Moving off-campus gives students more freedom than they have while living in a dorm. More space to decorate, a kitchen to cook full meals—no more of the same-old dining hall food—and easy access to their car. Who knew you could park your car right outside of your living space, not a 2 mile walk away to the stadium?
Some apartments and houses in Muncie are close enough to campus that you can still walk to class—especially if you enjoy listening to music and podcasts along the way. But if your place is too far to walk from, or you carry heavy books, you might consider buying a Ball State parking permit. We’ll give you a quick rundown, but all information and pricing on permits, and the place to buy them, can be found on Ball State’s webpage.
The most popular permit for students is the commuter permit. This allows you to park in green commuter lots all year long, even in the summer. If you buy in the fall, it’s $100 and will last you until August of the following year. The downside with these passes are the lots aren’t centrally located, there are some on the north and south ends of campus, but none around the middle. Take a look at the map—any green lot is where you can park.
The lots closer to campus buildings are more convenient, but more expensive—anywhere from $300-$450 or more. It’s all about preference and what you can spend, but your wallet and daily step count might thank you for the commuter pass.
If you have majority online courses, it might be more worth it to park in a metered lot or parking garage for any on-campus classes. Take some time to calculate how much money you would save or lose by not buying a pass—and account for time on campus for meetings, clubs, and other extracurriculars.
If you don’t have reliable transportation, the MITS Bus service has stops around campus and travels all around the Muncie area and is free for Ball State students.
Here’s a helpful page with loads of FAQ about parking, ticketing, and general information about transportation on Ball State’s campus.
