If I wanted to incorporate apple pay into a student ID card is it possible or do I have to use an apple device to access apple pay ?

Apple Pay facilitates using payment types such as credit on an Apple mobile device. It isn't set up to work the reverse way with you having a bank type account at Apple which can then be connected to a card you might use to make a payment for a service like swiping a credit card at a grocery store. You instead "swipe" your iPhone so it passes the charge onto your Visa card or whatever you have left at home.

If you wanted to add your student card to Wallet your student card would have to have some kind of payment form associated with it. I know my old university ID also doubled as a debit card for an independent bank that had set up an agreement with the university. In that case I think the bank providing that service would need to link directly with Apple.

Set up Apple Pay - Apple Support - https://support.apple.com/HT204506

Apple Pay is compatible with these devices - https://support.apple.com/HT208531

This is a user to user forum. We do not have that information. The university would have to become a bank and the ID card would become a debit card. Go to this link for more information - Apple Pay Customers