Your ecUM – Electronic Card – University of Mannheim
The ecUM (electronic card University of Mannheim) is a multi-functional smart card which serves as identification card for students, staff members and guests at the University of Mannheim. The ecUM authorizes you to access certain buildings and rooms of the university and serves as your library card. In addition, you can use the ecUM for cashless payment at the Mensa, EO Cafeteria and Café Soleil.
Starting on 1 July 2025, the ecUM will have a new design. There will no longer be a photo on the front of the card. Please note that the ecUM is only valid with an official photo ID. Existing cards can still be used.
All functions of the ecUM as a student or membership card with a stamp of the period of validity:
- as a library ID card (with personal global user ID)
- access to certain buildings and rooms of the university
- for cashless payment at the Mensa, EO Cafeteria and Café Soleil
- to use the lockers at the University Library
- for different functions at the self-service terminals
- to transfer money to your print account
Function with guest card:
- access to certain buildings and rooms of the university
Information on the ecUM as a guest student card can be found under Guest students and senior citizen students.
I am a first-year student. How do I get my ecUM?
- Login to Portal² at portal2.uni-mannheim.de with your
- Uni-ID and your
- password for your Uni-ID.
Your personal Uni-ID is automatically created and you can retrieve it from the online application portal. Please note that you need to change the initial password at the MyUni-ID website.
- As soon as the enrollment process has been completed, your ecUM is created. Afterwards we will inform you via e-mail.
- We will send your new ecUM by post to the German postal address you provided. Please be advised that starting from 5 September, 2025 postal delivery will no longer be available. From this date onward, you will need to pick up your ecUM in person at the InfoCenter.
- If you are part of the group of exchange students or have provided a foreign address, you can pick up your ecUM at the InfoCenter as soon as you receive a notification from us.
- As soon as you have received your ecUM, you need to
- go to the MyUni-ID website to activate your card.
- go to one of the self-service terminals at the university to validate your ecUM. The stamp of the period of validity will be printed on your card, if you enter the card and press the “Return” button in the menu to retrieve it. The stamp will be automatically printed on your card.
- Login to Portal² at portal2.uni-mannheim.de with your
Where can I pick up my ecUM?
First-year students
As a first-year student, the ecUM will be send by post to the postal address you provided. Please be aware that starting from 5 September, 2025, postal delivery will no longer be available. From this date onward, you will need to pick up your ecUM in person at the InfoCenter.If you are part of the group of exchange students or have provided a foreign address, you can pick up your ecUM at the InfoCenter as soon as you receive a notification from us.
As soon as you have received your ecUM, you have to activate the ecUM
- at the MyUni-ID website
- go to one of the self-service terminals at the university to validate your ecUM. The stamp of the period of validity will be printed on your card, if you enter the card and press the “Return” button in the menu to retrieve it. The stamp will be automatically printed on your card.
Staff members
For new hires, the activated ecUM will be sent to you with the employee letter via internal mail. If you need a replacement card, e.g., because you have lost your ecUM, it has been stolen, or your status has changed, please contact the InfoCenter, where a replacement card will be issued directly to you.Students in need of a new ecUM
If you need a replacement card, e.g. because you have lost your ecUM, it has been stolen or your status has changed, please contact the InfoCenter, where a new card will be issued for you immediately. You can collect your replacement card from the InfoCenter on presentation of your enrollment letter and valid ID card or passport.Visitors at the University of Mannheim
Visitors can obtain a non-personalized card against a deposit at the Infothek in the Mensa.How can I validate and re-validate my ecUM?
You need to validate your ecUM by printing a stamp of the period of validity on your card. Each semester, you need to re-validate the card. Please validate or re-validate your ecUM at the self-service terminals or dedicated validity printers at the university. In the section For which services can I use the self-service terminals? you will find more information on the location of the self-service terminals. The locations of the dedicated printers (only validity imprint) are:
- A 5 in the library
- A 3, in the library on the 2nd floor
- Schneckenhof Süd at the InfoCenter
- L 1, 1 Express-Service
- Ehrenhof West, in the librabry on the 2nd floor
The stamp of the period of validity is printed on your card, if you enter the card and press the “Return” button in the menu. The stamp will be automatically printed on your card. At the dedicated printer, you only have to insert the card and it will be printed and ejected again.
Where can I apply for a new ecUM?
If your card is lost, defective, or its status changes, you can apply for a replacement card. To do so, please contact the InfoCenter directly. If you suspect that your ecUM has been lost, please block it as soon as possible via the MyUni-ID website.
How much does my ecUM cost?
We provide you with your ecUM free of charge.
You have lost your card? If you have lost your ecUM, you will have to pay a fee in the amount of EUR 15, in accordance with the General Statutes of Fees of the University of Mannheim (PDF).
You have changed your name or your ecUM is broken? We are happy to provide you with a new ecUM free of charge.
For which services can I use the self-service terminals?
As a student, you can use the following services at the self-service terminals:
- validating and renewing the validity of your ecUM
- transferring money to your print account
- paying library fees
You will need your:
- ecUM
- Uni-ID (user ID)
- password for this ID
Please note that you will need to top up your ecUM before using any fee-charging services.
The self-service terminals are located here (please note the opening hours of the individual buildings):
- Foyer of A 5, 6 building A
- A 3 in the library
- Ehrenhof West, in the librabry on the 2nd floor
- Schneckenhof Süd in the foyer of the Business Administration Library (near InfoCenter)
- Schneckenhof foyer (near Campus Shop)
- Westflügel near the central lending desk of the Library
Paying with ecUM – Where can I top up my ecUM?
Paying with ecUM
In the Cafeterias and the Mensa, you can always use your ecUM card for payment. You can also use ecUM for payment in the institutions of the Studierendenwerk as well as for coffee and washing machines. We recommend that you use ecUM for all payment on campus so that you can benefit from the lowest price. In all Cafeterias and the Mensa, there is at least one register where you can pay in cash, but due to the increased work an extra 25% are added to the price which you would pay using ecUM.Where can I top up my ecUM?
You can top up your ecUM at some of the registers in the Mensa, in the Café Soleil and in the Café EO. We recommend using the Autoload process of the Studierendenwerk Mannheim. Topping up your card at the cashless Autoload terminals (right next to the self service terminals) is fast and comfortable:Do you need help? Please contact the InfoCenter of the University IT, if you have problems using the self-service terminals. We will help you as quickly as possible and in an uncomplicated way. We are located in Schloss Schneckenhof Süd but are also happy to help you by phone at +49 621 181-3027 or via e-mail at id.unituni-mannheim.de .
I have lost or recovered my ecUM. What should I do?
You want to block or reactivate your ecUM? Please log in with your Uni-ID (user ID) and password:
