Getting Your Spartan Card

Current Students

If you are a current student who has not yet obtained your Spartan Card, you may come to our office during business hours to pick it up. You will need to provide us your student ID number (a 9-digit number starting with 1 which can be found on your applicant portal or on your student portal) and a government issued photo ID (passport, US driver's license, and US State ID) to pick up your Spartan Card. Spartan Cards will not be given to friends or family on behalf of a student.

PLEASE NOTE, if you are replacing a lost, stolen, or broken Spartan Card, please navigate to Replacing Your Spartan Card page.

If you are a returning student that has a Spartan Card from a previous year, you do NOT need to obtain a new Spartan Card. 

Incoming Freshmen and Transfer Students

As an incoming freshman or transfer student, you have the option to either submit a Spartan Card photo or come to the ID Office to get your picture taken during our business hours. Submitting the photo online is highly encouraged as it will save time and give you an opportunity to use the picture of your choice. If you uploaded the photo online, you still have to come to the ID Office to pick up your Spartan Card. If you are a new student seeking to activate your MSU NetID, proceed to the NetID Website for instructions. 

Visit the New Fall 2026 Students Information page for more details.

Incoming Graduate Students

As an incoming graduate degree seeking student, you have the option to either submit a Spartan Card photo or come to the ID Office to get your picture taken during our business hours. Submitting the photo online is highly encouraged as it will save time and give you an opportunity to use the picture of your choice. If you uploaded the photo online, you still have to come to the ID Office to pick up your Spartan Card. If you are a new student seeking to activate your MSU NetID, proceed to the NetID Website for instructions. 

Lifelong Students

Whether you come to our office or request us to mail your Spartan Card, you must be enrolled in the current semester as a student to pick up your Spartan Card (for example, if you are taking an online course in the Spring, you cannot request the Spartan Card prior to the Spring semester start).

As an online or lifelong student, you may come to the ID Office to pick up your Spartan Card during our business hours. You will need to provide your student ID number (a 9-digit number starting with 1 which can be found on your applicant portal or on your student portal) and a government issued photo ID (acceptable forms of ID include passport, US driver license, and US state ID) to pick up your Spartan Card.