Body
Questions
- How much printing money do I get as a Bowdoin student?
- What is the student print allocation?
- How does PaperCut charging work for students?
- What does it cost to print at Bowdoin?
- What happens when my PaperCut balance runs out?
- Can I get more printing funds if I run out?
- Does my print balance carry over to next semester?
- When does my PaperCut balance reset?
- Why does my PaperCut balance show $0?
- How do I request additional print funds?
- Do faculty and staff get a print allocation too?
Environment
This article applies to Bowdoin students using campus PaperCut printers.
- Who: Students with a Bowdoin account
- Not covered: Faculty and staff printing — faculty and staff do not receive a semesterly allocation. Individual printing has no limit and Department print costs are handled through cost centers. See Charging a department code in the Related Articles section.
Resolution
Your print allocation
Every student receives a $60.00 print allocation at the start of each fall semester, loaded automatically into your PaperCut account. You do not need to do anything to receive it — it appears in your balance when the fall semester begins. At the start of spring semester, another $60.00 is added.
Unused fall allocation funds roll over to spring. Unused funds at the end of the spring semester (end of academic year) are cleared over the summer — they do not carry into the following fall.
Note: To check your current balance at any time, sign in to the PaperCut portal at
papercut.bowdoin.edu. Your balance is shown on the Summary page immediately after sign-in. See
Check Your PaperCut Account Balance in the Related Articles section for details.
What printing costs
Print costs are deducted from your allocation balance each time you release a job. Rates are per page:
| Print type |
Cost |
Charged to |
| Black & white — single-sided |
$0.03 per page |
Allocation |
| Black & white — double-sided |
$0.05 per page |
Allocation |
| Color — single-sided |
$0.30 per page |
Allocation |
| Color — double-sided |
$0.45 per page |
Allocation |
Note: You are only charged when you release a job at the printer or through the portal — sending a document to the print queue does not deduct from your balance. If you send a job but never release it, the job expires after 48 hours and you are not charged.
Note: Black and white copying (on MFDs) and microform printing on the ScanPro 2000 also draw from your print allocation at the same rates as black and white printing.
What happens when your allocation runs out
When your allocation balance reaches $0.00, you will be blocked from printing until additional funds are added to your account.
Balance below $3.00? Students with a print allocation balance below $3.00 can request additional free print funds in $3.00 increments for coursework needs — either through Bowdoin Bot or the Service Catalog:
- Bowdoin Bot (fastest): Ask the bot "What's my print balance?" or "I need more funds in my print account" and it will walk you through a self-service increase.
- Service Catalog: Submit a request using Request Additional PaperCut Funds. IT staff will follow up on your request.
Additional funds are intended for coursework — not for club materials or on-campus job printing, which should be charged to the appropriate department or budget.
Allocation schedule
- Fall semester: $60.00 added at the start of fall
- Spring semester: Another $60.00 added; any unused fall balance carries over
- End of academic year: All unused allocation funds are cleared over the summer
- Summer research: Students doing summer research may receive a print allocation as part of their fellowship or research appointment — contact the OneCard office with questions
Faculty and staff printing
Faculty and staff do not receive a semesterly allocation. Individual printing has no limit and department printing can be charged to a cost center rather than a personal balance. If you need to set up or manage departmental print charging, see Charging a department code in the Related Articles section, or contact the Service Desk.
Additional Help
If you need further assistance, you have several options:
- Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
- Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
- In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
- Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
Additional Resources