Moving in & out

Students living in apartments who will remain there for Spring do not need to submit an application or pay an extra fee to stay for the break. They’ll automatically retain access to their room for the break.

Students living in traditional or suite-style housing with a late final exam or travel restrictions who need to stay an extra night in the halls or who need access to their room during any portion of the break past the late stay must complete the December Break application in the My Housing portal under the Breaks & Early/Late Stays section of the portal. The application will be open from November 17 through December 11 at 5 p.m. 

• Late Stay: This option permits you to be in your room until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December 16 by which time you must check out. There is no additional fee for a late stay, however, failure to follow check out instructions may result in being charged administrative fees.

• Full Break Housing: The December Break housing fee is $510 and will be charged to the student account. Students will have access to their room during the entire break from December 16-January 2. We do not offer partial hall access or a prorated fee.

Students leaving the university or being released from their contract at the end of the fall semester (graduation, study abroad, withdrawal, etc.) are not eligible for break housing and should vacate their room with all belongings and check out with a staff member by the posted closing time.

Students living in traditional and suite-style housing who are leaving for break must vacate their residence hall and check out directly with a Residence Life & Housing staff member (typically a Resident Assistant), at which time they will turn in their room key. Building staff will communicate time frames when they are available to conduct check outs. Students who fail to follow proper check-out procedures may be billed a $150 improper check-out fee in addition to key and resource loss fees depending on the circumstances. Be sure to plan ahead as the check-out process can take up to 30 minutes.

Any student (including those in apartments) not returning to their same room for the Spring semester (graduation, study abroad, withdrawal, room change, etc.) must follow this check out process and also remove all personal belongings at that time. 

Students who have lost their room key should notify a staff member immediately. If you don’t have your key when you’re leaving for break, you should still check out with staff prior to leaving to avoid additional improper check out fees. Key core replacement charges will be billed to your student account, and you'll be issued a new key.

Unless otherwise notified by our office prior to closing, students returning to campus for the Winter/Spring semesters should expect to return to the same room that they lived in at the end of the fall semester. This means that you may leave your belongings in your room over the break. We do recommend taking valuables and other items you may need while away (medications, clothing, electronics, etc.), as you won’t be able to get back into your room during the break. 

Alternatively, students moving to a new room for Winter/Spring or who are leaving the residence halls for the rest of the year at the end of the fall semester due to graduation, withdrawal, study abroad, etc. must remove all belongings from their room upon their checkout by the posted hall closing time. Failure to do so may result in being charged administrative fees.

After closing, the Resident Assistant staff will enter student rooms to conduct health and safety checks, which help us maintain the safety and security of our residence halls. Make sure to do the following to prepare your room before you leave:

• If applicable, close and lock your windows and close the shades

• Take garbage and recycling to appropriate dumpsters

• Empty, unplug and defrost refrigerators a few days before leaving

• Unplug all electronics

• If applicable, turn your heat on and set to low

• Close and lock your doors and turn off lights

• Check your mailbox and pick up any packages

• Return any resources that you've checked out (i.e. spare ONEcard, etc.)

• Each roommate should complete and sign the room checklist provided by staff
• Remove any prohibited items
• If there is an empty bed space in your room, make sure the bed and corresponding furniture are empty as a new roommate may be assigned to that space at any time. Most vacancies remaining at the end of the fall semester will be filled with new spring residents. 

Parking regulations will be in effect during check-out. Learn more about the proper loading and unloading of vehicles prior to your departure. The gates around the walking paths near South Academy, Caesar Rodney, Redding, Gilbert, James Smith, Thomas McKean and Independence Halls will be open to allow cars to get closer to the residence halls on Friday, December 12 through Monday, December 15 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Cars unloading in the fire lane must always have a licensed driver attendant at the vehicle, and loading is prohibited on city streets, including Academy Street. Wheeled carts will not be available in buildings to assist in transporting belongings.

During move-out times, there is increased vehicle traffic, so please stay safe by using crosswalks and keeping alert when walking. Remember that dusk begins around 4 p.m. at this time of year, so be aware of your surroundings as drivers may have a harder time seeing pedestrians. 

Resident Assistant staff will be on duty during the break, and contact information will be posted on residence hall entrance doors should you need to get in touch with a staff member. USPS mail service will continue through the break, but package centers will be closed. Other university services, including dining, student health services, and recreational activities may be limited or completely unavailable during the break. Students who will be on campus and may need help accessing food and supplies during the break can learn more about campus resources here. 

University offices close for the holiday on December 23, 2025 at 5 p.m. and reopen on January 2, 2026.