
• August 1: for Fall starts
• April 1: for Summer starts

Graduate Students starting in Fall 2024 can pick up their cards on or after August 28^th (see pick up times for more information). Graduate Students not starting in September 2024 can pick up their cards 2 business days after uploading in Student Central at the Info Desk. If you are an International student your term must have been activated the day before you request a card.  

Interns & Residents (post MD):

• Interns & Residents can pick up their cards 2 business days after uploading and paying in Student Central at the Info Desk.

• Undergraduate, Professional (Medicine, Dentistry, Law) and Education students can pick up their cards 2 business days after uploading and paying in Student Central at the Info Desk.
• Undergraduate students beginning in Fall 2024 must order their Western ONECard at westernone.uwo.ca by August 2. If ordered by the deadline, you can pick up your card from Student Central starting August 28.

To order your Western ONECard, you must go online at visit: http://westernone.uwo.ca. To order your card there are some steps you must follow:

• Verify your name
• Upload your Governemnt-issued photo ID
• Upload a photo for your card
• Upload proof of citizenship or study permit

As you complete these steps, you will see the colour and status change The bar will turn to green and the status will say "Submitted" or "Approved".

"Submitted" status looks like:

"Approved" status looks like:

Verifying Your Name

You must verify your name when ordering your card. If your name does not match your government-issued photo ID, your ONECard order may be delayed while we review your documents.

If you have a preferred name that is different that your legal name that you'd like used on your Western ONECard, fill out a preferred name change form and email it to contact@uwo.ca.

Uploading Government-issued Photo ID

For this step, you must upload a scanned copy or photo of your government issued photo ID (e.g. passport or driver's license) so that we can ensure your legal name matches the name we have on file for you and your photos are similar. The information will only be viewed by the Office of the Registrar staff who issue Western ONECards. 

Uploading a Photo

Photos should be similar in nature to a passport photo and will remain on your Western ONECard for the duration of your studies at Western. Western reserves the right to not produce a Western ONECard where the photo submitted does not meet the above criteria.

Note: This photo will follow you throughout your studies here at Western and will be used for reference by your professors when conducting your evaluations. Please carefully consider whether the photo you are submitting is one you wish evaluators to see.

For more information about photo upload standard, view the step below "Western ONECard Photo Standards."

Your Western ONECard is an important piece of photo identification.
Pictures that do not meet the following standards will not be accepted.

Pictures should be no larger than 400X600 pixels and must be a picture file (eg. jpg)

Your Photo Must:

• Have you looking straight into the camera (i.e. no tilting of the head or side shots of the face)
• Be from the neck-up only and show your entire face
• Have a neutral or smiling facial expression
• Be in colour
• Be of good quality (i.e. is not blurry, or grainy)
• Have NO FILTERS

Your Photo Cannot:

• Contain hats, sunglasses, or graduation caps
• Have inappropriate expressions
• Have anything obstructing the view of your face (e.g. no hands on your chin or side of your face). 
• Have filters
• Have shadows behind you
• Have glare on prescription glasses
• Be a scan of your driver's license, passport, health card, etc.

You can check the status of your Western ONECard online at westernone.uwo.ca. A status bar will appear at the top of the page. Your Request Status will read "Pending" while it is being processed and "Printed" once we have printed your card.

We are not mailing Western ONECards at this time. Distance students do not require a physical card. They can use the Digital Western ONECard to show they are a student.

Current students can pick up your Western ONECard at the Info Desk in Student Central in the Western Student Services Building during our regular business hours (10:00 am - 4:00 pm, Monday - Friday).

To pick up your card, you will need a government-issued photo ID such as your driver's license or passport.

If you're starting undergraduate classes in fall 2024, you must order your Western ONECard at westernone.uwo.ca by August 2. If you ordered by the deadline, you can pick up your card starting August 28. Please NOTE:  All students living in Residence should check with their Residence unit first to see if their card is there. If the card is not at their Residence, they can pick it up at Student Central at the pick-up times shown below.

If you lose your Western ONECard and it has a meal plan on it, report it as lost to any cashier on campus or to Student Central and it will immediately be deactivated. You are responsible for all transactions or loss of funds prior to deactivation. If you find your card after it has been deactivated, you need to bring the card to Student Central to have it reactivated as long as it is the most recent issuance.

Note: A $40 fee applies for ALL replacement Western ONECards

The Western ONECard is issued to you as part of the items to which you are entitled as a member of the Western community and under the Dos and Don'ts of use. Please read all terms, as they constitute the legal obligations between you and the University.

Although the card is the property of The University of Western Ontario, it is entrusted to you for your convenience while enrolled at Western. You may have only one Western ONECard at any time and your card can only be used by you. Only the person pictured on the Western ONECard is entitled to spend money from the account

For any questions or problems with your Western ONECard contact Student Central.

When ordering a replacement card, you may upload a new photo if you wish. Visit http://westernone.uwo.ca to order your replacement card. The Western ONECard Photo Upload is only for currently registered students. 

If you are uploading a replacement card for a new degree starting in September please see dates under "When you can ordering a Western ONECard".

Note: A $40 fee applies for ALL replacement Western ONECards

Online orders for replacement cards for currently enrolled students are processed Monday to Friday. Please allow 2 business days between your order and when you come to pick up your card.

You can pickup your card in Student Central 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. We are not mailing Western ONECards at this time. Once your replacement card has been printed and your order processed, previous cards will no longer work. There is no refund option for printed cards even if you locate an older card.

Students not on campus can use our Digital Western ONECard once their photo has been approved.

NOTE: Your replacement card may take up to 48 hrs to work on the bus if you are eligible for this service.

Student Central no longer offers in-person Western ONECard ordering. Current staff and faculty can upload their photo and request a new or replacement Western ONECard online here.

Staff can begin uploading on the first day of their contract, faculty can upload 3 months before their contract begins.

*Not all roles at Western are eligible for a ONECard. If you require it for door access and cannot log in verify with HR that your role is eligible hrhelp@uwo.ca.

Order your Card now

Your Official name must match the name indicated on your government-issued photo ID.
If the name displayed above is not correct (spelling and letter case), you must submit proper name change documentation showing your legal name to Human Resources (please allow 5 business days for processing before requesting your ONECard).

Don't forget to upload your government issued photo ID.

You can pickup your card 2 business days after you upload your photo and government ID in Student Central (rm 1120 Western Student Services building).

Only you can pick up your Western ONECard staff/faculty card, and it must be handed to you in person. If you are not physically on campus to pick the card up, we will hold the card until you are. We cannot mail you the card, nor can a third party pick it up.

Photo Guidelines

Your Photo Must:

•         Have you looking straight into the camera (i.e. no tilting of the head or side shots of the face)
•         Be from the neck-up only and show your entire face
•         Have a neutral or smiling facial expression
•         Be in colour
•         Be of good quality (i.e. is not blurry, or grainy)
•         Have NO FILTERS

 Your Photo Cannot:

•         Contain hats or sunglasses
•         Have inappropriate expressions
•         Have anything obstructing the view of your face (e.g. no hands on your chin or side of your face).
•         Have shadows behind you
•         Have glare on prescription glasses
•         Be a scan of your driver's license, passport, health card, etc.

Photos should be similar in nature to a passport photo and will remain on your Western ONECard for the duration of your employment at Western. Western reserves the right to not produce a Western ONECard where the photo submitted does not meet the above criteria.

Your Western ONECard is durable and built to last the entire time you are a student at Western. However, stress/torque on the card can affect the antenna, wiring, or chips that are embedded into the card. Therefore, a little prevention could significantly reduce the probability of requiring a replacement card (for which a fee applies). 

Don't keep your ONECard in your phone case. Magnetic phone mounts, cases, or other objects with magnets can damage magnetic strips or RFID chips like those found in your ONECard and some credit cards, security badges, passports, and key fobs. If you keep your ONECard in your phone case, be sure to take it out before charging.

All students are able to access their virtual Western ONECard by signing into the Digital ONECard Portal.

No. Distance students do not require a physical Western ONECard. They can use the Digital Western ONECard to show they are a student.